Big toe hurts bad, help me find shoes please!!!

Hello world.

I climbed in 5.10 lace ups for a really long time. Things were chill.

Then I got back into the gym serious about 7 months ago. The ole’ 5.10s blew a hole.

So I got new shoes. Solutions. Ouch. Sized down (I’m a us 12 street shoe) and the solutions are a size down (not near them now) 

The fit around the whole foot was perfect, except this crucially painful toe box experience. I put in 4 weeks, tried using a ball barring and heat to widen the hot spot. Taping the toe. It helps, but every session was really painful.

Ended up buying some mad rock sharks. They’re better, with little break in period, but still getting the knuckle box pain.

It’s actually caused some damage on the joint on my right foot. The first one near the nail. Feels almost broken, squishy.

So… I’m over them. I am climbing harder than ever (V5-6) but I can’t really deal with the shoes.

I’m looking at Evolv shoes because they seem to have a special knucklebox.

I’ve also read about the Tanaya shoes being very comfortable.

I’m including a photo in case that helps.

I’m down to try anything. Ideally, something high performance still that can handle these little chippy holds. I’m also only climbing in the gym.

I’m really hoping to get climbing back outside, hard bouldering, but I want to be able to still walk afterwards lol.

You could try Scarpa Instincts. The toebox point on those is centered between the first two toes, unlike Solutions which are sharply pointed at the big toe and taper off a lot. My first two toes are also around the same length ("Roman foot") and I find Instincts way more comfortable than Solutions.

Size up a little and wear socks

Totally different angle. Go to doctor and ask them to check your uric acid levels. Make sure you don’t have gout or a flare up. I dealt with it for years thinking I had broken my toe and I didn’t have it heal properly. Found out later I had gout. It is very manageable once you know. 

usually/possibly when the big toe hurts it is from being pushed inward (while being bent and under tension). I find shoes with high asymetry (i.e. the big toe is straight and not bent inwards) to alleviate this problem. Even more when they are on the stiffer side. Some suggestions (stiff to softer): Scarpa Boostic, LS Miura VS, LS testarossa, Scarpa booster, ..... ?

Edit: Miura vs may be too tapered for your foot, try the scarpa's I suggested.

Christopher Harrison wrote:

I’m looking at Evolv shoes because they seem to have a special knucklebox.

Do try 'Evolv/Geshido/Laces' - https://www.evolvsports.com/en-us/geshido-lace-mens-66-0000062115
Velcro will have a slightly different fit.

My foot looks almost like yours, perhaps smaller volume. Shaman's size 10 fit me very well, I decided to go 10.5 in Geshidos/Laces with socks. 

amarius wrote:

Do try 'Evolv/Geshido/Laces' - https://www.evolvsports.com/en-us/geshido-lace-mens-66-0000062115
Velcro will have a slightly different fit.

My foot looks almost like yours, perhaps smaller volume. Shaman's size 10 fit me very well, I decided to go 10.5 in Geshidos/Laces with socks. 

Can you tell me about your knuckle box experience? It’s specifically the first joint that hurts for me, the one closer the tow than the foot. I’m really not sure if the solutions are just too small, or if that part of my toe is just in need of more space from a different design. The pressure on that knuckle is currently crazy. 

You got the best answer from climber Pat upthread:

Size up a little and wear socks

NEVER DOWNSIZE. Gymbie myth that only applies to some pros. Lesson learned for you. Ive had toe issues myself for years before I learned my lesson.

La sportiva miuras, 5.10 moccsyms. 

Christopher Harrison wrote:

Can you tell me about your knuckle box experience? It’s specifically the first joint that hurts for me, the one closer the tow than the foot. I’m really not sure if the solutions are just too small, or if that part of my toe is just in need of more space from a different design. The pressure on that knuckle is currently crazy. 

Both Shaman and Geshidos fit my feet WAY better than other LS shoes I tried - Miuras, Katanas, Solutions, don't recall lower end models.

Sounds to me LS lasts just don't fit your feet. Will Evolv be better? - you need to try it. I'd recommend a local shoe demo - shoes will be "almost broken in". I sized Geshidos for fit with socks  - was recovering from toe (not big toe) injury, wanted something reasonably comfy - keep in mind even with injured foot Shamans were glove-like fit, big toe feeling quite nice. 

Excellent! Okay, so there’s the Velcro, the lace, the pro. What do you guys recommend? 

Don‘t give up on the solutions. Try getting them resoled. You can tell them to force a last that has a more rounded toe. 

jc5462 wrote:

Totally different angle. Go to doctor and ask them to check your uric acid levels. Make sure you don’t have gout or a flare up. I dealt with it for years thinking I had broken my toe and I didn’t have it heal properly. Found out later I had gout. It is very manageable once you know. 

Same here. I thought that the big is toe broken for sure but it is gout. With not more beer and burgers for me, I might be climbing again in a month or two. 

Did you had to go on medication? 

Hard Send wrote:

Don‘t give up on the solutions. Try getting them resoled. You can tell them to force a last that has a more rounded toe. 

I’d be curious to do this. I’m in Atlanta GA.. where can this service be done? 

A few people mentioned Miuras. I love the sharp edges and pocket compatibility so I have 2 pairs of the velcros. However, with 2-3days/week of climbing my big toes look like this.... 

Not painful but not pretty. 

Christopher Harrison wrote:

I’d be curious to do this. I’m in Atlanta GA.. where can this service be done? 

I can do that for you. 

here is more info hardsend.com

Johanna Jones wrote:

A few people mentioned Miuras. I love the sharp edges and pocket compatibility so I have 2 pairs of the velcros. However, with 2-3days/week of climbing my big toes look like this.... 

Not painful but not pretty. 

How much do you downsize? 

Shoes are such a funny and never ending conversation/debate yet everyone has different shaped feet! Figure out your shape by trying on shoes, once you find the right shoe you'll never go back to anything else besides different rubber for different conditions. I personally have a giant pile of shoes and usually only use the ones that fit the best, sometimes I'll suffer for harder edging type of climbing or hard bouldering but usually no longer than 100' or ten minutes, then that shit comes off quickly. Don't deform your feet its not worth it.

NEVER DOWNSIZE. Get a shoe that fits your foot shape and buy a snug pair. 

BIG discovery.

Picked up some of those squishy pads that my girlfriend uses for high heels.

Experimented with wrapping the big toe knuckles with that… solutions we’re excellent with no hot spot! Haven’t climbed them yet… but I think I’m really onto something.

Anyone else do something like this?
mid be interested in attaching a pad like this to my toe patch permanently… like a custom job. My girl and I are crafty…. What would be a good material to stick it to the shoe? I might just continue to wrap the toe until I figure it out, but a big ole squishy thing on my toe really felt awesome. 

Christopher Harrison wrote:

BIG discovery.

Picked up some of those squishy pads that my girlfriend uses for high heels.

Experimented with wrapping the big toe knuckles with that… solutions we’re excellent with no hot spot! Haven’t climbed them yet… but I think I’m really onto something.

Anyone else do something like this?
mid be interested in attaching a pad like this to my toe patch permanently… like a custom job. My girl and I are crafty…. What would be a good material to stick it to the shoe? I might just continue to wrap the toe until I figure it out, but a big ole squishy thing on my toe really felt awesome. 

I'd think it would make the shoe even tighter but if it works it works