Stretching the toe box

Hey guys - I've got a relatively new pair of solutions that I've been climbing in for about a month or more now. My smaller toes are just not happy right now. They are breaking in a bit, but I'm thinking about stretching the toe box by freezing some water in there. Any words of wisdom on this?

buy shoes that fit

S Denny wrote:buy shoes that fit

Fantastic Denny. Thanks for your insight.

I left a similar message on another link about small shoes. I used those 'shoe trees', those spring lever stretchers that I put in the shoes to add length. It solved small width problems too. I soaked the shoes in water then stretched them for days and dried them out slowly. Added about a cm length to shoes or more. Give it a try.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:I left a similar message on another link about small shoes. I used those 'shoe trees', those spring lever stretchers that I put in the shoes to add length. It solved small width problems too. I soaked the shoes in water then stretched them for days and dried them out slowly. Added about a cm length to shoes or more. Give it a try.

Cool man I'll look into that. I like how they fit everywhere except for my last three toes, so I'm worried that stretching the entire shoe will end up adding unwanted air pockets.I'd like to see if I can stretch the toe box from the sole to the rubber toe cover. We'll see.

Johnny Duke wrote:I like how they fit everywhere except for my last three toes

Haha well I don't know how many toes you have, but if 3 out of 5 toes don't fit, well then the shoes don't fit.

I know that's not exactly a constructive comment, but S Denny has a +1 point.

Scott McMahon wrote: Haha well I don't know how many toes you have, but if 3 out of 5 toes don't fit, well then the shoes don't fit. I know that's not exactly a constructive comment, but S Denny has a +1 point.

Oh no, you might be right. But I want them to fit so badly.

If you bought them at REI you can take advantage of them by retuning them for the right size or another pair. Make sure you post on MP that you did this so another bashing thread can get started! ha

I have had good results stretching my shoes out on the boot-stretching bars in the shop I where I work. I did not need to soak or heat the shoes, just applied lots of pressure. You should be able to find such a bar at any decent boot shop or a cobbler, perhaps? Best of luck.

Xan Calonne wrote:I have had good results stretching my shoes out on the boot-stretching bars in the shop I where I work. I did not need to soak or heat the shoes, just applied lots of pressure. You should be able to find such a bar at any decent boot shop or a cobbler, perhaps? Best of luck.

Good deal. I'll give that a shot if they don't break in just climbing on them. Thanks for the responses.

Johnny Duke wrote: Oh no, you might be right. But I want them to fit so badly.

I hear ya...I have at least 2 pairs like that and I almost got sucked into buying the Katanas even though I wasn't super happy with the fit. And I still might try to Katanas again. :o)

Looking for an update, how did the solutions end? are they snuggy foot gloves now?

Just buy another pair, keep one shoe for your smaller foot and put the other shoe on your larger foot. That's what I did. Granted, it's like $300 worth of shoes, but you can't dial this shit in any better than that. Well, unless you stretch them out, but I'm impatient.

there is a product designed to stretch shoe leather such as this...http://www.amazon.com/FootFitter-Shoe-Stretcher-Spray/dp/B000POJHFA

never used it on climbing shoes, but helped a bit on dress shoes

park yer car on those toe boxes... works well. to climb Sacred Cow i put the toe box of my shoes in a vice that was on the back of my partners work truck .. an i sent the rig with sharp toe work thanks to the smash work the night befor .... or buy shoes that fit ?