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Dancehelp Reviews Toepads
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fjrigjwwe9r1Content_Articles:Tx TOEPAD PRODUCT REVIEW
Dancehelp decided to put toepads to the test, to help dancers find the most comfortable cushions yet for their pointes. We tried each type of toepad on the market and came up with a unique review on each item.
Shopping around for the best pointe shoe fit is always a feat. After finding the closest fitting shoe we can, some dancers still need a little extra help by supplementing their pointes with padding. There are many choices of padding, from lamb's wool alone, to rubber, plactic or gel toepads.
Some dancers don't use any padding at all, it just depends on how the foot is genetically, and how the fit is.
We've all heard of those dancers who just use papertowels, or a few balls of cotton in the bottom of their pointes. But most dancers find pointe semi to extremely painful, and using padding is a must.
Times have since changed from using the cotton ball or paper towel... Now we have high tech materials and combinations that can make an otherwise painful pointe situation turn into a very comfortable one.
The things to note before you go shopping for toepads are: the pressure pointes while on pointe, and the toe shape. A person with squared off toes will have less problems with pressure than those of us with a longer big toe then the rest, or a longer middle toe, which can really cause a painful experience.
Dancehelp took the guesswork out of the toepad search, our goal is to help lead dancers towards the most suitable toepads for their individual needs, to save time, money and pain!
PILLOWS FOR POINTES TOEPADS
Original Writeup:Lamb’s wool curl toe pillows
DANCEHELP REVIEW: These toepads are only good for those dancers who just need help with traction. They do not provide any padding per se - they just add a little "softness" to an otherwise rough shoe. These toepads were popular before all the new high tech toepads showed up on the market. Dancers would use these with lambs wool to sort of hold the lambs wool in place while you slip on your pointe.
PROS: Simple traction shield for the already comfortable pointe wearer. Material "breathes", doesn't trap sweat.
CONS: Provides little padding support.
TOESAVERS: Z-Flo® Toepads
Original product write up: The concept is beautifully transparent. You can see how Z-Flo®, the soft, feather-light fluid, actually forms a cozy pillow around painful pressure points, equalizing overall pressure inside your shoes. A ToeSavers™ Mini Gel pad has been incorporated into the toe as a cushy bumper pad to provide superb impact protection.. Can be cut to size for form fitting. Size: S/M -Shoe Width A through C, M/L - Shoe Width C or wider.
DANCEHELP REVIEW: We took Toesavers Z-Flo Toepads to the test. I personally used these pads for years actually, so I can tell you a bit about them. I found these to be the best toe pads on the market. Reason being that they give padding to the the right points of the foot that have pressure, but in a reverse-effect type of way: The gel in the toepad molds to the foot, so it fills in the spaces therefore taking pressure off the parts of the foot that hit the shoe more. This enables the dancer to use all of her toes, even if they are uneven. I have two toes that are the same length, and the rest are slanted. I used this toepad with a bit of lambswool to help traction. These pads last for a long time! They are worth the investment of 20 or so dollars.
PROS: Gel molding to foot helps comfort level.
CONS: Plastic gets sweaty!
OUCH POUCH TOEPADS
Original Product Writeup:
Feel the floor again! Super-thin Ouch Pouches™ provide far more comfort than bulky, traditional pads. They feature a thin layer of gel inside a fabric pouch which nicely cushions the ball of your foot as well as your toes. The soft seams flatten at the pointe.
DANCEHELP REVIEW: Ouch Pouch toepads are great for those dancers who think "less is more". They have a super thin gel inside a seemless casing to just lightly pad the inside of the pointe shoes. If you are one of those dancers who are fairly comfortable in your pointes and just need that extra "something" to make it ultra comfy then this is your pad. Now if you have uneven toes, a low arch or various other attributes that can cause pain while on pointe, then this pad might not be for you.
PROS: Ultra light padding that isn't bulky.
CONS: Might not be enough padding for the average pointe wearer.
POINTE COMFORT SHOE PADS
Original Product Writeup:Pointe Comfort: Pointe Comfort® Shoe pads were created for the experienced ballerina. Constructed of orthotically-tested, visco-elastic polymers, this toe pads was designed for the serious performance dancer to enhance endurance and longevity
DANCEHELP REVIEW: Pointe Comfort Shoe Pads are a great choice for those dancers who are in the most pain. This toe pad is a bit bulky, but provides all over relief. The solid gel structure of this pad makes a dancer feel as if she's "dancing on air". Not a good choice for the dancer who likes to "feel the floor". If you have very tender toes then this one is worth a try.
PROS: Gel provides very comfortable padding
CONS: Bulky, can't feel the floor and it gets sweaty.
CAPEZIO FOAM RUBBER PADS
Original Writeup: Foam Rubber Pads
DANCEHELP REVIEW: Foam rubber pads came out after the all wool toe pads. They provided more support and padding then the former did, but they added a bit more bulk. Now-a-days some dancers still like to use foam rubber pads because they are breathable, and provide just the right amount of padding they need. If you are a dancer who is just looking for a frugal way to pad your pointes on a moderately to light pain - these might do the trick.
PROS: This toepad is cheap and provides light padding.
CONS: Padding isn't seemless and does not provide a great amount of support to the toes.
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