How to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes [ 5+ Easy & Simple Ways]

Want to know some simple ways how to prevent toe holes in shoes? You came to the right place.

The shoes got destroyed by a hole. Worst experience ever. Especially for those who love shoes like their babies.

Haha! My previous sentence is totally an exaggeration. But you cannot deny that your shoes do not deserve this.

I mean, literally, They are the ones who bear all your weight. When your feet get hit by anything they are the ones who survive the pain first. Along with saving you from bacteria, fungi or any virus, they provide you additional protection against minor accidents like falls and slips.

After surviving all these, this distortion (holes) is bound to happen with them. So you must know how to prevent the holes in shoes.

“Shoes are a reflection of your personality”, I am certain that you must have heard it several times. But what happens when your shoes are torn and you find your toe peeping out from your shoes?

I still remember when I was in my football team and I found my shoes got torn from the front. I wish I could put my feelings into words and be articulative about how I cope with the situation. My favourite pair of shoes with a hole was the last thing I could have wanted.

Let’s take a stand for our shoes and protect them this time. Make sure to read all 10 ways how to prevent holes in the toes of shoes to get all the information.

Related: Do you know the different kinds of materials for the soles of shoes and why they are so popular? You must read.

10 Ways to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes

1. Choose the Perfect Fit to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes

A very common cause of the formation of a hole in shoes is not buying a pair that is compatible with the size of your feet. What will happen if you try to fit in a dress that is not your size? Now you can imagine the situation of your shoes when you force them to accommodate your large feet into their small body. Read here to learn how to choose the right shoes.

But how to choose the right size?

Not knowing your shoe size is the underlying issue. So next time, whenever you go shopping, take a ruler and gauge the length and width of your foot. Do not worry if you have no idea about it.

You can simply approach the staff of the shop and they will be happy to assist you. Once you get your footwear size measured, find the ideal pair and keep walking like a King without worrying about the hole.

2. Deep Toe Box

Even if you find the right shoe size, getting an adequate space in the toe box is necessary. And, if you have got bigger toes, the task gets a little more complicated.

You need to make sure that the toe box of your shoe is deep enough so that it can provide a perfect space for your toe to avoid friction and contact between the shoe’s inner layer and toe. This will allow your toe to get the required space in your footwear.

Better settlement of the toe within the shoe’s forefoot will prevent the occurrence of toe box holes. Do you know? A big toe-making hole in shoes. So, A big toe box would prevent your toes from getting injured.

3. Good Quality Socks Can Help in Preventing Toe Holes in Shoes

Well, if cutting toenails is a hassle for you or do not want to spend extra on your shoes, getting good quality socks is the option you are left with. These socks will work as a barrier between the shoes and the toenails and the chances of abrasion will reduce.

You can choose any kind of socks but if they are padded, they will work best for you. These padded socks can serve you well in winter but in summer you will be needing to change these types of shoes more often to prevent the sweaty and unpleasant smell.

4. Buy Good Quality Shoes

Shoes are not something you buy frequently. Whenever anyone shops for shoes, long-lasting shoes are the first preference. But can you expect good quality in a lesser amount? So, my advice would be, to invest in your shoes a little more and buy premium quality from premium brands so that you don’t encounter any kind of such issues.

Avoid purchasing replica shoes because they are not of quality. It’s quite difficult to identify the difference between original shoes and first-copy shoes. Learn 10 tricks to identify 1st copy shoes like a pro.

The durable material will not cause holes in your shoes and keep you free from uneasiness. You can read the given review article to find the best shoes for yourself (they all are great in terms of quality).

5. Consider Trimming Your Toenail

The continuous rubbing of your toenail with the inner part of your shoe is also a primary cause of your shoes getting distorted by a hole. Therefore, to prevent this, trimming your nails would be a relief to your shoes. You can cut them short or even give those sharp edges a smooth shape with a filer. Do not cut your toe so short that you feel uncomfortable afterwards.

