Indoor Rock Climbing

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Rock Climbing Shoes

Special shoes for rock climbing differ from mountaineering and hiking boots in many important aspects. There are different features that would make a style or brand better suited for the different forms of rock found in mountaineering, and the different types of climbing. Sport rock climbing, technical, competition, bouldering, big wall, granite, limestone, and artificial holds provide different types of climbing surfaces. Many types and styles of rock climbing shoes are available and are listed below with their features.

the rock climbing shoe

Breakdown and explanation of the sections of the rock climbing shoe

1. Rubber. All rock climbing shoes have sticky rubber on the sole and rand. The qualities of rubber vary. The difference in rubber characteristics is minor. Hard rubber will perform better for edging and small ledges. Soft sticky rubber performs better on face climbs.
2. Sole. The sole of the shoe is several millimeters thick. The thickness varies to provide firmness or flexibility.
3. Midsole. is composed of a thin layer of material between the sole and the upper section . The rock climbing shoe gets its stiffness from the midsole.
4. Heel Rand. A thick piece of rubber that extends from the sole to the top of the heel. The heel rand is used during heel-hooking. It provides protection to the shoe and traction on the rock.
5. Heel. The shoe's heel should cup your heel. Some don't cover the sides of the heel with rubber. This generally provides a better fit, but makes heel hooking a little more difficult.
6. Heel Loop. A rock climbing shoe should fit tight. To get tight shoes on your feet, you will need a loop on the heel.
7. Lining. The inside of the shoe may be padded or bare. Padding makes the shoe feel more comfortable but adds a little weight.
8. Material. The side leather or cloth should breathe. This will allow moisture from your foot to escape and keep your foot securely in place.
9. Lacing. Both lace up and slippers are popular, and perform equally well. It is a matter of preference whether you get a lace up or slipper style rock climbing shoe. The real test is if your foot feels comfortable, tight at the toes, but not painful.
10. Curvature. The curvature is the shape of the "last". This is the basic shape of the shoe. The shape of the last provides advantages for different types of climbing. A down turned toe gives the rock climber support for edging and technical climbing. A "last" that shapes to the foot is more comfortable and performs better for longer climbs.

Five Ten Spire Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Spire Rock Climbing Shoe. The Five Ten Spire Rock Climbing Shoe is a comfortable, general purpose shoe. It is well-constructed and provides good support. It features a rounded toe profile and semi-flexed, slip-lasted design using Stealth® C4 sole for exceptional traction on the rock. It is constructed using leather so will stretch a half size once it is broken in. This is a very comfortable for climbing shoe, versatile, with a nice sticky, firm sole.

  • Material. Split leather
  • Lining. No
  • Sole. Stealth C4
  • Last. Slip last, semi flexed
  • Curvature. Asymmetrical toe
  • Lacing. Conventional
  • Use. All around
  • Weight. 19 Oz

Men's LaSportiva Mythos Rock Climbing Shoes Men's LaSportiva Mythos Rock Climbing Shoes. The La Sportiva Mythos is one of the most popular rock or trad climbing shoes available. The lacing system firmly secures your feet for the precision needed on technical climbing routes. This is a comfortable shoe and can be worn on long routes. It's also a great all around versatile shoe for the gym.

  • Material. Leather
  • Lining. Unlined, Dri-Lex tongue
  • Sole. 4mm XSV Vibram with 1.8 mm XVS Vibram Rand
  • Last. Round, neutral slip
  • Curvature. 25%
  • Lacing. Conventional
  • Use. Crags, rock, trad, gym, all around shoe
  • Weight. 16 Oz
  • Colors: purple or terra

Women's LaSportiva Mythos Rock Climbing Shoes Women's LaSportiva Mythos Rock Climbing Shoes. This is a very popular women's rock climbing shoe. The heel fit is narrower than a men's shoe resulting in better fit and performance for women. The sides have been lowered to better fit a woman's lower ankle bones. The LaSportiva Mythos for women adds the Dri-Lex liner on the tongue to increase wearing comfort. Uses the Laspoflex 1.1mm thick midsole for flexibility and smearing. Has a high toe rand to make it an excellent performing shoe for cracks. The leather stretches when broken in. The manufacturer recommends sizing down 1/2 size from street shoes.

  • Material. Leather
  • Lining. Unlined, Dri-Lex tongue only
  • Sole. 4mm XSV Vibram with 1.8mm XSV Vibram Rand
  • Last. Round Neutral Slip
  • Curvature. 25%
  • Lacing. Conventional
  • Use. Crags, trad, gym, all around shoe
  • Weight. 16 Oz

Five Ten Coyote Laceup Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Coyote Laceup Rock Climbing Shoe. The Five Ten Coyote Laceup Rock Climbing Shoe is an excellent choice for a first shoe. They provide good all around performance for a wide variety of types of climbing. They are comfortable fitting rock shoes using an unlined leather upper and Stealth Rubber Soles. They have a conventional lace up which gives a good equal pressure across the foot. It's constructed with leather, so will stretch about a half size after breaking in, so get a half size smaller than your street shoes.

