Nike Air Force 1 is a bit of a sensitive pair of shoes. The typical breaking-in might work, but most don’t know how to do it correctly. I recently saw a Tik Tok video breaking a custom air force 1 by dipping in hot coffee. Yes, you read it right.
But regular thick socks are better than doing these unnecessary Tik Tok hacks. If you want to know how to break in Nike Air Force 1 fast and without having pain, I’ve gathered some effective methods and steps. Let’s dig in!
How Long Does It Take to Break in Air Force 1?
It should take you two weeks at max. Anything beyond two weeks means the af1 is hurting you rather than breaking in. The blow-dry method takes about 10 days; it will take 13 days for sock methods.
If you choose to walk with these for two to three hours, it will take seven days. The numbers can change according to your usage. However, for basketball purposes, it takes four days to warm up.
How to Quickly Break in Air Force 1? 3 Painless Methods!
There are many popular methods, including washing, blow-drying, using stones, etc. But I personally avoid these methods because they might wrinkle Air force 1. Here’s what I do instead to break in Nike Air Force 1.
Method 1: Deodorant
Roll-on deodorants work the best for this. Air Force 1 has a habit of creating such popular methods like putting a shoe stretcher and shoe spray are not suitable for this. Instead, try using a deodorant in the places it causes stiffness.
A dove roll deodorant should do or your regular roll-on deodorant. Surprisingly, it will protect your fit from getting blisters and eases up the Air Force 1 without ruining its quality.
This is excellent for Air Force highs and mids because the highs tend to be stiff at the ankle more than the toe.
This is one of the finest ways of how to break in Air Force ones fast.
If interested, please check our article on how to break in Converse fast.
Method 2: Regular wear and Shoe Liners
Shoe Liners are perfect if you choose to break in your shoe by walking in them every day for at least a few hours. If your ankle is not the standard length, Air Force 1 lows and mids can sting you. A shoe liner adds extra height and lifts your feet without damaging the shoe. Also, it’s temporary and you can place your every-stuff sneaker beside Af1.
There are ankle straps and toe straps that temporarily protect your feet from blisters until you break your shoe while walking.
Method 3: Socks
Socks are my personal favorite. Why? They work for almost every kind of shoe except flip-flops. Put on your thick socks and wear your Af1 and wear them for at least 70 minutes at your home. You don’t need to walk or anything, just wear them and relax.
I got comfortable with my white Af1s using this method, and it took me only 8 days as I wore them for 6 hours. I know it’s insane.
Now that you know how to break in Nike Air Force 1, let’s look at some related questions.
You can also check our article on breaking in Vans.
Do Nike Air Force 1 Hurt Feet?
Here is the answer of why do Air Force ones hurt my feet. Improper sizing and feet disease can cause you to feel hurt wearing Af1s. I recommend getting Af1s in max size, which are for wide feet. But most commonly, Af1 hurts for the lack of proper breaking in. The upper sole is made out of rubber and leather mix and can cause feet to sting for some. So if Nike Air Force 1 hurt feet, try to buy the proper size.
You can also check our article, how to break in Doc Martens? You can read our article, why do my air force ones hurt my ankles?
Why Are My Air Forces so Stiff?
The Air force is a basketball sneaker, and it is supposed to be stiff to provide functionality.
These are made for giving arch support rather than sole upper support.
Also, as a basketball shoe, they intend to have a stiff upper sole that doesn’t include the latest comfort technology. However, I’ve found my Af1 comfortable as Nike has upgraded the air cushion technology.
Another reason can be that the new Af1 is made out of partial leather that might need breaking in. The final cause can be the sneaker is not your size or your feet width is more than the Af1 width capacity.
Are Air Force Ones Supposed to Be Tight?
From my experience, Af1 mid and high is a bit tight than the low. I had a word with the Newyork Nike flagship store manager, and he answered that the Af1s are tight to an extent. As I explained before, these are retro basketball shoes; the design fully caters to the needs of playing basketball. So, the mids and highs are a bit tight to provide ground clearance to the player while shooting a jump.
The manager also added the upper sole is made aspect to players jumping a 90-degree angle. But, they should get comfortable after a few wears or breaking in. But if you see it’s way too tight, then the Af1 might be in the wrong size.
Can you run in Nike Air Force 1? Are running in Air Force 1 a good idea?
Does Feet Width Affect Air Force 1 Stiffness?
Yes, they do if you don’t, according to your size. Compared to Jordans, the Af1 is wider. Nike has taken regard about the wide feet companies, and the new models of Af1 are quite wide feet friendly. But the proportions of human feet are not always the same, so if you buy a size 13, the max width of an Af1 will be 11. But if you are a size 13 and your foot’s width is 12, then it will cause stiffness on the wide sole. It’s better to measure your feet before buying any Af1 pair.
You can check our article on whether Nike Air Force 1 fits wide feet.
Are Nike Air Force Supposed to Be Uncomfortable?
Air forces or any shoe should never make you feel uncomfortable. If you are wearing your Af1 for the first few times, the reason can be they need flexibility.
But if they are always uncomfortable and cause you to blister, then it’s time to change your af1. However, Af1s are not great for casual wear for some.
Back in the 80s, these were the standard of comfortable shoes. But those days, there were not many innovative pleased shoe technologies. The standard of comfort changes now, but the classic af1 design remains the same. You have to remember new designs like Nike Zoom x foams. Reebok and more have created new heights for comfort and might extend your comfort expectation. But for me, Af1s are comfortable for regular wear.
You can check our article, are Nike Air Force 1 comfortable for walking?
How to Avoid Major Creasing While Breaking In?
Nike Air Force 1 creases fast because of the air cushion technology. Shoe crease makes the shoe look old and also decreases sole upper lifetime. Even if the af1 has a stiff upper sole, it is still prone to creasing. Truth be told, you af1 will crease if you wear them, but you can permanently save it from unnecessary creasing. The first is don’t bend your shoes while standing on concrete. It creates a V shape crease on the front of the shoe. Next is to avoid washing your air force 1 in the washing machine and hand wash them instead. The final one is to store your af1 properly.
How to Remove Creases from Air Force Ones?
Nike recommends blow-drying or steaming the shoe. These are good options but not for those who can’t do it properly. I recommend ironing the air force 1 to remove the crease. In your af1 breaking in the period, you can easily. First, use a shoe tree inside the shoe and correct it to the previous state before crease. Then take a damp washcloth and put it directly on the crease. Then heat your iron to at max 70 degrees Fahrenheit and iron the washcloth for 12 seconds. Now check the crease and slowly repeat the process. After you see the crease is gone, stop ironing.
How to Break in Nike Air Force 1? (Summary)
I hope now you know how to break Nike Air Force 1. After applying all the methods I recommended, if you still feel uncomfortable or get pain, then stop wearing the Af1s. Also, contact Nike retailer or customer service for more help.
You can also read our article, four ways to break in Nike Slides.