UKC

im looking to buy a good rock climbing shoe can anybody tell me which is a good one, im looking for comfort as well as performance.

In reply to Boris_73:
you need a "cushty" made by "fiteveryfoot"

In reply to Boris_73:

Do you have any preference of rock type?

Or are you intending to climb mainly indoors?

Will you mainly be bouldering?

Answers to these will help point to the type of boot that may suit your climbing preferences.

In reply to The Lemming:
nah, just get a cushty.

In reply to Boris_73:

After suffering from sore feet for years I bought a pair of Scarpa Vantage this summer and they do it for me.



ps Don't listen to the old bollox of a half size smaller than your street shoes will be fine.

In reply to Dr.Strangeglove:wow, there really are dickheads every where.

In reply to coinneach: Thank you, i have used them before when i had some lessons and they were comfortable, i may go with those if no one can think of any other ones

In reply to Boris_73:
yep.
but seriously
get something comfortable - sod performance
get something that fits your foot.

any "beginners shoe" by any manufacturer will
get you up a few E numbers.

oh hang on, like the cushty fiteveryfoot.

In reply to Dr.Strangeglove: Hello, i am mainly looking to climb indoors theres a rock climbing wall very close to my college so i could go there during lunch, all though i would like to climb outdoors sometime

In reply to Boris_73:
any shoe thats comfy from any manufacturer will do you
or get some tricouni's?

In reply to Boris_73:

If you are climbing indoors then why not go for a boot with a stiff sole?

You're probably not going to be doing too much smearing or edging indoors so the solid sole will aid your comfort factor no end. Sadly such boots arn't too cleaver on the real stuff such as grit or limestone but they are good for long multi-pitch routes around the V-Dif grade.

In reply to The Lemming: Could you tell me a few that have a stiff sole. Thank you

In reply to Boris_73:

Everybody is different. Over the years I have discovered that 5.10 are a good brand for my shape of foot.

Indoors I use these

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/rshoes/510_Newton.htm

Very comfy but no good for outdoors stuff like bouldering. (That is my personal oppinion and may vary to everybody else)

And outdoors I use these

http://www.rockrun.com/shop/prod.html?d=3&t=102&p=377&sid=c298b...

Not comfy by any stretch of the imagination but they suit my prefered rock types.

In reply to Boris_73:

If they are for mainly indoor use buy the cheapest possible. Indoor climbing trashes boots faster than anything, and footwork is rarely critical on plastic.

In reply to Boris_73: Well your post is different to your title. I was going to say cheap and comfortable and that's all there is to it.

However, you've said you want comfort as well as performance, well that's what everyone wants most of the time, even with loads of experience. Your looking for a happy medium.

Good place to start would be to try on a pair of 5.10 Anasazi lace-ups. They do half sizes and it's a brilliant all-round shoe and it also seems to fit alot of people. That's why you see lots of climbers wearing them.

It took me 2 hours of trying shoes in a shop before I finally settled on a pair. Not an easy process.

In reply to Andy S:
I've got to disagree - you see lots of people wearing them 'cos they think it's a performance shoe and they'll climb better with them. I don't know anyone with a pair who says they're comfortable. Anything with a sharply angled heel will be painful to wear, as they shove your foot forward into the toe-box, to maximise 'performance'. I'd definitely recommend the OP against the Anasazis.

I'd bet my mortgage on any beginner actually needing a technical pair of shoes from day one. The slight improvement in technical performance would more than be outweighed by the discomfort they'd have to endure to gain it.

Try on lots of shoes and get the most comfortable pair. They could then think about something more technical for their second or third pair.

In reply to Fraser: I had a pair and they were really comfy once broken in a bit, foolishly I bought a second pair and they are far too painful to wear

In reply to Fraser:

Sensible words. I sold a pair of Anasazis to a beginner once; it was difficult to do so with a straight face.

In reply to Boris_73:

The best pair (as no doubt alredy mentioned) is a comfy pair that fit your foot. Once you've climbed in them for a bit you'll realise what you really want out of a boot.

In reply to Boris_73: My first shoes were Red Chili Spirits. Great shoes for beginner to intermediate climbers.

In reply to Boris_73:

Only you can decide. You have to get ones which fit your feet - go to a shop with a variety of brands and spend a long time trying and comparing.

Pretty much any modern shoe will be fine for beginners provided thay fit (snug fit) and are comfortable.

