UKC

Another recommend-me-a-climbing-shoe thread. I did a search for it, honestly.

My usual all-round shoe is the Anasazi velcro, which as my feet are quite asymmetric fits me very nicely and is pretty comfortable. So I tend to use it for most things - bouldering, sport & trad.

The only thing it doens't do particularly comfortably is foot and toe jamming, when my toes get scrunched up, and on routes with extended jamming cracks it's excruciating. I sort of make do with an old and slightly baggier pair, but it's still not particularly pleasant for any length of time.

Anyone have any recommendations for a reasonably performance shoe which will do technical face climbing but will also do long jamming cracks comfortably? Any such thing? Something like the five ten piton looks designed for it, but they don't appear to be available in this country...?

Obviously nothing can beat actually trying the thing on, but looking for what works for other people. Especially if your foot happens to suit anasazis.

Thanks all.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:
I find that anything that bunches my toes enough to feel precise on small edges is quite painful on any sort of lock of foot jam. If you have 5.10 shaped feet you could try some Galileos , as they are wider and a bit stiffer they may work for you.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:


Being good at one will compromise the other.

As you've found, most important factor is fit, your toes must not be scrunched up. As most modern shoes are designed to work with toes curled, it's probably better to look for old-school shoes with a flat last, if that's the correct expression. La Sportiva Mythos or the old 5.10 red anasazi slippers, sized comfortably, could be good if they fit you.

In reply to plexiglass_nick: I've found that velcro shoes are pretty hopeless crack climbing simply because they come undone so easily when foot jamming.

For toe cracks I think any moderately technical shoe seems to do the job OK, for foot cracks - or long mountain routes with a lot of crack climbing involved (think Norway) I've found that stiffly board lasted comfy lace ups are the best. These are often sold as beginners shoes which is excellent as they are often cheaper! I had the old style Red Chili Sausolitos for ages which were great for my fat feet. In Lofoten and Kvaloya I climbed multiptich E1 -with lots of crack climbing- in them which is as hard as anything else I've climbed anywhere. Now using Mad Rock Frenzy lace, although the first pair were crappy quality http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=544 the replacements seem better. They are very good in hand to fist cracks, but aren't so good for face climbing I find as the Sausolitos.

I climb granite cracks a lot so often end up wearing out the uppers before the soles or rands - so the beefier the shoe the better in this case.

But over all I would look for stiff, board-lasted lace-ups that fit you well.

In reply to TobyA: Have you seen the new 5.10 stealth paint... looks like good stuff and might solve you're upper wearing out issue... http://www.fiveten.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=3_28&products_id=...

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

i didn't think the velcros are particularly asymmetric....i fit them really well but can't wear a seriously asymmetric shoe like the Miura velcro or testarossa.

i use a pair of greens for trad jamming stuff which has a fairly similar shape to the velcro but better support.....or you could just man up and take the pain :0

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

What Toby says makes sense, although Sausilitos may not suit your feet if you fit 5.10s. Board lasted with some lateral stiffness takes so much strain off the foot if it needs to be jammed in a crack for a while.

In reply to Reach>Talent:

Thanks, I'll give them a go. I'll see if I can get away with less scrunched toes.

In reply to plexiglass_nick: http:/...

In reply to duncan:


That was what I was afraid of.


Spot on with the scrunched toes. That is exactly why Anasazis work so well for me on face climbing, so it's almost certainly going to compromise standing on small edges. I'll give the mythos a try, it seems to get good reviews.

In reply to plexiglass_nick: I find that many jamming cracks, at least at the more modest grades, are easier in big boots.

Al

In reply to TobyA:

Thanks Toby. I'll give the Sausolitos a go. How did you find them for face climbing? Clearly not going to be as good as a more technical shoe but ok up to, say, E2 - E3 or F6c ish?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

See, I do fit the testarossa and also the jet 7 but surprisingly I've never found they've bettered the performance I get out of trusty sazi velcros. Best. Shoe. Ever.


Actually found the greens more painful than my old velcros, though the greens were new which might be why.


It will at least continue to give me an excuse when I fail on jamming cracks!

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

Genius!

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

The Sportiva Barracuddas are great at both, having a good edge and rubber webbing over the toes for toe jams, and very comfy on my feet (as are the Anasazi velcros) unfortunately they have stopped making them.

In reply to catt:

Yep, Haze rates them for jamming. Too long for my feet though unfortunately!

Any idea if they are being replaced by another model?

In reply to catt:

I'd have recommended the same if they hadn't stopped making them. Looking at what they do now I saw these, which might do the job:

http://sportiva.com/products/prod/861

Their most expensive rock climbing shoe mind, and it's not as if their isn't some competition for that slot (!)

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Sauslitos are good for edging, so it sort of depends on the route. On limestone slabs I've climbed F6c in them; but where footholds are very small and slopey they aren't the best. super comfy though and definately good for foot jamming!