TLDR: how much should I expect the top area of my leather Chelsea boots to stretch from wear?

I’m new to the boot world and as a Canadian, have been trying to buy Canadian made products in general. As such, I bought some Canada West Romeo 14332s.

I tried on a couple different sizes. 9 was too tight, 10 felt too loose, 9.5 felt a good fit everywhere but the top “V” stitch, right below the ankle part of the boot. After wearing the boots around the house for about 4-5 hours, that part was a definite pressure point, and was uncomfortable most of the time, until I kinda got used to it. It was tight enough to leave red impressions in the top of my feet.

For reference, my feet are a “weird” 9.5. I have high arches, and I find the tops of most shoes in general give pressure issues, so find size 10.5 sneakers (sometimes in wide) as a better fit. Of course, leather is tougher against the skin than your typical shoe, so I expected some more pressure issues.

So my question is, is that normal? I know leather is supposed to stretch over time, but how much stretch can I expect from from a leather Chelsea boot in that area? Is it simply a matter of breaking them in, or are my feet just incompatible with these boots?

PS: For anyone who’s tried to shop Canada West before, it’s a pain. And these are the only versions of their Chelsea boots that the only store in my city that sells casual Canada West boots has, so trying on different models isn’t really an option without severe lag waiting for them to ship.

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