The Climber's Guide to Choosing the Best Shoes
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- čas přidán 28. 05. 2024
- Are you looking to take your climbing game to the next level? One of the most important pieces of gear you'll need is a good pair of climbing shoes. But with so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this video, we'll go over the different types of climbing shoes and what to look for when making your selection. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, we'll help you find the perfect pair for your needs. So join us as we break down the world of climbing shoes and help you make an informed decision.
Thanks to @depot_climbing for having us film at their Sheffield Gym.
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at my very first climbing gym, they suggested i get very tight climbing shoes. being totally naive, i trusted their judgement, thinking it would be the best option. i wound up quitting climbing for over a year because i thought it was just a "painful sport." i'd get the worst blisters and cuts. but they kept telling me it was "normal." now i'm back to climbing with a pair of shoes that FIT.
Little tip: Scarpa and La Sportiva actually have graphs where you can see all their shoes by characteristics. And in particular, I suggest you the first if you have a wide foot and the second if you have a narrow foot! On the other hand Tenaya has an index on how the shoe will adapt to wideness of the foot. Alway try the fit before buying!
Ocun also gives information on the fit of their shoes on their site.
For LS and Scarpa I found it to be slightly inaccurate though. The LS Futura (marked as narrow) is wide-fitting, while the Scarpa Drago is fairly wide as well.
@@AndreLai97 interesting, because I have a very wide foot and Scarpa Drago doesn't fit me, unfortunately 😔
I think there's merit to having a pair of beaters past a certain point - not even just old shoes, but lesser-quality shoes/rubber, be they a pair of entry-level shoes or resoles or even low-quality shoes. It will reinforce good footwork and teach you that you don't need that good rubber or performance design as much as you think you do, and then once you put on the good shoes again they'll feel like weapons. It also saves $$$, since you're not burning through expensive rubber all the time.
What a comprehensive video, love the amount of information packed in it and the examples of use case strengths & weaknesses, with all the explanations of shoe design choices factoring in on climbing style one might enjoy more than others. Noooice!😎
I've been looking for the right shoes for sooo long and this is by far the most helpful guide I've found. Thank you so much for the effort you put into your content and please continue making it easier for people to get into this beautiful sport
If its your first shoe, go for a snug and comfy fit. If it hurts, size up or try a different model. Best to take the time to shop around :)
Literally about to look into a new pair of shoes so this is perfect timing 🤘
Great video. I appreciate how much you emphasized that there's no one shoe that is perfect for any one climb. Foot shape, rock type, and climbing style all influence what type of shoe is best for each individual.
I wish you would've mentioned resoling when you talked about old and tattered shoes needing to be replaced. If you love the way a shoe fits and performs, you can often find a credible resoler to give that shoe new life without having to invest (both the money and the time for breaking it in) in a brand new pair. I resoled my evolv Shamans and love how they perform. Plus, you can often tweak the shoe a bit when resoling (I opted for a slightly stiffer rubber on my Shamans since I now use them mostly for sport climbing).
Resoling tends to be the cheaper option, and it reduces waste as well! Although, it can take quite a while for a shoe to get resoled, so having at least two pairs so you can keep climbing while the other pair is in the shop is a good idea.
yaaas, re-soles are the way to go ! it makes me love my shoes more 😂
I think people over emphasize shoes. I think the biggest bang for your buck is a comfy shoe and lots of foot training. It’s there to protect your foot and help you use your foot in the most efficient way possible. It’s not a substitute to for strong feet.
Very true, that is why the most important thing for 90% of climbers it to buy a soft shoe with very very very good fit.
True, in most cases. But I also many some climbers specialise in styles of climbing and shoes can make a big difference. Toe hooking without rubber on the upper is going to make things harder. Stiffer soles help a lot one tiny limestone edges, because soft rubber rolls off 3-4mm edges. And Tom Randall thinks specific shoes make a BIG difference on crack climbs. Dan Varian climbs on his home board in bare feet to strengthen his feet, which I think is a cool idea, but maybe not something for a public gym 😅. So we can find a balance of not letting the shoe do all the work but also getting specific if we are serious about performance, which we are at Lattice 😉
@@LatticeTraining While we are on this subject, could you guys do a video on how to strengthen your foot for climbing? As a big feet climber on the heavier side I find it rather difficult to fully utilize the tiny foothold as my big toe cannot take the pressure.
