How To Make Your Pointe Shoes Last Longer
The average lifespan of traditional pointe shoes is 10-20 hours of dancing. Some factors that affect this include how often and how long you dance, how strong your feet are, and the types of variations you are working on. While these aren't necessarily controllable, the leading cause of pointe shoe breakdown, which we can combat, is moisture.
On one hand moisture (which comes from the heat/sweat that your feet generate) can be useful, as it helps the pointe shoe "mold" to your foot shape. But when left unchecked, this same moisture starts to break down the materials in your pointe shoes, especially the shoe paste, eventually making the shoes unusable (and even dangerous).
With this in mind, the very best way to help make your pointe shoes last longer is to keep them as dry as possible, and there are several things you can do to accomplish this:
Rotate Your Pointe Shoes - If you dance frequently, purchase two pairs at a time and rotate their usage (wear one pair Mon/Wed/Fri and the other pair Tue/Thu as an example). Allowing your shoes to dry out for at least 36 hours between uses will definitely help them last longer. If you wear the same pointe shoes every day you are wearing them out faster as the paste will continually break down without a chance to dry and re-harden.
Store Your Pointe Shoes Properly - When not in use, store your pointe shoes in a mesh bag. This is a great way to ensure your pointe shoes have enough air circulation, allowing them to dry faster. Keep the mesh bag separate from (and not inside of) your regular dance bag, and don't put anything else (such as sweaty toe pads) inside of it. Fresh air is a friend to your pointe shoes! Also be sure to never store your pointe shoes in your car or anywhere else with extreme temperatures or humidity fluctuations, as this will also quickly degrade the materials that pointe shoes are made of.
Drying Inserts - Known for their moisture absorption properties, such as activated charcoal or silica gel, drying inserts also help keep your pointe shoes dry. As an added bonus, they can also help eliminate odors for fresher smelling shoes!
Pointe Shoe Glue - After your shoes have been broken in, but before they are completely dead, look for soft spots in your shoe and apply pointe shoe glue to help keep them from breaking down. Allow 24 hours for the glue to dry completely before wearing them.
When your pointe shoes are at the end of their useful life, you may notice it in several ways. You may feel like the shoes are no longer lifting or supporting you properly. It can feel like you are sinking in the shoes, and/or your toes are knuckling out at the wings. You may feel the floor more intensely, or you may find yourself going too far over the platform. When you experience any of these signs, know that this can cause extra stress on your ligaments and tendons, as the shoes are no longer supporting your feet properly. At this point it is definitely time to purchase new shoes.
At DanceSupplies.com, we have thousands of pairs of pointe shoes in stock from the top brands in the world. All of our staff are current or former dancers and/or dance teachers. With decades of ballet experience, we stand by ready to serve as your pointe shoe experts. Please let us know how we can help you!