How to Break In Your KURUs

We recommend wearing your KURUs around the house for 1–2 hours per day for the first week to break them in.

Since KURU tech offers unique and superior support, they might feel different at first—even a little achy. With more intentional support in all the right places, your KURUs might take some getting used to—but oh, is the pain relief worth it in the end.

Need a better fit? We offer 45-day risk-free exchanges and returns.

While it’s not common, some customers experience tenderness when they first start wearing a new pair of KURUs. You’re more likely to experience this initial pain or tenderness if you’ve never worn custom orthotics before.

Your body may need time to adjust to the new levels of anatomical support you experience with our patented KURUSOLE technology, and we suggest you follow the break-in procedure even if this isn’t your first pair of KURUs.

Here are a few suggestions that have helped other customers:

1. Let your feet adapt to the support and natural re-alignment

As with any high-quality orthotic, letting your feet adjust to the support of the KURUSOLE technology is necessary. This may result in soreness or tenderness for the first few weeks of wear.

KURU is designed to support your feet as the foundation of your body, which includes proper alignment. Sometimes, re-aligning your body by modifying the way you stand and walk can cause discomfort until your body becomes used to the improved position.

2. Break them in slowly

For the first two weeks, wear the shoes for 2 to 3 hours each day and then switch to another pair of shoes.

For the next two weeks, wear them for 3 to 5 hours each day, once again switching to another pair of shoes afterward. This will allow your body to make a healthy transition to the new levels of support.

3. The space-age foams take time to mold to you

Over time, our ULTIMATE INSOLES will soften and mold to your feet. Our insoles use advanced foams that react to your body heat and mold to the unique contours of your feet.

Your new KURUs may initially feel slightly stiff or awkward. The recommended break-in time above allows the ULTIMATE INSOLES to mold to your needs. This is especially true if you wear the shoes while standing for long hours.

4. KURU activates your muscles

KURU offers incredible heel support, with a naturally shaped forefoot. This unique design may activate different muscle groups, which can create some soreness. Give your body a little time to adapt to this natural, flexible forefoot design.

We've shared this advice with numerous customers, and here are some of their responses:

"Since I last emailed you and after reading your suggestion to keep wearing them, my feet have grown accustomed to them very nicely. I have been wearing them all day with no further discomfort. I would suggest that you add a note somewhere in your advertisements that if you don't wear orthotics that there may me a short adjustment period to your shoes. Other than that I am very pleased so far and although I haven't tested them on vacation they seem to be a very nice investment."

-Ron

"I was very unhappy with my shoes when first purchased, but after wearing them for several weeks, I am recommending them frequently. Thanks!"

-Leanna H., M.D.

Due to the anatomical shape of the KURUSOLE, custom orthotics with a rounded heel fit best inside our shoes. If the underside of the custom orthotic (the part that sits on the footbed) is squared off, then it may not fit into our deep heel cup—which is rounded like your foot.

That said, many of our customers tell us the KURUSOLE technology offers better support and stability than they expected, and that they don't need to wear their custom orthotics with KURU shoes.

Every KURU shoe comes with three layers of support, including our patented KURUSOLE tech—a foot health game changer. This revolutionary, adaptive technology dynamically flexes with each step to hug and protect your heels. 

With over 20K 5-star reviews, our customers prove that KURU delivers pain relief. In fact, over 7 in 10 customers report improved pain symptoms, and of those customers, 97% experience improvement in less than 4 weeks. Talk about Pain Relief Beyond Belief.

KURU shoes are not machine washable. They can be cleaned with our specialized KURU Ultimate Care Kit or with water and a washcloth or soft-bristle brush. See the below FAQ for more cleaning tips!

Because we use high-quality, high-performance materials in our shoes, it's important to properly care for them to extend the life of the shoes. Here are a few care instructions for KURU shoes:

• Always allow your shoes to air dry, and store them in a dry, cool environment—free of direct sunlight. If your shoes get wet, make sure to remove the insole to make sure the interior of the shoe fully dries.

• If you need to clean your shoes, choose a shoe cleaning gel that is suitable for both fabric and leather. We recommend our KURU Ultimate Care Kit, which includes a basic shoe cleaning kit with all the tools you need for regular shoe maintenance. Always remember to spot-test the cleaner, as sometimes it can alter the color of the materials. 

• You can also clean your shoes using a moist (with water), lint-free cloth, and/or a soft-bristled brush. When cleaning mud or other debris, allow the mud to fully dry, then with a soft-bristled brush, lightly remove the dirt.

• To improve the stain and water resistance of KURU shoes, we recommend using our exclusive KURU Shield Shoe Protector Spray, which is optimized for leather and textiles. This can help keep your shoes protected from water, stains, and other chemicals and oils.

Any damage due to failing to follow the above care instructions will void the warranty against defects on the shoe.

Some KURUs are waterproof! Both the CURRENT and TREAD active sandals are made with waterproof materials. We also have several shoes with water-resistant leather, including the LUNA, TEMPO, KIVI, CHICANE, and QUEST.