UKC

I'm at a loss for indoor shoes... I love my TC Pros and ideally I'd like La Sportiva shoes for inside simply because I've been so impressed with both models of TC Pros. What shoes would you recommend?

I wear Miura VS outside for most trad and sport and Skwamas for burly, heel hooky roof type climbing where the feet are more pressing against the rock as opposed to bearing down on edges.

Inside, I use the Skwamas for most things and the Miura VS for vertical technical blocs where a stiff toe is helpful.

I'm fairly heavy though and need a stiffer shoe for small edges.

Fellow TC pro enjoyer - I like Katakis (if you can get them) or the Women's Katana Lace (if they're made in your size) for something slightly softer, if that's what you're after. I size both the same as TCs. 

Also had good luck fit-wise with Skwamas (half a size smaller than the others) but my toes are a bit knackered and prefer the support of a stiffer shoe. 

To be honest, I tend to just wear my TCs for routes in the gym as they're my comfiest shoes! I only feel the need to switch to something else for super steep stuff or bouldering. 

If you want to stick with Sportive then for indoors (doesn't really matter but are you mainly bouldering or ropes?) Katana Lace, Miura Vs are excellent down turned stiff options. Solutions/Theorys for soft down turned options or something like the Mantra? Soft slipper, comfy does most things very well.

If you wanted to broaden the field then Scarpa Instinct family is very good or a Tenaya Oasi/Mastia?

I could honestly just list a ton of shoes but that would be sensationally unhelpful. I predominantly wear Tenaya Mastia indoors and either Tenaya Tati or LS Kataki outdoors.

Keep an eye out for LS boot demos as a great way to actually try before you buy etc.

This probably didn't help but I hope it did!

Skwamas are a similar fit to TC Pros, a softer and a great all rounder for indoors (and out)

Thanks, what's the sizing like on the Katanas? I take half size down on tc pros.

Thanks. Tempted by Katana Lace. What's the sizing like?

I have a comfy pair in the same size as my TCs, and a tighter pair a half size down from my TCs for the harder stuff - I find the new Katana Laces a tiny bit more pointy at the big toe than TCs, with slightly more heel tension, so in the same size they're a little more precise but ever so slightly less comfortable.

If the Women's ones fit you (they make the women's Katana Lace up to a size 42) they have the XS Grip2 rubber rather than XS Edge which I tend to prefer indoors. Fit is the same as the men's model according to La Sportiva, they're just a little softer (split sole) and have the softer rubber. 

Thanks, that's really helpful!

I prefer to get cheap shoes for indoors and save my expensive ones for outdoors.

Beginner/intermediate shoes tend to be cheaper and last longer too because they have thicker rubber. I picked up a pair of Sportiva Finale for cheap but sized down so they had a bit of a 'performance fit'. They've actually been great, quite happy leading 7a and bouldering 6c in them at the wall.

Personally I've never found using my best shoes on a modern climbing wall to be very productive.  I just use retired shoes and a pair of thin socks which means I'm not in agony every climbing wall trip.  The make of shoe is going to be (or should be) about what fits you so you need to take advice on make/model with a pinch of salt.

Unfortunately my retired pairs both now have holes in... 

If doing indoors twice a week around 2 hrs per session, a soft sticky sole may wear down and show holes at the toes around 5-6 months. Then resoling would cost around £60.

I'm not a very good climber and so feel like I need to rely on a soft sticky sole.

I'm about to collect a pair of Scarpa Quantic because my Quantic SF with a soft sticky sole now have holes at the toes after 4 months of pushing it indoors.

A bit of food for thought 👍 

For indoor bouldering, I really like the Tenaya Oasi and the EB Sentinels, because they are a bit more sensitive, are downturned without being bananas, and seem good for both edging and smearing. I also really like the Oasi's for outdoor bouldering (particularly on grit). They are both narrow, though: the Oasi's are really much more narrow in the toebox than La Sportiva shoes. The EBs are worth a look because they are also quite cheap.

For indoor leading, I find the footholds tend to be so big indoors that I mostly wear a pair of comfy shoes, e.g. something like a pink Anasazi, though the Oasi's feel very nice too on particularly small holds (e.g. technical slab on smears and gibs). I've seen people lead indoor 7b in Tarantulas, and recommend something relatively comfy because I'm not sure the continued and extensive abuse to your feet in aggressive shoes is worth it for indoor sub-7s. What is gained when you're on a thumb-width to fist-sized lump of resin rather than a credit-card limestone dink?

I don't really recommend the Katana or Kataki for indoors, because they are expensive and stiff. Great shoes, but £140 for a shoe that isn't particularly adapted to indoor climbing; better to save them for harder trad routes or outdoor sport IMO. The only time I wear them indoors is to start the break in process. Size-wise: street shoe 45 down to 42.5 for Katanas and Katakis for me, and that's for a comfy fit.