Breaking in rock climbing shoes…

Breaking in rock climbing shoes…

The process of breaking in a new climbing shoe can be daunting to a beginner, so here it is…the break in process. It will likely take around 6-8 sessions to break in your rock climbing shoes, for the rock climbing shoes to feel good and comfortable. When breaking in rock climbing shoes, start by wearing them only in your warm up and move up from there, don’t expect to wear them the whole session or give yourself nice long breaks.  

‍

Are rock climbing shoes supposed to be tight?

Short answer, yes. So bring a plastic bag!

A lot of people think this is just for very tight rock climbing shoes that you need some slippery action to get on your foot. Incorrect. A plastic bag for any new climbing shoe is going to stop blistering and save your skin from pulling tight shoes on and off 10 times a session.

‍

How uncomfortable should my first pair of shoes be?

Not, yes your first pair should be tight but they should not be crippling, you want it tight enough that if you put pressure on your toes (stand on your tip toes) they aren’t going to bend back too much cause when you go to stand on a small hold you don’t want them bending back and coming off. It will be a balance between performance and comfort. If you can wear them without too much distress for between 3-5 minutes in your first session that is probably a pretty good indicator of the right size.

‍

The rock climbing shoe fit - Sizing for rock climbing shoes

All brands have a different fit so there is not one best shoe brand. The sizing of the rock climbing shoe will 100% depend on the shape of your foot and whether you are compatible with that brand. As a general rule brands such as La Sportiva, Tenaya, 5.10 tend to fit slightly more narrow and brands such as Evolv and Scarpa will lend themselves to a wider foot.

‍

Leather or Synthetic rock climbing shoes, what's the difference…

Leather will stretch around 0.5-1 full size. Synthetic will hold its shape and mould to your foot.

Now go forth and send! ;)