Best climbing shoes reddit Stupidly bought smaller, too aggressive Saltic (or something like that) shoes cuz they were 40% off and now I suffer and am too broke to buy a new pair of Muiras. Jan 11, 2022 · Remember, sometimes the best shoe for you is simply the one that best fits your foot rather than one supposedly designed for a particular climber or style of climbing. I'm planning to go to a couple stores to try some models but hoping for some suggestions as a starting point, thanks! Feb 19, 2021 · A climbing shoe’s “shape” refers to its degree of down-turn (aka. I've had my evolv phantoms 3 months into climbing and I for sure will never climb Daniel's v17. Have a friend that is getting hooked on bouldering so he is contemplating some shoes to avoid them sweaty rentals. 5 drone 2s feel too small. See full list on outdoorgearlab. Any recs would be appreciated! 2. The best change they could make is to tell everyone how they will provide reasonable customer service. Alternatively we discovered you can soak climbing shoe in diluted vinegar for 30 minutes instead of scrubbing with a toothbrush and then wash off with water. I am about to replace my beginner climbing shoes as it was a hand-me-down (albeit it was a decent fit at that point of time) and its starting to feel loose. They won't melt the rubber but provide passive airflow. It's a preference, comfort, and pairing with you as a climber. 10 aggressive shoe (Blackwing) and it made a huge difference. 10 so 1) they’re overtuned (like buying a F1 race car for your daily driver) 2) they’re not really soft shoes like you’re looking for and 3) “best” is relative on I love wearing socks when climbing unless I'm wearing my backup pair of shoes which are too tight for socks. I was wearing Millet Easy-Ups prior. 5 street shoe and 9 in climbing shoes. Avoid the typical, "This shoe can take a bullet," gym shoes, and get a decent pair, and its fine. 1. Between the climbing shoes, 5. the scarpa vapor v is a fantastic shoe for intermediate climbing! if you wanted to go the la sportiva route you could try the kubos, i’ve never worn either of them but i have friends who have and loved the shoes— if you’re looking for more aggressive shoes and you’re primarily gym climbing la sportiva has the theories which are an Hey folks. My feet are extreme wide too and until yesterday I thought there is just no optimal shoe for my hobbit feet. Like every climbing shoe, the right one for you ultimately comes down to how well the shoe fits your foot and how well-suited it is to the climbing terrain. It should almost fit like a tight sock. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. I liked those shoes for the most part, my only issue was that my heels slipped a bit. Try the shoe to see what feels natural and comfortable, if there is a trial wall move on the wall a bit and test the shoe. I have five ten teams and la sportiva futuras for my try-hard shoes so I am not worried about getting something ultra-performant. I've been climbing in five ten niad's for the past year or so and really like the the way they fit my toes but I'm unable to properly use my heel in them. More info provided below :) Hey guys, I am currently looking to update my La Sportiva Mythos (been climbing through three pairs in the past few years). It seems my heel just doesn't stick out much the way climbing shoes expect. My bf on the other hand finds all of these shoes too wide, so these definitely aren’t examples of shoes for narrow feet. Tarantulas are fine shoes comfortable (for a climbing shoe) while performing well enough. Generally, the more advanced or high performance a climbing shoe, the more aggressive its downturn. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types. Cover climbing shoe inside and out with diluted vinegar. Recently, I've made serious improvements to my core strength and the shoe doesn't seem to make as much of a difference any more. Edit: Talked to a dude at the gym, tried on several different pairs of shoes before finally getting a pair of 5. 9. Also, the best shoes are going to be the slones that fit your foot, so don't be afraid to try all the shoes you can find at your local climbing gym/shop! They should be snug, but it shouldn't hurt to wear them. Another factor I can think of - I don’t downsize my shoes. Now I m looking for flat shoes suitable for indoor and outdoor climbing, sport or alpine climbing. Read on for our 2025 picks. They get this reputation of being the pinnacle of climbing shoe performance but pretty much every gym foothold is more positive than the feet you’ll find on an outdoor 5. it depends on how comfortable you feel and how you move with it on the wall. 3. And example of this is I have bought many climbing shoes and always go for size 41 European or around 8 1/2 American. It depends what you want to use the shoe for, steeper bouldering and sport climbing- Solution; single pitch to shorter multipitch with less than vertical to slightly overhanging rock- Katana Reply reply 691 votes, 162 comments. orange = stiff rubber. 