To be honest, my gf and I both bought Tibets right before elk season 14 and with almost no break-in we hiked in 4 miles with loaded packs on a scouting trip. Neither of us ended up with even a hot spot. So in my not so expert opinion they dont require much break-in. FWIW I do recommend some quality footbeds as the stock Lowa inserts aren't great. We both use L&S Synergy beds and feel like they made a big difference.
So is there a go to online vendor for these boats. I see many like and recommend them. I have not had much luck trying to locate a good online source? Thanks.