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Slab climbing shoes for thin 10+

Original Post
Ryan Arnold · · SLC · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 751

I'm breaking into mid-5.10 level slab, hoping to build up to leading some or all of Dorsal Fin in LCC this year. I've read a lot of forum posts on the topic, but want to revive the discussion before I buy a pair of new shoes.

I have a "tight" pair of Mocs (thin cracks), a tight pair of Anasazi Blancos (edging), and a tight pair of Arrowheads (overhangs).

Despite some people's comments about Mocs being good on slab, I've been disappointed on crux moves that involve barely visible rounded knobs or divots without a defined edge, when it's too steep to fully smear... "rounded smedging". This seems to be the most difficult part of thin slab.

I need an all-day shoe that's more comfortable than my Mocs, and was thinking of getting some Mythos for easier all-day trad. But I think they are likely to be more disappointing on slab than my Mocs. People seem to love TC Pros for all day use, including thin slab, but when sized tight, TCP's pressure an already sore spot on my pinkie toe.

I can stick with Mocs, try a loose-ish fit on TCP's, or.... ? What's the silver bullet for steep smedging on tiny rounded knobs?

The Blueprint Part Dank · · FEMA Region VIII · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 460
Ryan Arnold wrote:I'm breaking into mid-5.10 level slab, hoping to build up to leading some or all of Dorsal Fin in LCC this year. I've read a lot of forum posts on the topic, but want to revive the discussion before I buy a pair of new shoes. I have a "tight" pair of Mocs (thin cracks), a tight pair of Anasazi Blancos (edging), and a tight pair of Arrowheads (overhangs). Despite some people's comments about Mocs being good on slab, I've been disappointed on crux moves that involve barely visible rounded knobs or divots without a defined edge, when it's too steep to fully smear... "rounded smedging". This seems to be the most difficult part of thin slab. I need an all-day shoe that's more comfortable than my Mocs, and was thinking of getting some Mythos for easier all-day trad. But I think they are likely to be more disappointing on slab than my Mocs. People seem to love TC Pros for all day use, including thin slab, but when sized tight, TCP's pressure an already sore spot on my pinkie toe. I can stick with Mocs, try a loose-ish fit on TCP's, or.... ? What's the silver bullet for steep smedging on tiny rounded knobs?
Mythos are going to have the same "rounded smedging" issue you mentioned. I like TC pros and Katana laces for that situation. I'd give the edge to the TC Pros though. I wouldn't worry too much about the pinky toe issue. They break in more than one would initially suspect.
rock-fencer · · Columbia, SC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 265

i use my womens miura's for most of my stuff in NC...im a guy but the women's fits me better. pretty sure mine are 41's and i wear a 8.5-9 street shoe size. Also have not been dissapointed with my lace katanas.

at the end of the day though i can climb pretty much whatever is in my normal range in whatever shoe. I'd focus on developing the "skill set" than worry about what shoe you're wearing

heard good things abotu the tanaya brand

get to a shop and try different shoes out if you can...you clearly have a shoe quiver so you have time to find a shoe that fits your foot well

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

Contrary to conventional wisdom, when slap gets steeper and less frictiony ... Where you need to stand on tiny crystal, divots, bumps, etc ... Many here in squamish use "aggressive" or stiffer shoes

The stiffness allows for less deformation and more transfer of you weight onto those uber tiny holds IME

Partner on 11- "slab" using miura VS

the one and only wong on FoF

I prefer miuras or katanas

;)

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
bearbreeder wrote:Contrary to conventional wisdom, when slap gets steeper and less frictiony ... Where you need to stand on tiny crystal, divots, bumps, etc ... Many here in squamish use "aggressive" or stiffer shoes The stiffness allows for less deformation and more transfer of you weight onto those uber tiny holds IME
Same experience here, and I realize it's contrary to what everyone would expect. I climbed my hardest-ever friction pitch (5.11ish) in Boreal Aces. Well broken in, to be sure, and resoled with something stickier than the Fusion rubber. I then tried it in Mocasyms, and they didn't generate the pressure needed to hold onto the few surface nubbins. I could feel them oozing/creeping down the rock.
Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,617

I agree - best slab shoes I ever had were the Scarpa Edge with stealth rubber.

J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926
bearbreeder wrote:Contrary to conventional wisdom, when slap gets steeper and less frictiony ... Where you need to stand on tiny crystal, divots, bumps, etc ... Many here in squamish use "aggressive" or stiffer shoes The stiffness allows for less deformation and more transfer of you weight onto those uber tiny holds IME Partner on 11- "slab" using miura VS I prefer miuras or katanas ;)
I agree with the part of your statement about stiff shoes, but then you go and point him towards gushy katanas :)

As JLP says, get yourself a pair of Anasazi Blanco's, which edge better than just about anything I have ever worn. The only time I don't wear them on thin granite is if I know for a fact that all of the hard climbing is PURE friction (i.e. no smedging or tiny crystal pimping).
Garret Nuzzo Jones · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 1,436

I've done all my "tough" slab climbing in LCC in some snugly fitted green Anasazis resoled with C4. They can edge solidly still and smear like a champ.

