Help my little toes

What exactly was going on with you little toes? Blisters or hot spots developing? Feet will often grow 1-2 sizes over the years, especially if you hike a lot. I’d say you either need a roomier toe box (I’ve never found a Salomon shoe that was wide enough to be comfy on me) or you need a 1/2 size to one size bigger.

I have had a similar problem to what you describe for years-bruising at the end of my toes.  Sometimes the nails would be discolored.  Nothing I did with shoes helped.  Eventually, I  found a tip on line from a runner with a similar problem and that has kept the issue under control.  I apply a lubricant to each toe before a hike or a run.  I use a bicycling product called Chamois Butt’r.  I suspect any skin lubricant would work.  Hope that helps.

folks get it into their mind that are a “size 9”, always have been and then slowly, but surely shoes seem to be tighter

I was “size 9” about 15 years ago, then 9.5, then 10, then 10.5 and now some of my shoes are 11

find a shoe with a roomier toe box and try on a 1/2 size larger- you’ll toes will be happy again :)

<p style=”text-align: center;”>Like everyone has been saying……..I thought that I was a 10.5-11 and started going sore outer toes (4th and 5th)…..about 6 months ago realized I’m now a 12 and now have happier feet.  Salomons tend to have more narrow toe boxes.  Check out Topos brand shoes.  They have wide toe boxes and some that are not zero drop and still have the large robot. Check out ultraventure, terraventure, and one that is mtn racer.</p>

Have you tried TOPO Athletic yet? I just purchased a pair of their Mountain Racers in my normal size 11.5 and the toe area is a 1/2 size too large. So fairly roomy. For my use, it was for off trail running and they were slipping around too much. Sized down to an 11

^^Was beat to it by seconds..err minutes :)

Yes, I have had trouble finding shoes which are narrow enough in the heel and mid-foot with enough room in the toe box so my little toe doesn’t get squeezed.  Trail runners which have worked for me: Altra, Hoka, and Topo. For years I used Inov-8, but haven’t for awhile. Some Inov-8 worked well, some not. I just tried and returned the new G260… it’s toe box wasn’t big enough.

Thanks for all the replies. To answer/reply to some of the questions:

1. S Long: Not blisters, more like bruising

2. I’ve been afraid that with going some up in shoe size, my foot will be swimming around. The shoes don’t feel too small otherwise. (Along the lines of Mark’s response)

3. Stephen: I do use Chamoise butter for cycling in my “downtown” area, so I could give that a try. However I do wear Injinji Toe socks (otherwise I am very blister-prone between my toes) so there’s not much movement of my toes within the socks and I wonder if the cream would have any effect. I could try it, though.

(On that note, I realize that the Injinji socks spread my toes out wider than they would be otherwise and likely exacerbate the situation, but I know that without them I am guaranteed to get blisters between my toes)

4. Joe/SIMULACRA/Mark: Sounds like I need to try Topo. Should I try any of their other shows besides the MTN Racer?  The Terraventure seems similar but with a rock plate.

Get a shoe stretcher.  I never knew such a thing existed until I got into hiking. They are not overly expensive but are worth the costs.

Hyrdrocolloid bandages have protected my hammer toes, and might work if you cut off a couple strips and wrap them around your small toes.  The entire strip is coated with adhesive, unlike band-aids, but much like mole skin, only made of a flexible elastic plastic.

Wrap with a little overlap so it is not just skin that is holding the bandage on.  With these, I’ve banished hammer toe pain, which can keep you up all night.  They work with both street shoes and hiking shoes.

Sounds like the shoes are abrading the small toes, but Salomons are very wide in the toe, so not sure stretching the shoe would work, especially with fabric vs leather.  And there are always Keen shoes that are notoriously wide in the toe area, although I’ve found Salomons to fit better.  YMMV.

J&J used to make the colloid bandages, but dropped them, much to the dismay of many folks with diabetes.  But CVS is selling them: https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-sterile-latex-free-advanced-healing-hydrocolloid-bandages-3-in-x-2-3-in-4ct-prodid-1170184?skuid=893118

They come in two sizes, but these work for me.  If the link does not work, you might have to scan, copy and paste it onto your browser.  And while the price may seem high for four bandages, they last for a month or more before needing to be replaced.

Vincent, it looks like the shoe stretchers would work for leather and maybe natural fibers, but what about synthetic trail runner material?

In terms of specific models of Topo shoes I’d also look into the Ultraventures and not just the Mtnracers.  For my taste, the soles are too hard on the Mtnracers.   I like the extra cushion of the  Ultraventures which I find to be easier on my feet.  I also have narrow to average heels and Midfoot and a wider forefoot and Topo seem to be one of the few brands that has a wide enough toebox and a heel and midfoot narrow enough so my foot is still locked in.  Altras have a wide enough toebox for me (even roomier than Topo) but it is tough for me to get a heel and midfoot lock down that makes me comfortable hiking in.  Therefore I now only use Altras for casual walking around town or aerobic walking but not hiking. They just don’t work for my feet for hiking since the fit is too sloppy for fir my footshape.

Topo shoes seem to have a pretty wide toebox and they are comfortable, but if the ones I bought are representative of the brand, they’re really cheaply made. I can’t believe they cost as much as they do because the quality is pretty poor.

^ my buddy went through three pairs (Topo) in short order, each were replaced under warranty, but he didn’t even bother with the last pair- he just gave up on them

I have successfully used shoe stretchers on synthetic shoes by letting the shoes sit in hot water for 20 or so minutes before stretching them and keeping the stretcher in place until they cool off.

@ Gene C

Only just got into the TOPO brand, so the Mountain Racers are my first. I use a salve called Squirrels Nut butter. Works well. I’m sure there’s many like it though.

@ Mike M

Interesting that the long term durability hasn’t been great for some. Everything I read (of course) gave great long term reviews. Well, so far so good for me. I’ll have to determine my own long term use.

I really do like the soles on the Mtn Rcr. super grippy lots of traction. uphill and downhill. doesn’t feel like you’re wearing cleats. With the 11.5 the upturned nose didn’t bite into the soil well on uphills. Was too “clown footy”. With the proper size down, it has a nice pendulum rocker feel to it now.