Shoe toe protection

[Jake Respondek]

The toe area on my left shoe wears way faster than any other area on my DG shoes. Anyone ever try Tuff Toe Pro, or Tuff Toe Molded Pitching Toe to extend the life of their shoes?

 

[Definistrated29]

I've only ever used on my baseball spikes but it holds up really well and is easy to use. I liked the tuff toe pro better because you can choose how thick and what shape.

 

[Widdershins]

The toe area on my left shoe wears way faster than any other area on my DG shoes. Anyone ever try Tuff Toe Pro, or Tuff Toe Molded Pitching Toe to extend the life of their shoes?

As a forehander who drags a toe I have dealt with this for years and have multiple pairs of shoes missing one toe to prove it. Beyond dragging a toe, the game of disc golf puts huge strain on any shoes we wear. Many a pair of shoes proves unworthy to the challenge, even if you spend $100-200 on them.

There are numerous strategies to deal with this. The first is to buy cheap shoes and not worry about it (my primary strategy, btw). There are discount houses where good bargains can be had if you have the patience to search them out ( TJ Maxxx, Marshalls, etc.) including name brand shoes. I have picked up Merills, Salomons, Keens, Nikes, etc. this way.

I have used the pitching toes, too. However, since you don't know how much you will love a pair of shoes or how well they will hold up, I don't add a pitching toe until the original wears off. The pitching toes are a bit bulky (they stick out past the shoe) and take some getting used to. Also if the shoe breaks down any place else it makes no sense to spend $10-15 for a pitching toe when the sole is coming loose from the uppers. I can usually find brand new shoes in the $25-35 range.

You can purposely seek out shoes with oversized toes. Keens are famous for this. So too are shoes made specifically for outdoor tennis. But getting these particular shoes at a discount is not an easy find. And since we play in every condition (rain, mud & slop) even a fancy pair of shoes may look pretty shabby after a couple months. I know some players order shoes over the internet to seek out bargains but I want to try on shoes before buying them. The way they fit is important to me and sending them back is too much effort.

I have tried Shoe Goo (a product designed to repair shoes) without notable success. It is a poor, short term fix that even for the short time it works (before it peels away) looks bad.

I have had players recommend that I change my form to spare my shoes. This is, of course, crazy talk. I could give up drinking beer after the round too but that ain't gonna happen either.

 

[Vegan Ray]

Shoo Goo rules in my experience. It may not be aesthetically pleasing, but, for the many years when I was playing tennis 3 hours a day for 350+ days a year, a $5 tube of Goo and a little time would extend the life of a tennis shoe from a week to 3-4 months.

 

[Jake Respondek]

Thanks for the response. I have a pair of merrells that are holding up pretty well and I love them, so was looking for a way to extend their life. I was thinking about trying the Tuff Toe Pro because I tried shoe goo and it didn't hold up long at all.

 

[MAD MAX1]

I'VE TRYED ALL THE ABOVE, WITHOUT MUCH LUCK. THEN A FRIEND OF MINE SAID WHY DON'T YOU TRY SOME OF ( PLASTI DIP) BY PERFORMIX IT'S A MULTI-PURPOSE LIQUID RUBBER, MOSTLY USED TO COAT HANDLES ON TOOLS.FOUND IT AT A HARDWARE STORE. AT FIRST I POURED IT FROM THE CAN INTO A SHALLOW PLASTIC DISH AND DIPPED THE TOE INTO IT SEVERAL TIMES. THE RUBBER IS ALOT TUFFER THAN ANYTHING ELSE I'VE TRYED. AFTER THE FIRST USE YOU CAN POUR THE REMAINING BACK IN THE CAN AND SAVE UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. AFTER THE FIRST TIME YOU USE IT AND AIR GETS TO IT, IT'S GETS THICKER AND I USE A FLAT STICK TO APPLY, IT LOOKS BAD BUT IT WILL SMOOTH OUT AS IT DRIES, AND YOU GET A THICKER COATING. THIS STUFF IS REALLY TUFF..........MAD MAX

 

[Jake Respondek]

I'm trying shoe goo because I already had some. Been out 1 time since applying 1 coat and it seems pretty durable. I had read to use an ice cube to smooth the goo...it works real well.