Sizing up for bouldering?

I know, it sounds counter-intuitive, but hear me out. I have probably the most narrow, low-volume, long, flat feet you've ever seen. To top it off, I have really long toes. I keep hearing people tell me, "be sure to size down a 1/2-2 sizes below your street show size". I even had a la sportiva rep try to convince me to size 3 1/2 sizes down because there was dead space in the top of the shoe (upper). I've tried on 12 pairs of climbing shoes now (and counting). But here's the problem with me sizing down... my toes will never allow it! They are so long that when crimped into a tight shoe, the two knuckles are always pressed so tightly to the top of the shoe, creating a "divot" in the rest of the shoe in the upper. If I hit the gym for 30 minutes, instant blisters on the top of my toe knuckles because they are so tight to the top, yet the rest of the upper has plenty of dead space. My foot can't bend or arch, so aggressively downturned shoes don't work. I have to go woman's shoes or shoes that are specifically low volume (LV). I keep trying to get that "performance" drive in the shoe by sizing down, but maybe I'm doing it all wrong. Maybe I should allow my foot more room so that my toes can be tight without folding up awkwardly in the shoe. Perhaps that will allow the rest of the show to feel more filled out, rather than having my toe knuckles be forced up to the upper. I don't know. Anyway else with incredibly long, narrow, low-volume, and flat feet have any insight? Would you mind sharing what shoes you use as well? I'll list my "show climbing journey below"

Street shoe (44EU or 10 1/2M)

•  Scarpa Drago LV's (43 1/2EU)(too aggressive, even in LV, foot pushes the shoe out and it feels awkward and impossible to climb in, also... toe blisters.)
• Scarpa Furia Air's (43 1/2EU)(same as Drago's, a little softer though)
• Scarpa Instinct VR (43 1/2EU)(not low volume enough to fit my foot, decent shoe though)
• Scarpa Vapor V's (43 1/2EU)(surprisingly best fit so far. Some dead space on the top but no rubbing, I just wish the rubber wasn't so tough, I do a lot of comp style climbing so that softer rubber is NICE)
• Scarpa Instinct VSR (43 1/2EU)(Similar to Vapor V's but a little more rigid, just bought so I have to feel them out a little more.)
• 5.10 Hiangle Woman's (11 1/2W)(Lot of dead space on the top, tow knuckles really pressed up)
• Butora Acro Blue (10 1/2M)(Decent fit! Toe and heal is super tight and heal digs hard into the back)
• Black Drone LV (10 1/2M)(Decent fit as well! Toe is a perfect fit but for some reason, the heel is loose and rubs the back of the foot until it turns red.)
• La Sportiva Theory (43 1/2EU)(Similar fit to the Drago's, not as aggressive though, could be a nice slipper!)
• La Sportiva Miura's (43 1/2EU)(I'm probably just a wuss but these shoes are so uncomfortable!)
• La Sportiva Solutions (43 1/2EU)(Just not suited for a LV foot.)    
• Tenaya Mundaka (10 1/2M)(Good fit! Just bought the Oasi LV to compare them to.)

Sorry for the long post! If you got to the bottom you are a champ and I really look forward to hearing from some of you in the climbing community.

You didn't say what grades you are trying to climb...v5 and below there's really no reason to wear your shoes that tight or have super aggro shape.

Over the last couple of years, I've gotten to where I don't like to wear shoes that are super tight.

In the 90s, I would get size 12 and just deal.

My feet don't like that anymore.  I wear size 48.  My feet are shaped like dog feet... super long, no volume, long finger toes.  

I've gotten size 46 in a couple of brands via mail order, just cause that is the largest you can get a lot of things like TC Pros in.

There's just no way that my feet are gonna fit in those.  

I have no idea what would work for you feet, but I will say that it's a-okay if you want to climb in whatever shoes make you feel comfortable.

I have low volume and flat feet, and just wear LS Katanas and Solutions in my street size (US 8, EU 40.5). The toe feels pretty good in both and I have no problem pushing off of tiny edges. The heel in both has some dead space, especially the Solutions, but that's just life when you have shallow heels. I can still heel hook. The upper in both has some space, again more of an issue with Solutions, but doesn't affect my climbing. The Solutions are uncomfortable but I'm only wearing them for a few minutes at a time tops. Despite having flat feet, I still like the downturn of the Solutions for pulling in on steep stuff. I don't climb very hard FWIW, but don't feel limited by my shoes.

For the most part, climb comfortably. I do 90% of my climbing in Mythos because I have a very wide forefoot and I can adjust it the entire way. My toes don't curl in them and I can wear them all day for trad. I've sent 12a in them and can do indoor boulders at v7 (not really an outdoor boulderer). Wearing overly tight shoes too much can cause a lot of very painful issues in the long term so I limit the time that I wear my try-hard shoes. I wear a 45 in most street shoes and a 42 in my Mythos and Katakis.

Christoph good point! I typically climb v7 depending on the problem. Thanks for the insight John! Julian, I have tried lace-ups in the past and I do enjoy them, maybe I look into them a little more. Prav I was wondering about that! Maybe as long as it's not affecting your climbing, having space in the upper isn't a huge deal. Good point Dan, thanks for your insight.

Maybe I'll go back and try a few shoes I really liked (hiangle's, acro's, etc.) but order them in a size larger and allow my feet a little more room.

Try and find some five ten dragons, idk what's going on with five ten/Adidas shit show but it sounds like it would fit you well. Also see if you can find andrea boldrini and red chilli, they're both very low volume and narrow. 

that guy named seb wrote:

Try and find some five ten dragons, idk what's going on with five ten/Adidas shit show but it sounds like it would fit you well. Also see if you can find andrea boldrini and red chilli, they're both very low volume and narrow. 

I literally just got a pair of the new hiangle pros today and you are right, man those things are narrow. If I went a size up I think they may be perfect. Sad that adidas seems like the only shoe they are interested in keeping from the 5.10 line up is the hiangle. Never tried on a pair of red chili shoes, I’ll look into it! 

Andrew Nobilini wrote:

I literally just got a pair of the new hiangle pros today and you are right, man those things are narrow. If I went a size up I think they may be perfect. Sad that adidas seems like the only shoe they are interested in keeping from the 5.10 line up is the hiangle. Never tried on a pair of red chili shoes, I’ll look into it! 

I really would recommend finding some dragons, full lace so should help with that volume and narrowness. 

The narrowest shoe I've tried on was Mad Rock Lotus. Even though I have relatively narrow and low volume feet, I find these shoes too narrow for me especially at the pinky toe area. Here's a picture I took comparing Miura and Lotus of the same length, you can see the Lotus is obviously narrower. I think these are really great shoes, I wish they fit me. 

Personally I don't mind having a bit of extra volume (the "divot") at the back of the foot as long as the shoe is tight length-wise. 

So I find for long toes that shoes with minimal to no toe hook rubber and leather uppers break in best for me. Break in sucks and hurts a lot on the toe knuckles, but then the leather perma-stretches to have the raised bumps after a week or two. Laced shoes help with the narrowness and taking up volume.

 I'm a 44.5-45 street shoe and my most comfortable shoes that aren't for crack climbing is my 42.5 well broken in, third resole miuras, which I do 50-70% of my mileage in. I wear 42 katakis for harder single pitch stuff and I wear 41.5 solutions that I have to rip off after a single boulder that I seldom use, but appreciate when needed. 

so choose leather, no-to minimal toe rubber shoes tighter than you want and wait for the break in.

Also, don't wear your shoes for half an hour at a time bouldering! Buy gym flip-flops or slippers.