Another one for dancers: what are the best kind of toe pads??

Question

I have the worst possible body for pointe; I'm 5'4" with long toes, wide feet, plenty of muscle and I'm a little chubby too. At the beginning of the year I had lambs' wool, but after a few weeks I took them off one day after class and saw that I had bled through the pad and my tights, and now theres a small stain in one of my shoes.

Right now I'm using ouch pouches, and I like them a lot, but my friends say that even though I might need to get new shoes that are a size bigger, the gel pads are a lot better than both of the other two.

Answer 1

Hi there. I am a dancer and have been dancing pointe for 8 years. I prefer gel pads myself. The regular toe pads don't offer enough cushion for me, and lamb's wool makes my toes itch & blister. The gel pads I prefer are Eurotard blue gels. They have a dip in the front which works best with Grisko's (since the opening hits right above your toe, as opposed to Bloch's that hit the arch of your foot). These are a little more expensive but they offer the best comfort and last a LONG time. Make sure if you do use gel pads that you add baby powder to them, as they can get sticky.

Here is where I get mine:

http://www.allaboutdance.com/s.nl/it.A/i...

Answer 2

This is completely up to the individual dancer.  If you go to a good store to buy your pointe shoes, they'll have different toe pads to try with the different shoes you try.  You need to be patient to find the best shoes, best size, fitted with the best toe pads for you.  Also, a lot of people say gel pads are so thick that you can't feel the floor.  Some people even say that of ouch pouches.  Ouch pouches are my personal favorite.  Try different combinations of shoes & pads until you find what you like best (never mind what others say).  Good luck!

Answer 3

webbed feet

Answer 4

Ouch Pouches! [: