Approach shoe good for bunions

Hey all,

I’ve been climbing over 30 yrs and have had bunions for the whole time.  I’ve done a better job in the last 10 years finding climbing shoes that fit but five ten has come to an end and with it the approach shoe that fit me the best. Wondering what my best option would be going forward. My bunions are pretty radical, put my feet together and you get a 90 degree angle between my big toes. Thanks for recs.

Maybe wide toe trail runners like altra or topo shoes?

I've got a really good one on right foot only.  Boot stretcher was my solution... 

La Sportiva TX4 Evos are actually quite wide. I have similarly angled toes and find these quite comfortable.

Pros: comfy for hiking and very grippy on slab

Cons: poor edging, laces will fall apart, do not clip them to the back of your harness by the flimsy heel tab

Thanks yall! Ya, Altras are great but lack good stick on prolonged ez climbing, I’ll look into the La Sportiva TX4 Evos.

Ryan Crochiere wrote:

Thanks yall! Ya, Altras are great but lack good stick on prolonged ez climbing, I’ll look into the La Sportiva TX4 Evos.

Send a pair of altras to Backcounty Cobblers and get them resoled with approach shoe rubber. I had Jay make a custom pair of chuck approach shoes for my friend’s birthday.

For more technical and shorter use, the Sportiva TX4 Evos are good enough. Thanks to the leather upper, if you soak them and wear them as they dry, they'll stretch to fit perfectly. (Also recommend storing a fitted leather shoe with a shoehorn.)

Other wider options with leather uppers: Salewa wildfire NXT, Scarpa rapid approach

The Baer Bergkomfort Wanderschuh is the MOST roomy approach shoe you can buy: https://www.baer-shoes.com/bergkomfort-wanderschuh-1093-289-12-5/ I have their boots and they are worth the pretty penny: amazingly comfortable and roomy, supportive and cushioned underfoot, right balance of stiff and pliable, and the rubber is somehow durable and grippy. But they are not lightweight, and very expensive.

And another vote for Altras! I find Altra Torins - a road shoe - quite capable up to easy 5th class. It has a flat tread, but I find this works well for smearing while maintaining comfort on long alpine scrambles. Not an ideal shoe in other respects (no toe cap), but I've scrambled up to easy 5th class quite comfortably in Altra's Torin, Mont Blanc, Lone Peak, and Timp models.

Cory N wrote:

Send a pair of altras to Backcounty Cobblers and get them resoled with approach shoe rubber. I had Jay make a custom pair of chuck approach shoes for my friend’s birthday.

This is probably the best move