Bouldering vs rock climbing shoes reddit. 5 street shoe and 9 in climbing shoes.

Bouldering vs rock climbing shoes reddit The first sentence or two in the description of this product literally mentions bouldering… “The DU(rango) gets a successor: the CIRCUIT VCR’s name is based on the "circuits" in the famous bouldering paradise of Fontainebleau, where many different routes are climbed one after another in a difficulty level. But usually flat and stiff shoes are only good on vertical and slabby terrain where you stand on small footholds or if you need the support for long climbing. And yes: you can also feel the rock better, this alone does not make you stick better but yes it does help in finding the correct spot on the wall. Laces are a little slower to take on and off but are more adjustable. Another different style are slip on types like up moccs May 27, 2025 · Gym bouldering/board training: For gym bouldering or board sessions where you’re frequently removing the shoes, you want a slipper or a Velcro-closure shoe that makes for easy on/off. Dumb name, awesome product. For real techy bouldering the benefits of extra sense/fingertip power outweighs those of gloves, as there are no gloves I'm aware of with climbing-shoe-rubber fingertips or whatnot. While they class it as wide. For your first shoe get something relatively flat with a relatively neutral toe position. The #1 climbing shoe rule: The shoe has to fit your specific foot shape. I had the opposite experience. Similarly entry level Butora shoes are very good value for money, so newer climbers may gravitate to Butora for the low cost even though they prefer other brands. Go for a snug, tight but comfortable fit. 8s. - I've had the Scarpa Velocity climbing shoes in the beginning in the size 37,5 (my regular shoe size is 36,5 to 37) and even though they are a size/half a size bigger than my regular shoes, I still experience horrible pain in my big toe (the toe seems to curl up in the shoe and since I'm alpine climbing, when there comes a part, where I need to Idk why people downvoted this comment, starting with the sensitive good shoes for bouldering is the only way to get used to sensitive shoes for bouldering, you can get in tarantulas or some other stiff shoes with no downturn and when you feel like you can climb better but your feet aren't helping you as much and you go for performance shoes you're almost back to 0 because you climb different But even the cheapest climbing shoes are miles better than rentals. Nov 30, 2022 · The La Sportiva Theory is a purpose-made climbing shoe for hard indoor bouldering and competition climbing. Hi all! I have been climbing for 2. Love them both, but they don’t do the same job as the Quantums. Spend $60 on climbing shoes and be surprised when they fall apart after 2 months of gym sessions. Not really good for friction on volumes and stuff. My shoes were so bad it was causing actual friction in my relationship. They should probably feel comfortable actually. (My sneaker shoe size is 10 btw. I was previously recommended by friends to perhaps invest in a more intermediate climbing shoe as my bouldering problems often involve some overhang. Nov 10, 2023 · With the exception of a few models, many of the bouldering shoes I share below are chosen with intermediate and advanced climbers in mind. 5 - Volume sport climbing shoe for all the other sport climbing Insticnt mens 41. The difference between the two shoes for stiffness are slight though. If you want a good shoe that’s not super expensive and good on volumes I’d recommend the mad rock remoras, I keep coming back to them, by far my favorite shoe. I don’t have a problem… 😂. Spend $160 on aggressive climbing shoes and then wear them to the gym to climb vert 5. I've been climbing for about 4-5 months now and climbed my first V3-V5 yesterday. In the gym, I like to have a performance oriented shoe that's just barely comfortable enough, but gives me the performance I want while climbing. Foot shape dictates it. If you can, find a store near you (climbing gyms will often sell shoes, if you're in America there's probably an rei near you) and try on different brands, since each will fit differently (different toeboxes, different heels, etc). I prefer softer shoes as a default, but I always have something stiffer in my bag, and on some rock types will only bring a medium soft shoe like Solutions as my softest shoe. I have been using the Miura VS for the past 10 years and I have narrow feet. Nowadays, gym culture has taken over and some people seem to have narrowed it down to different types of gym climbing, or indoor/outdoor sport climbing and bouldering. I wore the tarantulace (and still do sometimes) for a longtime then decided to try the bouldering shoe. Fitting your climbing shoes for comfort is like buying a car because you like the driver’s seat. It used to mean multi-pitch, single-pitch, trad, sport, bouldering, gym, etc. Your shoes should be tight but definitely not painful. You're right concerning those shoes, of course. But also og Dragons are the greatest shoe of all time Most modern climbing shoes don’t have a midsole at all. My gym grades: White: V0 Yellow: V0-V2 Blue: V1-V3 Purple: V2-V4 Black: V3-V5 Red: V4-V6 I can comfortably climb the purples (V2-V4). Bouldering vs Rock Climbing. Either way, I agree. com for a database of foot shapes and sizing