Does Anyone Climb Steep Routes in TC Pros?

Max Rausch wrote: Just throwing it out there... If you want a crack shoe that also slays steep shit.... Scarpa Maestro mid.

TC's are still a kick ass shoe, but can feel a little floppy on hard edging. 

Out the box Maestros are softer than TC Pros that have been worn for a year, so I'm not sure how that's an improvement in the edging department...

Ma Ja wrote:

I agree. TC Pros don't edge all that well unless you have super strong feet. 

Or size them incorrectly. 

Marc801 C wrote:

Or size them incorrectly. 

Mine are on the border of slightly snug and all day comfort, and they aren't close to my comfy Miuras, or comfy Katanas, or comfy Hiangles in terms of edging. My point is 'in relation to' other good edging shoes, they're simply not as good. Maybe if you sized them incredibly tight they'd be good, but if you did that with katana's, it wouldn't even be close, Katana's would be far superior. I'm a proponent of "snug, but comfotable", at least that's how I get the best performance out of my shoes. My Hiangle 10.5's, and Miura XX 42's fit like I had a a custom cobbler making them for me. 

To the OP's point, TC Pros for overhanging is definitely doable, but you'd sacrifice some toe in abilities vs more aggressive, or more pliable/soft shoes (like the 5.10 Team, or LS Genius). Everything has a benifit and tradeoff. TC Pros would be great at heel/toe cams, and wedging your food in a big pocket or crack on overhanging routes.

Marc801 C wrote:

Or size them incorrectly. 

Did you mean “correctly?”

The difference is that I think most people could probably downsize further with TC Pros than with Katanas.  My shoe size is 13 which is about Euro 47 or so and I had a pair of Katana Laces in 44.5 that I had to give up because they were causing permanent damage...whereas I tried on a pair of TC Pros in 44 and they were fine (don’t think I could do 6 sizes like Honnold, though!).  As far as how a 44 TC Pro would compare to a 45 Katana or Miura...I don’t know.  Sometimes they downturn is nice, sometimes it gets in the way.

Noah Yetter wrote:

Out the box Maestros are softer than TC Pros that have been worn for a year, so I'm not sure how that's an improvement in the edging department...

Not a chance. Maestros are stiffer + have more  down turn, at the expense of a fatter toe box. I feel 100% more confident leading hard trad with them over TC’s. 

Again, it's all circumstantial, and there's tradeoffs to every shoe. If you climb enough, and buy a few shoes that are considerably different, you'll end up finding the right shoe for the style that you climb. If you're a overhanging endurance climber, you probably won't end up grabbing the TC Pros regularly. If you're a multipitch, "I'm in my shoes ALL day" climber, then they're a great all around, "all day", shoe.

Ma Ja wrote: Again, it's all circumstantial, and there's tradeoffs to every shoe. If you climb enough, and buy a few shoes that are considerably different, you'll end up finding the right shoe for the style that you climb. If you're a overhanging endurance climber, you probably won't end up grabbing the TC Pros regularly. If you're a multipitch, "I'm in my shoes ALL day" climber, then they're a great all around, "all day", shoe.

If you are able to wear your shoes all day, they aren't tight enough and you are losing important performance!

Ma Ja wrote: Again, it's all circumstantial, and there's tradeoffs to every shoe. If you climb enough, and buy a few shoes that are considerably different, you'll end up finding the right shoe for the style that you climb. If you're a overhanging endurance climber, you probably won't end up grabbing the TC Pros regularly. If you're a multipitch, "I'm in my shoes ALL day" climber, then they're a great all around, "all day", shoe.

Yeah, except that some people who are overhanging endurance climbers grab TC Pros regularly.  That was kind of the point of this thread.

Tradiban wrote:

If you are able to wear your shoes all day, they aren't tight enough and you are losing important performance!

This, a hundred times this.  If you aren’t losing toenails every few months or or if you aren’t avoiding crack climbs like  the plague yer shoes are too loose. 

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

This, a hundred times this.  If you aren’t losing toenails every few months or or if you aren’t avoiding crack climbs like  the plague yer shoes are too loose. 

Peripheral neuropathy is for those who really deserve it. C'mon, don't be a wuss.

Also... who really uses toenails these days?

