UKC

Hi,
I have been climbing on and off for 3 years. I used to go to the rocks joining some local club doing trad/sport. I rarely went to the gym. Last couple of weeks I went bouldering for the first time. It was granite. With in 3 sessions I observed that the toe of my 5 10 rogue split open. Someone said it is because of poor technique.

One thing though the shoe is one size bigger for me as it is my first shoe. Would the bigger size be the reason?
I must say that I always felt I have trouble smearing, may be that is because of bigger size too. Any thoughts.

I would gone trad/sport around 30 times in lime, sandstone and grit. Is it possible that poor technique could kill the shoes in 3 bouldering sessions?.

Kaz

In reply to JustA5c:

You can kill shoes very quickly on abrasive rock with poor technique. In you case it may well be that but also the fact that the shoes are three years old and in the wrong size and you've had them since you started. They were most likely on their last legs anyway and you just pushed them over the edge

In reply to JustA5c:

What he said.

In reply to JustA5c:

Shoes don't last forever. Every time you climb, you lose a little bit of rubber. Eventually they split. It's normal.

On rougher rock types you'll lose it a little faster.

3 years is pretty good going.

In reply to JustA5c:

I go through shoe rubber faster in the gym than i do outside. this is simply because when im bouldering indoors i try harder routes, i will slip off holds more often, the footholds are possibly smaller, etc.
When im outside i tend to climb routes i fully expect to finish

on top of that, the number of precise foot placements, and mileage of hard moves im doing is probably much higher in a gym session compared to outside.

this may or may not be the same for you

In reply to valjean:


Why?

Just curious.

In reply to valjean:

That sounds dull

OP: Shoes wear pretty quickly, best get used to it. Good technique will make them last a bit longer but you're still up against an inexorable wearing process if you climb regularly. When I first got properly into climbing and my footwork was poor but mileage was high, I went through a pair of Scarpa Reflex's in 2 1/2 months. Thankfully my shoes last a little longer now!

In reply to robin mueller:
That's what he enjoys?

In reply to robin mueller:

previous post answers it

when im outside id rather climb long multi pitches or do several routes rather than project one route -- or rehearse one move -- over and over again.

So when Im outside I will rope up for climbs that are within a few grades (either way) of my onsight limit. If i get it, i get it. If I dont, then I dont. I pull the rope and move on to another climb -- and depending how that climb felt, I may or may not try it again next time I am at that crag.

In reply to JustA5c:

Ok thanks all. Get the picture.

In reply to valjean:

Fair enough. It sounded like you were talking about bouldering, but apparently not. It would be unusual to adopt a one go mentality with bouldering, hence my curiousity.

In reply to JustA5c:

30 + 3 sessions is easily enough to trash a shoe if your technique isn't spot on. One is to be honest. I suspect the granite session was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

I split the rand on my most recent 5.10s a few weeks back on glass smooth limestone. My foot placement is fairly good but as ever it was the hundreds/thousands of routes and problems routes preceding the one where it split which did the real harm. It's just another in a long line of shoes to die in service, they all do eventually.

jk