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Wearing down rock shoe toes - technique issue?

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 Ed Navigante 26 Jul 2013
I wear down my shoes at the toe point so much quicker than any other area. I bought a new pair of Anasazi's, tried to keep them for outdoor only so as to keep minimal wear since for me £90 is a bit of a big lump sum [student ] and in about 6 months I've managed to wear through the toe to the point that they probably need re-rubbering or the rand will wear through.

The rest of the rubber seems totally fine, hardly used. I know the toes wear through fastest anyway, but I was wondering if there could be a specific issue, possibly poor technique, that means I'm wearing through them at such a rate?

 Max factor 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

this might be becuase you climb mainly on your toes.

(sorry, had to be said!)
 dr_botnik 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante: More like good technique. the 5.10s are designed to focus all the power onto the 'front point' of the toe, this is why they're so popular. You're probably just using them right, i think climbing shoes only last about 500 climbs, some of my mates get through a pair every 3 months!
 Tom F Harding 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

My first couple of pairs of climbing shoes wore out on the outside and inside edges then my next 3 pairs (Anasazi's) all died of a small holes on the toes - It just means your footworks getting better and your standing on holds with a better foot position. That's what I've always been lead to believe anyway.
 Blue Straggler 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

6 months is reasonably good going if you are climbing regularly. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but climbing shoes are a "consumable". Everyone wears through the toes first.

I had a pair of Scarpa Vantage and a pair of Red Chilli Durango used "in parallel", arbitrarily. Was going to the wall on average once a week, and sporadically outdoors. Got two years out of them. That's one year each I guess. Now a climbing wall has opened very near to my house and I have a membership so I am there at least 3 times a week, and my shoes don't last much longer than 6 months it seems (though I do buy cheap shit I must admit!)
 mcdougal 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

I have a theory that shoe wear goes through 3 stages:

1. Beginner stage; you peddle and scrabble without placing feet properly which leads to wearing through shoes quickly.

2. Intermediate stage: You learn to place your feet and know they'll stick so you don't tend to move them much so you don't wear through too much rubber.

3. Advanced stage: You adjust body position much more after placing feet so feet pivot on holds much more which leads to more shoe wear.

There's no way round it. I think we have to "suck it up" (eugh) as they say
 jkarran 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

Wearing thin in 6 months of keen use, especially on an abrasive medium isn't abnormal. Anasazi toes always get hammered, it's the way they work best. Placing your feet a little more carefully and making some effort to use the edges rather than the toes for less critical holds will eke a bit more life out of them but you could be climbing pretty well already and just seeing normal wear.

jk
 Durbs 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:

Yeah, depending how much you climb, 6 months is pretty good going.

Resoles are cheaper than new shoes
 xplorer 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante:


I'd put that down to good technique.
 GeoffRadcliffe 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante: I bought a new pair of Anasazi's, tried to keep them for outdoor only so as to keep minimal wear since for me £90 is a bit of a big lump sum [student ] and in about 6 months I've managed to wear through the toe to the point that they probably need re-rubbering or the rand will wear through.
>
If you climb 2 or 3 times a week then 6 months is a reasonable length of time for rock shoes/boots.

If you are only climbing E1 or F6c sport you probably don't need high performance shoes. Look at buying something cheaper, there are many lower cost brands out there with good rubber. I find that the fit is the best consideration when buying a boot/shoe. Also, I have found that the higher the performance of the shoe/boot, the quicker it wears out.
 gear boy 26 Jul 2013
In reply to Ed Navigante: you arent fully clear about where exactly the shoe is wearing through

If it is above where the rand joins the sole, then this could be technique, get someone to watch you and check you dont drag you feet up between holds, as the dreaded toe drag wears rands out quick

If you are wearing through sole and rand at the big toe point then you are wearing the shoe out normally, but maybe think about ways you can use holds not on your big toe so you dont wear it out so quickly,

HTH

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