They hurt
It's common knowledge among owners of Dr Martens shoes that you have to break them in. In fact, for most afficionados it's a rite of passage to drag your feet through some sort of hell to earn the right to wear Docs. Such trial and tribulation is apparently well worth the struggle, as a good pair of Docs can stand up to heavy thrashing and provide its wearer many years of service.
I wore my Dr Marten lows out today. I don't wear them very often but holy cow did I pay for it. I have two huge blisters on my ankles from where the hard material had been rubbing on them, and this has served as a serious wake-up call for me and my sizing with the shoes.
I definitely need to get a size up. I was double-socked and the shoes went straight through like there was nothing there. This is the first time double-socks has been rendered ineffective and is a sure sign that I need to do something about it. I also remember experiencing pins and needles in my small toes and the sides of the foot, which is definitely some sort of cautionary alarm that I should heed.
I still love Docs
Now don't get me wrong - I still love the shoes. I just need a bigger pair. I don't care about the rites of passage or breaking-in or anything like that. I just don't want to put up with blisters every time I put the shoes on and feel like I have to hobble at 50 meters a minute. I ended up going to the nearest K-Mart to buy some 5 dollar slip-ons and wearing them for the rest of the day.
I feel a little frustrated with them because I waited for quite a while on them to arrive and paid international shipping from the US.
I'll probably put the other ones up on Grailed for sale. They're still in great condition as I keep them inside their box at all times and away from dust. I'm very good with keeping my footwear clean and crease-free. The soles are super tough so there's practically zero drag or wear, which is great, and they've kept their color too. No scuffs to speak of, either!