Butora has designed the Altura in two models-a wide fit, and a narrow fit. It is rare for a climbing shoe company to accommodate both types of feet. For this alone, they deserve praise. Moisture wicking, and made from recycled materials, the Altura promises to be a comfortable ride. Where the TC Pros are often lamented for having durability problems, the Alturas are longer lasting. Much praise is attached to these shoes, with many big wall and crack lovers making the switch.
Designed for supreme comfort, great edging, and crack climbing performance, the Grandstone takes the tried and true ankle high design, and updates it for the 21st century.
The result is a soft, pleasant feeling, and supportive crack shoe. The Grandstones have been gaining in popularity. Using a lacing closure system, climbers can adjust the Grandstones to their desired use levels. Crack Climbing shoes differ from other shoes in several key, important ways.
Most crack shoes are designed with comfort in mind, and with a profile ideal for jamming. Look for the following features when shopping for a crack shoe. When looking for a crack shoe, keep in mind that the narrower the toe, the better.
Nearly every shoe marketed for crack climbing will feature this sort of toe. A narrow, low toe will slot right into smaller cracks, allowing for better footwork for when the climbing gets thin. A shoe designed for sport or bouldering may have an aggressive, downturned toe. A good example of a shoe with a flat shaped toe is the 5. The ideal crack shoe will be designed with a very neutral, non aggressive shape. When jamming your feet, you want to keep the shape and angle of the shoe straight.
An aggressive shoe will force you to jam at more extreme angles, making crack footwork more tricky than it needs to be.
Sometimes, a good crack shoe can be slightly aggressive. These shoes keep a thin toe profile, while also maintaining a slightly aggressive downturn to perform well on edges. Many Crack Climbing shoes are designed with a large rand that wraps around much of the toe, and sides of the foot.
This design feature is to enhance the friction and grip that a shoe will have on the interior of a crack, thereby keeping the climber more secure in a foot jam. With very few exceptions, crack climbing shoes come in two flavors-those with laces, and slippers. Hook and Loop Velcro options are rare, as this design often impedes crack footwork.
Laces keep a low profile, and do not intrude. The biggest consideration when choosing a shoe for crack climbing is whether you want a pair just for crack climbing or for other climbing styles, too.
Dedicated crack climbing shoes are usually not the best for steep sport climbs or overhanging boulders. You can find some all-around shoes, but they will lack some special features for crack climbing, such as padded toes or high-top ankle protection.
Also, lace-up or slip-on shoes tend to be better than velcro closures at fitting into tight cracks and not getting destroyed. Ideally, your crack climbing shoes will fit a little looser than shoes for technical face climbing. Evening Sends gives some tips on what to look for in the fit of different kinds of shoes , and Climbing Magazine has some advice for taking care of your shoes.
Good fit is crucial in any type of climbing shoe. If you choose a crack climbing shoe that has a high top, be sure that it will be comfortable around your ankle and not dig in and cause pain. Crack climbing is known for being uncomfortable, so you want shoes that do the most they can to minimize the pain of jamming your feet tightly in cracks. Some shoes have extra padding to protect your toes, and that can really help your comfort level in cracks. Look for shoes that are breathable to keep your feet dry.
Some shoes are also designed to stretch slightly as your feet swell for extra comfort. Crack climbing shoes need to be able to withstand abuse, since constantly sticking your shoes in cracks will definitely scuff them up. Shoes with rubber all the way around are helpful. The method for taking the shoe on and off, and adjusting it to fit properly.
The main types of closure are lace-up, velcro straps, or slip-on elastic. What the upper part of the shoe is constructed from, usually either leather or synthetic.
The upper can be unlined, lined, or padded. The bottom of the shoe, which is always rubber in climbing shoes. The type of rubber differs by brand and has different properties.
The shoe is built around a model called a last. Slip-lasted shoes offer greater sensitivity since they are softer, while shoes that are board-lasted are stiffer, which is more supportive and comfortable. How much the shoe curves down in the toes, which can range from neutral to aggressive. Shoes with less of a downturn are usually more comfortable, but a greater downturn provides better performance, especially on steep climbs. The upper is the part of the shoe that rests along the top and sides of your foot.
Some prefer leather, and some synthetic. Both have their pros and cons, and there are multiple representatives of both types on this list. Because leather stretches, it is able to conform to your foot. Over time, it takes on a glove-like shape which results in increased comfort. This means one of two things: one, if you want the Miura to have the same functionality as the Boostic a year after the fact, you have to start with a smaller size.
Alternatively, if you want the Boostic to be as comfortable as the Miura in a year, you have to start with a bigger size. Whether you prefer your shoe to become more comfortable over time or you want it to retain its original dimensions should play a big role in choosing the shoe you buy.
