UKC

I just read at some page that someone said a pair of climbing shoes can last in 4-5years, depending on the quality and how you treat them.

So, I'm wondering- how shall you treat your climbing shoes- do you need to wash them, and in case with what?
and what can you do to not make then slippery on the rubber?
what kin of treatment?

In your opinion- how long does a pair of ... last?
-five ten
-sportiva
-evolv
-red chili
-scarpa
-boreal
others..?

and when saying last, is it in the meaning of that you can't use them at all, you have to throw them?!
cause even though my boreal (after about half a year use) got a lid on the right shoe on the front area (bigtoe) I can still use them.
How do they look when one can't use them anymore? What must be broken? or open?

In reply to jessica_0601:
It depends--some people continue using shoes long after others would have ditched them, or perhaps they keep them for easy routes.

Shoes generally wear out by firstly losing their edges, then developing holes in the toe section which gets most wear.

In reply to jessica_0601: it depends alot on your footwork and on how often you climb indoors - the nature of alot of climbing indoors means you punish particular spots on the boots more than you do when you climb outside, where they tend to get a more all round workout

have only ever owned boreal and sportiva, went through the sportiva quicker than i have the boreal, but would gladly have both brands again, they were the main 2 brabds that were about and readily available when i started climbing so i have just stuck with them

when i chuck them depends most on my monetary situation, i've got a couple of pairs that are still climbable that i have retired while in a fairly good state, and i'll be using them for dws

never cleaned my boots in my life

In reply to Only a hill: yes, my boreal has a smal "lid"(is it what it's called) opening in the toe-section- but I can still use it, cause it's not all gone through, I can just see a small small opening, a little white.

I'm thinking when someone say that a shoe can last 4-5years they mean when they 're fully destroyed and unusable.

Cause irl,I've heard from so many that a pair of climbing shoes only last a year, if you're lucky..

what do you think of repairing shoes? I've heard of that, and isn't it better just buy a new pair? how well will the repair do- I mean if you have to send it in to a "shoemaker"- and it costs money as well.

but I also know there are some shoe-repair rubber thing to get in the store. is it any good?

In reply to EasyAndy: yes,I've the impression climbers don't treat their shoes very well and kindly. just throwing them away when taking them off. that can't be any good.

my boreal got an opening after the weekend I climbed outside for the first time. I don't know how, but I've been told newbies often get an opening on the shoe like that, cause they have bad footwork. cause when you're a good climber the opening shouldn't be at that place, but underneath the shoe..

In reply to jessica_0601: I go through my main shoes (evolv bandits) about once every 3-4 months. I also have steep shoes though for climbing on a training board and steep stuff outdoors and these usually last about a year. I mainly boulder on many different rock types and only bin my shoes when they are unusable (split soles, holes through the toes, ripped heel rubber off, etc) this is all from about 40-60 hours climbing a month depending on how much time i have off and the weather.

In reply to jessica_0601: ...I could go on about 'all depends'....but a coupla key points. I find that all my shoes last longer if I have a few pairs and allow them to 'rest' after each time out - ie they dry out, assume a better shape etc since they are not being pounded day after day. Second point is that IMHO repairs tend to change the shape of the shoe and usually seem to make them smaller and tighter - can be useful, but is usually a pain.

In reply to jessica_0601: God Jessica. Right. Go to a shop. Try on loads of shoes. Decide which pair is the comfiest. Buy that pair of shoes. Stop worrying about shoes.

You've been climbing less than a year, having the best shoes out there, will not change anything about your climbing. You are better off learning good footwork, good body positioning etc.

The shoes you wear is about as relevant as the bra you wear when you have been climbing for less than a year.

Focus more on getting some mileage on the rock than on the next pair of shoes you can buy.

That's my advice anyway.

My shoes smell though, so I wouldn't listen to me!

In reply to Mike Nolan: I get it,I get it! Thanks! I just want to ask about everything around climbing,so I can be prepared! I use to have my shoes in fabric bags,is that a bad thing,should I let them be outside or in the room?

In reply to jessica_0601: Meh, well stop preparing and climb! "The best training for climbing, is climbing" ... NOT talking about shoes till you drive me to insanity!! :P

In reply to Mike Nolan: Oh and one thing with relevance to this thread. Don't walk around the bottom of the crag in your shoes. I did this and it just accelerated the wear on them.

