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Bouldering shoes for flat feet

Original Post
Idan Gelber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2016 · Points: 0

I have incredibly flat feet. If I try to put on shoes with a downturn I am always left with an air bubble where the heel is (does not matter how much I downsize). This is because my feet do not bend with the arch of the shoe.

What bouldering shoes do you know of that are good for edging and heel hooking, but do not have a dramatic downturn?

Ted Pinson · · Chicago, IL · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 252

Have you tried the 5.10 Anasazi line? They're fairly flat but high performance. The Blancos might be your best ticket when they come (back) out later this year/early 2017, or you might try the VCS.

Walter Galli · · Las vegas · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 2,247

Wood boards?

AlpineAlison · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 5

Ted's 5.10 suggestions are great, they are some of the flatter shoes around and their performance is raved about.

Red Chili has some flat models as well, like the VCR.

Scarpa Helix and Techno X are also pretty flat.

The La Sportiva Tarantula and Oxygym are the flattest models in their line.

It's hard to recommend the best shoe for edging and heel hooking on flat shoes because so much of that will depend on the fit. Each shoe company (and shoe model) varies significantly in how wide/narrow their heel cup is and if there is a slight rise or not from the forefoot section. So if you constantly have dead space in the heel, these suggestions are a good starting place, but in-person testing is the only way to ensure the perfect fit.

If it's helpful, you can go to weighmyrack.com/shoe and filter on all the flat lasted shoes, so you can at least see what the options are from all the manufacturers. So then you can at least make a list of models to find and try on in-store.

You could also look for flat lasted shoes with medium asymmetry (versus low) and gain some performance benefits from that style.

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Idan Gelber wrote:I have incredibly flat feet. If I try to put on shoes with a downturn I am always left with an air bubble where the heel is (does not matter how much I downsize). This is because my feet do not bend with the arch of the shoe.
You're misunderstanding the function of the downturn. It's not that your feet are supposed to bend like that; your feet are forcing the downturned shoe to flatten out, causing the shoe to fit to your foot as tightly as possible. It stiffens the shoe, makes it as precise as possible, with as close to a second skin fit as possible. It can also cause incredible pain and, possibly, over the ling term, damage to the toes, esp. the big toe and the bunion joint, depending on how masochistically you size them.
Walter Galli · · Las vegas · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 2,247

Yup...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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