And take note that many modern leather shoes incorporate a synthetic liner in high-stretch areas—we think this is a best-of-both-worlds solution. Climbing shoe rubber is an esoteric subject. Stealth HF or Stealth C4? What about proprietary blends like Trax and Science Friction? The rubber is what will actually stick to the rock, so this is incredibly important, right? Yes, but maybe not as important as you think. All rubbers try to find some balance on the sticky-durable continuum.
Either way can make sense depending on your priorities. Just understand that there is a tradeoff: the grippier your rubber, the shorter it will last. The longer it lasts, the less sticky it will be. But because you asked you did, right? A quick check of the comparison table above is a dead giveaway: Vibram and Stealth are our clear favorites. We could give you a bunch of rules about how to size your shoe, but in the end, sizing is so specific, so unique, and so particular to each shoe and each foot.
Some shoes will be too wide or too narrow for your feet. That said, a few generalizations apply. First of all, you want your climbing shoes to feel tighter than your street shoes. Second, tighter does not mean cutting off circulation. Be honest with yourself: how tight can you go without letting discomfort get in the way of the joy of climbing?
Many people will sacrifice pain for the extra performance it brings to their climbing game, while others think that a tight shoe adds very little performance. It all depends on the terrain, the shoe, and the climber. Third, understand that leather stretches and synthetic fabrics tend not to. And if your feet are egregiously different sizes, go with Evolv: you can buy the right foot shoe in one size, and the left in another. Most climbing shoes are available in both men's and women's versions, with the main differences coming in terms of fit and rubber.
Second, it's common to see stiffer and more durable rubber like Vibram XS Edge on men's shoes and softer and sticker Vibram XS Grip 2 on women's shoes. As we mentioned above, stiffer rubber is great for edging and slab climbing, while many sport climbers and boulderers prefer softer compounds for better grip and sensitivity.
Climbers can be especially picky about their rubber choices, so it's very common to see men wearing women's shoes, and visa versa. Our list features some of the best all-around climbing shoes on the market, and many of the models above are used by professional climbers pushing the limits of the sport.
And third, all the high tech and premium materials that go into most of the shoes above will be wasted on poor footwork. Photo Credit. See the La Sportiva Testarossa 9. See the Evolv Rave See the Scarpa Boostic Testing a range of climbing shoes in Joshua Tree Megan Kelly Trad Trad climbing typically takes place on slabby to just-vertical terrain, and often involves a great deal of jamming in cracks.
The La Sportiva Katana is a great technical trad shoe Fixed Line Media Sport For sport climbing on vertical to slightly less-than-vertical terrain—imagine Smith Rock or the New River Gorge—you can get away with a relatively stiff shoe with a moderate downturn.
Sport climbing at Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon Bouldering Bouldering shoes—indoor and outdoor—are characterized by an aggressive downturn, generous patch of toe rubber, floppiness for sensitivity, rounded heel cups covered in rubber, and a hybrid closure often an elastic slipper with a single Velcro strap. The La Sportiva Skwama is a soft, flexible shoe A stiff shoe will also offer more edging power, as it provides a solid platform for your foot to stand on tiny edges.
Closure: Laces, Velcro, or Slipper Closure systems should not be overlooked, and in fact they can be a deciding factor in what shoe is the best match for you. As the shoe's upper stretches, laces help maintain a precise fit Velcro Many climbers prefer Velcro closures because they are easy to put on and take off. Wearing the Velcro version of Black Diamond's Momentum Slipper Slippers provide one of the most comfortable, convenient types of closure, and they generally correlate with soft shoes that excel on friction slabs and in cracks.
Synthetic The upper is the part of the shoe that rests along the top and sides of your foot. The Otaki's upper is made with both leather and synthetic materials Rubber Climbing shoe rubber is an esoteric subject. Fit and Sizing We could give you a bunch of rules about how to size your shoe, but in the end, sizing is so specific, so unique, and so particular to each shoe and each foot.
Nailing down the fit is one of the hardest parts of a climbing shoe purchase That said, a few generalizations apply. Climbing in the unisex La Sportiva TC Pro Climbers can be especially picky about their rubber choices, so it's very common to see men wearing women's shoes, and visa versa. Climbing Shoe Advice for Beginners Our list features some of the best all-around climbing shoes on the market, and many of the models above are used by professional climbers pushing the limits of the sport.
Powered by Drupal. Learn More About Climbing. Shoes, harness, rope, helmet, cams, locking carabiners, draws, chalk bag, wind shell, puffy, rain shell, base layer. What am I forgetting?
