How To Make Basketball Shoes Wider? 6 Proven Ways
Have you bought a pair of basketball shoes and realized they were too tight, and you cannot exchange them?
It is critical to find basketball shoes that are comfortable and properly fit. But if you are stuck with the tight ones, we have got you covered.
There are many ways of stretching out a shoe that’s too tight.
This article will tell you whether basketball shoes expand and how to make basketball shoes wider.
Do Basketball Shoes Expand?
Basketball shoes do expand and you don’t necessarily need to purchase a new pair. If you find a shoe just a tad too small, put it in a zip-close bag and blow it up with a blow dryer.
This helps in stretching the material and making the shoe more comfortable. Try wearing thick socks and walking around in your new basketball shoes for a while to break them in.
This will help to loosen the material and ensure proper fit.
Below we go into detail on how to make basketball shoes wider.
Also Check: How To Make Big Basketball Shoes Fit?
How to Make Basketball Shoes Wider?
Here are some tips on making shoes wider that are too tight or uncomfortable on your foot and you don’t like how they fit.
1. The Heating Method
One of the most popular methods for stretching out shoes is using a blow dryer, a pair of thick socks, and a pair of shoes. Sounds crazy, huh? It’s true, but what’s even more odd is that it works!
Here is how you can do it:
Step 1
Put on two pair of socks
Step 2
Put your shoes on. Tighten them up all the way. Even though that will be super uncomfortable, it will be better in the long run.
Step 3
You’re going to want to turn the blow dryer on. Aim it at the toe of the shoe for 20 seconds. Or you can go longer than that whenever you want but then alternate between the shoes.
Step 4
Loosen up the shoe, take it off, take the other sock off and then try it on, and you’ll feel a difference.
Pro Tip: once you’ve done it for 20 seconds you can switch sides because this way you will feel the same way on each side.
Pro Tip: Use the elite socks because they are more cushioned and take up more space. They’re more padded, so more padding means that they’re thicker because you want to make your foot as thick as possible for right.
2. Sprays That Help in Shoe Stretch
Basketball shoe spray was created to help loosen the leather.
Spray it on and let the shoe air dry. Do this for a few nights, and you should notice that your shoes will stretch out over time.
In a spray bottle, combine 50% water and 50% alcohol for this trick. Now all you have to do is spray the mixture inside the shoe.
And keep lightly stretching while spraying; this will help the mixture settle completely. Wear shoes for the next half hour after spraying.
This technique stretches the shoe and strengthens the treads of jogger shoes.
3. Break-in
Walk
This is the simplest and easiest trick – if you call it a trick– for stretching out your sneakers. All you have to do is keep them moving all day.
This could be uncomfortable if they’re extremely tight, but wearing them all day at work, school, or home will constantly break them in.
In addition, after purchasing your shoes, you should give them 10-15 minutes of light activity.
This allows the shoe to conform to your feet and stretch over time.
You don’t want a basketball shoe that is too tight to cause blisters on your feet right away.
This is the time to ensure you’ve properly conditioned your feet and ankles before wearing your new basketball shoes.
Perform
Your feet will press more forcefully against the outer edges of your shoe because basketball requires a lot of lateral (side-to-side) movement and more force.
To properly break in new basketball shoes, practicing the movements you’d make in a real-life game situation is important.
So, after a week of light use and stretching with your new basketball shoes, it’s time to step it up a notch by wearing them for drills and practice.
4. Lacing
Method 1
A “parallel” or “straight bar” style of lacing that equally distributes the laces for better comfort may help if you think your shoes are too tight on the top of your foot.
- To reduce pressure, lace the shoes in parallel by running the lace up the side of the eyelets and skipping alternate eyelets for each lace.
- Tie the shoe as usual.
Method 2
Your shoes will fit more comfortably and securely and offer more support using this lacing method.
- To begin, insert the shoelaces into the first eyelets from the bottom and tighten them.
- Thread the laces up the side of the shoe through the subsequent set of eyelets rather than crisscrossing them at the widest part of your foot.
- To finish, continue lacing in a crisscross pattern.
Focus: The toe box has more room with this lacing style.
Method 3
This lacing style is useful in loosening the entire shoe, giving your foot more room and comfort.
- Use the criss cross lacing technique to fasten the shoe.
- Pass the shoelace through each eyelet in turn.
- Tie the shoe as usual.
Focus: This lacing design offers more space across the whole foot.
5. Use shoe stretches
Shoe stretchers may appear odd, but they can help basketball players in a pinch. Consider getting a brand-new pair of basketball shoes as a gift right before the season began.
You might be able to break in your new shoes in a few days with the help of a shoe stretcher.
If their new shoes are too narrow, basketball players with wide feet might benefit from using a shoe stretcher.
However, keep in mind that shoe stretchers can’t do miracles. They can only add a half-inch of length or width to your measurements.
Another great way to ensure your basketball shoes fit just right is to use shoe stretchers. These devices are designed to stretch the material of your shoes to make them fit better.
See: The Complete Guide To Basketball Sizes
6. Find A Shoe Repair Professional
There’s no need to worry if you don’t want to deal with this hassle alone. If you don’t have time or prefer not to stretch shoes at home, stopping by a cobbler, or a professional shoe repair shop, is a great option.
A skilled cobbler or shoe repairer will be equipped with every tool required to stretch even the most detailed or delicate shoes.
Another great way to ensure that your worn-out shoes last and look great for longer is to take them to a cobbler or professional to have them cleaned up, reshaped, and even resolved.
Can you stretch any shoes?
While most shoes will stretch and mold to your feet over time, many can be stretched manually.
Although leather shoes are the easiest to stretch, most fabrics and materials can also be stretched.
Because the material is better at holding its shape, faux leather and vinyl shoes do not respond as well to stretching.
Conclusion
Basketball is a game where fit is crucial and should never be neglected.
But every pair of shoes will require some adjusting on the part of the feet to break them in.
We hope this article helped you with how to make basketball shoes wider.