@@AllegraClimbingPsychologist people drastically overemphasize the value of softer, more flexible, less structured shoes because artificial climbing we basically never properly edge on legitimately small holds for long periods. There simply are climbs which demand stiff, supportive, structured shoes, and not knowing how to climb with those will limit performance. I get developing foot strength, but most introductory shoes simply aren’t as truly stiff as climbers seem to think, especially when that is their only shoe which means both the rubber and plastic will heat and deform more easily.
Just wear a comfy soft shoe 95% of the time for training and a stiff one those big sends
First video i've found that actually talks about several of the UP shoes. After watching this, I feel better about my decision to order the flagships!
Foot shape plays a big role in comfort and performance as well. I have a wide foot with a narrow heel and these shoes work best: skwama, acro wide fit, miura vs, and the instinct line.
yeah thanks that was what i was looking for my feet are luck duck feet haha iv only tried bouldering ons i loved it but fuck my feet where destroyed haha
Small correction: The midsole is not the part of the outsole that's underneath the arch of your foot. Rather, it is (typically) a piece of plastic that is between the outsole and the inside of the shoe. Therefore, a shoe like the La Sportiva Solution which does not have a connection between front of the sole and the heel can be comparatively stiff, while a shoe like the La Sportiva Cobra with a one piece outsole can be quite soft, because of the midsole underneath the rubber.
Good correction, especially being that 99% or more of shoes have midsoles (the Theory, Haywire… maybe all). This is why I discuss shoes deeper than stiff and soft because flexibility and support, structure and dexterity, stickiness versus edging, and more are all different across many different shoes. For instance, my Furia Airs are far more dextrous than my Dragos, but this is because the Dragos are more structured even if actually softer due to the shape of the midsole.
Thank you sooo much you just saved a lot of trouble for me when getting my first pair of climbing shoes
Glad this video came around just as my shoes developed holes and I was able to buy some new ones
Be aware of how much your shoes will break in. I bought my first set of shoes, and they were really tight at first. Within a few days of climbing, the leather stretched out enough that I had trouble with small footholds. There was way too much empty space in the shoe even with socks. I had to buy a 2nd set of shoes a half size down, and those broke in to be nearly perfect. I still need to really tighten the laces to get the fit I like.
Very useful tips! Thank you very much!
Good advice it’s also important to remember that lace shoes are generally better for crack climbing because the plastic that holds Velcro in place can be really painful when jamming
Great shoe-info. Like said the fit of a shoe is the most important. And that might have a bit more visual explication.
Showing greek feet for example en why certain models fit better for those.
The volume of the heal the volume of the front part of the shoe the width of the frontbox the individual length of toes. These all matter when checking shoes for fit. And lot of climbers failed at finding the best fit because they were not aware of the different physics of there feet.
A good fitting shoe is not only that it feels good when wearing. You also have to check if there is no air in the heal etc.
Some models are also created to adopt more to you’re foot form like the 5.10’s and the leather shoes.
Thanks for the balanced advice on downsizing. I see people recommending downsizing so much from their street shoe, where actually some people are probably just wearing street shoes that are way to big for them! It’s all subjective. Just wear a shoe that fits.
I’m 64 and have climbed for decades, and this is what I’ve learned about shoes. A super thin 5.12 vertical face I climbed in my 40s had such small scabs for foot holds, I needed an undersized tight lace up performance edged shoe to ascend. Later in my climbing career I developed a bunion, and needed to wear street size comfortable soft shoes. To rectify my bunion, I now spend time everyday barefoot, including time doing balance type exercise, which has both strengthened and increased the lateral flexibility of all my toes. I now buy shoes that have broad toe boxes I refer to as “clown shoes”. Recently I found myself playing on that 5.12 face climb again that I mentioned earlier, and to my total astonishment found I could control and move off the terrible foot scabs wearing my wide body clown shoes. Conclusion: toe strength and lateral toe flexibility are more important for controlling poor footholds than tight shoes.
so basically. if I've developed strong and flexible toes/feet/calves, they can practically replace having rigid tight shoes?
