UKC

Helooo climbers (ha ha,just pretending I'm Morgan..)

But over to be more serious;

I wonder if it is something wrong with the climbing shoe I'm using, that they're not fitting properly or not right for my feet.. since I think my feet (which didn't look very good in the first place) are just looking uglier and worse than ever. They look brownish on all the knuckles, expecially bigtoe, and the bigtoe is kind of swullen up like a ball on the knuckle part.
Do you always take the shoes off after climbing a route/while you're belaying? Or do you also use them as a slipper, just open them up and stand on them? I don't think that's the problem, but my shoes are always hurting more in the front when it's put on. It's pretty tight all around, but pushing a bit extra on the bigtoe area..
I feel like all the shoes I've tried on are like that. I haven't tried on that many though, only those I had seen on the internet which I found nice looking and had great reviews.

Do you treat your feet, like putting on cream so they don't get dry, and scrubbing them with body scrub or something else?

In reply to jessica_0601: Welcome to the body breaking sport that is climbing

In reply to beastofackworth:

likely your boots. My first pair gave me a black toenail anytime I wore them on a warmish day. New ones are comfy all day and also allow me to climb better.
Go to a good shop and try on lots. Pick the comfiest.

In reply to jessica_0601:

Probably due to your feet swelling in the heat and should be better in the winter.

This is a problem common to most climbers brought about by the percevied need to have tight fitting shoes (I for example have shoes 1 size too small) this is great for technical routes but not really necessary for the majority of climbing that I do so I have a few different paris including some nice comfy "all day" shoes

In general tho there is not much you can do to avoid manky feet syndrome as a climber other than wash your feet regularly (maybe a foot bath?) and make sure you get shoes that fit your feet best rather getting the latest super shoe just because it's new and all the top climbers are using them.

some manufacturers are better for wider feet some not so shop around when you come to change your shoes

In reply to balmybaldwin:

Oh, and the staining - I'm guessing it's the colouring of the leather... I used to get blue toes

Some shoes are lined inside which prevents this (not many tho) or else if you bung them in the washing machine on a cool cycle you'll probably get most of the excess colour out which should stop the dying effect

In reply to balmybaldwin:
can I put them in the washing machine?

I've got the five ten anasazis btw, womens version (those light grey with purple on the outside, brown-orange and black drawings on the inside)

In reply to jessica_0601:

In my experience your feet will be fine in something like this...

http://s7ondemand1.scene7.com/is/image/MoosejawMB/10025098x1013052_zm?$prod...

but something like this...

http://s7ondemand1.scene7.com/is/image/MoosejawMB/10043974x1037016_zm?$prod...

will let you climb a bit harder at expense of developing a few lumpy bumpy bits on your feet.

In reply to jessica_0601:

From my experience you can wash synthetic shoes OK (like anasazis) but you wouldn't want to put leather in a washing machine.

In reply to terryturbojr: I've got a pair of boreal crux (my first pair) as well. In your opinion, what is better- synthetic or leather? and when coming to expansion

In reply to JLS: yes, but thinking about those two pairs I've already got- I don't want anything that's more newbie than them. And the first link you gave- I look at those as a typical newbie shoe. The second one I 've thought of buying. But I just can't descide what two new pairs I'm going for. I want to chose a pair of sportiva since everyone are so fond of them (yes,I'm gonna make sure it fits..but are all sportiva the same? if one isn't right another model won't be either).. but how's red chili, evolv.. and scarpa? I like five ten.. as a second pair, maybe I should just stick to five ten. But which model? that's a step further then anasazis? and which five ten is the best in your opinion?

In reply to jessica_0601: Nothing wrong with the Scarpa thunder! I've seen people climb extreme routes in approach shoes so I really don't think shoes make that big a difference unless you are high E grade climber.

In reply to Rich Jones: But one of the girls I climb with has a (first pair) pair of thunder in yellow, and recently got a pair of womens miura (the white with black details)- and she climbs much better with the miuras and says it's a huge difference. might also be because she got her thunder comfy and "big".. But why are there made that many different type of shoes for different climbing if there aren't that big of a difference ? (apart from people have different type of feet and need to find something that fits)- they look different on heel and toe-part.. but many shoes look also very much the same.

In reply to jessica_0601: could be a bunyon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunion

some people seem prone to them

will definitely be aggravated by wearing climbing shoes, but may also be getting aggravated by the type of day to day shoes you wear

In reply to EasyAndy: no, not like that:P On the bigtoe.. but my bigtoe is crooked from the beginning though. As I said, my feet are ugly, and haven't gotten any better after using climbing shoes.

In reply to jessica_0601:
A step beyond Anasazis! My, you must be climbing well if you feel limited by anasazis. Get comfy newbie shoes if you don't want lumps. If you don't mind lumps get tight technical shoes. 5.10 don't suit me. Evolve smell. Red chilli quality isn't the best. Boreal are too soft. I like sportiva (apart from the price) or scarpa. Sportiva aren't all the same. Some models I've tried on, I didn't like but arco, muira and vs have suited me.

In reply to JLS: arco look much like katana.. and many others,like from five ten -anasazis,galileo etc. how's that shoe,I haven't seen it in store here back home.
When I've said miura all way, I meant the vs. I want to have them if they fit. but I think actually I've tried them on,and found them a little too agressive.. not fitting that well, quite big.. hm..

In reply to jessica_0601: So many shoes are made because people have many different types of feet and because it means they make more money if people will by more shoes! I'm not saying it doesn't make a difference but you have to be quite good before it does IMO.