I can't feel my toes!

[mrusse01 0]

I seem to have a unique problem in that my toes, usually my big toe on both feet, freezes almost completely in my skates (X50's, previously XXX's...although it's getting worse in the 50's).

I've run a search and the consensus seems to be just not to tie my skates so tight, but I don't tie them tight at all and it still happens. If I go really loose in the forefoot it is better, but obviously the fit of the skate doesn't feel right. I know a lot of guys have trouble with lace bite, which I interpret to be pain on the top of their foot from the skate not being deep enough, but I don't experience any pain in my foot at all, anywhere, expect when my toes freeze which is incredibly painful.

I don't experience my toes freezing easily in other aspects of my life, so I think it certainly has something to do with the skates.

I guess my question is if anyone has ever run into this problem before, and more specifically, does it make sense that these skates might not be deep enough for me (or otherwise improperly fit) yet I experience no pain anywhere other than this toe freezing issue which is assume has to be because blood is being cut off? I'm kind of at a loss as to what I should do. It also sucks because it's very tough to try out different skates, the X50's seem to fit me very well in the store, just when I get in a cold arena and sit for a while, my toes start to go numb.

If I had to guess at my foot type, I'd say I have a narrow heel, normal width forefoot, and a high arch. I feel like I might have a high 'depth' foot (for lack of a better word) but it certainly isn't wide.

[SolarWind 23]

Are the skates sized correctly length wise or your feet are crammed?

Other than that if you have a narrow heel and a high depth (I read volume?) type foot then I'm curious what are you doing in Vapors which are notoriously shallow and have extra wide heel?

[mrusse01 0]

To be fair, I may have no business at all in Vapors, I just got into them when I was a teenager and have never switched. I wasn't aware they are 'notoriously' shallow, but I know they aren't considered a deep fit.

I would say the skates are correctly sized length wise, but if anything they will be short. The XXX's I had were 9's and I felt they were too big and kind of went nuts and am in a 7.5 X50 now...but I've had the same freezing problem in both so I don't think length is the issue.

I would take 'volume' to mean the entire volume of my foot, which may or may not be overly large, as I don't have wide feet. I think I probably have narrow-ish feet but the distance from the ground to the top of my foot is high. I have tried on the Supreme line a few times and have dismissed them as being too wide (but I've recently discovered a D Supreme is the same as an E Vapor, so it would make sense I found them too wide).

I guess generally I'm just confused because if the skates were too shallow for me I'd expect to feel pain somewhere along my foot, but I can crank down the laces and they feel great....until 10 minutes later when my toes are numb.

[squat 5]

I am going to say that I am probably 100% wrong. HOWEVER, I have used 8's 10's XX and XXX and XXXX and they were no where NEAR as painful as my X60's have become. I have talked to about 4-5 others that are switching to Supremes on account as they figured to switch to X7.0 or APX and the pain was worse.

Did Bauer change the sizing or something? Maybe the boot was built so that it would be more forgiving and with the new boots its not going to be that way I dont know. All i know is a NXG is WAY more comfortable than my x60s or either of the APX's I tried in 7.5-8 D-EE

[romdj 26]

what socks do you have on?

[mrusse01 0]

I've tried various socks, but now I just wear Bauer Vapor socks. I even went barefoot for a while when I just got the X50's as they were so much smaller than my old skates. I've found that different socks make almost no difference although I've never tried anything really thick. Barefoot my toes maybe got colder a bit faster, but it wasn't much of a difference. Socks are so thin, I don't think they're going to provide much warmth at all...I've read tighter socks can promote better circulation along the lines of compression clothing, but my Vapor socks are pretty darn tight and they haven't helped.

I am going to say that I am probably 100% wrong. HOWEVER, I have used 8's 10's XX and XXX and XXXX and they were no where NEAR as painful as my X60's have become. I have talked to about 4-5 others that are switching to Supremes on account as they figured to switch to X7.0 or APX and the pain was worse.

Did Bauer change the sizing or something? Maybe the boot was built so that it would be more forgiving and with the new boots its not going to be that way I dont know. All i know is a NXG is WAY more comfortable than my x60s or either of the APX's I tried in 7.5-8 D-EE

My skates are not painful at all. That's what is puzzling to me. I've never heard of someone having a perfectly fit skate that the only issue is their toes freeze...so I'm thinking either my skates aren't perfectly fit (which is likely) or I've got some circulation problems (unlikely in my opinion). I just don't understand why if my feet are too deep for Vapors I'm not getting lace bite, or other issues you would commonly associate with wearing a boot that isn't deep enough. You would think cutting off circulation would occur only in horribly fitting, painful-to-wear skates.