Lee Green · · Edmonton, Alberta · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 51

I like my Moccasyms for most climbing but for the kind of stuff you're describing, I have a pair of Five Ten Anasazi VCS that do very well. I've used them successfully on some pretty sketchy limestone. They can't match my Moccasyms for all-day comfort but they will stick to some pretty imaginary holds.

lucander · · Stone Ridge, NY · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 260

100% Mythos, they've done me worlds of good on Jtree and Squamish scarefests.

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669

Another vote for verdes

Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Lace-up Miuras. I prefer the lady Miuras to the men's but I have narrow feet. They slab well, edge well, and are comfortable for all-day routes if you size them right.

Alan Doak · · boulder, co · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 120

I've climbed slab on a lot of different shoes. Then I tried TC Pros. Mind blown.

Check out this video of Beth Rodden climbing Kauk Slab (V9):
vimeo.com/32117058

Daniel Winder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 101
Lee Green wrote:I like my Moccasyms for most climbing but for the kind of stuff you're describing, I have a pair of Five Ten Anasazi VCS that do very well. I've used them successfully on some pretty sketchy limestone. They can't match my Moccasyms for all-day comfort but they will stick to some pretty imaginary holds.
100% agree. Same situation here.
Michael Stewart · · Northern NM · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 441

The "5.10 Vertical Micro" (green last & half sole) is still the best pure edging shoe in my arsenal. I say "still" because Charles Cole/5.10 manufactured this shoe in 1987/88. I use them sparingly...this pair still has crisp edges on original soles. If you ever happen on a decent pair, buy 'em.

5.10 Micro

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bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
J. Albers wrote: I agree with the part of your statement about stiff shoes, but then you go and point him towards gushy katanas :)
katana LACES are pretty stiff with the P3 downturns

the velcros are decently stiff as well for a flat shoe

;)
S. Neoh · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 35

The Katana Lace is a powerful edging shoe if well fitted. Very confident on thin edges and tiny knobs. I moved to it from Miura Lace. The Miura VS does not fit me right.

ChefMattThaner · · Lakewood, co · Joined May 2013 · Points: 246

TC Pro

or katana lace

Jeff McLeod · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 45

sportiva speedsters sized ridiculously tight. might hurt your toes a bit but you'll feel microscopic footholds. picture for reference ;P

BigNobody · · all over, mostly Utah · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 10

Mad Rock Phoenix's are the shite.

My favorite saying comes from the owner of IME in your neck of the woods.

"The shoes don't make the climber climb better"

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
BigNobody wrote: "The shoes don't make the climber climb better"
While this is an appealing statement, since it reflects the idea that you should rely on skill, not gear, it actually isn't true in practice. Having the correct shoes for the situation will help you improve your footwork and thus your climbing; the shoes themselves serve as a teaching tool as you learn to utilize their capabilities. The classic example of this is the new-ish climber who has loose, sloppy beginner shoes and sloppy footwork, but then finally replaces those shoes with a somewhat for precise, pointed, performance-oriented shoe. Suddenly realizing the concept of precision, that climber's footwork improves noticeably in a matter of days, as they learn to carefully place and hold their foot on footholds. It doesn't happen for everyone, but I imagine most of us have seen this several times.

This sort of learning curve applies to more experienced climbers too, but perhaps in a less dramatic way. An example from my experience was that for 10 years I was terrible at toe hooks, and really just didn't have them in my repertoire of techniques. This changed when I finally got a pair of shoes with a bunch of rubber over the top of the toe, and a shape that lent itself to toe hooking. Suddenly given these greater shoe capabilities, toe hooking started to make more sense to me, and I learned a lot very quickly. I got much better at it, and could then apply those skills even when wearing other pairs of shoes. I've heard people describe similar experiences after getting their first pair of good thin-crack shoes, or thier first really stiff edging shoe, or their first downturned shoe.

Of course, no pair of shoes will turn a 5.10 climber into a 5.13 climber overnight. The reverse is also true; a 5.13 climber can often get up 5.10 even in their approach shoes. But on the margins of your own abilities, having exactly the right shoe for the situation (and for your foot, climbing style, etc) can make a notable difference, perhaps a letter grade or two. This may seem minor, but when truly at your limit a letter grade is huge. It is the difference between sending and not sending. For me, I've been improving lately by about a letter grade a year, so a letter grade represents a year's worth of effort. Wearing the right shoe means sending now, not having to wait another year. This is a pretty big difference.

And to the OP: good choices are available for each of the good shoe brands. From Five Ten, any of the Anasazi Lace permutations is a good choice for technical small-foothold climbing. From Sportiva, consider the Miuras, Katana Lace, or TC Pro. The Tenaya Masai seems to have won some fans too. I'm sure that Scarpa has some good offerings too. Basically you want something stiff and flat-ish. Choosing the correct size for multipitch routes with technical climbing is maddening, since you have to compromise between performance and comfort; you can find an adequate balance, but you can't optimize both. Most important, though, is to get what fits your foot. Go to a good shop and try on every shoe mentioned above.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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