Best climbing shoes reddit.
A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community.
Best climbing shoes reddit I have had a ton of trouble finding shoes that fit my feet well - I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a wide toe box but my heel is quite narrow and I slip out of most shoes. com Jan 11, 2022 · Discover the best climbing shoes in 2025 with our analysis to pick the most suitable model. When people talk this shoe is > than that for X its almost entirely preference. I've found overall kataki's to be the best all around shoes ice used for crack, having an exceptionally low profile toe, while at the same time being very comfortable (the have a similar neoprene sock construction to tenayas), and also moderately aggressive even when sized to jam comfortably for face climbing. I do love my Skwamas, but want to try something different. 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). Looking for some good climbing shoe brands and what the best shoes to buy from those brands are/ I normally wear 10 1/2 and 11s in shoe size 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 am having an incredibly hard time deciding, because whatever I pick is likely going to be the only shoe I use for the next 1-2 years. I have to go up a size or two to even get my foot in but then the shoe feels too long. I wanted to see how perceived quality of different brands actually correlated with the grades that users of those brands climbed. I don’t feel like I can downsize any more without absolutely crunching my toes - it seems like there’s just always dead space in Hot take: stiff vs soft shoes Warning: potentially controversial opinion incoming. Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best Top New Controversial Old Q&A soupyhands • Im climbing V3-V4, nothing crazy but Im thinking of making my current pair my daily drivers and getting a fresh pair of shoes for harder climbing days or trips out doors and then eventually switching over. Best climbing shoes for beginners?? 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. The website shows that the boulder ones have a rubber on the top of the toebox, which makes the shoe more resistant to toehooks. Also surprisingly durable for a high performance shoe, lasted 8 months before I resoled them could have probably pushed it another month or 2. 10 and LaSportiva reign supreme. I have flat and rather narrow low-volume feet. I noticed that they might not be the ideal fit for This is because im softer shoes the structure and the sustain of the shoe is given for the majority by the feet constricted in it, while on stiffer models the sustain is given by the feet but also by the shoe rigidity. I have absolutely destroyed my pair of Merrill Moab Speeds and am starting to think of the next pair of hiking shoes that I’d like to buy. Flat, stiff, and comfortable will do so many more favors for someone starting out climbing than an aggressive shoe that they probably wouldn't size correctly anyway. 10 Asym's. However, for climbing shoes I noted the the sole wraps around the two and the side of the shoe. I mainly do bouldering and wear LS solutions. The home of Climbing on reddit. Hey guys! 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. Id love to hear thoughts on what makes a good 2nd pair of shoes, anything I should look at specifically in a good shoe. It seems my heel just doesn't stick out much the way climbing shoes expect. Normal climbing shoes without a rubber are not made for toehooking and will be short lived if you do that, depending on your level of experience and style of bouldering. This works incredibly well and even my aggro shoes feel like a custom fit every time after. If you'd rather try your luck there for a more aggressive shoe. And fit is the most important thing about climbing shoes. I have been climbing in Butora Gomis and mostly enjoy them, but have noticed that they aren't super sticky for toe and heel hooks. 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). IMO, the futura is the best gym and general bouldering shoe ever made. You can probably look at different kind of models, just maybe avoid strictly performance-oriented shoes for now. Yeah but there aren't really that many true beginner shoes, just shoes that work best for beginners. Reply reply More repliesMore replies the-cheesemonger • Miuras are also great for trad Reply reply [deleted] • Comment There’s just the best shoe for your foot and your climbing goals/terrain, and it seems like from your comments that the solution (original) wouldn’t be the best choice. 