In reply to Boris_73: Boreal Zephyrs are a good favourite.. comfort! also Red Chili Spirts and 5:10 Ascents all good shoes

In reply to Boris_73: I think as many of the people on this thread have said it's what you feel comfortable in. Don't go for the Austin Martin of shoes but get a good quality shoe and make sure it fits well.

In reply to Boris_73:
For my really comfy shoes I have a pair of sportiva mythos
The sole is fairly hard (well hard enough so my feet don't hurt after climbing on sharp limestone, unlike my 5.10s) and they lace up right to the toe so it is easy to ajust them to the width of your feet, my feet are very wide, but I have also heard people with narrow feet liking the fit as well.

Even when you get better it is still worth having a really comfy pair of shoes for all day cragging when you don't want to keep on putting them on and taking them off. Also having a pair of shoes that can expand is a good idea as you could well find that during the summer months your feet could well expand (esp if climbing somewhere hot)


http://www.sheffieldclimbing.com/outdoor-equipment/sportiva-mythos-p-135.ht...

Other comfy shoes I have are 5.10 saphires and 5.10 Sirens these are meant to be womens fit though and their soles are a lot more flexable, maybe not quite what you are looking for.

- go to a shop with a variety of brands and spend a long time trying and comparing.

I would just caution that, a shoe may seem comfortable for a few minutes in a shop but rapidly become uncomfortable if you keep it on. A year from now you may want a tight shoe that you can take off after each route but for now I'd advise you to put comfort first. I agree with the others who've said Red Chilli Spirits. You'll probably kick the toe through after six months of indoor climbing anyway.

In reply to Boris_73:

Beginners could do worse than by wearing big boots or old fashioned plimsolls. It does wonders for learning about the importance of good footwork, and the difference you notice when you do switch to proper rock shoes is tremendous.

I didn't get my first pair of rock boots (a secondhand pair of Galibier PA's) until after I'd led my first VS! -- but then again it was more than a few years ago, when there were only PA's RD's EB's or Masters to choose from. -- No sticky rubber in those days, but with the exception of Masters they were generally comfy enough to wear all day!

In reply to Boris_73:

Mad Rock Loco are a good beginners shoe, but don't forget to drop a size or two from you normal street size.

In reply to Boris_73:

Just to add another view...

If you're a beginner your footwork is likely to be rubbish (don't worry, everyone was a beginner once, you'll get better). So you'll be wearing through the rubber pretty fast - any shoe which says it is "sensitive" will have a fairly thin rubber layer, you'll go through the toes in no time.

So my advice is as well as going for comfortable - get a pair with some fairly thick rubber (on the sole/toes, ignore any fancy heel rubber sculpting). You'll probably also find these are a bit stiffer, hence a bit easier to use until you grow monkey toes.

One final thing, if you're mainly climbing outside, try some of the higher topped shoes, they might help the ankle bashing be less painful.

In reply to Boris_73: If you get the chance, try a pair of La Sportiva Mythos. If yours is the right footshape (fairly narrow) you'll find them very comfortable, but also very good performance. Not the cheapest shoe on the market, but well worth it in my opinion. I've used them on everything from Yosemite cracks to gritstone slabs and limestone, and they're excellent. Lace-ups as well, so you can adjust the comfort factor at least a little bit. You do need to like purple, though......

In reply to chrisireland: has anybody tried the 5.10 Coyote i have heard they are very comfortable, but i was wondering what they are like on performance.

In reply to chrisireland:
i like my LA Sportiva -black and yellow in colour-with two lots of velcro fasteners. had them 4 two years - just getting comfy now ! hahha
also have Boreal spiders- they are comfy ! but chunkier boot. (just had them re-soled actually).

In reply to pinkie: Would you say the spiders are suitable for a beginner because i was looking at buying those as well

In reply to Boris_73:
i find that they are comfy ( i bought the same size as my shoe size and they are fine! i like my Boreals- only thing is the toe is a little rounded where as my La sportiva climbing shoe has a more pointer toe(which means i can get my more of my toe in a small hole whilst on the crag ! Boreals ,though are a gud all rounder !
most people want to go out and buy Anazai 5.10 as they are suposed to be the best stickier boot- you,ll have to try a few pairs on -everyones feet are different ! gud luck and welcombe to the climbing world !

In reply to silhouette: "You'll probably kick the toe through after six months of indoor climbing anyway. "

That's normal is it? Beginners error? Dragging the foot up the wall instead of placing it accurately straight onto holds? My Sportiva Mythoseseses have done this. Comfortable shoes though, when I replace them it's going to be tempting to get the same again, but having never tried any other shoes that seems foolish, may be something better for me!