@@adamalucard1288 my feet got stronger and needed less “support” in the constricted tight shoe sense :0)
Not entirely, but you can wear more comfortable shoes. Of they're too tight and you feel pain after wearing it, not good.
Also learning how to place your feet properly on the wall and the holds matter too.
Strengthening and stretching your feet along with climbing exercises are most probably the best long term solution.
Climbers are using their feet, similarly as ballet dancer, to some extent.
Stronger and more flexible feet also means less probability of problems and injuries.
Thank you for this
If you are not a professional climbers, 90 % of shoes are perfect if they are enough comfy
I went from the Evolv Defy all arounder as my beginner shoe to Evolv Shaman with aggressive downturn. It has made a big difference as I've gone up in grades. Doing 5.11+ or 5.12-/+ I notice it comes in handy where my Defy would slip right off. That's the biggest change I noticed...and maybe a stickier sole for better grip on volumes. But that could be just because they are newer too.
What about sizewise???🤔...if I am normally 42....do they have to be snug or slighly loose??
@branislavpetriska882 12:45
Also, one thing I was told is that it's OK for the shoe to feel too tight to wear continually for hours. Climbers often take their shoes off between climbs to give their feet a break. I think as long as it doesn't contradict what he says here about pain and blood flow (the shoes shouldn't hurt) kind of tight it's good.
That makes sense but as a beginner that knows nothing it's nice to know where to start.
Nah, disagree. Had many different shoes, and every change in shoe has helped my development, without a doubt. Going from a beginner shoe, to a flat midrange shoe will help build toe strength, develop footwork, and help you make the most of your training efforts covering the fundamentals. 1st pair of downturned midrange shoes will help you focus on body tension by taking the focus off poor traction on overhangs and board style problems, but still allow you to smear, jump, and make the most of chimney/groove crag climbs. Anything more aggressive is ideal for comp style runs, board training, and savage boulder problems from 7a onwards, and save your multipitch shoes.
This is the best video on climbing shoes I've ever seen. Been climbing for a while but still learned quite a bit from this breakdown, thanks!
I think it would be good for people to talk about resoling old shoes. I've had solutions for 4 years that have had many resoles and still work fine.
I started with the teranculace time to move on to more aggressive shors
Pro tip: Order multiple sizes of the shoes you want all at once from a website that has FREE RETURN SHIPPING. Yeah you'll be out like 2000 bucks in a day if you're trying on like 10 pairs of shoes, but if you have the cash all of that will be refunded in like two weeks when they process all your returns. It is a way to essentially bring a catered shoe store to your house. I like to order the size I think will actually fit me based on whatever charts are available from the company, and then at least a half size up and down from that so that I can get a feel for what actually fits, not what I think feels pretty good because I'm too lazy to re-order. Sometimes I'll even order 5 half sizes of a shoe just to be 100% sure that the one I chose fits correctly haha. Sounds crazy to some, but it'll save you a TON of hassle and time with exchanges and all that nonsense.
Or you could go to the shop ? If you are so concerned about the fitting
@@gezzapk Unfortunately at least around my place there arent any climbing shops within about a three hour drive. REI has like three viable shoes in like two sizes each, and if you want something else online is the only way to go!
Just here to say that Unparallel shoes quality is on point. Not disapointed by the flagship and i cant wait to try the moc.
@Aymen Metahri what
@Aymen Metahri i made so many mistakes trying to have a good shoe to fit good that its hard to recommend man. What works for me : im 8.5 us in new balance street. I downsized a full size. At first they tight. After 5 climbs they more comfy.
So 7.5 us.
@Aymen Metahri How much? yes very much climbing in the last 4 years dude
Comfort > performance | Footwork skills > Expensive flagship shoes
Most of us climb for fun, being comfortable means more climbing, more practice, better performance in the long term.
