Try not to leave any room in the shoe. The more tightly you pack the socks, the more your shoe will stretch.

If the shoe feels cool, try heating it up for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, check it again. Although the hair dryer shouldn’t damage your shoes, avoid using a high heat to be safe.

The heat should cause the shoe to expand a little and get flexible, which will allow you to add more socks.

Check the fit by walking around and wiggling your toes. If your shoes are still too tight, you can try stretching them more. However, it may be best to try freezing or soaking them, which will provide a better stretch.

Don’t leave a lot of extra space between the bag and the sides of your shoe. The water must fill your shoes completely to stretch them.

Use your finger to check for gaps between the bag of water and the side of the shoe. If the bag doesn’t fill the shoe, you may want to add more water or possibly a second bag of water.

Make sure to remove your shoes after 12 hours so you don’t damage them.

Your thawing shoes may leave a slight puddle, so lay a plastic bag down before letting them thaw, or thaw them in the sink for easy cleanup.

Walk around and wiggle your toes to see if you like the fit.

Wearing a thicker pair of socks might help you stretch out your shoes more because they will take up more space inside your shoe.

Hot water can scald your skin, so be very careful.

You should feel the water inside your shoes, soaking through your socks. Keep in mind that the dye from your shoes may run when the shoes get wet. This shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Be very careful as you walk around in your wet shoes because it’s easy to slip. Try to walk on a towel or rug so that you aren’t stepping into puddles.

If you typically climb indoors, confirm with the gym that you can climb in wet shoes before attempting to do so. It might also help to bring a towel so you can dry the wall after you’re done. Climbing in damp shoes won’t feel as comfortable as using dry shoes, but it will help stretch your shoes out quickly.

As another option, you could use paper towels, washcloths, or socks to stuff your shoes.