I have a problem where I really want to toe hook, so I've cut the Velcro on the right shoe's toe. There's no Velcro, but the stiffness and stepping performance are almost unchanged. I wear these with socks and have used them outdoors about three times, so the edges are still in good condition. They're on the heavier side because of their stiffness, but they're very useful for bouldering and gently overhanging sport climbing – my feet don't get tired! My actual foot size is 23.0-23.5 cm, and I wear these quite tightly. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions about the sizing, etc. ^_^