You want to enjoy climbing not torture your feet.
Unless youre climbing v7+ consistently, performance shoes imo won't make a big difference. Many setters can smear and stand on finger nail feet with sneakers and rental shoes.
Yes, totally agree 👏. You won't climb well if you are in pain and performance shoes won't fix bad footwork. We need to cover the fundamentals first.
To me, getting a shoe that was really tight, even a bit painful in the first couple of sessions, really improved my climbing because I just trusted my feet so much more. Im sure I could have learned to trust feet in something more comfortable, but I bought those i barely fit in and love climbing with them, even if it takes good 5 minutes to put them on for the first time.
Ironic that you have Adam Ondra in your picture who advocates to downsize and downsizes 4 down from his street shoe.
Regarding watching out for dead spots: If I can easily fit in a finger in the arch area, I take it it's not the right fit for me?
Thanks for this guide!!
There’s someone at my gym who has climbed 2 years in rentals and is at a v7-v8. They still haven’t considered new shoes yet except for slab climbs. Then we have the v0 climbers in solutions
I can't get strappy shoes to be tight around the heel consistently, even when they're too small in the toes
I literally bought my second shoe a few hours before this video lmao, I got an Black Drone HV
Thanks for info! Question - Neutra lace? What's your all around/ go to climbing shoe that needs replaced?
NewTro Lace, by Unparallel 😊
My biggest question is "how does a good fitting shoe feel?". No dead space is one. What about toes? How curved should they be? If I see them poking on the top of the shoe does that mean it's too tight? If the heel is hitting my leg when Im tiptoeing is it too big? Etc.
I've tried loads of different shoes and none of them for my heel will. And they actually seem decent when trying it on at the start but after breaking in I have always too much dead space in my heel which is too narrow. Tried Ocun Jett's, have some comfy Evolv Kronos which doesn't matter too much and then EB Sentinel's. I also have a bit of a Morton's toe I think, so do you have any advice or recommendations for really narrow heel shoes? I also think my forefoot isn't narrow so that has deterred me from trying LV shoes, it just feels like a nightmare to find heels that work for me smaller heel hooks.
Solution comps have been magical for my heel. Solutions had a bad heel shape but the comps have fit (and stayed on) far better
Try the Tenaya Indalos!
I have a very shallow heel which causes all the heel cups to have space behind the heel, and I've found that most of the aggressive Scarpas all have both narrow and shallow heel cups. Specifically have worn the Boostic, Furia Air, and Chimera - all have narrow and shallow heels.
Thanks all for the replies
I have the same issue so even tho I’m a guy I wear female versions of the shoes I buy since the heels are usually smaller
For me the training shoes is not just about confort, it's also about saving money because I don't want to trash a 120+ eur pair of shoes climbing high volume of easy stuff for exemple
I know it’s hard to comment on because it depends from shoe to shoe but something that would be useful to get some extra info on is sizing your shoe properly when you factor in material stretching… any tips?
The best is to go to a climbing gym and try them (for the fitting). In my experience, I want a shoe that I don't want to break into and fits very well. You can ask the clerks these info about the models that they have and about how they stretch.
Good question. Like you say, its really hard. I've fitted a whole 2 sizes different depending on brand. La Sportiva can be 2.5 sizes smaller than my street shoe but 5.10 and Unparalleled I am only 1 size smaller. I've heard natural leather will tend to stretch more than synthetic but it will also depend on the construction of the upper. An upper covered in rubber will stretch less and a mostly material slip on (like the moc in this video). First find a shoe you like the fit of, then ask around for people that wear them to see how much they might stretch. Opposed to Climbing Psychology's comment, I like a shoe that takes a few sessions to break in. But I focus on outdoor climbing with small foot holds and this has been the best approach for me.
Depends on the brand as well, i only wear scarpas nowadays and after years of squeezing my feet into shoes up to 3 sizes smaller I’ve discovered I just need to drop half a size for comfort and a full size for performance, but other brands you might be different.
