Originally Posted by toejam

Black toe is where you bruise a toenail as if you dropped a rock on it from repeated rubbing in the boots. It turns black and may fall off. The wrong boots will cause it for sure if there's not enough room in the toe box.

But YOU could cause black toe when you are wearing the right boots if you are just too gung ho on the trail. Carrying a heavy pack, hiking steep trails, and hiking hard with few breaks can cause blisters and black toe in the perfect boots if you are not conditioned for that. This happens to me some because I run in ultralight shoes for conditioning. Some people will hike around their neighborhoods with heavy packs for conditioning, but I've always refused to do that.

If you live the normal sedentary American lifestyle and then try to be Jeremiah Johnson on your vacation you may get some blisters that can't be blamed on the boots.

Thought I'd throw in that disclaimer. Have fun shopping!