FAQ

A: Your PerfectFits will last longer than a typical toe pad since they are not a “padding” solution. It depends on how much you dance, but typically they last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year for a dancer (or longer). For the rigorous demands of professional dancers, they last about a season on average. The molded material is very durable, and will not compress or pack down over time (as lambswool or foam does). It’s more likely that you will need to get a new pair of inserts when you change shoe size or style (since they are custom-fit to a specific shoe and foot) before you need to replace them due to wear and tear. We have also added extra reinforcement in the toe socks around the big toe area to further increase durability in this region.

A: Yes, PerfectFits can extend the life of traditional paste shoes (ex: Freeds) by as much as 2x. By more evenly transmitting weight across the entire shoe box, they keep the integrity of the shoe intact longer.

A: Yes! We are pleased to offer international shipping to over 220 countries and territories around the world. Please see our Shipping Info page for international shipping rates, along with terms and conditions for international orders. Please contact us if you have any questions!

A: The smooth surface of the molded inserts removes blister issues for most dancers. The “fins” of moldable impression material that naturally form between adjacent toes help keep your toes separated and eliminate the need for tape. Dancers report being able to replace many taping, wrapping, and padding steps with one slip-on-and-go insert that has them ready for class in seconds.

A: Yes, absolutely! Your PerfectFits will help offload pressure from your bunion area by filling the space around it. Just be sure to cover your bunion as you’re making them, and then the putty will flow around it once you put your shoe on.

A: No. PerfectFits are self-adjusting in terms of volume, and will only take up as much space as is available in your shoe box. We do recommend starting with less putty to begin with if you currently wear nothing or very little in your shoe (this is explained in the Instruction Booklet and Video).

A: No. Your inserts will be very thin (little or no moldable material) under your longest toe, so you will feel very grounded and connected to the floor. Depending on what type of padding you are currently using, you may find that you actually feel the floor better than before.

A: Because the inserts are custom-molded to a specific shoe, you will want to wait until after you have purchased a pair of shoes before molding your PerfectFits. This means that you should try on pointe shoes with a thin gel pad (or no padding at all) until you find a shoe that provides the most glove-like fit for your foot shape. Custom-molding the inserts will then refine and perfect the fit on the inside of the shoe. We recommend sewing on your ribbons and elastic before molding the inserts so that you will be able to roll on and off pointe and articulate through demi-pointe during the curing process. We also recommend wearing your new shoes for a class or two before molding the inserts so that you will be able to properly articulate and work through the shoe as you mold them.

A: If you stay with the same size and style, yes. They are flexible, so they can adapt to similar enough shoes (ex: different Freed makers). Otherwise, we recommend molding a new pair. The success of the design comes from the fact that the insert molds exactly to the shape/position of the foot and the inside of the shoe, and both of those factors would change if you switched to a new shoe size/style. So you shouldn’t wear your old inserts when you are getting fitted for a new pair of shoes unless you are staying with the same or very similar brand/style/size; wait until you select a new shoe before molding the inserts (see the above question).

A: We recommend molding your inserts in shoes that are on the newer side, but are slightly broken in (maybe a class or two). This will allow you to really work through your foot and the shoe as the inserts mold. It’s not a good idea to mold them in shoes that are really dead, since they’re so stretched out, and your inserts would then likely feel snug when worn in brand-new shoes.

A: We make the socks in two sizes. The kits are identical in every way (including the amount of moldable material included), except that the L/XL sock has a more generous cut. We recommend the L/XL for dancers with street shoe size 9 and larger, and S/M for street shoe size 8 and below. We would also recommend the L/XL if you have a very wide foot, or very long toes. In terms of measurements, the L/XL size is slightly wider and about 3/8" longer than the S/M, which measures roughly 2 and 5/8" in the vamp. Because the L/XL wings are longer, it’s also a good choice if your foot is larger/wider and you need more bunion coverage. If you are uncertain, or in between sizes, it's always easy to trim down the larger size, as both socks have unfinished edges to allow for trimming!