Rock+Run has a really helpful chart of recommended sizing for different shoes which takes into account stretching
Random question. I'm a new climber and got my first pair of climbing shoes 2.5 years ago roughly. I haven't been climbing consistently but over time the rubber completely wore out on my right big toe. It's now got a hole right on the spot where you place your foot. Is this normal or am I climbing in a weird way? Should I be treating the rubber in some way for it not to wear out over time?
Thanks in advance! Great video btw looking for a new pair right now.
It’s okay. You can either repair your shoes or buy a new pair. All climbing shoes wear out over time, especially when you climb on a regular basis.
The rubber gets eaten alive by modern climbing holds, all you can do is get them resoled before the rubber gets too bad. For me a pair of shoes will last anywhere between 6months-1year before I'll need new ones.
It is normal, but it also shows that you are not using inside and outside edges often.
Resole them before you get the whole.
With a hole all the way through the rand (front little rubber strip) you may not be able to resole them, but if you want to try I'd hit up YosemiteBum to do the resole. They're the cheapest resolers around, and they are much more willing to work with you than most of the others out there! However, that'll run you probably 45 bucks plus shipping both ways, so if they were a relatively inexpensive pair of shoes you may be better off just buying another pair on sale somewhere. Uneven wear is not at all uncommon though, so don't worry too much about any weird climbing.
what about rubber and temperature? i have a pair that are usually quite grippy outside, took them out last weekend in 35-40° F and they didn’t do quite as well
Rubber gets harder when it gets cold - that is why racecar drivers warm up their tires before a race! You could bring a hair dryer and a battery pack out climbing with you haha, I've seen videos of pros doing that. Or just hike in with them in your jacket.
How much performance do you lose climbing in socks? I appreciate the cleanliness of my shoes/feet, so if its only a small sacrifice its well worth it for me. I have never heard a compelling argument why not.
I originally sized my shoes without socks and have been gradually increasing the thickness of sock wear along with it. This has made my footwork feel more solid.
Basicaly a lot. The sock always add a little layer inside what gives a foot a bit of slide inside the shoe and can take away a bit on confidence on smaller steps. I’m talking about precise, aggressive shoes there. If you are more of a beginner and don’t need THAT precise footwork, climbing with socks is more comfortable and hygienic way, but I still wouldn’t recommend it.
Depends on how thick the socks are. If you take very thin socks you don't lose any performance at all, while still having the hygienic benefits. Using the right socks they should not affect the sizing of your shoe. I use very thin socks and only notice upsides and no downsides compared to before when I did not use socks.
@@mewewewe2839 If you use the right kind of socks you actually have less sliding within the shoe, because you don't "swim" around in the sweat soaked inside of your shoe.
For selling shoes, I tell people this will reduce feedback and be another possible layer to slide (a dry, well fitting shoe doesn’t slide), but you can get a more snug fit without as much discomfort if this is a limiting factor. To you to decide
Socks are fine, I wear socks for my max effort projects and it's no problem! Use thin socks and always the same ones.
Gonna comment a guess before I watch: Best shoe is what fits your foot shape best and the type of climbing you want to do (soft shoes vs stiff shoes)
Hey! As a Fontainebleau local I don't agree entirely with your statement that soft shoes are better here. There's a lot of slopers and round hand holds but the foot holds are still mostly small edges and protrusions. Otherwise the video is on point!
Fair point! This is my own bias showing through. When I climb in Font I tend to stick to the steep terrain where soft shoes help me. I mostly avoid the vertical stuff because it all feels so hard 😂. But stiffer shoes would help a lot!
I wear bearfoot shoes and my feet have spread out a lot because of the huge toebox. I'm planning to get into climbing, but it was so incredibly uncomfortable for my foot when I tried on shoes because my toes were so crammed. Do you have any recommendations for shoes or a way around this discomfort?
I don't think there's much of a solution there unfortunately :( I've always been interested in barefoot shoes but the widening of the toes is what kinda throws me off since I feel like climbing shoes would become pure torture.