  • Material. Leather upper
  • Lining. Unlined
  • Sole. Stealth C4
  • Last. Slip lasted, round toe profile
  • Lacing. Conventional lacing
  • Use. Beginning climbing

Five Ten Anasazi VCS C4 Sole Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Anasazi VCS C4 Sole Rock Climbing Shoe. This climbing shoe was designed for competition level performance. It is constructed with lined Cowdura which is a moisture wicking strong breathable synthetic suede that doesn't stretch like leather or unlined shoes. Shoes made from Cowdura will adjust to your foot, but will not stretch too much. Uses the Stealth C4 rubber sole for exceptional traction. Closures are VELCRO® brand for ease of getting them on and off which is made even easier with 2 pull loops to hold the heel cups open. It has a patented side exit heel seam that minimizes the hot spots and blisters seen with other seam stitched shoes. A down-turned toe design positions the toes for small edges.

  • Material: Cowdura
  • Lining: Lined Cowdura
  • Sole: Stealth C4
  • Last: Cambered, slip last
  • Curvature: Asym toes, moderate curvature
  • Lacing: VELCRO®
  • Use: Difficult sport climbing, bouldering, competitions
  • Weight: 16 oz
  • Warranty: 1 year

Five Ten Moccasym Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Moccasym Rock Climbing Shoe. The Five Ten Moccasym rock climbing shoe is designed for high-performance at difficult boulder problems. The semi-flexed last is designed to strengthen and provide precision at the front contact point of the big toe. The Moccasyms smears on a face with very good traction. It has f firm edge to hold on a thin rock edge or crack. It breathes through the split-leather uppers. The elastic insole bands provide a skin-tight fit so you can "feel" the rock. The sole is made with stickey Stealth® C4 rubber. It is made with leather so it will stretch about a half size when broken in. This rock climbing shoe is very comfortable when broken in because it conforms nicely to the foot and is flexible. You can get the toe into tiny crimps and rock nodes. Very good shoe for challenging bouldering problems and technical rock climbing.

  • Material. Split leather
  • Lining. No
  • Sole. C4 Stealth
  • Last. Slip last, semi flexed
  • Curvature. Asymmetrical toe profile
  • Lacing. Slip on
  • Use. High performance, bouldering, cracks
  • Weight. 16 oz

Scarpa Marathon Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Marathon Rock Climbing Shoe. The Scarpa Marathon rock climbing shoe has a stiff forefoot and comfortable fit. The "dot rubber heel" make it ideal for multi-pitch trad routes. The solid edging platform is excellent for long slabs and the padded tongue and padded heel adds comfort in wearing. The slightly asymmetrical fit provides excellent performance while maintaining a comfort fit all day.

  • Sole. Megabyte .5 mm
  • Last. Round neutral slip
  • Curvature. Yes
  • Lacing. Speed lace system
  • Use. Lower-angle, longer than average routes
  • Weight. 17 oz / 480 g

Five Ten Galileo Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Galileo Rock Climbing Shoe. The Galileo is a high-performance rock climbing shoe. It uses the new super sticky Stealth ONYX rubber, Velcro tie in and has a stiff sole which provides exceptional support for edging. It has a Cowdura Synthetic upper lining which helps prevent stretching.

  • Material. Lined Cowdura, Synthetic upper
  • Lining. Yes
  • Sole. Stealth ONYX
  • Last. Slip lasted
  • Lacing. Velcro
  • Use. High performance climbing

La Sportiva Cliff Rock Climbing Shoe La Sportiva Cliff Rock Rock Climbing Shoe. The La Sportiva Cliff rock climbing shoe is an unlined, low top, slip lasted shoe. This is a very good all around rock shoe. It has 1.1mm full-length Laspoflex midsole that gives firm support but also provides sensitivity. The XSV rubber rand is 1.8mm and features a "pressure release notch" for long wearing comfort. The soles are 5mm thick using super sticky XSV rubber soles. The lacing goes all the way to the toe so you can get a good fit for any foot/toe size.

