Here at ASCEND we want to help you on your journey into rock climbing. Whether you just climbed for the first time or you’ve climbed at gyms all over, ASCEND has put together this guide to everything you need to know about buying your first pair of climbing shoes.

Why buy your own Climbing Shoes?

So why should you invest in a pair of shoes? Why not just rent shoes every time you want to climb?

Integral and only Required Piece of Equipment

Climbing shoes are the only required piece of equipment to climb at the gym and should be your first purchase as you become a climber. Think of your climbing shoes as an investment into your climbing journey.

Enhanced Experience

Rental shoes are a great way to try out the sport of climbing, but they are designed for durability instead of performance and shaped to accommodate as many foot shapes as possible. By upgrading to your own pair of shoes, even the cheapest pair, you will enhance your experience helping you grow as a climber.

The main difference between rental shoes and shoes you can purchase will come down to sizing/fit and the rubber on the outsole.

Everyone’s feet are different and because climbing shoes are designed to fit snugly, it’s important to get a shoe that fits your feet. Each brand has their own fit and finding the right size and model for you is essential. When purchasing a shoe you have a huge variety of options to find the perfect fit.

Rental shoe rubber is harder, to help them last longer, but this can make them feel ‘slippery’ on the wall. Some climbing shoe brands have their own rubber compounds they use, and many others use branded rubber such as Vibram. All of these options will have better performance, and feel ‘stickier’ on the wall compared to rentals. This greatly improves how your technique and progress as a climber with confidence.

Long Term Value

In addition to the reasons above, owning your own climbing shoes can represent a great value versus renting in the long run. Rental fees add up, and a quality pair of shoes can last up to several years with proper care and maintenance.

There is an option to have climbing shoes resoled. This service replaces the rubber at the toe of the shoe that wears out first. Options and pricing vary, but generally shoes can be resoled for around $70-$80 this can help extend the life of your shoes for years.

Some Things to Know

Shoe Sizing

The first great mystery of climbing shoes is the sizing. You may have heard things such as ‘your shoes have to be tight!’ or ‘if you don’t downsize your climbing shoes you’re doing it wrong!’ and other such phrases that can make picking out a pair of climbing shoes feel overwhelming.

Here’s what you actually need to know about sizing shoes:

1. It's true, you do want your climbing shoes to fit more snugly than other types of shoes such as running shoes, dress shoes or sneakers. However, you don’t want to crush your feet, especially with your first pair of shoes. You want them to be snug but not painfully tight or you won’t want to wear them. Your first pair should be relatively comfortable, and the models ASCEND recommends your first pair balances performance with comfort.

2. Size: Every brand of climbing shoe will handle sizing a little differently, so don’t worry too much about the number on the box, base your decision on how the shoe fits your foot in the moment. ASCEND recommends starting with your athletic shoe size and going up or down from there as necessary. Some brands will fit more true-to-size than others, this is expected and don’t be alarmed if your climbing shoes end up being a radically different size than your sneakers.
   
   An ideal fit will have your toes touching the end of the shoe (no extra space!) but your toes shouldn’t be scrunched up, and only slightly bent at most. If your toes are feeling crushed, you should try the next size up! ASCEND recommends trying on as many sizes as available to ensure you find the best fit.

3. We also want to make sure that the width or volume of the shoe fits your foot. This means the shoe should fit close to your foot all around, and look for big gaps between the shoe and your foot. Most common to see these around your ankle and heel. If your shoes have gaps and slip up and down while moving/climbing this could cause blisters. If you’re struggling with finding the right fit, you should look at shoes that are offered in a wide (in climbing shoes, ‘wide’ really just means regular width, some shoes may have a wider shape, but there are no specifically wide model climbing shoes) or narrow fit, or consider a lace-up shoe that allows for more adjustability.

4. You need to be aware of the material used to construct your shoes. Some traditional materials like real leather will stretch over time. This is both good and bad. The good, is that leather can stretch and help create a more ‘custom’ fit to your foot as they break in. However, the challenge with this for a new climber is it can be tricky to get the size right for your first pair because a leather shoe can stretch out about ½ size on average during break in. Synthetic materials will stretch significantly less which makes sizing easier when trying on new shoes. These models still ‘break in’ and become softer and more pliable over time but do not change size. Synthetic materials for climbing shoes could be synthetic-leather, microfiber suede, or a textile/cloth woven material.

Rand / “Toe Caps”

The rand of the shoe, also known as the ‘toe caps’, are the front edge of the climbing shoes that goes across the tips of your toes. This is the part of the climbing shoe that will make the most contact with the wall and will be the first part of your shoes to show signs of wear. But don’t worry, climbing shoes can be repaired and keeping a close eye on the wear of your toe  caps will help you get the most value out of your investment!

Synthetic vs Leather Uppers

As quickly noted above, climbing shoes will typically be constructed of either authentic leather or synthetic material. If you see a shoe made from real leather, you can expect that shoe to stretch out a bit during the break-in period. Most often leather shoes can stretch by about ½ size from when it’s new. Keep this in mind when sizing your new pair.

Synthetic materials do not stretch nearly as much. This makes it easier to size your first pair of shoes successfully, and while they will also break-in over time, they will not change size in a measurable way.

Product Recommendations

Now that you know the key components to look for when harness shopping, let me highlight some of our most popular climbing shoe models.

Butora Advance

($89.99 / $76.49 for ASCEND members) This model is the most affordable climbing shoe offered at ASCEND. This shoe represents a great value when you need a climbing shoe that fits your budget.

This shoe features a flat, comfortable shape. It features a soft and stretchy textile upper that helps your feet stay cool and comfortable. Because this shoe does not feature a leather upper, you can easily size it for how it fits new in the store, it will not stretch out in size during the break in period. Lace up closure allows for a proper fit on several foot shapes.

La Sportiva Tarantulace

($99.99 / $84.99 for ASCEND members) Maybe one of the best selling entry level climbing shoes available, the Tarantulace is another great choice for a first shoe. 

Featuring a lace-up closure, and unlined leather upper, this shoe will stretch during break-in, possibly up to a ½ size. You should aim for a snug fit when new, but the shoe should not be painful. 

Other features include Vibram Frixion rubber designed to balance stickiness with durability for a longer lasting sole. A slightly asymmetrical shape offers a step up in performance over other models at this price point.

Evolv Kronos

($159.00 / $135.15 for ASCEND members) The Evolv Kronos has been the best selling climbing shoe for ASCEND for 5 years in a row now. It really is a sweet spot for many climbers, and works just as well at the crag as it does in the gym.

With a subtle downturn camber, rubber patch on the top of the toe and a medium stiff midsole you have a great balance between performance features and comfortable fit. As with most Evolv models, the Kronos is constructed of a vegan-friendly alternative to leather. This material will soften during break-in but stay truer to length compared to the stretch of a leather shoe.