How long do your DD's shoes last?

[Guest narthaki]

I have been following the boards and I've noticed that people say "pointe shoes last about 15 hours". However, my dd has okay feet (her ankles make a straight line but her toes curl down a bit) and her shoes last her 1 month +. Is this normal? How long do your DD's shoes last? Should there be any cause for concern? Or am I just a lucky mom who doesn't need to buy shoes too often ?

[dkd]

Well, I guess it depends on how many pointe classes per week. My dd is 13, and just started pointe a year ago last August and I've only bought 4 pair.

She had pointe only twice a week last year and started this August with 4 times per week (30 min each), so she'll probably start going through them quicker.

2 of those pair we had to get just because her feet grew and they got too small.

[gcwhitewater]

Just a suggestion for those who do wear out quickly: IF you are happy with your maker and size, we have our students purchase a couple pair, if not several, and rotate them. They really need to dry in between uses. Of course the need for this depends on your pointé lessson load. Also check your daughters dance bag. Are her sweat soaked toe pads inside her shoes? Are they in a bag that doesn't breathe? That will wear them out faster than actually wearing them, especially if you live in high humidity like we do.

 

I am sure this has been mentioned before but a reminder never hurt. I hope this is info is consistent with our pointe shoe guru .

[Mousling]

5 - 7 classes. She could have a really nice car for the price of her shoes.

(that is per pair - rotating 3 at a time which makes it seem not as bad, but it is)

[Mobadt]

I will say that it has to do with a few things in my experience. First, how many times a week she wears them. Also, as gcwhitewater says, and it has been said many times here. Rotation and drying out!! My older DD used not to rotate her shoes and would go through them in about 2 weeks. Couldn't understand why. Finally found out that she should have had 2 pair and rotated wearing them, while she let the first pair air out for 24-48 hours. Now they last a whole lot longer! However, I don't want to sugar coat it. There is no escaping the cost. If you're DD is taking the regular amount of classes and rehearsing in them weekly, you will still go through them fast. DD probably goes through I want to say about 17 pairs a year? Not too bad by some standards. Sometimes they last longer than others. But if you start airing them out and rotating them now, you can at least put off the inevitable for a bit longer.

[danceintheblood]

Ahh pointe shoes! Bane of my wallet!

 

Time they last depends on several factors and can vary a bit from dancer to dancer - number of hours, strength and flexibility of foot, whether the student pulls up out of the shoe, care of shoe and style of shoe (in our experience). Dd now has three pairs at a time so she can rotate. Absolutely always has them in the open air to dry after class or they are soft next wear. Glues the shoes when purchased and thereafter in between wears after they have dried completely!

 

Worst she's done was a pair that lasted two days!!!!!!! when she was trying different styles to find a style that lasted more than one to two weeks. With the above care she can usually stretch them to three weeks a pair - two weeks at worst.

[TwelfthNight]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. There are a lot of factors that come into play in how long a pointe shoe lasts. I would say that if your daughter is happy and her instructors like the shoes, everything is fine.. . and you can smile all the way to the bank:)

 

In my daughter's case, it depends on the shoe. We live in a very humid climate so we have DD rotate out about three pairs at a time. They seem to last about four maybe five months by rotating. Three months during the summer intensive season. DD is probably in her shoes (Russian Pointes) about 2 1/2 hours per day six days per week. Over the past four plus years, we have gone through quite a number of shoes trying to find a pair that the instructors like as well as the right type for her foot. DD has very strong, highly arched, banana feet so she can run through some brands of shoes very quickly. We have even had to start 3/4(ing) the shank for her with the Russian Pointes which helps with the look of the shoe and does help them last longer in her case. She had shoes that lasted one-two weeks (Freed), one day (Wear Moi, Capezio), and even a couple of pairs that still have not worn out in well over a year (Bloch). I'm not even sure burning the Blochs would destroy them!

[Mousling]

You could also try saving the expensive freeds for performances (I guess I am talking about us here) and use a less expensive more durable second choice for classes. You can also cross your fingers that your dd likes the almost dead or dead feel of shoes -- which some dancers definitely prefer.

[Clara 76]

Be happy narthaki and consider yourself lucky!!!

[Guest narthaki]

Haha thank you! She dances about 5 days per week in them. 2 days is incredibly short to go through shoes !!

[tsnsak]

My DD was the same way for the first few years...her shoes (suffolks) usually lasted a 1-2.5 months with being en pointe 5 days a week and no rotating. It's changed somewhat in recent years but we're still "luckier" shoe-wise than a lot of her friends. Now, she switches between Freed Classic Pros and Gaynors depending on what she's dancing and if she can find Freeds that fit. She usually has 3 pairs or so, all at different stages I always thought it was sheer will and powerful thinking on both of our parts to get her shoes to last so long...they're expensive and in the beginning we could never get the money together to get her more than one pair at a time! I've had more than a few conversations with her shoes along the way asking them to please not die until after payday

[Mousling]

I am going to try this. I never thought of reasoning with them.

[Clara 76]

:lol:

Too funny!!!!!!!

[napnap]

Rotates four pairs of Freed Classics. Each pair lasts only 4 classes. Her classes are ALL on pointe. Is that normal?

[marigold]

...and why when they begin dancing all day every day does the shoe that has the least longevity need to be the one that fits the best? We were told that if they fit like a glove, they are supposed to last longer - this was explained to us by an earnest shoe fitter. They are fitting just right now... do we see them lasting longer? Uh...no! DD does all of the procedures above and knows all the tricks by now. And if your dd's foot prefers Freed Classic Pros with a specific maker (which cannot be ordered in bulk) to Classics for some reason, good luck. I spent the entire day yesterday in New York on subways and on foot in a desperate shoe collecting effort from 3 stores, (with my own loafers seeming to shrink by the mile). The day ended with my waiting for dd, who had to leave classes early to get a fitting in an attempt to add to options. Unfortunately, while waiting at this newest Manhattan Freed showroom, which is open until 6 (amazing!) and is now so fancy that you will mistake it for a modeling agency when stepping off the elevator and they will offer you water from a refreshment bar (although the store is the size of a walk-in closet) I received a call from dd, who had, in her rush, become confused and subwayed herself to Queens, where I had, ironically, started my day. After my apparently cruel blurting out of "where was your head?!!" she hung up on me and I then squeezed into a sardine packed train (at rush hour with the second wave of the platform crowd) and returned with 3 pairs. JET GLUE, AIR, ROTATE.