The area which is more prone to holes in a shoe is the toe area. It gets worn easily and is often hard to fix. You would be sad after hearing this, but if you have shoes that are not of a perfect size, they are most prone to damage from the toe area. Therefore, It is essential to know how to prevent toe holes in shoes.

It is better not to wear shoes that have a damaged toe area because you can injure your toe seriously as well. So, before moving on to the tips that might help you prevent toe holes, you should first know the reasons why the toe area is damaged on shoes.

5 Reasons Why Toe Areas are Damaged in Shoes

Here are a few reasons why toe areas are damaged. If you avoid them, you will be successful in saving your shoes:

1. Shoes bigger than your foot size.
2. Holes appear in the toes due to the friction between the toes and the toe box.
3. If you are using shoes in extremely tough conditions, a toe hole may also develop.
4. A toe hole may also develop if the material of your shoes is not durable or long-lasting.
5. If you have big toenails, they might also contribute to the toe holes.

How to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes?

Here are a few tips that you should follow to prevent toe holes in shoes. 

1.    Special Socks

This technique is beneficial when you have shoes a little bigger than your foot size. In this situation, the shoes have a little bit more space to wear thick socks. By wearing special thick socks, the front area of the toes is protected.

Besides the thick socks, you can also buy padded socks for this purpose. But make sure that these socks are breathable, or else your foot will sweat. As an alternative, you can also wear multiple socks for this purpose.

Make sure that the shoes are thick enough that the toes do not contact the toe box.

2. Use of Prevention Insoles

These insoles do not come by default. For this, you can take your shoes to a cobbler and get this done. The cobbler will attach the patches inside the shoes, which will prevent holes in the toe area.

The shoe armor is made of ballistic form. It is very soft and strong enough to prevent holes in toe areas. Also, it is abrasion and wear-resistant. Therefore, it works very much in preventing toe holes in shoes.

For running shoes, you can use insoles made of mesh fabric.

3. Follow Alternative lacing styles

Different lacing techniques can contribute a lot to preventing toe holes in shoes. For example, if you have running shoes, you can follow the heel lock technique. This technique will help you in preventing heel slippage. Moreover, it helps in reducing friction in the heel.

If you think there should not be too much pressure, you can tie the laces in a cross-over manner to relieve the pressure. This lacing technique allows you to move your feet in a normal motion.

By following the alternative lacing system, you can prevent contact of your toes with the toe box. 

4. DIY solution

Duct Tape

DIY techniques to prevent toe holes are the most efficient and cost-effective methods. Duct tape is made up of soft and light resin. Therefore, you can use it to patch up the toe holes in your shoes.

Make sure that you do not fold the dust tape while using it, or else it will irritate your toe and fingers. Duct tape has high tensile strength and is capable of withstanding pressure. Therefore, you can use it to cover the toe box area.

If you are someone who likes to match their shoes with their outfits, then there is good news for you as well. You can buy duct tape of any color that matches your shoes. So, it won’t look odd as well.

Toe Patch

The second thing that you can do at your home to fix the toe holes is to use patches for them. For this, you need to follow the following steps:

• Fill tissue paper or newspaper in your shoes.
• Now use a patch made of nylon or any other material and place it at the site where a toe hole can develop. Make sure the patch that you are using is bigger than your toe.
• The next thing that you need to do is to stitch the patch. For this, dampen your patch a little and iron it.
• Now sew this patch in the toe area.

5. Use of Shoe Conditioners

Shoe conditioners work for stretching the shoes. So, if your shoes feel a little tight from the front region, then you can use a shoe conditioner for it.

You need to apply a shoe conditioner for at least a month for this technique. It will increase the strength as well as the durability of your shoes. A shoe conditioner works the best with a leather shoe. It can go deep into the shoe’s roots and stretch them to prevent toe holes in shoes.

6. Trim Toenails

Trimming toenails is the easiest and quickest way of preventing toe holes in shoes. Keep your toenails to a particular size and trim them whenever they grow.

It will help prevent toe holes in the toe area of the shoes.

7. Use of Toe Pads

Using toe pads to avoid toe holes in shoes is the best option for those with a big toe. The toe pads act as barriers between the toes and the toe box. Moreover, using a toe pad will also help you prevent all kinds of toe injuries.

Conclusion

The above nine tips will help you in preventing toe holes in shoes. Moreover, the reasons will help you to avoid them as well. These tips and techniques about how to prevent toe holes in shoes are easy to follow. So you don’t have to put too much effort into them.