Buying New Shoes

If you’ve recently been bitten by the climbing bug but you don’t have your own equipment yet, you’re probably thinking about getting your own shoes first. Shoes are unquestionably the most important item of personal equipment that you can invest in. However, there are many to chose from. How do you know what to get?

There are shoes for bouldering, for crack climbing, for sport climbing and for use indoors on gym climbing walls. There are about nine major players among manufacturers of rock climbing shoes. Some brand names you might recognize are: Bufo, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Evolv and Five Ten. They all have a wide variety of models for all
of these uses and more, including children’s models.

If you are just starting out, you’ll want to pick out a shoe that is not too expensive and is designed for general use rather than a highly specific purpose like climbing in cracks. You want a well made shoe that will last well given the rough use most beginning climbers give their shoes.

Many climbing gyms will have shoe rentals or shoe demos where you can try different brands and types of shoes to find something that feels good to you. You want a tight fit, but not too constricting to cut off circulation or cause pain in your feet or toes. In the end, after learning all you can about the different shoes and their advantages, your task will be to find a shoe that you feel comfortable in and works for your style of climbing.

Rock shoes will stretch, but mostly in width, not in length. Shoes with rubber rands and linings won’t stretch much. Buying on-line can be a good way to find good deals, but be aware that without trying them on first you can be taking a chance. Make sure you can send them back unused for exchange.

Taking Care of Your New Shoes

Make sure you thoroughly air dry your shoes after every climbing session. This keeps bacteria from growing
and prevents mildew.

Don’t store your shoes in hot places like the trunk of a car or in direct sunlight. The heat weakens the glues that bind the rubber sole and rand to the upper, while sunlight dries and damages the shoe’s upper, particularly if it’s leather.

Bits of sand and grit grind into the sole if you walk around in them much.  Clean the soles with soapy water, then scrub with a wet rag and wipe dry. If grit is impacted in the sole, use a wire brush or coarse sand paper to brush lightly and carefully. If you brush too hard, you will remove too much of the rubber.