6. Shoe Armour to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes

The purpose of shoe armour is to stop the development of holes caused by your toes i.e. shoes with toe holes. The premature death of your shoes due to holes can be completely diverted by using these “shoe armours”. Most shoe armours use ballistic fabric in their manufacturing technology. The ballistic fabric is abrasion-resistant and it makes it an ideal material for preventing holes in your toe boxes.

7. Try Flexible Shoes to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes

When shoe material is not so soft, the occurrence of this type of issue becomes common. Hard material does not survive long. Due to its less flexibility, it results in more damage as it cannot accommodate your foot movement.

You can even make your existing shoes soft and flexible by various methods. One of the most effective ways to make your shoes supple is using a shoe conditioner.

Shoe conditioners are not only to be used as shoe shiners but they can also be made soft and more elastic by this. So my recommendation is: to choose a shoe softener and try to make your shoe workable so that the development of holes can be avoided.

8. Change Your Walking Pattern

The way you walk has a lot to do with the health of your shoes or any other kind of footwear. But one does not tend to pay much attention to the walking style. Let’s do a quick check of yours!

I want you to get up and walk for a while. What do you strike first on the ground? Is it your heel, midfoot or forefoot? If it’s your heel that you place on the ground first, your toes turn upward and that can cause harm to the inner part of your shoes.

So, you might want to change your walking methodology. I am not asking you to completely mould the way you walk. But if your walking style is taking a toll on your shoes then you might consider this point.

Make sure to watch the video on “how to walk correctly to prevent toe holes in shoes”.

9. Replace Exhausted and Old Shoes

Well, everything has a lifespan. If your shoes are quite old and you are still expecting them to be intact, then my friend, you are not doing justice with your shoes.

If you are an active person who takes part in various activities while wearing the shoes such as running, gym and playing, your shoes are more likely to get destructured from the front area.
Shoes that are used for quite a long time are more prone to getting holes. We definitely do not recommend indulging in rigorous physical activities, just consider opting for a new pair so that you do not face this problem.

10. Avoid Walking on Sharp Objects

Hitting your shoe with any sharp object can create a hole in your shoes. If you are playing in a park or any open ground, try scanning that area first so that you can be saved from getting injured and so can your shoes. Pinching sharp metal objects underneath your shoes can make holes in the toe box.


Frequently Asked Questions on how to prevent holes in the toe of shoes

Q1: Can I sew the torn toe area of my shoes?

I do not think it will be a nice choice as the sewed front area will not look good. Moreover, it will just cause more inconvenience to your toe as sewing will just reduce the space which accommodates your toe.

Q2: Should I segregate my shoes according to the purpose they are used for to stop the creation of the holes?

Certainly, you can. It will be a great idea as one pair of shoes that are used over and over again for different purposes is more prone to getting distorted. If you have a different pair to use for running, gym, work and separate shoes set for other purposes, your shoes will last longer. So it will be a well-managed and evenly distributed investment.

Q3: Do you wear socks with holes?

It depends on the size of the shoe holes. If the hole is not big enough then it is comfortable to wear socks but if you have a shoe with multiple holes then it is good to not wear socks with them it is uncomfortable.


Wrapping Up on How to Prevent Toe Holes in Shoes

Taking precautions is always better and this makes more sense when it comes to shoes as it’s better to avoid any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by holes in your shoes than to purchase a new pair of shoes over and over again.

I hope you find our in-depth discussion on how to prevent toe holes in any shoes useful. I have tried to cover up all the possible causes that might lead to this unpleasant situation along with some practical tips to prevent this type of breach. But still, if you have any doubt feel free to ask in the comment section I will be happy to reply.


I am the founder and chief editor of Men Shoe Factory, a passionate shoe lover from India. Studying and researching on shoes led me to build this blog site where I share shoe care tips, detailed reviews and different types of shoe size charts. Feel free to contact me on my social accounts or through the contact form here.

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