UKC

Hey

I recently started climbing at a local indoor centre, I’ve been doing it now for around 6-7 weeks and think it’s time to pick up my own shoes. If I’m totally honest I’m not clued up on Bouldering equipment/brands but coming from the Mountain Bike world I am familiar with the Five:Ten brand and they make fantastic shoes (although for a totally different purpose). Anyway I’m starting to ramble, would anyone be able to recommend a good pair of shoes for a beginner (costs not so much of an issue, just want so good reliable shoes).

Any advice would be very much appreciated

thanks a lot,

XIII

Fit is almost everything. If you can find somewhere with a reasonable range, preferably staffed by a climber and go spend half an hour trying shoes on.

All the brands make shoes suitable for beginners, it's whether they fit your foot shape that is important

Wot he said but make it an hour, or two....or three 

Hey

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately there don’t seem to be many climbing stores in my area (the sport almost seems unheard of and I have to explain what it is to anyone I talk about it to). Fortunately I’m in London for the weekend which I’m sure will give me access to a much greater range and offering of products, can you (or anyone else) recommend somewhere in London that might be worth checking out and I’ll try and make my way across there over the weekend (unfortunately I won’t have to for a climb ).

Additionally, and I’m sure this has been discussed no end on these boards.... but should I be looking for the best fit with or without socks? (I always wear slim running so is at the moment but that’s partly down to wearing rentals).

Thanks again,

XIII

London shops that'll have a good selection and informed assistants, off the top of my head: Cold Mountain Kit. Rock On at Mile End Climbing Wall. The shop at the Castle climbing wall. Ellis Brigham can have a decent range, and has branches all over the place.

I'd recommend fitting without socks, personally, to minimize slippage between shoe and foot. But there are plenty of people who climb harder than me with socks!

I'd always recommend beginners fitting with thin socks to minimise slippage between the shoe and foot

This soon happens as 'mank' builds (as it normally will)  and shoes start to stink. Mank induced slippage affects beginner shoes worse in my experience (I was a no-socks fashion victim when I started climbing).  Socks also helps the micro-fit. If the shoes stretch a bit, wear thicker socks. They then make great starter shoes for outdoor climbing that protect ankles from midge bites, ticks and stinging plants.

If a climber is lucky enough to not suffer from foot sweat problems, maybe its less of an issue.

For the OP: Beginner shoes should be wearable for hours with a snug,  but not tight, fit. If shoes feel at all painful when trying them on in a shop, they are the wrong model,  or too tight. Also look out for shoe companies that run free trials of various models at certain climbing walls.

When I started, someone recommended that I go with a simpler all around shoe like Tarantulace and it was good advice. They are relatively inexpensive and you won't feel as bad when you beat up your shoes as you learn technique. As others have said, the fit has to be right!

If you like 5.10 try the Anasazi VCS - great all round shoes.

Climbing shoes need to be fairly tight but if you get them too tight they will sit in a cupboard and never be used.  If you get them a bit loose then they'll become your comfortable shoes for mileage and easier stuff.

If your feet sweat a lot then wear thin socks with them.   Climbing shoes can really stink and nothing makes it go away for long once they start.

Unfortunately while in London I didn't get the time I needed to go and try some shoes

I've ended up buying some online, the ones I purchased are a pair of Hiangle Synthetic by Five Ten, I decided to buy a range of sizes (6.5 / 7 / 7.5) since I'd be trying them at home, my "street size" is a 7 but on receiving and trying the Hiangle Synthetics I'm finding that even the 7.5 are unbelievably tight, I was under the impression that people down size in climbing shoes not increase in size... I'm a little unsure now on what I should do, do I go for something different? Is the tightness for the 7.5's how they should fit.... anyone able to offer some advice please?

Thanks a lot,

XIII

If you have only been bouldering 6 or 7 weeks the Hiangles are probably the wrong shoe.   They will feel tight and uncomfortable compared with what you are used to even if they are sized correctly.   

If it was me I'd buy something much less aggressive as my first shoe and in maybe six months or a year when I start to find the limits of the first shoe and have the technique to make use of things like an aggressively downturned toe then look at something like Hiangles.     Most people who have a really aggressive shoe will also own a pair of less aggressive, more comfortable ones.

Hi and thanks for the reply

I’ve bought the shoes from Banana Fingers, what do you think would be a better alternative to the shoe I’ve purchased from their range?

https://www.bananafingers.co.uk/category/climbing-shoes

Thanks,

XIII

P.S; Additionally, what’s wrong with just plain coloured (black) climbing shoes, everything seems to be wacky neon colours with crazy designs going on (this is almost a polar opposite to me, there’s nothing neon about my life lol!).

If it was me I'd buy my first pair of shoes somewhere I could try them on.  Most walls have a shop with some climbing shoes.   Once I knew what worked for me then when they wore out I might buy the next pair from Banana Fingers (or wherever had a sale).

Assuming that's not an option because you've already committed to Banana Fingers I'd get 5.10 Anasazi VCS in the same size as my street shoes.    Like it says on Banana Fingers website they are "quite possibly the most widely used shoe in the UK" and that's because they work pretty well across a range of different styles and are reasonably comfortable.  They are a fair bit better than 'entry level' shoes and you shouldn't find them a limitation in your climbing.  

Unfortunately the walls I climb at both don’t have shops (unless you count water, soft drinks, light snacks and coffee or tea lol!), which is what pushed me towards buying online in the first place.

I'm not tied to Banana Fingers but it would make a simpler transaction to exchange the shoes I’ve already bought, I’ll take a look at the Anasazi VCS but if anyone wants to offer another alternative I’m happy to keep my options open.

Thanks,

XIII

Things like La Sportiva Katana and Scarpa Vapour would be alternatives.  It is all about fit and if you don't have the option to try them on there's no data to choose between them.

Yeah I guess its not as simple as standard shoe shopping where you know your size and can purchase online knowing everything will be fine.

I guess I'm now in the dilemma of do I keep the Hiangles and see if they work, or do I swap out now which I still can and before its too late, as once I've climbed in them I'm guessing I'll no longer be able to return them...

Why cant this just be simple haha!!

XIII