How to choose the right climbing shoes

Climbing shoes are the essential piece that allows you to climb effectively to reach your goals. That’s why it’s important to choose your climbing shoes wisely. Today, climbing has become more accessible, and there are many practices: indoor climbing, bouldering, sport climbing, and trad climbing. Each practice has its own characteristics, and with different characteristics comes the need to adapt. Therefore, it can sometimes be challenging to choose your climbing shoes, given the impressive number of models and features available. As with all sports, brands develop climbing shoes to meet all your needs. That’s why we will detail the different parts that make up climbing shoes so that you can understand how to choose the one that best suits your expectations.

Characteristics of climbing shoes

Climbing shoes: the shape

Climbing shoes can come in two shapes: symmetrical or asymmetrical. The choice of shape for your shoes depends on your level and the shape of your feet.

Symmetrical climbing shoes (neutral): the toe of these climbing shoes is centered. This allows you to use all your toes. This type of shoe, although recommended for beginners or heavier individuals, remains precise and offers good grip.
Asymmetrical climbing shoes: the toe of these climbing shoes is angled towards the big toe. Thanks to this particular design, these shoes are more technical than symmetrical ones. The asymmetrical shape allows the climber to concentrate their force on their big toe, thus providing more precision and grip on small holds. However, we caution you against this type of climbing shoes as they can be significantly less comfortable to wear. You must be able to endure the discomfort they may cause your feet.

The shape of the shoes is also determined by the shape of your feet. There are indeed different types of feet. Some feet are better suited for a type of climbing shoes than others. Among the foot shapes that exist, here are the three most common:

Egyptian foot: an Egyptian foot is one where the big toe is the longest toe.
Greek foot: a Greek foot is characterized by a second toe that is longer than the others.
Square foot: on a square foot, the first four toes are aligned with each other.

Following these three descriptions, it becomes clear that certain types of feet will struggle to accommodate certain types of shoes. Asymmetrical climbing shoes are indeed easier to wear for someone with Egyptian feet than for someone with square or Greek feet.

Climbing shoes: the closure system

There are three different types of closures on climbing shoes: slip-on, Velcro, and laces. Each closure has its advantages and disadvantages.

Slip-on: climbing shoes with a slip-on closure are easy to put on and take off. This advantage is particularly useful in indoor climbing, where you can remove your climbing shoes to avoid unnecessarily compressing your feet while waiting for your turn or observing the holds of a boulder with your feet free. This type of closure is also the least expensive. However, an elastic closure offers limited support due to its fit, which may lack precision. The slip-on will also stretch over time, resulting in increasingly reduced foot support. We recommend using this type of closure in indoor climbing and bouldering, where the required precision is much lower compared to outdoor climbing.

Velcro: Velcro is the best compromise between slip-on and laces. It allows for better foot adjustment with manual tightening. Climbing shoes with Velcro can thus be put on and taken off relatively quickly. However, Velcro does not offer as much precision as lace tightening and may not fit your foot perfectly. Finally, over time, Velcro wears out and becomes increasingly difficult to secure. We recommend using this type of closure in bouldering, indoor climbing, or outdoor climbing if the support is sufficient.

Laces: laces provide the most precise tightening of the three types of closures for climbing shoes, allowing you to adjust the shoe well to your foot. However, it is very time-consuming to put on and take off your climbing shoes with laces. We recommend using this type of shoe for outdoor climbing or multi-pitch climbing, where precision is essential.

Climbing shoes: stiffness

The softer the climbing shoes, the more you will feel the rock as if you were barefoot. Conversely, the stiffer the shoe, the less you will feel the rock under your feet. To choose the stiffness of your climbing shoes, you should first try on a pair and test their stiffness on the holds available in the store. This way, you can feel if the level of stiffness suits you or not. Whether soft or stiff, each type of climbing shoes has its advantages and disadvantages:

Stiff climbing shoes: this type of shoe allows for more power transmission. They also provide good support on small holds. These climbing shoes are therefore intended for outdoor climbing.
Soft climbing shoes: this type of shoe offers very good performance on rounded holds due to good grip. These shoes are thus effective on large volumes, such as in bouldering.

For those who wish to practice climbing both in bouldering and outdoor climbing, several options are available:

- You can buy two pairs of climbing shoes or more to have one pair specialized for bouldering or indoor climbing and another pair specialized for outdoor climbing.
- Alternatively, you can buy a versatile shoe that will allow you to climb in bouldering/indoor climbing and outdoor climbing. With this solution, you must, however, take into account that these climbing shoes will be less effective than shoes “specialized” in one area.