I've worn barefoot shoes for at least 15 years and have now climbed for the last 4 - no climbing shoes will ever be comfortable (ESPECIALLY when you're just trying them on - they need to break in), but there are some that will fit your feet much better than others. You'll just have to try some more shoes on. There are wider ones out there, and more flexible shoes will also tend to be less uncomfortable. The fun far outweighs the discomfort.
Also should be noted you only wear them while climbing, and your adrenalin numbs any foot pain. Then the second you're done with the pitch, you simply take off the shoes. It's not bad at all haha.
I wear barefoot shoes (but not exclusivly) and already had wide feet to begin with. A good option would be anything aimed for wider feet. I recomend the evolv kronos (if you don't have a narrow heel). I climbe in Evolv shamans which are great but pretty downturned which you may not like. I also have a pair of UP rise (shown in this video) in half a size bigger than i would usualy wear, which i use for comfort but I wouldn't do this again as it looses a bit in heel hooking and edging.
I build pool enclosures and screen them I have to walk across 2" beams of metal would climbing shoes work better then skate shoes or converse
I doubt actual climbing shoes would be much help, but you look into approach shoes. These are shoes sometimes worn by climbers for the scrabbly sections or rocky terrain before or after a more vertical climb. These have some the same sticky rubber but fit like tennis shoes.
A challenge at the moment is to simply find a place to try on a range of shoes? Anyone got tips for North Yorkshire, stores, or indeed walls with a good well stocked shop?
North Yorkshire I'd say any of the Depots in Leeds, Climbers Shop in Ambleside
My tip - ordering three pairs with 0.5 size between them. It’s super hard to decide in the store, I get them shipped, wear a bit at home and just decide after few days which would be a good one for me (the ones that I can take a pain hahah)
@@mewewewe2839 I guess that works if you've got a spare £300+ lying around.
@@smashbadger2460 Yes, sure, but if you but at the store it might turn out that you got your shoes a bit too big. So maybe, my recommendation would be not to panic when shoe is really tight when you try it, and buy the smaller size - it will adjust.
@@mewewewe2839 oh for sure. 100% best scenario is you get to a good shop
Sometimes I wonder if the youtube climbing community coordinates and makes videos on the same topic at the same time.
"Pick the shoes that make your feet as similar as possible to hooves." Common wisdom. Maybe. Possibly.
Not heard that one before, sound right to me though 🙄, goats are good at climbing
Me: *listens to this while studying the traverse and creating a route*
What you’re calling the midsole is actually the outsole. You can’t see the midsole because it’s actually under the rubber and varies in thickness/stiffness. Just because you have a continuous outsole doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a continuous midsole underneath and the midsole is what gives a shoe it’s stiffness, not the rubber. The midsole is a thin plastic piece that establishes stiffness. Nathan from scarpa has some really good videos on climbing shoe construction. Lookup his video on the furia air. czcams.com/video/qeLJOBicQTk/video.html
Dragos for the win
No deadspace in the shoe is very important but the ultra curled toes is baaaad. Usually this comes at the same size but not always! - Shop around and try shoes on! Once i straightened my toes out more and found the right shoe i climbed muuuuch better.
Where's the link to Tom talking about The four big characteristics of choosing a climbing shoe? 😂
Plz an tnx
Any time I'm looking for new shoes I get annoyed and just get another pair of my trusted Nighthawks. lol
The perfect shoe would be the one that could change 4 sizes on the fly.
Ironically, I feel like super tight shoes are for noobs and posers now. I honestly hate overly tight shoes and the joy they take away from climbing. So many people would be having so much more fun (and probably climbing the same grades) if they just wore comfortable shoes. Bottom line, unless you have tested/compared tighter vs more comfortable shoes on the same climbs and found a significant difference, you are putting yourself through unnecessary discomfort because some other poser repeated to you what they have been told. Welcome to climbing lol
Good information, background music a bit annoying
Linus Climbing Tips
I don't think shoes are more important than a harness for anybody who does rope climbing now, to be fair
I don't know, which comes first, the rope or the harness 🐥🥚?
charles albert
Indeed.