on climbing shoes. ) It’s softer than Arpia and has a better range of attributes specific to indoor climbing, but loses that edge on smaller footholds that you will find on rock that the Arpia will be more capable of handling. I use them in everything now. 5 - thin Climbers use the term 'climbing' as a catch all, but non-climbers are more likely to be familiar with "rock climbing" (which usually means top roping), and boulders will use rock climbing to mean climbing with a rope to differentiate it from bouldering, although to a newbie it seems like bouldering is also be a form of rock climbing. Nov 17, 2023 · Here, we’ve compiled ten of our favorite bouldering shoes—and a list of ten things to think about when buying climbing shoes. They're pretty broken in, now, and I don't have any pain from the shoes. -it’s a short period of trying super hard then stopping, like doing a max set at the gym, I enjoy this type of hard and fast exercise followed by a rest period. Bouldering problems use the font scale (starting at 3 and going up to 8C+), while rock climbing routes use systems like the Yosemite decimal system (5. They offer the grip, precision, and control you need to send it on any problem or route. Differences in climbing ability are a lot bigger than differences between different shoe models. As you delve deeper into the world of climbing, you may find you’ll want specialized shoes for specific types of climbing, based on fit, feel, friction, comfort or durability, and end up with a quiver of shoes. **Edit: I understand why this is the case, I'm pointing out the irony how the shoe designed for bouldering no longer fits competition bouldering style. Climbing shoes really doesn't need to be one of them. Generally the aragon is seen as a small upgrade from the tarantulace. Has anyone seen any barefoot style ‘wide’ climbing shoes that follow a proper foot shape? Anybody have any recommendations on some good burner gym shoes? Currently I am rocking some of the old blue hiangles from the $50 sale a couple years ago, but I am starting to burn through the toes. I've been climbing for a year and I think my level is low-intermediate. For over a decade, our climbing experts have tested over 75 shoes side-by-side to bring you the most comprehensive climbing shoe review in existence. Check out our posts for advice and reviews. But assuming someone has tried shoes that were adjusted correctly - one for socks- one without- then the difference is smaller. I started out bouldering and have recently been getting into sport climbing. Best Chalk Bags. There are items of clothing that make a lot more sense being specific to sex, such as tops. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. Gorilla stomp. Section divider Ten Things You Need to Know About Climbing Shoes 1. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. OP, if the shoes fit they should be fine for all your current climbing pursuits. 9. I've loved them for everything. Other rock types the Solutions might be the stiffest shoe I bring. I prefer them to climbing shoes for easy 5th and below because after hours in even descent sloppy moccasin-type climbing shoes, my toes need a break. If u don't mind flatter shoes a Rep showed me sportiva finale, these were super comfy shape wise but not my size. Comfort is not king. As for what shoe to buy, specifically, it'll help if you tell us what sort of routes will you be climbing, on what rock, will it be bouldering, sport or trad, and whether your feet are wide or narrow at the ball of the foot and at the heel, bulky or kinda flat, and which of your toes is longest :) When I started climbing 5 months ago, I had a $5 pair of mad rock shoes I got at a yard sale. Go to a shop/place and try on as many shoes as you can. Different shoe models do work better or worse on certain kinds of climbs, and some climbers find that some climbs are only possible for them in certain kinds of shoes. Boreal Joker Laces (size 42. e my new shoes were uncomfortable after an hour or so of climbing the first few sessions after buying them, but not to the point of constricting blood. 12c ( less pain more chill, might wear them for projecting something on the beta burn when it takes a very long time) Genius 40. If I was climbing a hard overhang with lots of tiny foot features, I'd reach for my Katanas and be a little bemused using my mocs. Not very Nov 4, 2024 · How do bouldering grades compare to rock climbing grades? The boulder grade rating system differs from climbing grades. Others have success with Tenaya oasi lv, mad rock drone lv and Evolv phantom. TLDR: I am looking for intermediate but comfortable climbing shoes for indoor climbing with slight/medium downturn and low/medium pre-tensioning. I have five ten teams and la sportiva futuras for my try-hard shoes so I am not worried about getting something ultra-performant. If you love reading this review of the best bouldering shoes, then you'll likely love reading some of our other climbing content: Best Climbing Shoes. I've been climbing for a while and tend to stick to tarantulas because they have a consistent-ish fit. I'm an 8 foot and I bought a 7. Every shoe is built for a different shaped foot; the Drago might be my Cindarella slipper and your torture device. The Finales are slightly more asymmetrical, meaning that the shoes are shaped to turn more towards the big