Select Climbing Shoes
A good fit of climbing shoe is vital for confident and quality climbing. There are many shoes available by quality manufactures all using different lasts (templates) to make the shoes, which can make sizing of climbing shoes a bit of a quandary. It is best to ignore sizing on the box or shoe and concentrate what fits the best for you.
A note for beginners
There is a theory carried by many that climbing shoes have to hurt to be good climbing shoes. This is not the case. Advanced climbers do tend to pick shoes for technical factors and control over comfort, often for the shoe to offer greater edging or smearing potential but for beginners it is essential to find a shoe that will offer comfort and ability. There is nothing worse when undertaking a new sport to have your concentration and potential enjoyment of the sport blighted by the wrong kit or kit that is causing discomfort.
What type of shoe is good for a beginner?
We
recommend that if you are new to rock climbing, choose a shoe that is snug
but comfortable and gives you extra support. You may have weaker feet and
ankles than a seasoned climber, so the extra support can be incredibly advantageous
and the support will help you toughen your feet and allow you to concentrate
on your climbing and get used to the technical requirements and particular
foot holds required for climbing.
A good beginners shoe will have a thicker sole to allow stiffness and to prevent hot spots developing of pressure from the rock face rubbing the sole and greater lateral support at the sides of the shoe. Therefore there is more solidity in a beginner’s shoe. As a beginner progresses and the feet strengthen, there will be a need for a shoe that offers greater technical aspects and a better feel/sensitivity of the rock surface and holds for improved traction in foot holds. A very good and well respected climbing shoe for a beginner is the Cliff Rock Shoe by La Sportiva.
Types of shoes available
Here is a list of the types of shoes available for differing technical levels of both climbing and climber.
All-round shoes:
All-around rock climbing shoes offer a stiffer sole designed for supporting the foot on small holds, especially helpful while the muscles are developing in the new climber's feet. The stiffness and support also makes them reasonably good for cramming into cracks as the stiffer sole doesn't collapse on the foot. Additional features often include a symmetrical (rounded) toe box for comfort, laces that extend all the way down to the toe (to adjust the snugness of the shoe), and a relaxed heel fit. These shoes are designed to do all types of climbing pretty well; in general, all-around shoes are comfortable and the best choice for a beginner or occasional climber who climbs a mixture of indoor and outdoor routes. As a climber progresses and finds a type of climbing they prefer a more defined shoe can be selected for greater technical ability.
Technical shoes:
This type of shoe is often considered a technical shoe and designed for a competent seasoned climber such as a sports climber or bouldering climber who wants more sensitivity and feel from the shoe. The styles vary from being a laced up shoe to having Velcro closures or slip-on slippers. Unlike all round and beginners shoes technical shoes generally have an exaggerated asymmetrical (non-rounded) toe box designed to drive power to the big toe. This can pinch the toes together and distort the foot to accentuate grip and the ability to edge. Some of the models are cambered, meaning the shoe has a down turned toe or sole, this is also intended to drive power to the big toe. Sport and bouldering shoes tend to have a softer sole for increased foot sensitivity when attempting to gain traction from nubbins or thin edges.
The main objective of these shoes is to maximize edging on thin foot holds. Many of the models are made from a synthetic material so they won't stretch out after time keeping a very tight performance oriented fit and keeping the foot in a specific shape.
Traditional shoes:
These shoes have many of the same characteristics of the all-round shoe but tend to have a sole that is stiffer more symmetrical across the toes. Traditional shoes are designed for traditional routes which mean a mixed climb of crack climbing and face climbing where smearing and edging is necessary. For this type of climbing you need a shoe that can be worn all day whether you are leading a pitch or standing on ledge belaying your partner. The symmetrical toe box allows comfort and the stiff sole allows the foot to be put comfortably in cracks. Most of the traditional shoes are made with a leather upper so that they will give a little and become more comfortable with time.
Indoor shoes:
If you climb purely indoors you are most likely to do a little of everything: bouldering; face and crack climbing on artificial routes. Many indoor climbs are face climbs with bolt on holds to simulate outdoor holds and do not have the atmospheric conditions such as loose surfaces or dampness to deal with. Any shoe will be adequate for indoor conditions and indoor climbing is good for breaking in new shoes.
Most Indoor climbing walls have cushioned flooring which allow climbers to take their shoes off between climbs and wander around in bare feet. Not often a luxury afforded to outdoor conditions! This means a more technical shoe can be used in an indoor environment. A good shoe would be one that would have a thinner, softer and stickier sole fro greater indoor traction, smearing and edging on boulder problems. Slippers or Sport shoes with a Velcro fastening are often favorites of Indoor climbers.
