Climbing: can climbing shoes help you progress?
16.2.2018
Translation: machine translated
Climbing is my passion. I've been doing this sport for several years and I've tried out a wide variety of climbing shoes during that time. In this article, I'll show you what makes a good shoe and what to avoid.
Finding the right shoe
In the world of climbing shoes there's plenty to choose from: Boreal, La Sportiva, Scarpa, EB and the list goes on. What's more, there are also smaller brands that offer lower prices but don't skip out on technicality and comfort for all that.
I have to admit to having a soft spot for products from the market leader: La Sportiva. At the foot of the Dolomites, the La Sportiva brand has been around for 85 years. Before specialising in climbing shoes, they made hiking boots and ski boots (they still do, by the way).
Climbing is a multi-faceted sport: it can be practised not only on the crag, but also indoors, on boulders, etc. There are therefore a multitude of shoes adapted to different practices. Bouldering boots, for example, are more flexible. This gives a better feel, but less support on small holds. There's a boot for every type of climbing, but it can be hard to find the right one. So which ones should you choose? I lent myself to the game: for several years, I did my little tests.
Suffering to be better
The first point is to have slippers that meet your expectations (it may sound silly, put like that). No longer be in the "not enough" (not fitted enough, not technical enough), but not in the "too much" either (too small, too soft, too painful).
In my progression from beginner to beginner 'plus', I made every mistake possible. For my first pair, I opted for models that were too big and comfortable. These soon became unsuitable because they didn't fit the toes properly and were ineffective. Once I'd accepted that better-fitting shoes were necessary, I bought a second pair, and made a second mistake: too technical, too small, far too painful. Many people end up selling their shoes after suffering for many weeks. Contrary to the urban legend that the degree of pain is proportional to the level of performance, having your feet hurt too much is the best way to lose motivation or cut your sessions short, and is therefore detrimental to progress.
Choosing a technical shoe to progress?
Do you really need technical shoes when you have a beginner/intermediate level (4a-6b, if we refer to the French ratings)? What type of technical shoe might be useful? To find out, I had to try them out. In this range, I had the chance to test the Pearl LU from Ocun, the Skwama from La Sportiva, but also simpler models like the Defy from Evolv. Slippers are a personal thing: morphology, ability to withstand pain, the unsightly little horn that forms on the big toe, and so on. So I've chosen to tell you three stories.
One foot, three stories
Skwama:
These are my favourites. Hands down. Although Skwama wear out prematurely, they feel like a second skin and are therefore very comfortable (that's rare enough in the business to be worth mentioning). The rubber is super-sticky and the toe scuffing is very precise. The heel is also particularly effective, with a patented system that guarantees constant rigidity when hooking.
Defy:
Extremely comfortable, bordering on slipper-like, the Defy is also very flexible and therefore reserved for use limited to supports that don't require you to push hard on small holds. Despite this characteristic, you'll come across them in every gym; and rightly so, since it's a very versatile model, ideal for beginners.
Pearl LU:
It's been a (little) legend for years, not least because it was the shoe of the winners of two World Championships. The only lace-up pair featured here, the Pearl LU has a strong arch and significant asymmetry. The toe is made so that the toes are moderately curled up and offers enough room to avoid the impression of being crushed. The Pearl offers a good balance between stiffness and sensitivity for the smallest rulers. Add to that the good grip of the rubber and you've got an excellent pair. Only slight downside: the synthetic leather weakens the liner in places.
Conclusion
The only solution to finding your shoes is to try as many as you can. Almost all climbing gyms hire shoes. Try on different pairs and find your favourite. The regulars at your climbing gym are another good source of information. They will certainly be able to give you some advice or help you find your climbing shoe.
Are you already experienced when it comes to climbing shoes? Then tell me in the comments how you went about finding your ideal pair.
Good climbing to you all!
Lucas Breithaupt
Community Manager
Lucas.Breithaupt@digitecgalaxus.chI'm a passionate climber. Evil tongues say I'm almost fanatical about it. The rare days when I don't hang in a wall, I scramble around in the forest, set myself on fire with video games or books, or enjoy a hot cup of tea. They say about me that I'm a relaxed guy.
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