|
bigmatt
Jul 17, 2003, 5:51 AM
Post #1 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 29, 2002
Posts: 22
|
I just got a pair of Katanas. I have heard they stretch, but currently, putting them on is like binding my feet (my toes are practically making a clenched fist). Will they stretch out enough to where I'm not screaming at the end of each climb, and if so, does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them to stretch a little faster. My feet thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
yotrepo
Jul 17, 2003, 6:14 AM
Post #2 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 7, 2003
Posts: 49
|
yes. They will stretch.
|
|
|
|
|
climbsomething
Jul 17, 2003, 6:23 AM
Post #3 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2002
Posts: 8588
|
Whoa. You have a foot fist in those shoes? And you left the store with them? That's a little more hardcore than "snug" sport shoe fit.
Now, I've never owned the Katana but I do know that lined shoes stretch much less than unlined shoes...
|
|
|
|
|
chingas
Jul 17, 2003, 7:56 AM
Post #4 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 11, 2003
Posts: 101
|
In reply to: I have heard they stretch, but currently, putting them on is like binding my feet (my toes are practically making a clenched fist).
Go up a size, man! I have Katanas. A slight curl of the smaller toes is alright as they do stretch-but very little. If all your toes are clenched, that is a definite sign to move up a size. You still need those feet to walk!
|
|
|
|
|
neadamthal
Jul 17, 2003, 12:20 PM
Post #5 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2002
Posts: 245
|
i dunno how well this would work for lined shoes, but i SOAKED my moccasyms to stretch them out. put them on then sat up on the counter, put my feet in the kitchen sink, and opened the tap over my feet. worked very well for me, but again, that was with unlined shoes.
worth a shot though! cause lined shoes really don't stretch much. maybe a centimeter. oh wait, this is an american site... maybe 3/8"...
|
|
|
|
|
traddad
Jul 17, 2003, 1:03 PM
Post #6 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2001
Posts: 7129
|
Soak 'em, it does wonders, even for lined shoes.
But don't EVEN try to return them. If you left the store with shoes that are too small and then climbed in them, it's time to fire them up in the "used gear" section of this board. Size is up to the customer, salespersons can only advise. If the store takes 'em back, they will end up eating them, making it less profitable for them to sell climbing shoes.
|
|
|
|
|
snowrocker
Jul 17, 2003, 5:36 PM
Post #7 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2003
Posts: 113
|
I have a pair of katanas and believe me, they hurt really bad for a while but they do get better. At first it felt that they were folding my feet in half but now that is fixed. My toes felt like I had been kicking a rock wall for hours, now they hardly hurt at all. Some advice, climb in them until they hurt beyond all reason then take them off, for the rest of the day put them on before each climb and take them off right after. It helps alot.
:( Have fun with the pain!
|
|
|
|
|
keinangst
Jul 17, 2003, 5:44 PM
Post #8 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 1, 2003
Posts: 1408
|
Agreed. I was very sore after month of climbing in them 1-2 times/week.
Mine are, get this, 2.5-3 sizes down from street, depending on what scale you use. However, the heel is pretty stretchy and I never get into a situation where my toes would be crushed. I love the toe-gripping power :D
My big toe and second toe are slightly curled, but not like a fist (more like a "toe-crimp" configuration).
|
|
|
|
|
sid_rock
Jul 17, 2003, 6:05 PM
Post #9 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 28, 2003
Posts: 516
|
In reply to: I just got a pair of Katanas. I have heard they stretch, but currently, putting them on is like binding my feet (my toes are practically making a clenched fist). Will they stretch out enough to where I'm not screaming at the end of each climb, and if so, does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them to stretch a little faster. My feet thank you.
I feel your pain bro. I am trying to break in a pair of Cobra's. I downsized from 44.5 to 40.5. I have climbed in the gym only once with them, and I was gritting my teeth in pain the whole time. Most routes I had to quit in the middle because the pain was too much.
Word of advice if you plan to soak them: do NOT take the shoes off until they are *completely* dry. As the shoes start to dry, they will start shrinking and hurting your feet, and you'll be tempted to take them off--do not. I soaked my Merrell's because they were too tight and took them off before they dried, and they shrunk even smaller than before. I haven't been able to wear them since.
|
|
|
|
|
chingas
Jul 18, 2003, 3:09 AM
Post #10 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 11, 2003
Posts: 101
|
Maybe we should rename this thread "New Shoe Voodoo Rituals".
|
|
|
|
|
lancebrock
Jul 18, 2003, 3:39 AM
Post #11 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 16, 2003
Posts: 156
|
here is my post from the cobra thread....
