UKC

Ive seen a few videos where they climb with bare feet, surely this is really painfull? Whats the need?
Also you can do dead hangs ect ect to train your finger strength, but is their any exercice or training to get your feet stronger?

In reply to Stiffinger:

I've done a bit of climbing bare foot (a little bit). I've got pretty hardy feet so didnt' really cause any pain except occaisionally. Dunno bout hard stuff though.

may have to try it again now it's warming up :-p

In reply to Stiffinger:
Bare footed climbing isn't normally painful although I wouldn't climb on slate or really rough granite. I've climbed limestone, grit, granite and dolerite barefooted and not had any major problems apart from once getting my toe stuck (crack climbing isn't a good idea) and a rather uncomfortable slide off a slabby problem on the RAC boulders. Toe strength doesn't seem to be as much of a problem as I'd expected but I find I use my big toe almost exclusively, I can't really edge on my little toes.

In reply to Stiffinger:

I've soloed up to about HVS/E1 barefoot on the grit and upto about VS/HVS in the lakes. For lakes climbing it's almost as good as shoes as you can feel holds better and polish is less of an issue- stuff like troutdale pinnacle is cool barefoot. I've soloed alot at stanage Barefoot and it's not too bad, although small slopey pockets don't feel secure and cracks can be agonising.

As the other poster said, you almost exclussively use your big toe, which is immensly strong compared to any of your fingers. If you were using holds that needed greater strength of toe, then your feet wouldnt stay on.

In reply to Stiffinger: Ah its interesting that quite a few people climb bare foot i may have to give it a go when im next out. Although im guessing not many people climb bare foot at indoor walls.?

In reply to Stiffinger: Used to climb barefoot indoors on unplanned trips to the wall when i didn't have my shoes. Kept getting kicked out though... I can see where they were coming from there though