I take public transport home from work a few days a week now, and in getting better prepared for winter, I decided to try some Blundstones after seeing them on a woman in Sephora whose style I admired . I like these in the find below (but in plain black leather ) because of the white topstitching and the higher shaft. They look a little more "elevated" (there's that word again) than the plain oiled leather ones which is the attraction. So I went to try them on today and was horrified by how utterly difficult they were to get on. I tried two sizes and the larger size was only marginally less strenuous to pull on. Is this normal ?? I was wearing a thick sock as I figured that's how I'd be wearing them. For context, I have a very average foot, neither wide nor narrow, and with a very average arch . Almost all shoes and boots fit me with zero trouble. How are you all managing this?