Climbing shoes: rubber

The rubber of the shoe's sole is related to its stiffness. Soft climbing shoes are equipped with a soft and thin rubber. These characteristics offer good flexibility and grip, qualities appreciated in bouldering. Stiff climbing shoes will have harder rubber. This rubber promotes dynamism and power during pushes. These characteristics are appreciated in outdoor climbing. You will find different types of rubber for your climbing shoes, the main ones being:

C4 Five Ten and XS Edge Vibram: these rubbers have a thickness of 4 or 5 mm. They are very durable and offer a good compromise between grip and edging.
Onyx Five Ten: this rubber has a thickness of 4 mm. It offers good grip and is very soft.
XS Grip Vibram: this rubber has a thickness of 4 or 5 mm. It has the same characteristics as the Onyx Five Ten, namely a soft and grippy rubber.
XS Grip 2 Vibram: this rubber is only available in a 3.5 mm thickness. It is the thinnest rubber in terms of thickness, ideal for lighter individuals.

Climbing shoes: the toe

The toe is the part where your toes sit in your climbing shoes. While a fine toe is preferred for the precision it can offer, it is also important to remember that the finer the toe, the greater the discomfort will be. It is up to you to find the right compromise between sufficient precision for your practice and comfort.

Climbing shoes: the camber

Also known as the “shoe's claw”, the camber of climbing shoes allows your foot to lean heavily on your toes. This gives you more power, at the expense of comfort, which is significantly reduced. The camber is mainly useful on overhangs when you can push with your feet with a “claw” effect. It should be noted that choosing cambered climbing shoes is by no means mandatory. A cambered shoe is not synonymous with high performance either. You must indeed get used to this phenomenon and have the level to benefit from it. Your comfort should always remain a priority. If you buy cambered climbing shoes when you do not have the level or your feet struggle to support this posture, you will no longer enjoy climbing and may even climb worse.

Climbing shoes: the heel

The heel of climbing shoes is a part that should not be neglected. Your heel must not move at all in your climbing shoes. To ensure that your heel does not move, you should feel tension spreading throughout the shoe starting from the heel when you push with your toes. Also, make sure that the heel does not rise too high so that it does not irritate your ankles.

Climbing shoes: the material

There are different materials that can make up the upper of a shoe: leather or synthetic. These materials can be found alone in the composition of the upper or mixed.

Leather: climbing shoes with a leather upper are ideal for beginners. This material stretches quite easily and is also durable. The tighter your climbing shoes fit your foot, the more they will adapt to your shape. However, this will result in a certain period of discomfort while your climbing shoes break in. Leather does, however, offer more flexibility than synthetic climbing shoes. A 100% leather upper allows for good stretching. However, leather climbing shoes can tend to deform over time and stretch up to half a size. Leather shoes with lining can partially correct this defect. However, leather is a material that is increasingly less used to make climbing shoes, in favor of synthetic materials.

Synthetic: the uppers of climbing shoes made of synthetic materials are very stiff and do not stretch or stretch very little. You must be very careful with this type of upper to choose the right shoe size from the start, as if you make a mistake, the shoe will not adapt to your foot as leather climbing shoes would. The strong point of synthetic uppers is their durability: synthetic climbing shoes do not deform, which guarantees a shoe that always fits your foot.

Leather - synthetic mix: In this mix of materials, the synthetic is placed at the front of the upper to allow good toe support, while the rest of the upper is made of leather to offer good stretching and thus more comfort.

Define your practice

Now that you know all the elements that make up climbing shoes, you need to determine what practice you are looking for climbing shoes for. On what type of surface are you most likely to climb? And on what types of profiles? Answering these questions will help you know which category of climbing shoes you should focus on.

Climbing shoes for sport climbing

The most important thing for sport climbing is to identify the profile on which you are most likely to climb regularly. You will indeed have different holds if you are climbing on an overhang or a vertical wall. If you often climb on overhangs, you must choose climbing shoes that allow for good edging on holds. To meet these needs, you should select soft climbing shoes that have a pronounced camber and asymmetry for a plunging toe. Conversely, if you practice climbing on vertical walls, stiff climbing shoes are essential. The lacing should also go low on your climbing shoes to provide excellent support for more precision. For sport climbing, we recommend using climbing shoes with laces or Velcro. The slip-on has no place on this type of wall.