[t6lock 24]

thicker sock wont always mean a warmer one. there are thinner socks with better quality materials that will be just as good if not better. i use under armour coldgear socks.

[forbs02 20]

Are you taping your shinpads on really tight? That might slow circulation.

My feet freeze every time I skate, I just accept that it will happen. I played in a pond hockey tourney a few years ago where the high was 0 F. I took portable hand warmers and set them on top of my toes as I slid them into my skates. They rested between the toecap and my toes. My feet stayed very warm. If your numb toes consistently bother you and you can't find a cause you can try the hand warmers.

[lpgbackups 17]

are you sure you havent been playing in Siberia?

[Chadd 916]

If you have no pressure points in your skates, my first thought would be a circulation issue.

[troy 12]

DarkStar can testify to the fit of my skates, and my toes always freeze. They have for as long as I can remember, my hands are also almost always freezing. Some people just get colder than others. If your toes are comfortable in the skate then the correctness of the other sizing metrics won't have an impact on this issue.

[mrusse01 0]

Alright, well I played tonight and my toes absolutely froze solid again, and I was paying attention this time to it and how I laced it. 2 hours later and my big toes are still a bit 'tingly'. After reading through the replies, I want to clarify it's JUST my toes and maybe an inch up my foot that freeze. I even came home and looked at some anatomy drawings and sure enough there are main arteries right across the top of your foot. I have feet with very little "meat'" on them....I'm starting to think my boots simply aren't deep enough in the forefoot/midfoot area and I'm just cutting off circulation when I tie them up.....but what's a thread without pics, right? So here we go:

,

Kind of hard to take a picture of your own foot...but you can see the top of my socked foot is busting out pretty badly down by the 5th/6th/7th eyelet. In the 'pencil test' I have a ton of space at eyelet 1, less so at 2, just touching the pencil at eyelet 3, then firm against it at 4 and busting out at 5 & 6.

I think I may have a rare foot combination of being fairly narrow to normal throughout the forefoot, a heel that is on the narrow side (I get a bit of slippage), skinny ankles, and a high arch and midfoot (is that even a term?).

[AIREAYE 248]

With that picture, I would be very incined to say a lack of skate boot volume in the midfoot leading to lack of circulation within the main blood vessels running the length of the top of your foot would be the culprit, as you inferred to.

[mrusse01 0]

With that picture, I would be very incined to say a lack of skate boot volume in the midfoot leading to lack of circulation within the main blood vessels running the length of the top of your foot would be the culprit, as you inferred to.

Any particular skates on the market with a cut that you think might help? I want to try narrow width Supreme's.

[AIREAYE 248]

Hard to focus only on one aspect of fit when another might not work for you. Why not take this...opportunity to start anew and try different types of fit to see what works better. The new NXGs can be found in retail C widths, so why not start looking in that direction?

[romdj 26]

With that picture, I would be very incined to say a lack of skate boot volume in the midfoot leading to lack of circulation within the main blood vessels running the length of the top of your foot would be the culprit, as you inferred to.

totally agree that you seem to lack volume, maybe you could try bauer supreme lines,709, G70 graf boots, and maybe reebok can do the trick as well.

[mrusse01 0]

totally agree that you seem to lack volume, maybe you could try bauer supreme lines,709, G70 graf boots, and maybe reebok can do the trick as well.

I'm just afraid in the 'high volume' type of boots my ankle/heel and maybe even forefoot area are going to be swimming. Obviously I'll have to go out and try them to see. I've got no qualms about going the custom route as wel if that's an option that makes sense for me, but obviously have to find someone who knows what they are doing to fit and order it.

Thanks for the suggestions though. I have literally 100% of my hockey playing life in Bauer's, would be tough to change!

[Mattc555 22]

I agree that you need more volume. Go to a Graf dealer. They are trained to fit skates. Most sell Bauer too. I was fitted at a Hockey Monkey, and am very satisfied. Graf G5's for me.

[Chadd 916]

I'm just afraid in the 'high volume' type of boots my ankle/heel and maybe even forefoot area are going to be swimming. Obviously I'll have to go out and try them to see. I've got no qualms about going the custom route as wel if that's an option that makes sense for me, but obviously have to find someone who knows what they are doing to fit and order it.

Thanks for the suggestions though. I have literally 100% of my hockey playing life in Bauer's, would be tough to change!

All of the high end Graf models come in a narrow width as well as the regular and wide. Easton may be an option as well.