toe than what is natural for feet. the reasonable balance between cheaping out and providing a quality experience IS those rental shoes, though! for the people who typically use rental shoes--i. More aggressive climbing shoes are uncomfortable to stand in, so you see people take them off while they're belaying or taking a break. I can throw for a huge dyno with only two pads underneath me and have no fear. 5 street shoe and 9 in climbing shoes. More info provided below :) Hey guys, I am currently looking to update my La Sportiva Mythos (been climbing through three pairs in the past few years). Personally, I enjoy having a quiver of shoes to choose from, so if I'm sport climbing, I can have a more comfortable, stiffer shoe. and if I'm bouldering steep roofs, I can have a tight, soft shoe. Learn good footwork. But since they are one of the few shoes that have 3 straps to tighten. Below you will find some of my favorite bouldering shoes right now. Nothing special just £40 climbing shoes. They get uncomfortable if I wear them for long sessions. Personally I enjoy bouldering more because 1. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. 0 to 5. Shoe choice is also definitely a skill and knowing how to use a stiff shoe is a skill. I wear a 10. 5 for scarpas usually Need shoes, been doing a good amount of bouldering and indoor climbing. Maybe you can look at Specific shoe model choice for specific types of climbing (overhang, indoor, outdoor, sport vs trad vs bouldering), and try to find a correlation. You didn't give remarks on your feelings with the LS Solution or Skwamas, but what the Kubo and Katana you seem to favor have in common is that they are more moderately downturned. I have the same shoes as you and they're actually the first pair of climbing shoes that have fit me really well from day 1. They had a wide toe box and let you stand on the thinnest granite crystals. Keep in mind that climbing shoes are meant to be loaded through the toes and heels, not as much walking, so this is taken into account in the design. I’ve been using a pair of Mad Rock Remoras for comfy shoes, and UP Flagships for try hard shoes. The tarantulace isn't a better performing shoe. This sub tends to have more people with a focus on bouldering, the average bouldering grade tends to be a bit high for the sport grade led (compared to crux of sport route). I’m guessing solutions probably do (hence the stiffness) whereas the comps don’t. e. This makes it easier to apply pressure with the area near your big toe. - cheaper, the rope + grigri + harness aren’t super expensive but it’s an initial cost for sure. Those were fine, but they sucked, so I did the next reasonable step and used my student loan money to buy a brand new pair of Miuras VS ($180) (I have problems managing money). My rock climbing teachers recommended me the sportiva kubo. For versatility—meaning, facility on both radical steeps and with volume smearing on comp-style problems—look at soft shoes with only a mild downturn; you r/RockClimbingShoes: A subreddit designed to help those looking for rock climbing shoes. In the 80's people were in tennis shoes climbing harder than most of us ever will using anything. 10 Asym's. Ahhhh, I forget the Miura vs and it's sister shoe from Scarpa/Heinz Mariacher, the Veloce. Put these in your shoes. Expect a bit of stretch but not massively so, i. For bouldering in the long run i would aim to have at least 2 shoes running all time: One supersoft comfy for training/warm up and one aggressive af for the sends. Pretty much the only shoe that fit semi-comfortably, due to my wide, flat Hobbit-esque feet. It's been a good experience, they are really comfortable and versatile for both climbing and short rock routes. Before you start climbing wipe the bottom end of your shoe to get off any chalk to make the rubber stick better. This activity–once considered the realm of daredevils and slackers–has recently gotten even more widespread attention with the release of big-budget films like Free Solo and The Dawn Wall. Don't let anyone tell you to downsize and don't worry about the stretch. If you are set on only bouldering, you will be more happy with the boulder one in the long run, but keep in mind that with rubber there is a little loss in comfort. Not in terms of thinness, but in toe splay - or lack of. I fucking love the shoes. Apr 10, 2022 · The sport of rock climbing, both indoors and out, is one of the most rapidly growing athletic pursuits of the past decade. Only thing that was decent and I'm about to buy is sportiva futuras. 4. Indoors there are no small footholds and no long climbs most climbing you will do is either steep or on volumes so soft and downturned. When people talk this shoe is > than that for X its almost entirely preference. If I was climbing a long splitter, mocs every day. . I spend most of my time sport climbing indoor, maybe around a 70/30 split of the time, where I engage in bouldering more often than top/lead climbing. ( better at smears, allows a little less percision, allows me to climb a bit quicker) Chimera 40 - overhanging sport below 5. Do: Get a resole before you need it. If you are brand new to climbing, then I suggest heading over to our beginner bouldering shoe guide instead. Apr 16, 2025 · Whether you're trad climbing, bouldering, or crack climbing, climbing shoes are a must, no matter your style. This is an odd one - went rock climbing today and discovered the shoes are pretty painful for someone wearing ‘barefoot’ shoes constantly for years. 