Closed heel and toe shoes...need moleskin? - YouLookFab Forum

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Closed heel and toe shoes...need moleskin?

Freckles

Veteran

After many years of searching I finally bought my first pair of closed heel and toe shoes in over twenty years.
Been breaking them in but my heels are a disaster, many popped blisters.
As part of the very narrow heel club have tried many things over the years and nothing has worked.
Will bringing the shoes to a cobbler and getting the hell lined with moleskin help?

They are the Ecco Crisp lace black.

http://www.eccoshoesuk.com/pro.....ecco-crisp

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Freckles

ElleH

Veteran

I don't know but Angie has a post about using body glide or the foot care version of it. I have used the one that is no longer available called blister block & it works. I don't think I had any heel needs for it but not sure. There are other brands in the foot care section of drug stores. Also heel grips by tip toes might help.

Freckles

Veteran

Thank you Elle I read that in Angie's blog but with highly sensitive and allergic skin wanted to leave it as a last resort. Since I'm allergic to adhesive I was thinking of lining the shoe heel with the moleskin and not using those moleskin patches that you put on your skin...
The heel grips have never worked for me nor any of the other put this in the shoe thing...

The moleskin lined heel was suggested by a 90 year old neighbour lady but I had never heard of it.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, so where are the blisters forming? Is it just where the top of the shoe hits the back of your heel, or all over? I have very shallow insteps so a lot of times the back of shoes comes up too high on my heel and cuts into it, but adding my orthotic (or just insoles if you don't need an orthotic) raises my foot so that the shoe hits my heel in the right place and doesn't rub. That said, some shoes are just cut too deep for my foot and even the orthotic won't fit that. You have to figure out where on your heel the shoe should hit without rubbing.

Also, are you wearing socks or footies? I can't do closed toe shoes w/o at least footies. I like these smartwool ones best, but there are other, cheaper varieties too:
http://www.zappos.com/smartwoo.....lfG:201307

Freckles

Veteran

The blisters are about a thumbs width from the bottom of your foot left side of centre on left foot, right side of centre on right foot. I had my orthodics in the shoes but took them out and it seems better but my doc won't allow me to continue to wear them until I am healed. So maybe the orthodics make the heel too shallow for me? They still rub very badly with the orthodics taken out though.
I am wearing full socks and have been trying different pairs which each react differently...
Thanks for the link to the footies, I love wool socks best but have a hard time finding them that don't come up too high and hurt.

Vildy

Veteran

I just buy the moleskin - Dr Scholl? in the supermarket foot care rack -
and cut it to fit inside back heel of our son's dress shoes. Also use gel half
soles to raise foot up a bit.

Freckles

Veteran

Vildy how long does it last when doing it yourself? I was thinking cobbler for a stronger glue and better application but could be very wrong about that...
I could try these half insoles too as the orthodics are just half ones for the arch of my foot. Was using a thin full liner in both shoes...
Thanks!

Anonymous

Have you ever been to a Foot Solutions? I just checked and there are some in Canada. They are really good at making shoes fit. I've seen them cutting up padding and adding/subtracting, etc. to get the fit just right, and are probably trained in this. Granted, they are selling shoes, but they might help you out with these hoping to gain a new customer.

It's too bad your doctor couldn't offer any advice for tweaking the fit of these. I would definitely try the cobbler as well. They probably know more about fitting than you'd think. Can you go to your neighbor's cobbler?

Freckles

Veteran

Claire the first place I went shopping on the recent expeditions was Foot Solutions. The saleswoman was super fantastic but alas they did not have any shoes narrow enough for me. Apparently besides the things I knew about I have a very unusual foot...lol. I couldn't buy shoes there but I would gladly highly recommend them for their expertise and gentleness when dealing with customers. I never thought of asking them for advice but perhaps I shall with a big boquet of flowers in hand, that was so sweet of your anonymous ylf sister.
Yes there is only one cobbler in this end of town so will use the same one.
Thanks for your help.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I've been known to stick the moleskin right on the shoe. I know you're not supposed to do that -- the moleskin is meant to go on your skin -- but I find that if I stick a bit on the trouble spot on the inside of the shoe, then problem solved.