Ted Pinson wrote:

Yeah, except that some people who are overhanging endurance climbers grab TC Pros regularly.  That was kind of the point of this thread.

Not any of the ones I know.

"This, a hundred times this.  If you aren’t losing toenails every few months or or if you aren’t avoiding crack climbs like  the plague yer shoes are too loose."

To this...  if you're losing toe nails, and you're climbing a 1/4 letter grade harder, you're a bigger man than me. I'll stay comfortable all day, climb hard (for me) and will be able to walk when I'm 50.

Ma Ja wrote: Not any of the ones I know.

"This, a hundred times this.  If you aren’t losing toenails every few months or or if you aren’t avoiding crack climbs like  the plague yer shoes are too loose."

To this...  if you're losing toe nails, and your climbing a 1/4 letter grade harder, you're a bigger man than me. I'll stay comfortable all day, climb hard (for me) and will be able to walk when I'm 50.

Ted doesn't know them either unless you include gym climbers. Gym climbers love the most expensive gear, especially the ones who live in the armpit areas of the country.

Ma Ja wrote: To this...  if you're losing toe nails, and your climbing a 1/4 letter grade harder, you're a bigger man than me. I'll stay comfortable all day, climb hard (for me) and will be able to walk when I'm 50.

I can no longer sort the troll / facetious responses from the serious ones, but regarding the incredibly aggressive downsizing some climbers employ to the point where they are regularly losing toenails, just keep in mind that after 10 - 15 years of that abuse, there's an excellent chance that you'll spend the rest of your climbing days in flat, floppy climbing shoes that are at least as large as your street shoe size. Maybe you'll be unable to wear climbing shoes at all and will need to resort to approach shoes.

I've certainly seen some painful and permanently fucked up feet in the climbing and skiing world. More width choices would help.

Mobes Mobesely wrote:

Ted doesn't know them either unless you include gym climbers. Gym climbers love the most expensive gear, especially the ones who live in the armpit areas of the country.

Actually, it was when I saw people doing this outside that I made this thread.  I don’t know them personally, though and was too busy climbing my own shit to spark up a conversation.

I don’t really pay too much attention to what people wear in the gym.

Ted Pinson wrote:

Actually, it was when I saw people doing this outside that I made this thread.  I don’t know them personally, though and was too busy climbing my own shit to spark up a conversation.

I don’t really pay too much attention to what people wear in the gym.

So where was this steep climbing? Sorry if I sound like a douche but I haven't heard of steep mid western climbing beside the gyms. I saw plenty of gym climbers in CT and MA wearing 180 dollar TCs but not many at the crags.

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105841134/red-river-gorge

I’d say that qualifies as steep climbing. :/. Actually, a majority of the climbing in the Midwest IS steep climbing, because most midwestern climbers climb at the Red.  This happened to be in Jackson Falls, which is more known for techy vertical and slab climbing, but this particular wall was mostly steep cave climbs:
https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106109271/beaver-wall

Just find a shoe that fits your foot and you won't have to cram into something to get "performance" out them. Hiangles and Miuras are that for me. Snug and comfortable. If you're a boulderer, this should be even more important because falling onto mats is actually the most damaging part when climbing in shoes that are too tight. I'd sacrifice a little performance to know that I can comfortably drop from a problem. If youre in need of that high performance of a shoe, then hopefully you're a sponsored climber with a retirement plan from La Sportiva, or BD. Otherwise, you should accept that it's worth having to give one more burn to get the send. That's what we're really talking about here, right? Sending? If a shoe is holding you back because you're size is off, then come back tomorrow when you're fresh and get the send.

Again, I personally climb better when I can stretch out fully, stand on my tip toes to reach a far hold, all while thinking about efficiency, technique, and movement, and not that my feet hurt and I need to be off the route so I can take my shoes off asap. I have one pair of extremely tight Black Wings ($20 on geartrade) and I immediately realized I climb much worse in extra tight shoes, not to mention I am thinking about not falling on my cramped feet, instead of just climbing.

And... Most of the Red is steep. 

The red is the closest crag to being a gym in America. Amirite?

Mobes Mobesely wrote: The red is the closest crag to being a gym in America. Amirite?

Well, besides the fact that the Red isn't a crag, you're pretty right. Jesus set some super sick routes in KY.