Favorite crack climbing shoes?!

Lets hear them, I am looking for less pain than climbing cracks in La Sportiva Muira lace-ups. What do you think?

Ah bummer. I was going to say the Miuras...TC Pros have a good feel too.

You dont have pain when climbing cracks in Muira's? The "toe-knuckle" area?

I've been using TC Pros recently and definitely like them for cracks.

I found crack climbing in the Miuras to be painful as well. It should be noted that i'm terrible at climbing cracks, but the unbearable pain in my toes certainly didn't help.

Is there anything in particular people dislike about the TC Pros (other than price), or are they just a pretty great choice?

Brett Sherman wrote:Is there anything in particular people dislike about the TC Pros (other than price), or are they just a pretty great choice?

I love my TC pros and use them for 95% of my trad climbing. They are amazing at most cracks... plus they edge well and are comfortable to wear all day.

But, because their toe box is a bit blocky, they aren't particularly good for smaller cracks BD 0.5 and smaller... 0.75 for those with bigger feet. For the smaller cracks I use either my Mythos or Katanas (my toes are flat in my Katanas)

On a recent trip to the Creek, I used my TC Pros on a 0.75 crack... I climbed it, but ripped the toe box of the shoes (fortunately, only 8 bucks for a new toe cap).

Brett Sherman wrote:You dont have pain when climbing cracks in Muira's? The "toe-knuckle" area?

That's a sizing issue. Crack and shoe size, specifically.

I've had success with a pair of pontas lace ups. They fit my feet well while still managing to be comfortable, and they have a stiff sole.

Old Custer wrote: That's a sizing issue. Crack and shoe size, specifically.

Maybe it is a sizing issue. They arent very tight though. After Serenity Crack/Sons of Yesterday my feet were in sooo much pain. It could just be my lack of crack climbing experience and I just need to get used to the pain... So there is no particular reason why Muiras are bad for cracks? or is it like, "What! your climbing 8 pitch cracks in Muira's!"

I swear by Moccasyms, and I can't imagine climbing a multi-pitch route in Miuras.

So, favorites so far are TC Pros and Moccasyms. Any other favorites?

Brett Sherman wrote: Maybe it is a sizing issue. They arent very tight though. After Serenity Crack/Sons of Yesterday my feet were in sooo much pain. It could just be my lack of crack climbing experience and I just need to get used to the pain... So there is no particular reason why Muiras are bad for cracks? or is it like, "What! your climbing 8 pitch cracks in Muira's!"

Uhhh... the piton scars on Serenity Crack are pretty infamous for causing foot pain even in experienced crack climbers. One of the gear recs is ibuprofen.

Miuras are NOT bad for crack climbing. Then again, maybe for you they are. You gotta find your shoe.

Im looking for crack shoes too. Had mocassyns last year and never really had a good fit with them the shoe offered no support and was either too tight and painful or too loose also feet were colored red from them some people said I was supposed to let them stretch but when I got a smaller size I just could not deal with the pain long enough. I still climbed in Moab in them and just for handsize cracks they worked well
I like Velcros for gym and sport but need an overall trad/ crack shoe the price does not matter as long as they work for me. I am going to give TC pros a shot though

just got a pair of grandstones and they are pretty sweet. moccs are also great

I'm sure most people reading this know this already but stay away from velcro shoes for crack climbing. There is metal on the top of the shoe which makes jamming your shoe unbearable.
I like Moccs for a crack climbing shoe.

Dom wrote:I'm sure most people reading this know this already but stay away from velcro shoes for crack climbing. There is metal on the top of the shoe which makes jamming your shoe unbearable. I like Moccs for a crack climbing shoe.

I swear by my Katanas. Of course, if the crack is big enough that I go past the ball of my foot, I'm wearing JBs. Or approach shoes. The point is that if you're running into this problem often, its because you're consistently putting your foot too far in the crack anyway.

miuras, supermoccs, technos, tennies

that about covers crack climbing

Louis Eubank wrote: I can't imagine climbing a multi-pitch route in Miuras.

It all depends on how they fit your foot, and how you size them. My Miuras, sized comfortably, are my go-to, super-comfortable shoe for long routes; I've even worn them in the Tetons. They can be a great shoe for granite crack climbing, providing much better edging than the Moccs while still having a narrow enough toe for thinnish cracks.

Meanwhile, I also have a pair of Miuras that are sized down so that they are tight; these are my go-to shoe for technical vertical sport routes. I also like the tighter shoes for really thin finger (tips) cracks on granite, where the crack is thin enough that you give up on getting decent toe jams, and instead are just micro-edging on the face. A route like Sentry Box, in Squamish, comes to mind.

Jon Moen wrote: It all depends on how they fit your foot, and how you size them. My Miuras, sized comfortably, are my go-to, super-comfortable shoe for long routes; I've even worn them in the Tetons. They can be a great shoe for granite crack climbing, providing much better edging than the Moccs while still having a narrow enough toe for thinnish cracks. Meanwhile, I also have a pair of Miuras that are sized down so that they are tight; these are my go-to shoe for technical vertical sport routes. I also like the tighter shoes for really thin finger (tips) cracks on granite, where the crack is thin enough that you give up on getting decent toe jams, and instead are just micro-edging on the face. A route like Sentry Box, in Squamish, comes to mind.

I misspoke. I meant to say a multi-pitch route hand/fist jamming. They would be great on a tips crack.

I really love the 5.10 Copperheads. Pretty thin toe profile with lots of rubber on the top of the shoe too.

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