What kind of padding is best for pointe shoes??

Question

i have pretty wide feet and i would totally go without pads but griskos are h**l to dance in without pads. like, unbearable. the boxes in my shoes are crazy stiff and i really would like to know what kind of pads are best. I would like to feel the floor but i want to minimize the pain as much as possibe at the same time. i Was thinking of using gel pads. i was using the regular bloch toe pads but they do absolutly nothing for me. I wear Grishko Elites right now and i would really like to know which pads might work best. PLEASE HELP! Thanks in advance!

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.discountdance.com/frame_set.p...

Hope this helps!