[squat 5]

Why are you discounting the Supreme line? I would give them a shot. Like I said I had the exact same issues as you along with more pain. Never happened on my old Vapors 8,10 XX, XXX,XXXX, The x60's killed my toes and other areas of my feet. I also have had a few back injuries so I have had a crash course in nerves and circulation after 2 back surgeries myself.

To have heel issues with the supremes I think you are going to have to have very tiny heels.

[AIREAYE 248]

No one's discounting anything or should be; skates need to be personally fitted. Recommendations on the internet are simply starting points, making Chadd's opinion about as valid as yours (which both are imo).

[mrusse01 0]

A store up here in Canada had an absurd 25% off sale yesterday, off EVERYTHING. Even NXG's and Nexus 1000's. I tried on every skate on the wall that was within reason (they didn't carry Graf) and couldn't really decide between the NXG's and 1000's, so I bought them both and will wear them around the house and can return one (or both) if I like.

7.5D in both, I realize that's not ideal due do the Nexus being a true EE and the NXG a true E, but that's all that was available, no retail narrower widths in either...and I'm coming from 7.5D Vapors!....but honestly the added width doesn't seem to really bother me in either. Also picked up the Superfeet insoles, which I hadn't been using in my Vapors.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Nexus, it is just soo comfy. The NXG feels narrower in the forefoot, toe box area, and while it certainly has more volume than my Vapor's, I'm still mildly concerned my feet might numb up in them (only really real way to see is put em on and go sit in my arena for an hour...which I might do). Heel feels about pefectly locked in on the NXG's. I seem to have length issues with the NXG's though, I am a more upright skater and standing straight up I'm able to press my toes pretty good up against the end of the boot. If I get in a proper crouch they slide back. The Nexus on the other hand is quite a bit deeper, and I think the deeper fit, wider heel, and wider toe box contribute to the skate fitting a touch longer. I can barely graze the end of the skate with my toes even if I try to. I'm sure I won't have the numbing issue that was the main catalyst for new skates, due to the very deep fit. My heel slips a tiny bit in the Nexus but I'm thining baking might help that.

It's probably illogical, but I also kind of feel like the Nexus doesn't have as much technology in it. Maybe it's just me but it seems like it should be more than $50 less than the NXG, but I'm probably just being fooled by the exterior design.

[althoma1 574]

Based on what you describe I'd go with the NXG's over the Nexus if the depth seems to be OK. You don't want heel lift and I wouldn't count on a bake making the heel lock tighter. Once you bake and break in the NXGs I don't think you'll have length issues. You say your toes touch when you're upright and slide back when you bend so it sounds like the length is ideal.

As for you feeling the NXG is more technologically advanced than the Nexus, that's not illogical at all. The Nexus is a traditional skate with some modern technology and the NXG is a technologically advanced modern skate. The NXG is based on a zero negative space concept so should theoretically offer better performance and the Nexus isn't quite as stiff and a little more forgiving. That's my understanding and feeling based on what I've read and trying them both on (I demoed the original TotalOne and the NXG...only tried on and took one lap in the Nexus).

[mrusse01 0]

Based on what you describe I'd go with the NXG's over the Nexus if the depth seems to be OK. You don't want heel lift and I wouldn't count on a bake making the heel lock tighter. Once you bake and break in the NXGs I don't think you'll have length issues. You say your toes touch when you're upright and slide back when you bend so it sounds like the length is ideal.

As for you feeling the NXG is more technologically advanced than the Nexus, that's not illogical at all. The Nexus is a traditional skate with some modern technology and the NXG is a technologically advanced modern skate. The NXG is based on a zero negative space concept so should theoretically offer better performance and the Nexus isn't quite as stiff and a little more forgiving. That's my understanding and feeling based on what I've read and trying them both on (I demoed the original TotalOne and the NXG...only tried on and took one lap in the Nexus).

Thanks for the opinion.

My issue with my current Vapors is my feet numb up and they feel a touch too short in terms of length....so I'd kind of hate to upgrade to an NXG and not completely solve those problems. I feel like I might be willing to sacrafice some performance and absolute perfect fit for comfort. I think I'm going to try and get to the rink and put one on each foot for an hour and see if either of them freeze. Should get a few odd looks, haha. If my feet don't numb in the NXG's then I'll have a tough decision to make.

[supa 3]

I have been having the same problem since I got my Vapours a few seasons ago. I just always shrugged it off, mind you, I never got numbness as bad as you. If I was to take a picture my foot would look the same as yours more or less.

I bought 20k's yesterday. Holy comfort batman