Are there any climbers out there who climb barefoot anymore? I do, once in awhile, but there was a time when that's all I did. Post your ascents, photos, etc. What do you think about barefoot climbing?

The photos of Skip leading Wendego barefoot are awesome! I can't imagine climbing that slab without shoes (or even with shoes in my case).

Bob - I had a few great summers barefooting in Boulder, back in the day. Memorable ascents included Supremacy, C'est La Vie (had to stem it), Country Club (not sure how i managed that first pitch), Diving Board (painful - not recommended), Naked Edge (crux was walking down the E Slabs all tenderfooted!). I still do it once in a while but haven't done enough to get past that painful "break-in period" since the 1980s. You definitely need to get out a lot and toughen the feet to experience more joy than pain, but eventually you do. Climbing shoes are better now, but there were helpful grabbing things you couldn't do in old-school shoes, making some routes easier barefoot, like Kloeberdanz. Hardest kind of climbing was wider cracks, rounded-edge slab smearing or pure friction - surprisingly, dime edging was easier, since the rock would bite. Best was steep and featured stuff, like Outer Space, Black Walk, first pitch of T2. Feet are little radiators, and shoes really hold in the heat. Barefooting made hot summer climbing feel much cooler and more comfortable, significantly extending "Eldo season."

a recent interest of mine. If it's a day I'm not feeling strong or just don't feel like cranking on hard stuff, I'll do some barefoot climbing on TR to make things more interesting. Nothing impressive like Achey here, but during my past Creek trip I TRed twin cracks, the cave route, and some unknown 5.10 at the Battle barefoot. I did a combo of jamming with the toes and laying it back. It's pretty satisfying, not too painful, and is quite convenient!

I went through a barefoot phase a few years back at the Creek. Many green and/or red camalot sized cracks at the Creek are much easier (and more comfortable) without shoes on. Good examples would be Coyne, Swedin-Ringle, and most of all Slice'n'Dice. However, I have tried other routes barefoot with very painful results (Sacred Cow was too offset, and Optimator was too sharp).

Last year I went to do the young and the rackless on east blob rock in boulder canyon which is a 4 pitch 5.9 very well bolted sport climb. I realized that I had two left shoes with me when I got to the base and decided what the hell Ill do it barefoot. I even led 2 of the pitches. My feet hurt a little but I had a great time. Haven't been barefoot since but it was a good experience.

I prefer barefoot bouldering but i do do some other barefoot climbing on roped routes, its so much fun brings you closer to nature

You still see older Czech climbers going barefooted from time to time, mostly in Cesky Raj, where the rock is almost made for it, very pocketed sandstone.

Yes, I remember Skip and I sending the Edge barefoot in 1981, we did it in record time also, I remember we used our Eldo rack, a rack that consisted of about ten pieces of gear including quick draws. Skip was prepping for his free-solo ascent at the time. We also did Polygap, Wisdom, Wendego, and others that year. I remember climbing a bunch of routes on Castle Rock barefoot for Glen Randall's book "Vertigo Games". Later I would send NED, Horangutan, Mellow Yellow, Genesis, Superfly to name a few, barefoot. I think Genesis was the hardest for me in that style. For some of these routes, barefootin surely made it seem easier. I also remember barefootin the Yellow Wall on the Diamond although I had shoes for the approach and descent. When your state of the art barefootin you are definitely way honed and knarly.

Barefootin on Mellow Yellow. Submitted By: bhoran on Nov 14, 2009

Last year I drove 4 hours to the Red in Kentucky, only to discover that I had forgotten my shoes. Long story short, the cheapest booties you can get at Miguels are around $120, and being the dirtbag climber I was, I went the week barefoot. I climbed as hard that week as I climb with shoes on (to my surprise) and from then on I've always skipped the shoes when the convenience of being barefoot took precedence over having to put the shoes on. It feels great to get up something hard without rubber on your feet, especially when it involves being at the Red where most routes are overhanging and arm intensive!

And Bob, Barefootin on the diamond!? Damn, that's ambitious. I thought it was harcore enough gettin from bottom to top, but doing it without shoes, now that's crazy!

