POSTED BY

Lisa Katayama

AT 9:33 AM
Tuesday July 28, 2009

Sports and Survival • Theme Post

climbing • Evolv • Five Ten • Mammut • Sportiva

Review: Climbing shoes

climbing shoes.png

The most important piece of equipment for rock climbing is your shoes. Climbing shoes are made with leather or synthetic uppers that leave virtually no wiggle room for your toes (they're not supposed to) and sticky rubber soles that basically make you Spiderman-sticky on walls and tiny footholds (so you don't slip and fall and get hurt). There are many, many different kinds of climbing shoes, but in my mind they roughly divide into three categories: comfortable, medium comfortable, and not so comfortable at all. Of course, the latter = higher performance, so it's always going to be a tradeoff.

1. The wear-anywhere climbing shoe

Lace-ups that you can walk in, climb cracks in, and feel totally at ease in for hours. If you're a beginner climber, these may be the only pair you need for a while. They're not designed for super high performance, though. La Sportiva's Mythos are a good starter pair &mdash I actually started with something a little more intense, but then my toenail fell off and I traded them in for these, and used them for a long time.

2. The performance shoe that doesn't kill your feet

Evolv's Defy (for women: Elektra) and La Sportiva's Katanas are both reliable, tried-and-true climbing shoes in this category. The Katanas are slightly wider at the heel. These are actually pretty comfy, i.e. you won't be screaming in pain while you're on the rocks, but you'll have to take them off in between climbs. The velcro is not ideal for outdoors because it can get caught between cracks, but if you need a solid gym shoe that won't slow you down once you get to an intermediate climber level, I'd say go for one of these. I traded in my Mythos for a pair of Katanas when I was stuck doing 5-10a's, and within a month I had conquered most of the 5-10c's and d's at my gym. The shoes made a huge difference in how confident I felt doing toe-hooks and heel-hooks with my feet.

3. The super high-performance shoe that proves that more pain = more gain

These are the shoes that will hurt like hell in the beginning, and even after you break them in you won't want to wear them any longer than you have to. Why the heck would you want these shoes then? Because they make your feet turn into another pair of hands &mdash when you wear these, all of a sudden you can walk on your toes upside down. Seriously. In this category, I tested two pairs of shoes, the Five Ten Projects and the Mammut Goblins. They both have signature sticky rubber bottoms &mdash Five Ten uses their signature stealth rubber, Mammut has soles made by Vibram. Which hurt my feet more? The Projects, for sure &mdash they are ultra-tight and have the sole is only 2mm thick, as opposed to the standard 4+mm. Both shoes proved to be pretty damn awesome at clinging onto steep overhangs even if it doesn't make any ergonomic sense for them to want to do that. The Goblin have a really thick and not-as-sticky heel, but they're great on 99% of boulder problems and definitely good enough for me.

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13 Comments

matociquala

#1 – 10:11 AM July 28, 2009

Ooo, La Sportivas. I have a pair of Mythoses and a pair of Katanas, and love both. (Both are on their first resole, currently.) I tried the Evolv Electras and hated them passionately. Gave them away to a friend.

I find the Mythoses are a better smearing shoe, while the Katanas have more edging power.

I've been window shopping for a bouldering shoe at the gym. Tried on a pair of Projects and couldn't keep them on long enough to close the velcro, and that was without even standing up in them. So I suspect my next pair of shoes will also be something from the La Sportiva line.

Marshall

#2 – 10:41 AM July 28, 2009

I wear a 4E width in shoes, and while there are no great "wide foot climbing shoes" out there, I've found that for folks with crazy wide feet, lace-up shoes are the only way to go. Mad Rock makes some awesome high performance shoes in lace up.

arikol

#3 – 2:30 PM July 28, 2009

I have wide feet with a high arch and found that 5.10 Dragons are perfect shoes for me. Good grip, wide and comfortable shape and wear surprisingly well.

Have used quite a few different types of shoes and for my use (mostly bouldering with some sport climbing thrown in for fun) seem to be the best compromise I've found.

Clif Marsiglio

#4 – 3:01 PM July 28, 2009

I wear the Defies and so far it is the only thing I've found that works.

Still, I got huge feet...street 15 (climbing 13 or 14) and I get NO toe-in strength. I've been looking for larger shoes that are a bit more reinforced, but the only thing that has worked so far is to tape the hell out of my toes before putting the shoes on (which means, I really don't get any comfort between climbs as tearing of the shoes does NOTHING for the pain).

Getting ready to break the newest pair in outdoors this weekend in Red River...

shane

#5 – 5:26 PM July 28, 2009

What's up with all the climbing stuff? These aren't gadgets!

Marshall

#6 – 10:23 PM July 28, 2009

#5 Climbing is full of cool, niche gadgets, including the shoes. Tons of awesomely engineered technology doesn't need any circuitry, electricity or a touchscreen to be gadgetastic.

dargaud

#7 – 2:27 AM July 29, 2009

Where's the review of the #6 friend ?!?

Peter

#8 – 6:03 AM July 29, 2009

Consider checking out Cava shoes. They are great for a medium volume foot, and they have the same great stealth black magic rubber as 5.10, but with a much, much lower price.

Jane

#9 – 7:24 AM July 29, 2009

The super-tight shoes that give the super climber that extra bit of precision for the feet are truly not for beginners. I suggest finding a relatively comfortable fit -- a bit snug, but not painful. If it hurts, and you're told that the shoe will stretch, consider that there is also the possibility that your foot will be damaged instead. That happens.

My favorite climbing devices are the marvellously engineered bits that let me protect a climb -- cams, friends, etc. They are truly beautiful.

Zane

#10 – 7:59 AM July 29, 2009

I've read that you can use Vibram's Five Fingers shoes with which to climb. Has anyone tried this?

BastardNamban

#11 – 12:51 PM July 29, 2009

I got a question for everyone who climbs:

Are there ANY shoes for people with super wide width feet? The only normal shoes I can fit in are New Balance 6E width (10.5in US). Finding shoes of any kind my whole life has been beyond a nightmare.

Thing is, I have plenty of climbing experience, just without climbing shoes. I always managed with stretched out Vans or my normal sneakers. I've climbed tall formations, bouldered indoors and out, repelled, and done plenty of harness climbs indoors as well as out. I even have climbing experience with cave harnesses in Japanese caves. I have my own harness, just always went in normal sneakers. I've only seen the difference you can have with climbing shoes, though- it's totally different.

But after all this, I can't tackle anything more serious without SHOES. But nothing fits! Even inquiring with Japanese dealers that carry everything in the world, they said nothing is made that would fit me.

What do I do? I LOVE climbing, dearly. I would be doing it every week if I could find shoes that fit! Can anyone help?

microwavedboy

#12 – 5:23 PM July 29, 2009

I can speak for the Five Fingers' tacky soles and flexibility, and can say that they're good for beachside bouldering. I have not gone mountain climbing with them, but I have 2 pairs currently (Classic and Sprint) and do almost all of my outdoorsy stuff with them in the summer. (Biking, walking, etc)
I adore them.

photophile

#13 – 7:59 PM July 29, 2009

#10 My wife has the Five Fingers, and they're alright for messing around on rock. But, they won't be very good for anything hard, as your toes are all independent. This will put all your weight on one toe, instead of spreading it out over all of them.

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