9K subscribers in the climbingshoes community. Someone looking for every little advantage they can get in trying to win comps or test their limits can get a meaningful incremental advantage out of wearing the best possible shoe for the climb, and sometimes that mean a downturned shoe. Use the toothbrush to scrub the grossness off of your climbing shoes then wash all of the vinegar and grime off with water. The heel has the clunkiest god damned spine. I tried many different sprays and filters before getting a shoe dryer and I won't go back. I'm looking to buy a good pair of climbing shoes for beginners! Here's all the information that may (or may not) be helpful: I've been climbing for 4 weeks and am climbing 5. eu/d/75rM3ru I've had the Scarpa Velocity climbing shoes in the beginning in the size 37,5 (my regular shoe size is 36,5 to 37) and even though they are a size/half a size bigger than my regular shoes, I still experience horrible pain in my big toe (the toe seems to curl up in the shoe and since I'm alpine climbing, when there comes a part, where I need to Dont worry about what other people say about a certain shoe; if your comfortable and feel like you can climb for a couple hours or so in them, then they are the ones. When I don't wear socks, I always, at some point, get sweaty feet and feel some slippage (even in my very uncomfortably tight backups). The home of Climbing on reddit. The model that’s best for you depends on a variety of factors, including on your body type, climbing style, how hard you climb, the type of rock you climb on, how many different pairs you want to own, and how much money you want to spend. Street shoe = climbing shoe and then fit designed by the company works like a charm. I know there are specialty shoes for all styles of climbing or for specific needs in climbing. I wear a 10. Apr 24, 2025 · Best Climbing Shoes at a Glance. For example, as I started to improve and take climbing seriously I switched from an evolve beginner shoe (Elektra I think) to a 5. In the 80's people were in tennis shoes climbing harder than most of us ever will using anything. I have flat and rather narrow low-volume feet. Brand Perceptions by Brand Used. TLDR: I am looking for intermediate but comfortable climbing shoes for indoor climbing with slight/medium downturn and low/medium pre-tensioning. 10 and LaSportiva reign supreme. Any recommendation? Don't get a spray, get shoe dryers. If you can, find a store near you (climbing gyms will often sell shoes, if you're in America there's probably an rei near you) and try on different brands, since each will fit differently (different toeboxes, different heels, etc). Pretty much the only shoe that fit semi-comfortably, due to my wide, flat Hobbit-esque feet. aggressive doesn't always mean better. When surfing the net, I often found posts from climbers with wide feet that can't find a fitting climbing shoe. My first shoes were the Scarpa Origin, followed by the Evolv Kira, which I both loved dearly. I spend most of my time sport climbing indoor, maybe around a 70/30 split of the time, where I engage in bouldering more often than top/lead climbing. I prefer top-rope over bouldering and currently am not planning to ever climb outdoors. That being said, there are a couple of things you should take into consideration while trying as many shoes as you can: by my standards, Vibram rubber and authentic leather are two must haves in a good shoe. It'll happen some day, just hasn't yet. As for rope climbing, my home gym is bouldering only, so I just don't have a lot of access, but I do indoor rope climb maybe once a year. There is no such thing as "the best shoes", the closer you will get is "the best shoes for my feet and my particular climbing needs". As an all rounder I personally love soft rubber with a stiffer mid sole, it sticks to tiny foot holds and smears but still allows me to generate power through my feet. There is no beginner shoe. This is how much of a downturned toe the climbing shoe has: it angles the foot into a sharp arch, with the toe box curling downward. Then I found the theories. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. 2K subscribers in the climbingshoes community. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. So I’m looking for a new (<$100) pair to carry me for now until I’m at a place where I can afford a more advanced shoe again. It's also convenient when your shoes get wet from the rain. Scarpa is cutting back production. First off the reason these shoes were priced very low is because the manufacturer made a sizing mistake with them and they are approximately full size smaller than what a pair of climbing shoes of the same size would be. All of that background to say If you had to recommend 1 shoe, you used every climbing session (2-4 times a week for me) for indoor bouldering what would it be? I find they don’t need to be downsized much. 10 I went up 1. They completely remove the smell. But Mad