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 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. TLDR: I am looking for intermediate but comfortable climbing shoes for indoor climbing with slight/medium downturn and low/medium pre-tensioning. For regular everyday shoes, I’ve noticed that most cobblers would sand the sole flat to remove the rubber from the shoe then glue the new sole. To help you make a confident decision, we tested more than fifty climbing shoes throughout 2025. It’s mostly for slab climbing that involves standing up on tiny… Normally, it means the neutral stiff shoe, which forgives bad fit because of its structure. But Ondra mentions in the comments to his latest shoe video / La Sportiva ad why he thinks they're no longer the best in any particular aspect. I haven't seen a significant difference in rubber performance, only break in times. Since you plan to climb only indoor you could even consider trying something softer (especially if you are a lighter climber). The Id really like to purchase shoes from them but they dont have anything thats high assemtry with a wide toebox like the La Sportiva Testarossa or Scarpa Mago. So I thought it may need a special type of 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 Hiya! I currently have a pair of la sportiva finales and a pair of ocun ozones. Alternatively, you can find quite good deals on more suitable shoes on ebay, mountain project, FB marketplace, etc. Need shoes, been doing a good amount of bouldering and indoor climbing. It's very important that your shoes Nov 24, 2025 · We purchased and tested 17 pairs of the best climbing shoes for men, with award winners from La Sportiva, Scarpa, Unparallel, and Ocun Mar 10, 2025 · The best climbing shoes just keep getting better. No idea whether this would apply to climbing shoes (it might damage the rubber), but if my cleats or runners start to really stink I stick them in the freezer for a few days (in a sealed ziplock). I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions for a beginner to intermediate climbing shoe for the bouldering gym? La Sportive, Scarpa? Overly nerdy approach, lol. For leather shoes, I always wet them out completely and then wear around the house with wool socks (not super thick ones, but not dress socks either, just normal hiking socks) until they are dry. I’m looking for shoes that can handle very rough granite. Since they are the most basic shoe you can buy from Evolv (save from the rental model) they aren't the greatest but I've been really impressed with the quality and debating stowing money away to save up for some Anybody here have any recommendations for climbing shoes with a shallow heel? I've tried a couple different five ten's but always end up with a large air bubble in the heel even though my toes are jammed. Share Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Add a Comment cbbclick • Howdy! We are Tera and Song Mei! Even after climbing for around 3 years neither one of us knew how to properly clean our climbing shoes. Sportiva skwama leather (sized down 1. It didn’t take long to discover that others in our climbing circles also had this same conundrum. Am male with EU 40. 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! What are the softest shoes available from each brand? What is the softest overall that you have tried? For la sportiva, I've found mantra and theory to be the softest, but I'd like to try some other brands. A subreddit designed to help those looking for rock climbing shoes. Check out our posts for advice and reviews. But Mad Rock, Scarpa, Evolv and Red Chili are more than adequate for your needs. Any recs would be appreciated! So for now, i’m looking for a pair of shoes for vertical outdoors granite climbing on small foot holds, (and i will later buy myself a pair of softer bouldering shoes. 957 votes, 134 comments. Read on for our 2025 picks from La Sportiva, Scarpa, and more! Nov 24, 2025 · Choosing the Best Climbing Shoes can feel overwhelming because there are so many options available. 5-2 from street, good amount of stretch for the leather version) sportiva theory (1-2 sizes down), accommodates very easily cause of how soft they are) sportiva testarossa (-1 size) sportiva genius (-1) scarpa mago (pre ‘22 redesign, -1 size) evolv phantom lv (street size) tried on and seemed to fit well at a level of tightness I expect to work well Questions 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? Have a friend that is getting hooked on bouldering so he is contemplating some shoes to avoid them sweaty rentals. . See full list on climbing. I prefer top-rope over bouldering and currently am not planning to ever climb outdoors. Climbing shoes, mountain boots, decent dress shoes are all designed to be resoled by having multpart soles and readily available tread/outsoles. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. I'm just used to those toes bending a bit in shoes We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The curvature makes it hard for the sole to stay on the shoe. So we took it upon ourselves to do a bit of an experiment and try 5 different cleaning methods to determine what is the best way to clean climbing shoes. Just wondering what the best shoes to get are. This has been problematic since I have been getting more into climbing overhangs which have critical toe/heel hooks baked into their beta. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. Best website to buy climbing shoes online? Hello just newly got into climbing, looking to buy a pair of shoes to buy online but don't really know which website I should be looking at. Like with all pieces of gear, there are diminishing returns as the price increases, so don’t immediately start looking at the most expensive shoes; however, with climbing shoes fit is very important, so pick whatever fits you the best at the end of the day 12 votes, 32 comments. But considering you are climbing for a few months and climbing v4s, it's not like you are complete newbie. And yes we are scared of falling. Edit: Talked to a dude at the gym, tried on several different pairs of shoes before finally getting a pair of 5. The way the rubber wraps over the toe means the shoe will last forever, mine are more than 6 years old and everything but the toe is falling apart. 8s. In addition to this, I'm looking into what factors seem to play a role in the purchasing decisions for You should always have like 6-7 different pairs of shoes lol, tight soft shoes, tight edging shoes, multipitch medium shoes, end of the weekend upsized soft and edging shoes, the freshie sending pair, and a lucky pair for good measure. Hey guys. Climbing shoes so far appear to be torture devices. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. We focused on comfort, edging power, smearing ability, crack performance A subreddit dedicated to discussing and reviewing climbing shoes. Any recs for a wide climbing shoe? Beginner climber, very wide feet (prefer 4E in regular shoes). I'm looking at a medium-stiffness shoe Are aggressive shoes necessary for modern bouldering setting and comp climbing? I referenced a list of the best climbing shoes and thanks to the comments below figured that aggressive shoes will help keep my body close to the wall on overhangs. 1. I have wide feet with high arches and it seems like most climbing shoes are meant for narrow feet. Apr 16, 2025 · So when asking what shoes are best for “sport climbing,” you’ve really got to ask yourself several questions: (1) What sort of rock am I going to be climbing on? (2) What types of shoes typically feel best for me? (3) What style of shoe will best compliment both my style of climbing and the specific rock I’ll mostly be climbing on? 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'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 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. Noting that some people that buy very expensive, very sensitive and soft climbing shoes to climb indoors potentially own more than 1 pair - and they aren't using these pricey shoes for every send. 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. Merrill has great durability from my experience thru-hiking, but I’m wanting to pick some brains and see what other hikers like and why. Between the climbing shoes, 5. Just out of sheer curiosity what do you guys think of Evolv's climbing shoes? I've been climbing on a pair of their Defys for almost 3 years now and have loved the shoes. The solution is still my favorite sport climbing shoe that I have tried, precise and makes me feel confident on even the smallest feet. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. So go to a shop, try on as may shoes as you can and buy the one that fits your feet best. In the 80's people were in tennis shoes climbing harder than most of us ever will using anything. So I'm wondering what you guys think are the best/most comfortable shoe for sport and multi pitch that can be used all day. The shoe that's best for you depends on your body type, climbing style, the type of rock you climb on, and how much you want to spend. By the end of a day, my feet are dead. I want something that is a good solution to this A little under a month ago, I put out a climbing shoe survey with the goal of figuring out some of the relationships between climbing shoe brands and performance. My reasoning is that the downsides of stiff shoes can be mostly mitigated, whereas with soft shoes, there are some things you simply cannot do. Stiff shoes make better all rounders than soft shoes. 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). Does anyone have any shoe recommendations? Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best kennethsime • Certainly a contender for the best quiver-of-one all round shoe ever made. Hi all, I mostly indoor boulder grades V4 to V5+ (and occasionally V6). Running shoes AREN'T. 👀 Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options [deleted] • Best climbing shoes on Reddit 299 reviews from r/climbergirls, r/climbingshoes, r/climbing and 10 more subreddits 299 reviews from 13 subreddits We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. That said, softer beginner shoes like that seem to be out of style, I couldn't find anything last time I went in looking for exactly what you are now. Climbing shoes have wildly differing shapes. 3M subscribers in the climbing community. Each pair was used on a real wall, both indoors and outdoors, so we could see how they performed in different situations. ) Avoid the typical, "This shoe can take a bullet," gym shoes, and get a decent pair, and its fine. Pretty much the only shoe that fit semi-comfortably, due to my wide, flat Hobbit-esque feet.