Outrageously stiff climbing shoes?

I'm well into the rehab phase of my toe surgery. I've tried regular shoes a few times and I just have too much residual pain to really use my foot that way.

In a mountaineering boot on the affected side, I can climb as hard as a clunky boot allows. That mid 10 leading and mid 11 following. I can accept that. It's starting to seem like I'll be in big blue quite a while though.

So are there other options? A fruit boot minus the fruit? A cycling shoe with a climbing resole? Some crazy insert and a shoe that's too large? I don't really know what options I have. Has anyone done anything crazy?

For now I need something that fits no tighter than a walking shoe and doesn't flex at all. 

My super old Scarpa Freneys are totally worn out. If I continue with those, the shank will need to be reglued to the boot and the rubber glued back to the shank (totally would use Stealth C4 if I do decide to fix them).

Just seems like a lighter and slimmer option may exist.

I’ve heard of carbon fiber/metal or other sort of stiff insoles or footbox inserts for bunion issues which don’t tolerate pressure well.  

Mountain Biking shoes are very stiff and fit like a running shoe. Many have a pretty decent tread. There is typically a insert that you would remove to mount the spd clips. Just leave it in.

This may be a bit ridiculous, but if you've got a pair of burner shoes that fit comfortably, you could try wrapping them in fiberglass.  It would be strong, light, low profile, and wouldn't flex one bit.  I'm sure it'll be crazy uncomfortable, like climbing with a low profile foot cast.  I'd try to heat the the shoe up and remove the rubber on the bottom, fiberglass, then contact cement the rubber back to the shoe.

How about a carbon fiber road shoe? Stiff, tight, no dead space, and there has to be a way to bond sticky rubber to it. 

Just for when you get back to your somewhat regularly scheduled programming, otaki's are the stiffest thing I've ever put on my foot.

They do still sell boreal ballet golds though...

I have had Komito Boots in Estes Park, CO stiffen up some of my overly broken-in climbing shoes with very good results.  I would at least call Steve to see if he has any suggestions for your particular case.

have toe problems, so have fooled around a good amount with stiff climbing shoes. 
I tried putting carbon fiber insoles into TC pros, the end result did not work.
board-lasted ballet golds are the stiffest real climbing shoes I've ever used (apart from mountaineering boots).
maybe you could try resoling a mountaineering boot with relatively thin climbing rubber? this could be an good intermediate solution.
you may also just want to accept the limitations of your body.

best,
matt

Butora makes a very stiff shoe. I have a pair, the Mantra, and they're the stiffest shoe available in a long time.

Butora Mantra are excellent shoes if you need extra stiffness.  They are board-lasted and give remarkable support for toes.  I bought a pair after my leg/ankle surgery to help with my toes that became very sensitive and weak.  

Tenaya Masai is stupid stiff, Makes a TC feel like a bouldering slipper.

Some approach shoes might be your best bet since they fit like a sneaker.  The La Sportiva Boulder X is a brick with cushion.

Lore was written that in off-width, some climbers will cut a stiff plastic sheet in the shape of an insole and put in a shoe as an insert for a stiffer shoe. 

What size shoe do you wear? I have a pair of old Salomon Pro Rocks that are 99% rigid and have a rather grippy sole.

PatMas wrote: Tenaya Masai is stupid stiff, Makes a TC feel like a bouldering slipper.

Funny, I have the same shoe and it feels super soft to me, especially compared to the TC pro. Hmm, maybe I have a dud. 

M Alexander wrote:

Funny, I have the same shoe and it feels super soft to me, especially compared to the TC pro. Hmm, maybe I have a dud. 

Need some of that shoe Viagra bro.

Tradiban wrote:

Need some of that shoe Viagra bro.

It affects dozens of us, dozens!

William Leventhal wrote: Butora makes a very stiff shoe. I have a pair, the Mantra, and they're the stiffest shoe available a long time.

OP may need to hunt down the old design, Bryan Hylenski told me that the Mantra was redesigned (in part to reduce stiffness) at The Spot Denver's opening celebration.

What size are you in euro #'s? 40/41? I have shoes that may solve your problem. Prolly need resoles, but good shoes. Scarpa Edges, Kaukulators, and something made by Acopa. They didn't self many of the model I'm talking about, a stiff hard core edger. If your euro size 41 +/- pm me .  Acopas are like new. 

I like a lot of these ideas.

The more I think about it, I want to slowly increase mobility and use. I think a gradual strengthening of the foot is probably more important than actually climbing hard.
 A complete brick helps me right now but probably isn't the best. I went ahead and ordered the steel inserts.

I'm hoping they are contoured. I have a carbon fiber plate that I paid too much for. Since it's totally flat, it takes up room strangley and would require a shoe many sizes too big. In other words, it's useless. Hopefully the steel is better, if not, I'll send them back.

For the folks offering shoes, I am typically 40-41 in climbing shoes but will probably get a 43 or so to climb in for the next few months. A trip to used gear recyclers is probably the best bet, once I get the steel insert in hand.