Rock, Scarpa, Evolv and Red Chili are more than adequate for your needs. The five shoes I will share with you on this page are some of the best climbing shoes for intermediate climbers available in 2023, all of which are Normally, it means the neutral stiff shoe, which forgives bad fit because of its structure. For context, I’ve been climbing for about 4 years on and off. Gym climbing wears shoes out quickly simply because you do a ton of climbing in a short period of time, and people don't want to wear out their super expensive shoes in just a few weeks or months. If you have space in your heel for most Sportiva shoes and Scarpa shoes like the instincts, try to give the three shoes I mentioned a try. My first shoes back in 2019 were tarantulaces, which I remember liking, but not sure if I’ll hate now/they’ve changed in quality over the years. I myself have been climbing for a bit more than half a year and have been using La sportiva Zenits which has been enough for me (climbing up to V5, projecting V6), although I do not have anything really to compare to so would love some input on what to recommend! Different styles of climbing lends itself to different shoe types, having a few pairs in the quiver is never a bad thing. 10 Asym's. Yes aggressive shoes perform better on overhung and a stiff toe is better for tiny footholds while soft rubber is better on volumes but you can climb anything in anything. Our Selection of the Best Climbing Shoes for 2025 Comparison Table I pretty much do not use my soft rubber shoes unless I'm climbing 5. You can probably look at different kind of models, just maybe avoid strictly performance-oriented shoes for now. 10+ because of this lol You will not be upset if you decide to go with the scarpa instinct's. Worked for a bit but not the best Original scarpa boostic Sportiva Katana velcros Scarpa instinct line and various models (only tried on, never climbed. I’m hunting for my third pair of climbing shoes, and I’d like to know what shoe is your all-around go-to climbing shoe! What pair of climbing shoes doesn’t hurt you too much to wear around the base of the crag, yet is technical enough to have you sticking every smear like gum and finessing every infinitesimally small toe hold? When I first started shopping around for a climbing shoe I was very intrigued by La Sportiva specifically, and after looking at gear labs’ “best climbing shoes” tier list I was considering the LS Katana and Solutions. Need shoes, been doing a good amount of bouldering and indoor climbing. Hello ladies! I’ve been climbing in the tarantula boulders for a little over a year and I’ve worn holes through both of the toes so it’s time for a new pair of shoes. My 9. Mar 10, 2025 · From trad climbing to pockets to bouldering, the best climbing shoes just keep getting better. Shoes that definitely didn’t work: Sportiva solutions Sportiva zenit Tenaya mundaka Shoes that were meh. A good climber can send a stout 5. The toe part is worn down now, and I think I can find better shoes for morton's toe or Greek feet, where my 2nd toe is longer than my big toe (3rd toe is same length as big toe). They are probably the most popular wide foot shoe on the market, and they come with different types of rubber. “camber”). A downturned shoe isn't versatile and unless you are really just climbing steep boulders all the time will probably be overkill to start with. Just wondering what the best shoes to get are. Preferably the same shoe size would be good. Beginner climber, very wide feet (prefer 4E in regular shoes). I ran some sentiment analysis on the reasons for choosing specific climbing shoes, and the chart above illustrates what users of each brand seem to prioritize. In Bosnia, the selection of these shoes is limited and overpriced, so my only option is online stores like banana fingers and epictv( bergfreund doesn't ship here for some reason). I think the proper diagnosis for early toe failure in shoes is usually someone like me, a not-so-light climber with super strong feet and ankles from years of running, cycling, and mountaineering using proper technique to weight the feet instead of the arms on climbs that are around vertical, and simply climbing in shoes that are too soft. A stiff shoe makes it hard to feel your feet and prevents you from learning how to really use your feet and will promote sloppy footwork. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. They just make the same shoe with slightly different tweaks and are unable to communicate how the tweaks matter. 