UKH

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for this!

My big toes do not bend at the second joint by themselves. I can bend them slightly by hand, but using just my foot muscles they only go up and down straight.

My first pair of shoes were too big and stretched until they went floppy and near useless. I then bought a second pair which I have now realised were too small. I was told that they needed to be snug and for your toes to bend to fill up all the gaps, but because my big toes do not bend I'm guessing they've just been pushed inwards as I am now getting pain and bone spurs. Despite this there is still space in front and above the other four toes.

After trying loads of shoes on I'm coming to the realisation that a 'normal' fit is impossible for my weird feet. I've even contacted a re-soler to ask about thicker rubber, but he says it'll make the shoes feel messy and huge which might end up being as useless for harder climbs.

Is anybody else in this position? What can I do?

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:

Go try loads of shoes on in a shop. Don't feel you have to buy if you don't find one that suits, just keep looking. I have pretty crunchy big toes though I doubt as bad as yours, my usual problem as my big toes won't comfortably curl up tight anymore is the toe nail causes the shoe to bulge, this causes pain and eventually cuts out through the rand before the soles are worn out .

Some of the softer curled up bouldering shoes seem to have quite long big-toe bits, these fit my feet well but as they're designed to load that big toe up as a single point of contact they're painful to climb in. In the end I went for some blue and orange Scarpa TechnoX, these are stiff enough to spread the load a bit away from the big toe but close fitting and foot shaped. I climb harder when I can load my shoes up than in a top of the range whiz-bang shoe that cripples me. Just keep trying them on and test climb in the ones that fit until you find the best compromise.

jk

In reply to jkarran:

I have a similar big toe. I use Sportiva Mythos - they do tend to stretch a lot so go smaller.

In reply to ewanjp:

Thanks guys. I've heard about the Mythos before, but haven't actually seen any in the flesh around here (North Wales.)

I've tried the Techno X on, liked the support they offered - more than the Scarpa Force X I have now - but there was a lot of space around the other toes, especially above them as the toe box felt quite big. But I'm gonna try them again now that I accept that some sort of compromise will have to be made between as little space as possible, and comfort.

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:

Also have a non bendy big toe. I wear pinks and love them. They wear out very quick but they fit and they stick with no farty heel or crimped toes.

In reply to flopsicle:

Is your big toe similar length to the second, or is it far longer? I ask because mine is longer and I find it hard to get the other toes to fill space haha

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:

It's not oddly long - just in line with the general gradient....

In reply to flopsicle:

Weirdly - I would have thought that the more aggressive and asymmetric a shoe is the better it would be for you - a tight taper will crunch your smaller toes but keep your big one longer. The only problem is the wonking great rubber patch over the big toe on most of these types of shoes.

In reply to flopsicle:

Ah right yeah, mine is a good cm longer, and the gradient is uneven. I'll give them a try though again though!

neuromancer, do you have any recommendations of really asymmetric shoes? I'm feeling that they'd be more likely to fit me well.

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:
I have the same sort of feet. Most modern shoes re designed for those with more flexible toe joints.

my feet cramp up in really aggressive modern shoes.

I can personally recommend scarpa vapour lace not too banana shaped.

Also like the very old school la sportiva mythos
Not modern foot crunching and stretch a lot for comfort excellent cracking shoes.

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:

Tried on some La Sportiva Mythos and really liked them. Waiting for a smaller size to come in so can try them too, but I really want the purple ones. Found them on Amazon, but does anyone know anywhere else I could get them?

Thanks!

In reply to GregorySchadenfreude:

outside will order them in. lots of pairs in chamonix too