UKC

Does it really ruin the performance of the boot?

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

it depends but personally i think its more of a headgame

i dont notice any difference personally but at the same time i dont feel confident in trying an indoor 6a unless im wearing my technical shoes yet i know full well i can do it in my comfy shoes

In reply to northernmonkey1982: My personal verdict is yes for comfier fitting shoes, but no for tighter fitting shoes. I played around with thin liner socks, but now use tighter shoes so don't use them anymore.

In reply to MattT88: My feet go sweaty and feel slippy inside the shoes if I don't wear sox.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

My shoes are fitted for no socks, and the v thin liners ruin performance for me because they are slippery. I'm sure if I bought a boot to fit with a thin cotton or wool sock it would be fine though.

The main downside of not wearing socks for me is that my shoes absolutely stink.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

If your feet would be numb from cold otherwise, socks improve the performance.

For me they make no difference to how I climb 90% of the time except that my feet are comfortable all day. For the remaining 10% I wear tighter boots.

In reply to northernmonkey1982: No socks when breaking boots it, then socks as they are coming to the end of their lifespan & there is space where there was previously none!

In reply to northernmonkey1982:
Depends, I'd probably say socks toward the end of a shoes life but without normally. Although if you have tight shoes and wear socks because it is cold it will cut off the circulation and make things worse, just wear trousers or put on some thermals.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

I have narrow low volume feet, so I need to pad out sloppy boots with socks. That said, in the days when I could get a pair to fit me properly I used to dispense with socks - only to find that I was skidding around in pools of foot grease. The attendant smell used to make off duty mortuary technicians wince and so, by and large I find that

1. I climb better wearing socks

and

2. People are more willing to climb with me, when I wear socks

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

Depends upon the type of climbing you're doing and the standard at which you're doing it.

Sometimes the smallest movement between your foot and your rock boot can mean the difference between your foot staying on an edge or not staying on an edge. Same goes for slabs where the sensitivity that is lost through a pair of socks can mean the difference between moving upwards or downwards.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

I reckon they don't make that much difference if they are thin.

I decide whether or not to wear socks depending on how cold it is - I nearly always wear socks and bigger shoes in winter. In fact I have onsighted sport 7a and climbed V6 in socks and non-technical shoes. Having said that though, I very rarely wear technical shoes anymore and climb most things in Red Chilli spirits, with and without socks. While technical shoes do make a difference, once you have good technique you can apply that technique whatever you are wearing. I doubt that the style of shoes/socks will make much difference on most routes below E1/6a/V2 as long as they are well fitted.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:
Improves the boot, in my case; no matter how tightly the shoes are laced, the sweat in the shoe inevitably eventually results in the shoe turning on the fott when edging or whatever. Socks not only stop the shoes from being unnacceptably smelly, but keep the shoe in place on the foot.

Sxx

In reply to Sarah G:

Succinctly put - and seconded!


Chris

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

Works fine if there's space. Then again I can climb as hard in my ripped up old pinks as I can in my 'sunday best' so I'm probably not the best judge

jk

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

On very tight precisely fitted shoes, maybe, but I doubt it.

For the other 99.999999999999% of times, no. I like socks in boots unless the weather is very hot. I find the first thing that makes me want to call a halt to a day's cragging are sore toes, partly from pressure, and partly from cold. Socks help a lot.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

I cant climb with socks in my shoes - simple as that... mind you i only really climb indoors and you get my more precise footwork. But if i was to wear socks (have tried when very cold) my feet are all over the place - not literally - i can still control my feet with socks on but i cant use the edges, toes or heel - useless - only good if your standing on a ladder or equivalent sized holds/rock...

In reply to Mckenzie:


I agree with you about the socks, but really indoor climbing and more precise footwork! Please, have you ever climbed an real stone slab??? Probably not.....

In reply to Mckenzie:


Are you serious? How does a pair of socks have that much effect on you?
I suspect you aren't serious. Indoor foot work is way clunkier than anything outdoors - you have big coloured holds to aim for!

In reply to Ceridwen:

well yes in fact - regularly... gull bay - quality trad slab

and yes, much more precise in a lot of ways... ok, sometimes not, but many times yes.

In reply to Mckenzie: We'll just have to agree to disagree then! Enjoy the sun and get out there, it's really nice at the moment. Another quality trad slab near you is baggy point, some fantastic lines there....

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

If only I had the luxury of choice on this one. I can only just get my feet into the largest sizes without socks, climbing with socks isn't an option I have to consider ;(

In reply to timjones: Don't think your missing out.... I've only tried it once and it was horrible! Never again....

In reply to Ceridwen:


It May be so if you're only a fair weather climber

I've had plenty of days when the warmth of a pair of socks would have been very welcome ;(

In reply to Chris Craggs: You're sooo wrong, Chris! And several thousands of us own the evidence

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

It's like putting underpants under cycling shorts...

Enty

In reply to timjones:



I am not a fair weather climber, I climb outdoors regularly throughout winter and summer!

When its cold I put leg warmers on and pull them down over my ankles, this not only practical but stylish!
I take my shoes off between climbs, which is also practical as its often muddy and put on warm socks and shoes. If I am half way up a cliff and not climbing the leg warmers can be pulled right over the climbing shoe until its my turn to climb.

I think socks in shoes are horrible because they reduce sensitivity, in comfy shoes they feel insecure and in technical shoes they are too tight....

But hey if you like them, fair enough.... horses for courses

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

I usually wear socks. They stop the midges from biting my ankles.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

cold outdoor days- socks and no bllody shame in it, i like my toes

warm outdoor days, indoors- no socks...simple!

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

...'course Al will tell you about wearing them over his boots...

In reply to Marc C:

You are sooooooo absolutely right Chris, we could both name drop sock wearers till the cows come home, its obviously just personal preference.

In reply to jon: You've read my Dovedale Groove story then

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

Can't be doing with 'em. My feet ruin the performance of the boot enough without adding socks into the mix.

In reply to northernmonkey1982:

When I have new(ish) shoes I never wear socks, as they get old and stretch, I find socks help make them seem the right size again. this is only with old shoes though. IMHO the fit is more important than a bit of cotton between your skin and the leather inner

In reply to JamesO!?:
IMHO the fit is more important than a bit of cotton between your skin and the leather inner

I'd keep that to yourself.

In reply to northernmonkey1982: Nobody seems to have mentioned wearing socks OVER your rockboots?

In reply to TradSimon:

Yes I did - that's what sparked Al into life...