5 or even 2 sizes. I am a male with a street shoe size of EU 38 (UK 5, US 6) and a wide toe box, yet a narrow and shallow heel. For 5. Feet are different and you simply just have to try different shoes and find some that doesn't leave a lot of room in your heel, which will hinder heel hooks, but also is snugg on top of your foot, because you don't want it to slip there either. I’ve been waiting for the anniversary sale at rei to replace them. But considering you are climbing for a few months and climbing v4s, it's not like you are complete newbie. I'm looking for a basic, all-around workhorse shoe that leaves everything up to my footwork to get by on anything I throw at it (except for overhang). But honestly, for 90% of climbing, the best shoe is the one you like. The charts above shows the perceptions of climbing shoe brands, separated by users of each brand (sorry, I know it's hard to read! Anybody have any recommendations on some good burner gym shoes? Currently I am rocking some of the old blue hiangles from the $50 sale a couple years ago, but I am starting to burn through the toes. By the end of a day, my feet are dead. 10 moccasin to start. A subreddit dedicated to discussing and reviewing climbing shoes. I was told by a shoe guide in a climbing store that you should try on as many shoes as you can to find the best fit; it does not matter what they look like, as long as they are Furias are just a little softer than dragos, but it's very difficult to get them these days. Don't dare dip your feet in that buttery sock. Don't listen to what others say is the best shoe. com Nov 17, 2023 · Bouldering shoes come in all shapes and sizes. Reply reply More replies So I've been climbing in Skwamas for a bit now, and while I love them for bouldering, they're not the best-equipped for edgy vert, or slab, or all-day hangs. 5 for scarpas usually Boot Bananas Original Shoe Deodoriser | Long-Lasting, Reusable Sports Shoe Deodorizer Odour Neutralizer & Air Purifier | Eco-Conscious | Lasts 6 to 12 Months | 1 Pair https://amzn. Hope this helps :) Oh man, I've had a comfortable sized (not from the start though) Muiras with laces and it was the best climbing shoe I've ever owned. Just the best tool of all trades kinda shoes. End of the day it is always a personal preference. 11 in almost any shoe laceup, velcro, slip on, rubber all hardly matter. From my experience, as long as you're not getting BUFOs, you're fine. My climbing shoe choice is largely based on what fits my wide toe box and shallow heel. And yes we are scared of falling. You need to try the shoes on or know what type of feet the manufacturer makes shoes for. Dark blue = soft rubber, but they are the same shoe Apr 16, 2025 · What to look for in sport climbing shoes; Ten things you need to know about climbing shoes; Our favorites; Honorable mentions; Most gear roundups cover new releases. But folks who can climb hard can climb hard in any vaguely reasonable climbing shoe. But even the cheapest climbing shoes are miles better than rentals. I'd recommend a shoe like the 5. 8s. Typically they wear out quicker because they are a common "first climbing shoe", and newer climbers tend to wear out shoes quicker; when you're new, you're more likely to drag toes on the wall, not be as careful with foot placement yet things that which contribute to shoe wear especially around the Idk why people downvoted this comment, starting with the sensitive good shoes for bouldering is the only way to get used to sensitive shoes for bouldering, you can get in tarantulas or some other stiff shoes with no downturn and when you feel like you can climb better but your feet aren't helping you as much and you go for performance shoes you're almost back to 0 because you climb different When people talk this shoe is > than that for X its almost entirely preference. Best Outdoor All-Rounder: Scarpa Arpia V ($169) Best Sport/Mixed Shoe: Unparallel Qubit ($186) Best Bouldering Shoe: Scarpa Drago XT ($229) Best for Beginners: Butora Rubicon ($150) Best Shoe for Steep Routes: La Sportiva Mandala ($209) Best Training Shoe: Scarpa Veloce L ($175) Best Pure Slipper: La Sportiva I've been climbing for several months now and have been wearing used Climb X shoes that I got from my cousin that fit and felt like I could climb well in them. I have spent the past month trying on >50 different models of shoes across 7 brands (La Sportiva, Scarpa, Evolv, Five Ten, Unparallel, Tenaya, Mad Rock) to find the ones that best suit my feet. Very small LaSportiva Skwama (they're stretchy like socks Posted by u/diverge123 - 12 votes and 20 comments Nov 11, 2023 · The Best Intermediate Climbing Shoes. I’d go either true to size or only a half size down max Edit: 9 is for other mad rock shoes. When a company designs a new suite of shoes, they send pairs to us and our testers, and we climb in them, compare notes, write a review, and then, later, do a roundup of the latest and greatest releases of the year. Mmm like, good for toe hooks, heel hooks, micro foot holds, standing on volumes. Climbing shoes so far appear to be torture devices. My forefoot is very very wide and so is my heel. 4M subscribers in the climbing community. There is the full length Hiangel iteration and the split midsole one. . I know evolvs fit my feet so I stick with their phantoms for downturned aggressive shoes and their Kronos when I need a softer shoe. tsxqd uil blytnzz kec tsjyt wqqou edd xxfnrio sjqzet vayo accljna dxppim ckps mzwe hlga