  • Material. Leather
  • Lining. Unlined
  • Sole. 5mm XSV Vibram w/ 1.8mm XSV Vibram rand
  • Last. Round neutral slip
  • Curvature. 50%
  • Lacing. Conventional lacing
  • Use. All-around climbing shoe
  • Weight. 19 oz

La Sportiva Katana Rock Climbing Shoe La Sportiva Katana Rock Climbing Shoe. This is a high performance bouldering shoe. Constructed with premium sued leather and sticky rubber. The slip-lasted and lined with Pacific lining in the forefoot and Dentex in the rear. The La Sportiva Katana rock climbing shoe is designed for ease in putting it on and pulling off. It uses 2 snug fitting VELCRO® closures to wrap your foot in opposing directions. This feature gives your feet tight comfortable fit hard to match in a lace up shoe. The leather material will shrink a full size after break-in, so buy a size smaller than you street shoe.

  • Material. Lorica, suede leather
  • Lining. Pacific forefoot, Dentex rear
  • Sole. 4mm XSV Vibram
  • Last. Slip
  • Curvature. 55%
  • Lacing. VELCRO® slipper
  • Use. Bouldering, crag and gym climbing
  • Weight. 16 oz

Five Ten Anasazi VCS Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Anasazi VCS Rock Climbing Shoe. This Five Ten Anasazi VCS is a high-performance rock climbing shoe. The sole is made with Stealth Onyx Rubber and is stiff enough for precision edging yet can smear with exceptional traction. The VELCRO® closures make it easy to get on and off. The Cowdura material does not stretch much after wear and break in so it continues to give the same fit.

  • Material. Cowdura
  • Lining. Lined Cowdura
  • Sole. Stealth Onyx
  • Last. Cambered, slip last
  • Curvature. Asym toes, moderate curvature
  • Lacing. VELCRO®
  • Use. Difficult sport climbing, bouldering, competitions
  • Weight. 16 oz

La Sportiva Testarossa Rock Climbing Shoe La Sportiva Testarossa Rock Climbing Shoe. The Testarossa is made for the highest sport rock climbing performance. It uses a unique last which focuses power with the down-turned toe box and gives you absolutely exceptional edging and smearing traction. The midsole is made with Hytrel nylon which gives very good sensitivity. The tow box and heel are both made with a dynamic fabric giving very nice conforming fit. The shoe's tongue is Dri-Lex which is a multi zone fabric with wicking properties to take moisture out of the shoe. The Vibram XSV sole is a hard and sticky rubber that provides durability and even wearing. The leather material will shrink a half size after break in.

  • Material. Leather, Lorica
  • Lining. Pacific in toe and heel, Dri-Lex in tongue
  • Sole. 4mm XSV, 1.8mm XSV rand
  • Last. Down turned
  • Lacing. Conventional
  • Use. For all climbers
  • Weight. 16 oz

La Sportiva Miura Men's Rock Climbing Shoes La Sportiva Miura Rock Climbing Shoe for Men. The La Sportive Miura Rock Climbing Shoe is an aggressive high end shoe for highly technical sport routes and difficult boulder problems. It uses the super sticky Vibram XSV rubber. Has a highly down-turned toe to provide traction on very small protrusions. Gives exceptional edging capability. Has the Dentex lining which reduces stretch found in other slip-lasted leather rock climbing shoes.

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Dentex
  • Sole: Vibram XSV
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Highly curved asymetrical
  • Lacing: Standard
  • Use: Difficulty bouldering and sport climbing
  • Weight: 19oz
  • Warranty: 1 Year

La Sportiva Miura Rock Climbing Shoe - Women's Rock Climbing Shoes La Sportiva Miura Rock Climbing Shoe for Women. The La Sportiva Miura Women's Climbing Shoes are for technical all-around climbing. Uses the sticky Vibram XSV soles for excellent traction. They are lined to eliminate the stretch from the leather. The pointed toes give nice holding power in tiny pocketse. The shoe comes with a narrow padded heel and breathable tongue. Comfortable, all around technical shoe.

  • Material: Leather upper
  • Lining: Dentex
  • Sole: Vibram XSV
  • Last: Slip
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical
  • Lacing: Standard
  • Use: Rock climbing with technical footwork
  • Weight: 19oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

La Sportiva Barracuda Rock Climbing Shoe La Sportiva Barracuda Rock Climbing Shoe. The La Sportiva Barracuda Rock Climbing Shoe is an excellent tool for difficult boulder problems and steep crack climbs, high-end sport and trad climbs. It utilizes a "Web Rubber" toe-top which is a special sticky rubber toe covering increases friction for jamming and toe hooks. It has a highly breathable elastic tongue to help keep your feet dry. The asymmetrical lacing gives you a tight precision fit. The lined leather upper keeps stretching to a minimum.

