Climbing Shoes

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FiveTen | Mad Rock | Evolv | Scarpa | La Sportiva

Mad Rock Men’s Con-Flict	Mad Rock Men’s Flash Two-Strap Velcro	Evolv Women’s Electra VTR Climbing Shoe
FiveTen Men’s Coyote VCS 2 Climbing Shoe,Dark Grey	Evolv Men’s Optimus Prime Climbing Shoe,Yellow/Black	La Sportiva Solution Vibram XS Grip2 Climbing Shoe White
Scarpa Thunder Climbing Shoe, Red with Lace	Mad Rock Men’s Mugen Tech Performance Velcro Shoe,Grey	Evolv Men’s Pontas Climbing Shoe,Yellow/Lime

There are lots of climbing shoes or bouldering shoes to choose from so it can be hard to know which one is right for you. If you’re just starting out, you may want to look for shoes that can handle being roughed up against the wall since chances are, your footwork won’t be as good as it should be. This will cause the shoe to wear out faster so getting one that had a thick rubber, such as the Mad Rock Flash, will help save you some money. As you get better, you may want to get a climbing shoe that is a bit softer so you can feel the rock a bit better.

The best way to buy rock climbing shoes is to actually try them out at stores like REI. The most important thing is fit. The shoe should be snug and almost uncomfortable to wear but not to the point where your toes are on top of each other. However, this is preference thing. Some climbers prefer a shoe that they can actually wear for more than 15 minutes without their toes hurting while other climbers prefer shoes that are tight enough to make them want to take it off every time they come down from a climb. Tighter shoes will typically work better for small foot holds. It will also help you with balance as well.

In terms of brand, although some are more expensive than others, what really matters is how the shoe feels when you wear them. Sure, a pair of expensive 5.10′s might seem cooler than a pair of $40 Climb X’s, which are a knock off of Mad Rock, but if the shoes don’t fit you right, then you’re just wasting your money. You can read all of the climbing shoe reviews you want but when it comes down to it, nothing beats trying the shoes out in person. Climbing shoes are important when bouldering but remember that Chris Sharma can still kick butt with a pair of cheap rental shoes. It’s more about perfecting your technique than how expensive your shoes are when it comes to improving your climbing skills.

Here’s a video showing you how to clean your climbing shoes to get the most out of them.