UKC

My 5.10's have finally had it after 2 re soles. Can anyone recommend a shoe for easy multi pitch?
Needs to have sole with padding and some grip on the bottom of heal to stop sliding on steep grass. No one seems to make them anymore.

In reply to Dorchester:
ive never seen a climbing shoe with tread on the HEEL, the shoe that springs to mind as a comfortable shoe is the Boreal Joker or Joker plus

In reply to The Potato:

5.10 used to do one with a bit of thread on the heel, designed as an all day shoe. They were the most comfortable shoes I've every had. Cant remember what they were called?

In reply to Phil79:

Ascent.

http://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/MoosejawMB/PMMPAHGEHNCOMANJ_zm?$product1000...

The Gambit is their current equivalent type shoe but no dotty heel.

In reply to Dorchester:

La Sportiva Rockjocks, but again, sadly no longer made.

Al

In reply to Dorchester:

Not for about 20 years... My Asolo Canyons are coming unglued again and I've been looking for all-day shoes, possibly with tread on the heel for the walk back down, but while I remember the adverts from back in the days of High and C&R, I can't for my life remember what they were nor who made them.

These are about the closest I've seen but neither is on my shortlist:

https://www.amazon.com/CLIMB-Redpoint-Climbing-Shoe-Value/dp/B0084H7LP8
http://gearx.com/blog/2011/04/16/evolv-evo-climbing-shoe-great-edging-perfo...

D


Edit: Oh.. You all got there before me. I type too slowly.

In reply to Dorchester:

Perhaps some approach shoes? Just a thought.

In reply to Dorchester:

I don't know about all day comfort, but these have grips on the heel
http://walkhigh.co.uk/acatalog/info_689.html

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I have climbed up to and including VS in my original 5.10 Tennies. I've also climbed 6a+ indoors in them. Not sure how the new designs compare though.

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

I'm pretty sure Alex Honnold onsighted 5.12 (E4+) trad in his whilst on the Fitz traverse.

Maybe if I swap my rock shoes for a pair I'll be to onsight E4 and up?

In reply to galpinos:


Yes mine were Ascents, I had two pairs before they stopped making them. They were great as they could be worn all day without the huge sigh of relief when you took them off. Any gear manufacturers out there? could be a gap in the market.

In reply to Dorchester:

pretty sure Red Chili used to do a similar one too - I seem to remember a blue shoe with Velcro and a thin wedge of cushioning under the heel, with a bit of tread on that part of the sole too.

As others have said though one of the more climbing-centric approach shoes might be your best bet - I've also climbed VS and 6a in 5.10 Camp Fours, but there are more technical, less chunky shoes out there.

In reply to Dorchester:

5.10 Ascent, Scarpa Marathon, Sportiva Rockjock are no longer made (perhaps some models from REd Chili). Neither is Nepa.

5.10 Daescent might fit the bill... But not sure about the current model. Sportiva Ganda as well, if you can find one.


Best bet is to get something like Millet Hybrid, and be careful on wet grass... DIY persons might even decide to cut a tread pattern in the heel with a carpet knife...

In reply to Dorchester: Vapor V have a very faint tread on the heel, but as you wear5,10 my suspicion is that they'll be a horrible fit for you.

Q

In reply to galpinos:

Yes, that's them. Loved them.

In reply to Dorchester:

You could always consider buying some 'normal' flat-soled shoes and asking Torquil at Llanberis Resoles to glue some 5.10 dotty rubber on the heels?

In reply to Dorchester:

As others have already said, the new wave of approach shoes (with eyelets all the way down to the toes) have taken on this niche in the market. Having started to muck about in approach shoes on easy multipitch routes, I have been quite surprised how well they fared. I bought some second hand La sportiva boulder X's for a day bumble along the Culin ridge and they coped with the walking and the climbing equally well. What I did find Made a little difference is how tight you laced them up.

In reply to Dorchester:

re sole some s/h 1980/90's rock boots and specify a heel block unit. That's what I'm about to do

In reply to Dorchester: As others have said, approach shoes have now come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years. Some are just crazy light like my Evolv Cruzer and plenty of others cope equally well with long mountain approaches and technical climbing.

I regularly second pitches up to HVS in my approach shoes despite my rock shoes being comfortable enough. I'd even go as far as to say they would now be my default option for any easy multi-pitch.

You now either have a single solution for both the route and the climb or approach shoes that are so light that there is absolutely no need to ever consider walking off in rock shoes.

As such there isn't really any gap in the market. The market has just moved on, as it has done repeatedly over the decades.