In reply to Mike Nolan: Im so sorry. I'm terribly ill,so haven't been climbing for a couple of weeks,and that's driving me insane!! Can't wait to practice all answers I've got from here.

In reply to Mike Nolan: Thanks,I did that with my boreal,and I tend to almost do that,And I know it's no good,have been told so by mates as well. The shoe lose grip and get slippery with mud underneath. But thnx anyway. How can I clean them when they get grass,stone or mud under?

In reply to jessica_0601:
If you urinate in your climbing shoes regularly,and leave them out to dry in the sun, they eventually go really tough and leathery and last forever.

In reply to Removed Userysingo:
That could be a bit dangerous. Is it safe for you to go out in the sun Jess?

In reply to jessica_0601: Like an old rag type thing is pretty good. Maybe an old tea towel?

Either that or a cheap doormat. There is a 'doormat' included in one of the DMM bouldering pads, I regularly use it before problems!

In reply to jessica_0601:Can you stop teasing and come with all these ridiculous suggestions?! I'm serious with my questions!! If you don't have an answer,let it be,go away!! What do you mean Liz?You don't think I'm only a man,but a vampire or some other sun avoiding creature?

In reply to jessica_0601:
Have you not read The Hobbit?

In reply to Mike Nolan: Thank you,Mike I tried to use toilet paper with a little water on once,bad idea-sticky. And toothbrush. But what kind of soap?-that won't make it slippery

In reply to Mike Nolan:


Not according to Dave MacLeod. In 9 out of 10 Climbers he suggests that having 'comfy', beginner shoes early on is likely to enforce bad footwork at the worst time possible (i.e. when you are first learning). Such bad habits lead to not trusting the feet and just pulling with the arms. This behaviour becomes engrained and has to be un-learned later on.

In reply to jessica_0601: From my experience, climbing 3-4 times in a week:

Five Ten Anasazi: 8-10 months to get hole on big toe.
La Sportiva Katana: ~4 months to get hole on big toe.

In reply to chris_j_s: Well there you go, I stand corrected, God has spoken

The point I was trying to make, is that Jessica is obsessing about the shoes she is wearing, up to a point where on another thread she mentioned that they need to 'look good'.

I think you see my point!

In reply to Mike Nolan:

i would be lying if i said that how shoes looked were not a factor in whether i would eventually purchase them or not. i wouldnt buy hot pink shoes for example. was always the thing that put me off the original lasers

ok i dont try and match them with my outfit or anything but look definitely plays a small part

In reply to Mike Nolan:

I do indeed see your point!

To be honest after seeing an earlier thread from this poster I've tried to avoid reading too many more so I'm not familiar with the full shoe obsession background!

In reply to EasyAndy: Yup.I was sceptic buying those boreal crux,both since I was told it wasn't the best newbie shoe and second I didn't like the color that much- but it was on sale,didn't want to use too much money on first pair,and it was tight,as I was told they should be. I know newbies should have them comfortable,but I don't want to have the newbie stuff,I'm pretty stubborn( but don't misunderstand me,I'm not cocky-I call myself a newbie all the time-even when I've climbed a year. I know,as I was told everyone is some kind of newbie,in a learning process. But compared to a totally fresh person who's going for the first climb-what can I call myself? Btw,I've noticed a lot of shoes in orange-yellow. I like them in a more descrete neutral color like grey,black..or blue. I don't like the boreal in turquoise fex.. And evolv pontas in blue n green But if the shoe is cool and fitting and popular I've started to not care so much. Scarpa orange look good

In reply to EasyAndy: I have to admit I match outfit sometimes. Or at least don't let it crash and get too colorful if the shoes already are

In reply to jessica_0601:

Shoes made by Andrea Boldrini look better.

In reply to jessica_0601:

Regular climbing so 2-3 times a week, my red chillies lasted me about a year and a half (but rubbish rubber), my evols lasted about 3 months, and my la sportiva katans are doing well after 8 months.

If you start off with tight technical shoes your likaly to do some serious damage to your feet. They are not developed to take the strain of having your weight on small holds with no support for long periods of time. It has to be built up. Same with fingers really.