Mountain Project Logo

Muira VS - slight Morton's toe

Original Post
Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270

Hey
I'm looking at getting the La Sportiva Muira VS's for bouldering/sport climbing (my moccs are dying after years of service).

I have a slight case of Morton's toe and wear a 10.5 (EU 44.5) and tried on a 43 (9.5) and 42 (8.5). The place I went didn't have a 42.5. The 42s are super tight, mildly painful, so I'm probably getting them unless I feel better when I find a 42.5.

Here's the question: my toes knuckled a fair amount in the 42s, but I had this feeling that the big toe wasn't jammed completely to the end. I could stand on the tips of my toes (like a ballerina LOL), so I don't think performance is going to suffer, but I just wanted to see whether not having your big toe feel flush with the shoe is common among Morton's toe "sufferers" and whether the shoe molds to fit your feet in that way, and whether performance is adversely affected by this issue? I don't want the shoe to stretch and then have a gap between the big toe and the shoe.

The Muira's feel like they would perform amazingly and I'd prefer something slightly more high-performance than the Anasazi VCS that I'm also considering. Those were great-fitting, but I feel like they'd be disadvantaged for overhanging boulders, and I'm an edge-aholic, which the Muiras felt superior for.

Thanks for any help!

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

I wonder if there are other companies that make climbing shoes? Probably not, bummer.

Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270
Ray Pinpillage wrote:I wonder if there are other companies that make climbing shoes? Probably not, bummer.
I probably should've tried on more than two shoes - oh wait, I did
dylandylandylandylan anddylan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 107

I also have two different sized feet, so I'm biased, but the shoes that have fit me best we the Evolv Optimus, the velcro ones. I bet the lace version would do well too. The toe box is really fat, and seems to let all my toes contact the end pretty well, even though I don't have high volume feet.

Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270
dylanfllr wrote:I also have two different sized feet, so I'm biased, but the shoes that have fit me best we the Evolv Optimus, the velcro ones. I bet the lace version would do well too. The toe box is really fat, and seems to let all my toes contact the end pretty well, even though I don't have high volume feet.
Do you have Morton's?
dylandylandylandylan anddylan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 107

Yeah, on one foot. I'm from NC and my parents were cousins so my feet are all f'd up.

Greg Pouliot · · Rumney NH · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 90
Jon Frisby wrote:Hey I'm looking at getting the La Sportiva Muira VS's for bouldering/sport climbing (my moccs are dying after years of service). I have a slight case of Morton's toe and wear a 10.5 (EU 44.5) and tried on a 43 (9.5) and 42 (8.5). The place I went didn't have a 42.5. The 42s are super tight, mildly painful, so I'm probably getting them unless I feel better when I find a 42.5. Here's the question: my toes knuckled a fair amount in the 42s, but I had this feeling that the big toe wasn't jammed completely to the end. I could stand on the tips of my toes (like a ballerina LOL), so I don't think performance is going to suffer, but I just wanted to see whether not having your big toe feel flush with the shoe is common among Morton's toe "sufferers" and whether the shoe molds to fit your feet in that way, and whether performance is adversely affected by this issue? I don't want the shoe to stretch and then have a gap between the big toe and the shoe. The Muira's feel like they would perform amazingly and I'd prefer something slightly more high-performance than the Anasazi VCS that I'm also considering. Those were great-fitting, but I feel like they'd be disadvantaged for overhanging boulders, and I'm an edge-aholic, which the Muiras felt superior for. Thanks for any help!
http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3659866

Size 42.5
Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270
John Wilder wrote:I've got Mortons and wear the muira vs. They are hands down the best shoe I've ever worn. Fits like a glove. I'd make a real effort to find a 42.5 if you can. My big toe barely touches the end, the rest of my toes are bent slightly. If I wear a half size smaller and my big toe is bent slightly, the shoes become too tight to wear comfortably. Ymmv, of course.
So when the shoes started to stretch, did the issue with your toe not being smashed to the end get worse, did it stay the same, did the shoe form to your foot?
cjdrover · · Watertown, MA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 355
John Wilder wrote:I've got Mortons and wear the muira vs. They are hands down the best shoe I've ever worn. Fits like a glove. I'd make a real effort to find a 42.5 if you can. My big toe barely touches the end, the rest of my toes are bent slightly. If I wear a half size smaller and my big toe is bent slightly, the shoes become too tight to wear comfortably. Ymmv, of course.
^ +1

Same for me. Be patient and try all the sizes. After a week or two mine fit like gloves.
Jonathan Ward · · Seattle, WA · Joined May 2010 · Points: 70

I don't have Morton's, but my second toe is the same length as my big toe. I had a similar problem with the Muira VS. No matter how much I downsized, my big toe never felt like it was all that tight. Every other toe could be painfully knuckled over and yet my big toe seemed like it was flat. In the end, I got Scarpa Feroces and never looked back.

Have you tried Scarpa?

Jeremy Hand · · Northern VA · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 100
Jonathan Ward wrote:I don't have Morton's, but my second toe is the same length as my big toe. I had a similar problem with the Muira VS. No matter how much I downsized, my big toe never felt like it was all that tight. Every other toe could be painfully knuckled over and yet my big toe seemed like it was flat. In the end, I got Scarpa Feroces and never looked back. Have you tried Scarpa?
+1 The Muira was my first love but now that I've been introduced to the Booster and Boostic I will probably never look back. Boosters are being discontinued so you may be able to snag them for an awesome deal.
Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270
Jonathan Ward wrote:I don't have Morton's, but my second toe is the same length as my big toe. I had a similar problem with the Muira VS. No matter how much I downsized, my big toe never felt like it was all that tight. Every other toe could be painfully knuckled over and yet my big toe seemed like it was flat. In the end, I got Scarpa Feroces and never looked back. Have you tried Scarpa?
I've only tried one or two pairs of Scarpas. I didn't love them as much as the Muiras but maybe I just need to try on different styles. I also didn't love the rubber, and once you account for a resole it gets a little high (not to mention the fact that resoling can be hit or miss).
reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
Jon Frisby wrote: I also didn't love the rubber, and once you account for a resole it gets a little high (not to mention the fact that resoling can be hit or miss).
For quite a while, Scarpa and Sportiva from similar years of production use the exact same rubber (Vibram XSV to XSGrip to the current XS Grip2 and XS Edge combo depending whether the shoe is designed more for edging or smearing). While a lot of the models have similar fit to equivalent Sportiva models in the forefoot area, the midfoot & heel tend to be a bit different.
Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270
reboot wrote: For quite a while, Scarpa and Sportiva from similar years of production use the exact same rubber (Vibram XSV to XSGrip to the current XS Grip2 and XS Edge combo depending whether the shoe is designed more for edging or smearing). While a lot of the models have similar fit to equivalent Sportiva models in the forefoot area, the midfoot & heel tend to be a bit different.
oh really. it must've been a specific shoe I didn't like. I will try to check out some Boosters/Boostics. NY doesn't have a ton in the way of shoe selection.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Climbing Gear Discussion
Post a Reply to "Muira VS - slight Morton's toe"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.