Diana

Veteran

Ouch, if they're that bad even with socks I doubt moleskin would help much... Imo, moleskin pretty much just simulates a layer of socks. I wonder if the shape of these just doesn't get along with your foot.

Freckles

Veteran

Thank you Aziraphale, I need to investigate this.

Ahh Diana. Thank you, I didn't realize that is what moleskin did.
The problem is no shoe is right and this was the best of the lot. I went to the specialty shoe store that carries the largest selection and the lad told me that they don't carry hardly any narrow shoes anymore as everyone has wide feet. Gah!
Would it hurt to try it out and then take it away if it does nothing? Only where the blisters are or over the entire heel?
I will try it on my Naot sandals though as even with sanding there is just something that rubs me raw...

Glory

Veteran

Freckles there is a cobbler on Merivale road where the DMV used to be, just down from Le Barons.. He is quite old school and might be able to help.
The other thought was there is a new ortho shoe shop in Greenbank mall and they seem to carry many brands.
And lastly, you can buy moleskin by the roll (not like wallpaper) but small rolls in the first aid section at Shoppers. You can cut it and place where you want in the shoe. I have used it successfully in heels of shoes. It might be worth a try.

Anonymous

Well you chose a snappy looking shoe anyway. I hope that cobbler can help you fix it.

Vildy

Veteran

He only wears his dress shoes once in a while. The original moleskin I applied is still there and he's rough on shoes. If it works for you, obviously it's easy and cheap to replace.

Here's a radical solution. A while back I was reading that a number of women who were buying keds were having the back of their heels torn open by where the center of the inside back heel is. They took a hammer and kept smashing at the place and then the shoes were fine.

Vildy

Veteran

I see these shoes lace up. Wonder if one of these fixes - for the narrower foot - would work for you:

http://katierunsthis.com/2011/.....echniques/

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I second the hammer approach. I use it on almost all of my leather shoes to break it up and soften it. Never had a problem.

Freckles

Veteran

Glory you are a wealth of information! I think perhaps an old school cobbler is exactly what I need for many different issues in my current shoes as well as ones in my future. I will check out that shoe store. I was very surprised that L'etellier hasn't nearly the selection that they used to. I was there when the store opened and did not leave til 4 p.m. I had decided after many years of trying that I was not leaving without a pair of shoes!
Would you suggest I just put the moleskin on the place in the shoes where my blisters are on my foot or line the entire heel with it?

Thank you Claire, hopefully they will work out in the end. All shoes comes with a breaking in period afterall.

Neelie

Veteran

Try runner's socks...they are double layered socks so when there is rubbing the inner layer does not move and therefore no blister! You can get them at running stores (Running Room in Canada, not sure where you are located). Foot blisters are so painful! Good luck and quick healing!

Mia

Veteran

I can vouch for the double sock. I bought a brand called the Wright sock for a trip with lots of walking and they worked.

I had a similar hard time finding a walking shoe with my narrow heels.

Freckles

Veteran

Thanks re the moleskin advice Vildy. Oh my, bashing with a hammer. Never heard of that one. I imagine it works too. I read previously where patrons soaked their shoes in a tub of water and wore them for awhile soaking wet. Now while I did this a very many years ago with Jesus Sandals I wouldn't want to do it with a good pair of shoes. Never mind that though, I just waterproofed these babies and imagine the hammer works somewhat the same.

Thanks for chiming in Lyn, good to know it works.

Neelie thanks for the great idea. I haven't jogged in six million years so am not up on the technology in that stream of things. There is a Runners room very near me.

Mia thanks for chiming in, great to know they worked for you and that you are in the blasted narrow heel club.

I had the shoes on for a very short time today really checking out the shoes without the orthodics and with their regular insole today much against doc's orders...sigh and more blisters and one got broken. Will be totally checking out the suggestions. I wanted to try them today in my short stint but first wanted to check if I could feel a blister forming which I couldn't. I am now totally prepared to implement the suggestions you lovely ladies have given me with your experiences with the same issue. Thank you so very much.