  • Material: Leather with Web Rubber toe
  • Lining: Pacific and Dentex liners
  • Sole: Vibram XSV
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical Medium
  • Lacing: Asymmetrical
  • Use: Bouldering, sport, and trad climbing
  • Weight: 16oz
  • Warranty: 1 Year

Scarpa Vision Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Vision Rock Climbing Shoe. The Scarpa Vision Rock Climbing Shoe has a slightly down-turned toe which provides excellent feel. The Megabyte rubber sticks nicely to rock. The leather upper has anti-stretch panels surrounding it so these Scarpa shoes fit perfectly right out of the box without a break-in period.

  • Material: Leather and anti-stretch panels
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Megabyte
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical Moderate with slightly down-turned toe
  • Lacing: Standard
  • Use: Sport climbing, bouldering, and really technical trad climbs
  • Weight: 15oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Scarpa Vision VCS Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Vision VCS Rock Climbing Shoe. The Scarpa Vision VCS Rock Climbing Shoes are excellent for thin edging and tenuous toe hooks. This shoe excels on boulder problems and sport routes. The slightly down-turned toe provides very good edging capability.

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Megabyte
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical highly curved with down-turned toe
  • Lacing: VELCRO
  • Use: Sport climbing and bouldering
  • Weight: 16oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

La Sportiva Mojo Rock Climbing Shoe La Sportiva Mojo Rock Climbing Shoe. The La Sportiva Mojo Rock Climbing Shoe is excellent for both beginning and advanced climbers. It uses the traditional lacing system. The shoe is slip-lasted with an unlined upper which provides good comfortable wear right away. The midsole support is solid for comfortable wear all day. The sticky soft 5mm XSV rubber provides the perfect balance of stickiness and durability.

  • Material. Leather upper
  • Lining. Unlined
  • Sole. 5mm XSV/1.8mm XSV rand, 1.1mm Laspoflex midsole
  • Last. RN60
  • Lacing. Traditional
  • Use. Trad climbing, beginners needing support and comfort
  • Weight. 19 oz

Scarpa Veloce Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Veloce Rock Climbing Shoe. The Scarpa Veloce Rock Climbing Shoes is an excellent choice for beginner climbers. It has a rounded toe box and padded tongue for a comfortable fit. The shoes have VELCRO closures to make them easy to get on and off. The stiff edging platform helps improve your footwork. They perform equally well in a gym or on rock

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Megabyte
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical Moderately curved
  • Lacing: VELCRO
  • Use: Beginning sport climbing and gym climbing
  • Weight: 16oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Scarpa Veloce Women's Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Veloce Rock Climbing Shoe for Women. The Scarpa Veloce Women's Rock Climbing Shoes are comfortable. These are made for beginning women climbers. This excellent shoe has a rounded toe box and narrow heel profile especially to fit a women's foot. The VELCRO closures make the Veloce easy on and off. The stiff edging toe and sticky Megabyte rubber make them a solid performing shoe in the gym or the crags.

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Megabyte
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical Moderately curved
  • Lacing: VELCRO
  • Use: Beginning sport climbing and gym climbing
  • Weight: 16oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Five Ten Siren Women's Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Siren Climbing Shoe for Women. Five Ten Siren Women's Climbing Shoe is a high-performance synthetic lace-up. This low-volume, narrow-heel climbing shoe has a perforated synthetic Cowdura upper to eliminate stretch and give you excellent breathability. Uses the Stealth ONYX rubber for excellent friction and durability. Has women's specific last for comfortable wear.

  • Material: Synthetic Cowdura
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Stealth ONYX
  • Last: Slip
  • Curvature: Asymmetrical
  • Lacing: Standard
  • Use: All-around women's climbing shoe Warranty: 1 Year

Scarpa Vortex LE Rock Climbing Shoe Scarpa Vortex LE Rock Climbing Shoe. Scarpa Vortex LE Rock Climbing Shoes have aggressivedown-turned toes for steep boulder and sport problems. Uses the Ultra-sticky Vibram XS Grip rubber.

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Unlined
  • Sole: Vibram XS Grip
  • Last: Slip lasted
  • Curvature: Aggressively curved with down-turned toe
  • Lacing: Slip-on
  • Use: Sport climbing and bouldering
  • Weight: 13oz
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Five Ten Piton Rock Climbing Shoe Five Ten Piton Rock Climbing Shoe. The Five Ten Piton Climbing Shoes are ideal for long cracks. Uses the high-friction Stealth ONYX rubber on the sole and top of the toes for increased friction in cracks. This is a very durable shoe for crack climbing. The lined leather construction keeps them from stretching.

  • Material: Leather
  • Lining: Yes
  • Sole: Stealth ONYX
  • Last: Slip
  • Curvature: Mild asymmetrical
  • Lacing: Standard
  • Use: Crack climbing
  • Warranty: 1 Year
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