The right bouldering shoe

Before we get into everything, know that this article provides little new information than what is already available online. YouTube is a great resource to learn about this, check out any gear shop like REI, EpicTV, etc for amazing videos. Chances are that any climber you follow has a video reviewing their climbing shoes. I loved the video from Many The Monkey who reviews in detail over 20 of his climbing shoes. This post is aimed at intermediate climbers (5c-7a) contemplating getting a new pair.

What was the journey with my shoes like?

I started out with a beginner shoe from Scarpa and that didn’t work as they were loose and I really needed smaller shoes. A few months in I bought the LaSportiva Solution. This was an aggressive shoe and Adam Ondra was killing it with these. The shoes were exactly my size but were really tight for about two months. They hurt my feet and I made the straps pay for it. After 2 years of using them I regretted not going a half size lower. 

I wanted a second pair to switch around and I bought the FiveTen Anazasi lace next. I broke into them in a couple of weeks and the fit was good with no downsizing. After using it for a couple of years, I find the fit to be still good. The length of the shoe is just right with no extra room. Save for the small toe patch, they are excellent. 

My next shoe was the LaSportiva Python. I was happy with my last two shoes and wanted to experiment with a tighter fit. It had good recommendations and many other boulderers at my local climbing gym swear by it. I went a full size down. I was enjoying the experience of breaking into shoes by now and I welcomed the challenge. It took some effort to break into but the result is the best yet. The shoe fit like a sock. The leather stretched just enough to wrap around my feet and the thin rubber gave me a good feel for the surface. 

At this point I had resoled all my climbing shoes and all my previous shoes had a hole near the tip of my toe. I knew that I would need a new pair soon. I bought the Ocun Jett QC next. I was keen to explore new brands and these shoes were rather cheap (almost 30% cheaper) than my previous ones. The toe patch again was smaller than I liked. I did not try downsizing and they were a good fit for a year. They are now a bit loose and I have had them slip off on some aggressive heel hooks. Also, the tip of my toe on my right foot was showing through the shoe and resoling it did not extend its lifespan.

Naturally, once again at a loss for shoes I decided to go with Evolve Agro. I bought it half a size smaller and I only just broke into these shoes after a month. They are really tight and heavily downturned. It took me weeks of wearing them at home to even walk in them. I have used them for a few months now, but I don’t yet feel as confident in them as with my other shoes. With the limited bouldering opportunities this year I’ve mostly stuck to the LaSportiva Python of late.

What about all this technical stuff like Sizing? Aggressive vs neutral? soft vs hard rubber? Lace vs Velcro?

The size of the shoe can make a difference. Getting a good fit got me through my first few years of climbing. The type of shoe did not matter as much. The differences between these shoes is rather subtle, almost not noticeable. I appreciate the large toe patch on my LaSportiva shoes. Sadly, the heel has never been a perfect fit in any of my shoes. The back of my foot is not so steep and most shoes I own have a shallow sloping heel. I’ve been too afraid to go for a more aggressive heel (as in the more technical FiveTen shoes) as I couldn't even get my foot into any of them. Perhaps I should try again? 

I like aggressive shoes that fit tight. After they are seasoned, they hold my feet together as a single unit and have enough flex in the toes to push on. They are great to use on small holds precisely compared to my neutral profile shoes. My climbing gym has 20 routes at each grade and the distinct advantage I had with these shoes was only in a couple. I like soft rubber like in the LaSportiva Python. It fits like a glove and gives me an excellent sense of what I'm stepping on. However, I didnt find them great on sharp edges (mostly outdoors) where I prefer slightly harder rubber. Laces are good for a snug fit especially when the shoe is worn and a bit loose. However, there are far more options with Velcro and not to mention the dread of laces coming undone on a climb.

What can I do to stretch my shoes?

Nothing much. I definitely do not advise cutting or tampering with them in any way (it was suggested to me). People also suggested leaving them on a heater or taking a shower with them. Never tried this, I doubt it would help. If it's unbearably tight and you can't get your foot in on the first day, it is better to return them. However if you can get your feet in albeit painfully, there’s a good chance they’ll eventually fit.

How can I make my shoe last longer?

The best way to make your shoes last longer is to get better. The biggest reason for the damage to my shoes was my poor footwork. I had a habit of dragging my right foot on the wall. This was scraping at the layer near my right toe. As I improved I stopped doing this as often, but I still do it on harder climbs when I’m less confident. While this helped make the shoe last much longer, I still haven’t figured out how to save the tip. Perhaps I can't? I don't know. Another piece of advice that must come as a no brainer is not to take your frustration out on your shoe. The LaSportiva Solution has really thin straps for the Velcro and you don't want to damage them! I’ve had a horrible experience holding them together with climbing tape. Which also prevented me from tightening them later on. 

Why should you buy a new pair of climbing shoes?

For an intermediate climber I don't see a significant advantage of choosing one shoe over another. The reason I get new shoes is because I find them cool. It gets me more excited about climbing and I accept that as a positive. I enjoy breaking into them. I like stretching the shoe to fit my foot. Sending hard routes with these shoes also builds my confidence with them and I feel motivated to climb harder. In conclusion, just buy any shoe that gets you excited (and fits!). You can't go too wrong.