How To Buy Rock Shoes

Well you’re hooked! And you’ve have decided you like this climbing game and have decided to dip into your hard earned and buy your first pair of climbing shoes.

At this point you’ve probably worn hire shoes down the wall, borrowed your mates that are 2 sizes too big or flailed about in trainers, oh how your life is about to change, but there is a lot to think about.

Style

Climbing shoes come in several styles, take your time to look at and read about different shoes, particularly if they are to be your first pair.

Look at the profile of the shoe from the side especially the toe area. If the toe is noticeably turned down then it is a high end performance shoe for steep ground and is best avoided at this stage of your climbing career. The beginner should be looking for a relatively flat shoe which is not particularly asymmetric in shape. An asymmetric shoe is where the shoe turns inwards forcing the climber to stand over their big toe. Personally I have tried some quite asymmetric shoes and didn’t get on with them, I felt they were forcing me to twist my foot too much and felt uncomfortable, but my foot shape may have influenced that. Most climbers will settle for shoes that have a slight to mid asymmetric fit.

The closure on a shoe has an impact as well. Climbing shoes in the main are either Velcro, lace-up or slip-on. There have been a few anomalies over the years, one with a zip for example.

Velcro; Quick to get on and off and fast adjustment is the beauty of Velcro fastenings, but the adjustment does tend to be in the upper part of the foot with the toe box having little or no adjustment. But if your foot is comfortable in the toe box then this should not be an issue.

Lace-up; The climber loses that 'on/off' speed, but gains on the greater adjustability of the shoe, as they can be adjusted along the whole length. If you try a Velcro shoe on and you find it too tight try the lace up version, if there is one available. Also laces changes how a shoe performs slightly, lace up versions always seem to be a little stiffer, this is as result of it being tightened through the length of the foot. This can improve the edging performance of the shoe.

Slip-ons; Often referred to as slippers, are held in place by strong elastic and are great for climbing wall use or easy bouldering. The down side is they tend to pull off when used for heal hooking. These could appeal to those on a tighter budget as they do tend to be a little cheaper.

The heels on shoes vary in terms of width and downward turn. When fitting a shoe the heel should grip the foot so as the heel won’t lift out. Some heels also have a ‘sling shot’. Essentially this is where the rubber around the heel is pulled down and into the shoe by an extension of the rand. This forces the foot forward into the shoe and also causes the sole to curve whilst really gripping the heel. Pick a shoe up hold the toe and pull the heel back, you will see the curvature of the shoe and how it will shape the foot. This can be uncomfortable at first and this type of ‘aggressive’ heel fit is probably best avoided in your first pair. Though the extent of this aggression will vary between models of shoe.

Fit

Start with your regular shoe size. Choose the style you think is best going to suit you, not too asymmetric, and reasonably flat. A lot of climbers actually down size in their climbing shoes, how much is quite a personal choice. But for a first pair I would recommend staying with your shoe size.

Socks or no socks? This again is down to personal choice, but by this stage I’m sure you will have noticed most of us don’t wear socks. Simply socks can cause the shoe to roll on the foot and reduce performance and sensitivity. But if you have chosen to climb multi pitch routes then you may want a little more comfort.

Rock shoes are generally made on a wooden last, when they go into the box they will have retained the lasts shape. But they tend to loose that ‘out of the box fit’ after a few climbing sessions.

Climbing shoes always look small, you may well take them from the box and exclaim “My feet won’t go into them, they’re never my size!” Climbing shoes are designed to be low in volume and to fit snugly around the foot, so don’t be scared of slipping your toes in, pushing your foot and pulling hard on the heal tabs. At this point you will probably feel they are too tight. “Will they stretch?”, that will depend largely on the outer material and whether they are lined. An unlined leather shoe will stretch by up to one size, lined and synthetic shoes will not. But they will soften and take on the shape of your foot. However any stretch that takes place will be more likely across the foot and not the length, the rubber rand will prevent this.

For your first pair shoes, air on the side of comfort. As a beginner you don’t want to be 'put off' climbing by crushed toes, being painful to walk in and just making the whole climbing experience an uncomfortable disappointment. Your first shoe should fit slightly tight. Toes should be to the end of the shoe, actually touching the end is ideal and with no or very little bend in the toes. This will seem a little uncomfortable at first but ensures that any dead space in the toe box is kept to a minimum. If there is a lot of dead space you will find it harder to stand on small edges. Don't expect to be able to wiggle your toes, the shoes will probably be narrower than you're used to and your toes will feel quite snug.

With the shoes on your feet stand up before you tighten them, think about where your toes are in relation to the end of the shoes, you may have different sized feet. In this case you need to decide if you want; a) one foot with toes just touching and a small gap in the other shoe b) one foot with toes just touching and in the other the toes slightly bent.

Now tighten the shoes, think about how they feel along the length of your foot, is there discomfort or pain, remember the shoe will adopt the shape of your foot over the first few climb sessions.

The heel should hold your foot firmly, don’t worry about how it will perform on heel hooks as this stage, instead concentrate on fit.

Also push the toe area against a small edge such as a skirting board, this will force the foot to bend, again is there pain?

Now if your feeling like you've chosen the right shoe leave them on for 10 minutes or so, just stand about in them, adjust the closure a few times, think about how they feel. But don't expect them to fit like a pair of slippers, they will be tight, possibly slightly uncomfortable but they should not hurt after all "pain is Insane".

Before you go out climbing in your new shoes, wear them at home, just to make sure you're completely sure about the fit.

It's always hard buying shoes even for the experienced climber, especially if changing to another model or brand. As you get through your first few pairs of shoes you will grow to know what you expect from a shoe in terms of fit. You may well opt for tighter shoes that will cause a little more discomfort but hopefully improve your performance.

After Care

Most of us leave our shoes in our pack, slightly crushed and lets be honest pretty damn smelly. And for most that's the way it is and always will be. But you should consider looking after them. Just taking them out to air will make them more pleasant to wear. If they get dirty just sponge them off with cold water. The sole is the critical thing to have clean so they stick. And the best way to do this is to spit on them and then squeak them up with the palm of the hand, not very pleasant but you will notice how better they stick to small holds.

As you use your shoes they will wear quickest around the toes, one option is to get them resoled. This isn't too expensive and there are a number of people online who do it. But it can take a little time. So as your first pair near the end of their life consider a second pair. Often climbers have a couple of pairs on the go, because like a pair of old comfy jeans they go through just when they are at their best.