ROCK CLIMBING SHOES
Rock climbing shoes are an important part of your rock climbing kit. An experienced climber will tell you, you do as much if not more work with your feet and legs as you do with your upper body while climbing. Climbing shoes just like any other sport shoe are available in many styles and price ranges. Rock climbing shoes are available in both general climbing styles as well as specific designs for particular types of rock climbing. Before we discuss the different styles and types of climbing shoes available, it is important to emphasize that buying a correctly fitting pair of rock climbing shoes is extremely important. This should be obvious to all, but many beginning climbers make the mistake of choosing price over comfort just to discover their error once they are on the rock face. Remember you can’t just sit down for a while if your feet hurt!
ALL AROUND SHOES
The first type of climbing shoes to consider especially for new climbers is all-around shoes. As the name suggests, these shoes can be used successfully for all forms of climbing from indoor climbing to all forms of outdoor climbing. All-around climbing shoes are extremely well suited to use by beginners as they are extremely comfortable and feature a stiff sole. The advantage to a new climber of having stiffer soled climbing shoes is twofold; firstly a stiffer sole gives the foot more support especially on small holds, this is a great help in the early days of climbing before your muscles strengthen fully. Secondly the stiffer sole also allows your foot extra protection when you are placing it in cracks in the rock face; softer soled shoes tend to collapse and practice is required to avoid pinching your foot in narrow crevices.
BOULDERING SHOES
If you are a serious bouldering fanatic there are specialist bouldering climbing shoes. Bouldering shoes generally have a much softer sole than all-around shoes, and are designed in such a way as to channel of your power to your big toe. This power channeling results in a shoe that is shaped differently to traditional rock climbing shoes; they generally feature a toe box that is asymmetrical and many designs feature a toe or sole that is turned down or cambered. Bouldering shoes have been specifically designed so that the climber can edge effectively especially on small or thin holds. Bouldering shoes are also often referred to as sport shoes.
TRAD SHOES
Specialist Trad shoes are similar in design to all-round climbing shoes. They are designed to be worn comfortably for long periods of time no matter what the conditions or terrain. These shoes feature a symmetrical toe and a stiffer sole than bouldering shoes to allow for protection to the foot when it is jammed in cracks and crevices of the rock face. Trad shoes quite often feature padding or suspension in the heel of the shoe so they are comfortable to wear on the hiking sections of a Trad climb.
OTHER SHOES
Indoor climbing shoes are a matter of personal preference, any of the above shoes will work successfully for indoor climbers. As a general rule of thumb novice climbers are probably better suited to all-round shoes. Once you have gained climbing experience and start to tackle some of the harder routes or bouldering routes on offer at indoor rock climbing venues you may wish to invest in a pair of bouldering rock climbing shoes. There are also climbing shoes available that are specifically designed for women climbers. As stated previously (we can’t emphasize it enough) comfort is of prime importance when purchasing a pair of rock climbing shoes. The shape of woman’s foot is different to the shape of a man’s foot and several manufacturers have recognized this fact and are now producing models designed specifically to fit women more comfortably. Ensuring a proper fit is crucial for comfort. Do not assume that you can just buy a pair of rock climbing shoes that are the same size as your regular shoes and have a pair that fit perfectly and are comfortable. Sizing varies between manufacturers and even within the models offered by a particular manufacturer due to the differences in width or the height of the shoe around the back of the heel etc. It is also worth noting that the different shoes are designed to fit differently; all around and Trad shoes should be snug but still comfortable while bouldering shoes should be tight and your toes will be curled.
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