(Commenting from my other account)
Wow thanks for the detailed advice. The toe issue I'm having is both with the toenails, which feel like they're being pressed in a lot, and also with the knuckles above them, which feel like they're being bent too much, as the joints feel sore after wearing the shoes.
I do clip my nails short every time I climb, but yeah, the top of the big toenails do hurt still, especially on slabs/footwork-heavy climbs, where I'm tip-toeing a lot.
I'll have to try that taping trick and see if that helps with the big toe knuckle. There's definitely too little room as I've started getting calluses above my big toes, from where the skin above the joint is just pressed too tightly against the inside of the shoe. I might try that warm water in a bucket tip if things don't improve, but I'm hesitant to as I can't imagine that would be too good for the longevity of the shoes.
I think I'll definitely have to try on the shoes longer next time I buy a pair and give more weight on what really feels best rather than other criteria like price and pre-conceptions when picking them out.
It's interesting you mentioned ballet. I was thinking the other day how good ballet dancers would perform on slabs if they tried climbing on them as they seem to have really great control of their bodies' balance and footwork. It'd be interesting to see them try it out. I imagine there's a lot of cross-over with the muscles, joints and movements being trained.
The one that looks like an albino rat?