Oh yeah, headlamp. And food. Sound familiar? If you are a climber I knew I was officially a climber when I bought my first pair of approach shoes. However, The Solution Comp falls short in cracks, where your curled toes will scream if you try jamming and torquing anything between fingers and hand size. Another soft, sensitive, downturned shoe designed especially for steep terrain, the most unusual features of the Genius are its unique no-edge sole design and offset lacing.
Likely due to these differences from traditional climbing shoe construction, opinions of this shoe vary greatly. Designed and marketed as trad climbing shoes equally at home on slabs and cracks, the flat-lasted Aspects are an excellent choice for those who may not need the elite technical performance and matching price tag of La Sportiva TC Pros. It has a stiff midsole that lets you stand on minimal edges all day without tiring. And a thickly padded tongue that helps all-day comfort as well as its foot jamming ability.
One potential negative of this shoe is the lack of ankle protection that some other trad-specific shoes offer. The updated Mythos Eco offers essentially the same low-moderate performance and high comfort with new materials.
And if you can get the sizing right, you can wear the shoes all day and still climb at a relatively high level on any terrain. You also get high-performing soft rubber with Five Ten Stealth C4. And the toe box might be narrower, while the heel is wider. Whether this is good or bad depends on your foot. The synthetic upper seems somewhat more breathable than the older version and could reduce sweating in hot conditions.
This shoe is a slightly more aggressive, less expensive version of the Five Ten. This La Sportiva climbing shoe is often named one of the best beginner climbing shoes, and it is undoubtedly a winning choice for that purpose. However, relegating this model to the ranks of newbies sells its capabilities short as a low-cost all-around climbing shoe. This relatively flat, lace-up climbing shoe may never climb 5. Fortunately for bargain hunters, most climbers will never achieve those lofty heights either!
Otherwise, its comfortable construction and wider forefoot deliver an acceptable performance on moderate crack climbs, slabs, and sport routes. Even if imprecise on edges and too blunt for tiny pockets, the laces do make up for some of that sloppiness by allowing a more custom fit than Velcro closures or slipper-type shoes do.
And the 5 mm rubber on the sole means longer intervals between resoles. A more capable option for just a few dollars more, the Tanta will also let users attain higher grades before feeling the need for a more expensive, aggressively shaped shoe. Yes Resoleable? Alex Megos has worn this shoe to climb 5. The only major reported negative from testers and reviewers of the Tenaya Oasi is that the sole may tend to delaminate where the front of the outsole and the rand come together.
Built on a narrower last than the Otaki, the Scarpa Vapor V is another semi-aggressive, highly capable shoe for intermediate climbers and up. Specially created for steep terrain and gym climbing, like other Butora models, the Acro Comp is sold in both narrow and wide versions for a more customized individual fit.
In the climbing shoe world, the rock gym is the place of slippery plastic holds and terrain that goes from vertical to horizontal. This is the terrain where the Acro Comp shines. For the same reason, smearing walls and volumes with the NeoFuse rubber sole is a dream, despite the extreme downward curvature. That is offset by the pliant, form-fitting nature of the Acro Comp. Some users do report chafing from a seam inside the upper.
If this is an issue, a thin pair of socks might be enough to address the issue. Mainly designed and used for steep sport climbing and bouldering, the Skwama has great smearing sensitivity not always found in performance-biased, aggressive shoes. At the same time, the midsole beneath the toe is stiff enough to help stick securely on micro edges and crystals. The single velcro strap, along with extensive rubber over the top of the shoe, makes the Skwama superb for toe hooking, scumming, and other footwork shenanigans.
While most people use them for hard, technical climbing, some users find the Skwamas suitable for trad climbing. Just be warned; they may wear out quickly in this application. If you have wider feet and have been seeking an intermediate to high-performing rock climbing shoe that can push your limits in a wide variety of conditions, the La Sportiva Skwama may be the right choice.
The Tenaya brand is known for building shoes using lower-volume lasts than many manufacturers, and climbers with narrow feet generally have positive things to say about the fit of Tenaya models. The improved double velcro strap system gives a lot more flexibility in sizing than some closure systems.
The Iati stands out for its excellent abilities in nearly every environment. The rest comes from the midsole, thicker than most shoes designed for steep, technical climbing. The toe comes to a fairly severe point, great for hooking onto small pebbles and pockets. This shoe can handle any boulder, steep lead climb, or gym route that you can throw at it with style. According to testers, the biggest benefit of this shoe, aside from its performance potential, is the pain-free fit relative to its capabilities.
If you have a lower-volume, narrow foot and want a comfortable shoe that can climb as hard as Alex Megos, look no farther than the Tenaya Iati.
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