i have been on a crusade lately about tight shoes. any sales person who convinces you to go 4 should be fired. shoes should be uncomfortable, not unbearable. i have never climbed harder due to incredibly tight shoes. i climb just fine with 1-1.5 sizes smaller. i wear a 43 street shoe and 41.5-42 climbing shoe. i have only recently run into a route that required me to size down to 41.5 due to a specifically bad heel hook. one run in with in-grown toenails or corns will convince you it isnt worth it. they are the only feet you have and if you have to wreck them to "climb hard", it isnt worth it.
my $.02
|
|
|
|
|
chingas
Jul 18, 2003, 3:43 AM
Post #12 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 11, 2003
Posts: 101
|
In reply to: here is my post from the cobra thread.... i have been on a crusade lately about tight shoes. any sales person who convinces you to go 4 should be fired. shoes should be uncomfortable, not unbearable. i have never climbed harder due to incredibly tight shoes. i climb just fine with 1-1.5 sizes smaller. i wear a 43 street shoe and 41.5-42 climbing shoe. i have only recently run into a route that required me to size down to 41.5 due to a specifically bad heel hook. one run in with in-grown toenails or corns will convince you it isnt worth it. they are the only feet you have and if you have to wreck them to "climb hard", it isnt worth it. my $.02
Amen!
|
|
|
|
|
tonyeatworld
Jul 18, 2003, 6:01 AM
Post #13 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 4, 2003
Posts: 54
|
My quick input. I sell boots and what not and have heard the old technique of soaking boots and then wearing them till they dry. With unlined climbing shoes it still seems like it should work pretty well. However do not do this with modern hiking boots as most no longer have a leather interior and so you end up ruining your boots before you ever even use them. Also is seems like a bad idea to me to dry them in an oven. I read an earlier post someone made about their techniques for breaking in climbing shoes. I know with boots this can cause problems with delaminating the sole and whatnot. Also be careful not to overly dry out the leather as that can decrease the lifespan. One last thing... I think there are different kinds of pain out there. There is uncomfortable, which my climbing shoes were a little at first, which is how my arms felt as I struggled up a climb, etc. And then there is also down right painful, which is wearing shoes 3 sizes too small, which is smacking into the side of the rock when falling. I think people should trust their own gut feeling when buying shoes cause if you can't spend 5 minutes in your shoes trying them on how do you expect to spend enough time climbing a multipitch route? The sales person is only there to advise you and sometimes that advice is wrong and sometimes you are the only one who can decide how they feel on your foot.
Customer: "These boots make my feet go numb, do you think they fit me?"
Me: "Maybe hiking is a little too complicated for you, why don't you try something nice and safe, like free solo climbing?"
Customer: "huh?"
Honestly I am not a gear snob, I have just become really jaded
|
|
|
|
|
organic
Jul 19, 2003, 11:29 PM
Post #14 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 16, 2003
Posts: 2215
|
A technique that works good for me is to wet the toe of the shoe where you want it stretched before you climb. Then not only will the shoes feel looser while you wear it when it dries it stretch fits to your foot. I just recently bought a pair of Boreal Zens and done this technique and they are almost broken in after 3 climbs. I have also tried wearing socks in shoes to stretch them out then wear them to let the stretch fit to the foot. Lastly if you make a mixture of snake blood, sodium hypochlorite and peanut butter and mix it and apply it while performing incantations on the shoes not only will they fit better then ever before they will climb for you!(Last sentence was a joke please don't put sodium hypochlorite on your shoes or feet). And don't anything else I said to your shoes then blame me if they get ruined.
Thanks...
|
|
|
|
|
karmaklimber
Jul 20, 2003, 1:58 AM
Post #15 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 16, 2003
Posts: 363
|
In reply to: Lastly if you make a mixture of snake blood, sodium hypochlorite and peanut butter and mix it and apply it while performing incantations on the shoes not only will they fit better then ever before they will climb for you!
You forgot to add that it only works under a full moon.
|
|
|
|
|
juju
Jul 22, 2003, 11:50 PM
Post #16 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Posts: 9
|
I also have the same problem with my shoes. I've climbed in them about 10 times or so since I bought them and they STILL hurt. I've gotten used to most of the pain, but they still hurt badly in certain strategic spots on my toes. I've gotten the suggestion by someone to take them to a shoe store and have them professionally stretched in those spots, but in order to save some money, I'm just wondering if they will ever stretch out enough on their own. Does anyone have any input on how long it usually takes before the shoes stretch enough? Like should I wait months or does it happen pretty quickly? Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
chingas
Jul 23, 2003, 12:46 AM
Post #17 of 17
(2805 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 11, 2003
Posts: 101
|
Simple formula:
small shoe + intense pain – common sense = WRONG shoe size
If you have to soak, roast, or microwave them, I would reconsider my purchase. It's climbing, not Chinese foot-binding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