3 climbing shoes for sport climbing:

-LD Cliffhanger -Millet

-Drago -Scarpa

-Instinct VS -Scarpa

Climbing shoes for bouldering

Bouldering, whether practiced indoors or outdoors, requires intense effort on your part over a short duration. Here too, it is important to clearly define the type of bouldering you will be doing. If you practice on sites where there are many edges and few flat holds, stiff climbing shoes are more than recommended. However, if you are likely to practice on sites that offer many rounded holds, soft climbing shoes that provide more grip will be better suited for this type of situation.

3 climbing shoes for bouldering:

-Siurana -Millet

-LD Easy Up - Millet

-Python -La Sportiva

Climbing shoes for multi-pitch climbing

To select climbing shoes for multi-pitch climbing, we advise you to choose climbing shoes for sport climbing in which you feel comfortable. However, you should always study the profile of the sport climbing routes you will encounter to select the appropriate pair of climbing shoes. Since multi-pitch climbing is a long-term adventure, we recommend that when selecting your climbing shoes, you choose them half a size to a full size larger than you would normally wear. Your feet will indeed be in your climbing shoes for longer, which requires extra comfort.

3 climbing shoes for multi-pitch climbing :

-Futura -La Sportiva

-Cliffhanger -Millet

-Miura Woman -La Sportiva

Climbing shoes for indoor climbing

For climbing indoors, it is not necessarily essential to have climbing shoes with great precision. Indoor climbing facilities are equipped with holds screwed onto profiles. It is therefore easier to place your feet on the holds offered by the indoor climbing wall.

3 climbing shoes for indoor climbing:

-Origin -Scarpa

-Vapor V Woman -Scarpa

-Tarantula -La Sportiva

Choosing your climbing shoes based on your level

After reviewing all the characteristics that make up climbing shoes, it’s interesting to understand how to choose your climbing shoes based on your level.

Climbing shoes for beginners

If you are a beginner, you should prioritize the comfort of your feet. You need to choose climbing shoes in which your feet are well supported without being too compressed. Starting from your base shoe size, which you can have measured by a professional for more accuracy, try varying the size of the shoes until you find the one that suits you. To find the ideal climbing shoes, you must ensure that your foot does not move inside. Opt for climbing shoes that are flat or slightly cambered. The goal at this stage is primarily to enjoy practicing climbing. This way, you will progress more quickly. Our selection of climbing shoes for beginners:

-Easy Up -Millet

-Wall-Street -Millet

-Rock Up -Millet

Climbing shoes for intermediate level

If you have an intermediate level in climbing, you should equip yourself with slightly more technical climbing shoes. Your feet will need to be tighter to enhance your sensations and improve your technique. Be careful to reduce comfort without going to extremes. Opting for a choice of climbing shoes with some asymmetry and a moderate camber can be relevant. You will find our selection of climbing shoes for intermediate level below:

-Solution -La Sportiva

-Katana -La Sportiva

-Booster S -Scarpa

Climbing shoes for expert level

For expert climbers, you generally have enough experience to know what type of climbing shoes suits you best. You usually know your needs and the sensations you are looking for. For expert climbers, our selection of climbing shoes is as follows:

-Python -La Sportiva

-Instinct VSR -Scarpa

-Mago -Scarpa

Climbing shoes for children

If you need to buy climbing shoes for children, you should prioritize comfort. As children are growing, their feet grow quickly. To adapt to this constraint, brands offer, for example, pads to place behind the heels to select a larger size and make the shoe adjustable. You can also opt for thick socks to fill the empty space. In any case, you should choose climbing shoes that will be comfortable for the child and provide them with sensations while being soft and grippy. This will allow them to feel confident and enjoy the sport.

Climbing shoes: how to choose the right size

To choose the right size for your climbing shoes, the shoe must fit snugly to your foot. To do this, vary the size of the shoe until you can feel that your foot is well supported, meaning it cannot move. Depending on your level, your foot should be more or less compressed. The more your foot is compressed, the greater the discomfort will be. It is up to you to know how far you can go in terms of discomfort. If you wear socks when climbing, try your climbing shoes with thin socks so that the size difference with bare feet is not too significant.

Should you wear socks in climbing shoes?

This question divides the climbing community. There are two camps. The first is against the use of socks for climbing, due to the loss of sensations and slippage that can occur in climbing shoes. The second argues that socks reduce blister formation and odors, making them more hygienic. The ideal is to test both options for yourself to determine which one suits you best.

Find the climbing shoes you need at Hardloop.co.uk

Whether for indoor climbing, sport climbing, bouldering, or multi-pitch climbing, you will find the climbing shoes you need at Hardloop.co.uk. Our goal is to offer you a wide selection of climbing shoes to meet your passionate needs. Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Millet...: we have selected for you the biggest brands, which will allow you to find quality climbing shoes suited to your practice.

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