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Climbing shoes: how to choose them? Which chalk to choose for climbing or mountaineering? How to choose your climbing or mountaineering harness? Which climbing or mountaineering rope to choose? How to choose your climbing carabiners? How to choose your climbing quickdraws? When to change your climbing and mountaineering equipment?
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HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR CLIMBING SHOES?

Any climber can attest to the difficulty of choosing the right climbing shoes. Model, shape, comfort: the differences are obvious. As with any sport, you must succeed in finding the best compromise that meets your practice and your level of experience. With the range of climbing shoes that fill the shelves and our website, your choice should be guided by your knowledge and your playground (indoor, block, cliff ...). Let's take a look at the different elements that make them up to better understand their role.

Climbing shoes: the key components

To clarify this puzzle, let's break it down this way:

  • The shape: the slipper can be straight or asymmetrical
  • The fastening system: with an elastic, velcro or with laces
  • Rigidity: the shoe deforms more or less on the grips
  • The camber: flat or arch
  • Rubber: more or less flexible, which affects its lifespan.
  • The material: synthetic or leather, each part has it's functions, but also its pros and cons. What works for one climber does not always help another. It is therefore every time a question of practice, experience, level, expectations in terms of progression, but also of comfort!

The shape of the climbing shoe

There are two main models competing in specialty stores: straight and asymmetric. The former is a classic shoe shape, while the latter has an inward curved toe piece. It is therefore off-center with respect to the axis of the foot.

A climbing shoe with a central point allows you to use all the toes, which is recommended in block climbing or in indoor climbing. On the other hand, if it is focused on the big toe it will give you more precision and more force on small holds.

Some would say to caricature that the flat liner is intended for beginners (who are looking for comfort above all), while the asymmetrical version is reserved for experienced climbers aiming for performance.

You must therefore choose a climbing shoe that best suits your body type. Likewise, the size is an eternal debate among climbers. Of course, you need shapes close to the foot, but it is useless to take a shoe three sizes smaller and suffer each time you put them on.

WHICH CLIMBING SHOES TO CHOOSE WHEN YOU START?

To learn about the pleasure of climbing, we recommend flexible and straight models. On the one hand, to maximize comfort. And on the other hand, to have a better feeling of the catch. After a few sessions, you can switch to more efficient models.

Fastening systems: advantages and disadvantages

Three types of closure systems share the market:

  • Climbing ballerinas with elastic
  • Velcro closure
  • With laces

Climbing ballerinas are often the first choice of climbing enthusiasts. Easy to put on, they can be removed quickly, which can be practical in indoor or in block to ventilate the toes between two tries. However, over time, the elasticity of the tightening relaxes.

The Velcro closure offers the same advantages as climbing ballerinas, but is sometimes a little more expensive to buy. However, over time, the velcros grip less well and the tightening becomes less precise.

Finally, the laces provide ultra-precise foot support and wear little over time (they can be replaced!). Their number 1 drawback: the time it takes to put on the shoe. This is why they are more commonly used in cliffs than in indoor.

SYNTHETIC OR LEATHER?

After the few days of discomfort, the upper will relax more or less depending on the material. The leather will have to relax more than the synthetic which hardly moves, it will therefore be necessary to anticipate it when choosing the correct shoe size.

Rigidity and camber: for which practice(s)?

The stiffness of a shoe will determine the use of force in your toes. A flexible model will be very pleasant on block climbing or in indoor, giving the feeling of climbing “barefoot”. For your outdoor outings, the more rigid shoe will allow you to scratch more easily, without forcing more on the toes. However, the feedback is limited, we "feel" less the grip.

Finally, the camber gives them a very racy look. However, the climbing shoes arched are not more "technical". With their arched shape, they are intended for cliffs, and especially for slopes. There, their shape allows the grip to be clawed for better grip. More rigid than their counterparts, they are designed for precision and performance.

Climbing shoes that are uncomfortable or unsuitable for your practice / level are sure to ruin your climbing outings. Choosing the right climbing shoes is therefore essential. Shape, closure, rigidity are the three key criteria to make the right choice.

THE THREE KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN CHOOSING CLIMBING SHOES:

  1. The closure system: while climbing ballerinas are more practical, the laces provide a more precise tightening.
  2. Straight or asymmetrical: the climbing shoe must be adapted to the morphology of the foot.
  3. Stiffness offers more precision and strength at the expense of feeling the grip.
Climbing shoes