It occurred to me that I stumbled across a slide of you, Bob, climbing I think something on Wind Tower barefooted. I have no idea why I have it, maybe Scott Reynolds took it and I ended up with it. I think Scott's our only connection from that era.

My buddy and I were climbing at Rumney and Jimmy cliff was absolutely packed. The only open climb was Drilling for Dollars (5.8) but the start of it was full of people so we scrambled to the second bolt and I realized I left my shoes at the bottom. Instead of going to get them I figured I would lead it barefoot, only 5.8 right. It was summer and the sun was shining so I started sweating hardcore and realized the clmb was harder than I thought. I ended up getting it without falling but those slopey ledges definately scared the crap out of me. Chalking my feet as well as my hands was a fun experience though. Good times.

I think Bob Horan and Skip Guerin were the badassest American barefooters ever. Anyone know of exploits to top Genesis, Wendego, the Diamond? Has Astroman had a barefoot ascent? I remember the article Skip wrote about barefooting, dissing all the pussy shoe-wearers. All shoe-wearing ascents are aid. Hard to argue, actually. How are specialized climbing shoes different from sky-hook gloves, or suction cups?

I started my most serious barefooting to train for a free attempt on the Becky route on the north face of Moses, first pitch, now know as Pale Fire. When I finally tried it, with Glenn Randall, I got shut down on a frictiony tips-crack move before I even reached the splitter inch and a quarter crack I'd been training for. I was so wishing for my EBs. Glen cruised that move in his clunky Chouinard edging shoes, only to be outmatched by the splitter. Point being, the project was a bust, but the training process a blast. Good point to remember. Oh, and Bob, my standard Eldo rack only had 8 nuts. Favorite pieces were the #4 Stopper and #5 Hex. Still remember the yellow and blue cord on that #5 ...

and Sean, nice photos. you have such pretty feet.

After the tender-foot days, the feet would adapt quite well with nice callus, which actually make for good edging pads. In summer the hardest part was to keep your feet from sweating, otherwise the freedom of the toes often helped your climbing, especially in overhangs where you could curl or wrap around a hold and pull. The worst scenario was when you'd blow a toe callus, like a finger tear. Then the tape and the the shoes would come out. Nowadays, I mostly climb in slippers, which are very flexible, grip effective and comfortable. Thought you might like some barefootin video action.

Well, I love to climb barefoot. I do it all the time. I have done some great climbs that way. Sometimes its a lot easier then shoes. I have climbed up to 11b barefoot in N.H. Im sorry but I dont have photos.Its definitely a great way to climb if you can handle it.When I was climbing hard I climbed barefoot whenever I was with new or intermediate climbers to save rubber on my shoes. Adds some challenge to some routes that you may have wired. It can make crack climbing easier.

I confess,I was one of the guys that loved the feel of barefoot climbing,especially in Eldorado Canyon. I lead a lot of the usual easier trade routes and seconded many of the harder trade routes.
I think aside from the fact that it was a cool and very "in" thing to do,those EBs really hurt my feet!

Total Madness! Loved the video Bob. Amazing to see the raw athleticism and mental vibe meet on that solo. Props!

Back in the days of school in the '80s & '90s where we got short snippets of free time after/before/between classes, we used to barefoot nearby routes we had climbed already with shoes to add a new twist to climbs done before. It was fun, but it could be particularly painful for sunny, darker rock. It definitely added some freshness into the limited selection of rock in the Boston area.

It was storied that Atkins came about Vail to scale this mighty pillar called they called the Fang for the attempt of 2nd ascent; but in amazing style of the au naturale, kicked off the lower gear; whether by wish or by yard sale (I'll never tell), and scaled the mighty beast only to be thwarted a few feet from the top and thus pitched off. He renounced the effort:


"J F'n C that was the stupidest thing I've ever done!!"

(would I exaggerate? nah, c'mon this is the internet for cryin out loud)


ps - I have no idea why the Gen Y boulderers have such a problem with BobH; the guy has climbed some incredible stuff & barefootin -- to boot!!

Those guys in the Czech do some pretty rad barefoot climbing.

Barefoot runout spire Submitted By: Andrew James C on Nov 16, 2009