The best rock climbing shoes for beginners

Em’s top picks for beginners rock climbing shoes…..

As a new rock climber you will need to work on your technique extensively… As such, whatever rock climbing shoe you get it will likely be taking quite the beating for the first few months while you refine your movement. We recommend going for high quality but cheaper options to start off, there is little value in spending $200+ on top-of-the line rock climbing shoes when starting out. You can search for beginner rock climbing shoes in our online store or come into NOMAD Bouldering Gym to see the pro shop and talk to our knowledgeable staff about the best beginner rock climbing shoe for you.

Our three favourite rock climbing shoes for beginners:

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1. Evolv Defy/Elektra beginners rock climbing shoe

The Defy is the male rock-climbing shoe and the Elektra the female rock-climbing shoe. Gender aside, this really means they fit slightly different with the Defy being slightly wider and Elektra narrower so go with what feels right for you. Being a synthetic rock climbing shoe, these will hold their shape quite well and won’t necessarily stretch but instead mold to your foot, so finding the right size from the outset is important and relatively easy.

These shoes have won many awards for comfort and make a great first impression. We highly recommend these for beginners first rock climbing shoe.

Cost: $159.95

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2. Butora Senegi beginners rock climbing shoe

A strong contender and all-rounder for best beginner rock climbing shoe. The Butora’s are the most popular rock climbing shoe mainly due to their price point. They are an amazing entry level rock climbing shoe. Don’t get me wrong, they can still perform and with their all black appearance many climbers love the style of this shoe.

Cost: $119.95

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3. Scarpa Origin beginners rock climbing shoe

Made in Italy, these beautiful leather rock climbing shoes are perfect for beginners and emphasise the history and craftsmanship that Scarpa embodies. They are a beautiful rock climbing shoe because they are a leather rock climbing shoe which will stretch slightly more than a synthetic rock climbing shoe so you will need to be careful with sizing, generally a safe rule of thumb is to assume they will stretch between half a size to a full size. The origin also has a male and female option but as previously stated just do what feels right.

Cost: $159.95

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All the three shoes above can be found in our online store or in or pro shop at NOMAD Bouldering located in Annandale, Sydney.