15d). They should mold to your foot a bit over time. Relative toe length. I gym climb 2-3/week, primarily sport climb when outside (a variety of styles but not too much overhang at this point) and occasionally boulder outside. If I'm not sure or it's going to be a long day where I can bring only one pair of shoes, pinks ftw. Are they better than my abilities? Obviously if it’s a tight fit with socks it’ll be looser without. If you have climbing shoes by La Sportiva, Five Ten, Evolv, or Scarpa, I would love to know how their sizing compares to your regular street shoe. But most modern shoes (remember solutions are +10 years old) just use the shoe structure to perform the midsole function of old. I'm still using my beginner shoes that I got from a sports shop called Decathlon. High vs low volume heel, forefoot, arch. - I can just go alone 2. Edit: Talked to a dude at the gym, tried on several different pairs of shoes before finally getting a pair of 5. 5 years and am currently climbing in women's Miura Lace Ups. Work boots, climbing shoes, uh Okay that's all, but they still rock!!! But any of the shoes are climable almost anywhere. These c Similar boat. Love your shoes. My question is why do I struggle so much when sport climbing compared to bouldering. Yes aggressive shoes perform better on overhung and a stiff toe is better for tiny footholds while soft rubber is better on volumes but you can climb anything in anything. I find it does fit a bit wider, but if you're looking for a bit more agressive shoe with a moderately stiffer sole, you'll like them. But when on a rope which is inherently safer, Im literally shitting myself in a roof climb. My 9. Don't just buy what other people love. Hey everyone, I was thinking of purchasing my first pair of climbings shoes but was wondering how the sizing compares to my regular street shoes. I switched to a more aggressive shoe, the Scarpa Vapor Vs, after my first year of bouldering. But the performance difference between a poorly fitted shoe and a well fitted shoe is far bigger than the performance difference between these two models. They won't stretch enough to get We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. What do you mean by all rounders? It seems that the definition is changing. Don't trust to much on such pics just try on different shoes and find whatever works for you. Its a preference thing. I've seen so little consistency between women's vs men's climbing shoes and who they actually fit (more diversity among women or among men than between women and men, for instance). Threw some of those suckers in and it greatly reduced the issue. Gear Reviews Overview Page Mixed climbing is done in gloves, easier alpine trad in the winter may be done in gloves, crack climbing usually involves at least a partial glove or tape glove. One shoe I haven’t been able to replace is my old Fiveten Quantums from ~ 2018. My first pair of climbing shoes were the Evolv Nikitas, which are super comfortable and surprisingly durable, (I've had them for years and I still wear them to top rope and lead outdoors). With a single velcro strap and slipper-like comfort, it’s incredibly sensitive but offers surprising edging ability thanks to La Sportiva’s P3 tensioned rand system and No-Edge sole technology. I’d go either true to size or only a half size down max Edit: 9 is for other mad rock shoes. They aren't ultralight, but they were super cheap, the grips grip, and they pack pretty well in a technical pack for climbs. 3. These are some of my shoes: Scarpa Instinct VS (size 43EU): They're really aggressive, good for tiny edges, heel- and toe-hooking. Best Climbing Harnesses. 5EU): My favorite shoe so far. I wear size 44EU street shoes. , people who are brand new to climbing and/or are just trying it for the day--rental shoes provide a significant advantage over street shoes, especially if you don't know any technique. The trick to velcro shoes for cracks is that the straps are supposed to only go in one direction, so that jamming only tightens the s Normal climbing shoes without a rubber are not made for toehooking and will be short lived if you do that, depending on your level of experience and style of bouldering. It amuses me greatly how the quintessential bouldering shoe, the La Sportiva Solution is barely present among bouldering finalists but has a sizeable representation among lead finalists. I have flat and rather narrow low-volume feet. You should always have like 6-7 different pairs of shoes lol, tight soft shoes, tight edging shoes, multipitch medium shoes, end of the weekend upsized soft and edging shoes, the freshie sending pair, and a lucky pair for good measure. Check sizesquirrel. Whichever one you end up throwing for holds with low core tension and poor control will be injurious. However, asymmetry in shoes is a trade off against comfort. I would recommend to you: -Mad Rock Drone HV: All round hard sender. See which fit you best. When I bought them I got the same size as my prior pair, the Vapors, because the Vapors were painful for 2 years. Just wondering what the best shoes to get are. I find they don’t need to be downsized much. The Best Bouldering Shoes in 2023. 5 drone 2s feel too small.