A: We would suggest slightly modifying the process described in the Instruction Booklet if you have a longer second toe, since the second toe is a little weaker than the big toe. For about the first 3 minutes, instead of standing with your full weight en pointe, we suggest you gently place one foot at a time en pointe, but not put too much pressure on it. Keep one foot flat, and then articulate the other foot through demi pointe and full pointe, pushing over your box, but not putting your full weight on the box. Think about lengthening through your toes, especially your 2nd toe. The minimal downward force exerted on the toes will allow the putty to stay in the space under your big toe and shorter toes. Then as the material starts to firm up (you can check the escaped material near the drawstring), you can go up onto pointe on both feet before the material fully cures. Articulating your foot in the first few minutes helps prevent too much build-up of material across the vamp area that would prevent you from rolling through demi-pointe or pushing over your boxes in the finished inserts.

A: The moldable impression material does not absorb sweat, so this helps reduce odor problems. You can wash them off with soap and water in the sink and let them air dry (or pat dry). You can also use the included white mesh bag as a mini delicates bag if you want to put them in the washing machine.

A: For most dancers, they find that sweat inside their PerfectFits isn’t an issue. For some dancers who have excessively sweaty feet, these might not work well for you. We know some dancers use powder, and have found that works well, though!

A: Overall, you’ll find that with such a glove-like fit, when your foot moves, the shoe responds. In particular, the part of the molded insert on the undersides of your toes provides extra grip when you point your foot. To make sure you get a good balance of putty between the tops and bottoms of your toes, we recommend wrapping the putty over the tips of your toes (so it’s covering the pads of your toes). If you wrap it over the tips, everything will flow upward over the tops of your toes (and a bit up the backside of your toes) once you go en pointe.

A: For any type of foam spacer, you can mold them directly into your PerfectFits without using the small included stretch sleeves. Foam is naturally porous already, so the putty won’t have any problem sticking to it. The process is essentially the same as outlined in the Instruction Booklet and Video — you’ll just be able to cover over the foam spacer directly on the top and bottom to anchor it to the sock.

One thing to keep in mind with foam makeup wedges in particular is that because they are so puffy and compressible, it will make your finished inserts a bit trickier to take on/off since you have to slot your toes in around the puffy wedge. But it’s doable! If you want to replace them with fresh ones before your inserts wear out, you can usually gently tear them out.

A: Many dancers find that the small “fins” that form between their toes naturally help separate their toes a bit more and reduce crunching. You can also make really thin spacers out of the moldable material to separate your smaller toes. You just pre-mix a very small amount of both Part A and Part B, apply it in between your toes, and let it begin to set for a few minutes while you gently point your foot and remove any excess. While the spacer is partially set, then continue with the rest of the process as normal. The fresh putty applied over the top will be able to adhere to the semi-cured spacer. (Note: We don’t recommend this method to make “big toe” spacers since they tend to feel firmer than most dancers prefer.)

A: When the bones in your feet are subjected to greater forces, they respond by increasing bone tissue or permanently changing their shape. PerfectFit helps protect your long-term foot health by reducing forces at high pressure points and providing much more even, equalized support, which lowers the risk of bone tissue enlargement or deformation.

A: Because the jars are resealable (and the material doesn’t dry out), you have the option to use as much or as little of the moldable impression material as you need. If you have leftover putty (and you’ve taken care not to cross-contaminate between the two sides), you can use it on a future occasion and just buy extra socks.

A: The shelf life of the silicone is about 1.5 - 2 years. After that, it still works ok, but it just doesn’t set up as well (or as quickly). The material isn’t air reactive at all, so it won’t dry out.

A: No. Due to the very precise-fitting nature of the inserts, they must be molded and worn directly against the skin (underneath the tights).

A: Don’t be nervous! All dancers find it simpler than they thought. Second, we’re here to help! If you run into any snags, just shoot us an email, and we’ll get you sorted out. Check out our Support page for more info.

A: We like being a little different from the crowd!