scarpa maestro fit

Question about fit when you first purchase it. Normal street shoes 42.5 and tried out 42 in the maestros. Currently toes are slightly curved but bit worried about getting a bigger size because I already feel the heel has some air pockets. From your experience, did you buy your maestros with your toes flat? After all these shoes were meant for long crack days ... unless your Cadwell doing the dawn wall :) Or maybe the shoes aren't for me.

I’m literally in the same boat. Trying to find a good fit since I’m use to aggressive shoes in La Sportivas (normally a size 8 in skwamas and otaki). Got my regular size and the toe curling with heel pocket is only when I’m actively climbing. Feet is normally flat and fits well when on the ground. But when climbing, toes curl and hurt. Currently went half a size up and it’s bearable now. Gonna wait a bit longer to see if they stretch out for a better fit since going another half size bigger will create too big of a heel pocket. 

Interesting idea, Tim. I have two pair of these and the heel hasn’t ever felt quite right. Otherwise, I really like the shoes. I may try it out on one pair and see how it goes. 

Hope you are doing well... I’m pretty much just solo buildering here in Barcelona these days until this virus thing is over. Can’t afford to bring anything home and infect my wife. Boy will I be motivated when I get back into the routine!

Tim Meehan wrote:

The key for me was to cut the heel rand. This let's your heel occupy the heel pocket, takes pressure off toes and Achilles. Now they climb and feel great. There are a few MP threads on cutting the heel rand.

Exacto knife works well. Note the leather stretch where the rand is cut.

Did you buy them with toes straight? Although I tried larger sizes and other than the big toe they never got straight.  Wandering if I should just buy them with my street shoe size

Cyrille M wrote:

I’m literally in the same boat. Trying to find a good fit since I’m use to aggressive shoes in La Sportivas (normally a size 8 in skwamas and otaki). Got my regular size and the toe curling with heel pocket is only when I’m actively climbing. Feet is normally flat and fits well when on the ground. But when climbing, toes curl and hurt. Currently went half a size up and it’s bearable now. Gonna wait a bit longer to see if they stretch out for a better fit since going another half size bigger will create too big of a heel pocket. 

Did you buy with your toe curled or flat?

RWPT wrote:

Did you buy with your toe curled or flat?

Toes flat but it then curls when I move in the shoes. 

I don’t think these shoes are meant to keep your toes flat, based on the height of the toe box and the slingshot type rand in the heel. I think they’re designed as an all-around performance trad shoe; edging, slab, crack and everything. They’re definitely not a specialized thin crack shoe where you would need toes flat. And the toe curl helps a lot for edging. But I agree that they would be more comfy if they fit less like an aggressive shoe. I might try cutting the heel on mine too, but they are pretty expensive to screw up...