when to call it quits on resoling TC pros

Julian H wrote: Personally, I never had a resole that came close to the original performance or durability. In 20+ years it always been warm up with the resoled shoes and climb the harder climbs with new shoes. Same with my climbing friends. When the sending shoes come out the serious climbing starts. 

Rarely ever talk to anyone truly climbing hard that isn't on your same program. I always find it odd when people say how many resoles they have and claim performance isn't different. When I've seen them climb in person it's usually two camps, people not climbing above 11- and/or people who overgrip and rely waaaay too much on their upper body. Personally both TC pros and katana laces felt too sloppy for anything but dead easy alpine stuff by the time their first resole had been worn through, I toss em. 

L Kap wrote: Rock and Resole will continue to resole unless the leather is rotting. Even if the stitching is a little blown out, they will try to fix it.

The other reason to give up on resoling is if it is changing the shape of your shoe in a way you don't like. Which happens, since it's still basically a hand-crafted process.

This video is really interesting to watch, if you haven't seen it. youtube.com/watch?v=JLyiFKD…

i'll offer loans to those in need of actual new climbing shoes. i'm thinking 20% down, 8%APR, with a 6 month term.   

Nick Drake wrote:

Rarely ever talk to anyone truly climbing hard that isn't on your same program. I always find it odd when people say how many resoles they have and claim performance isn't different. When I've seen them climb in person it's usually two camps, people not climbing above 11- and/or people who overgrip and rely waaaay too much on their upper body. Personally both TC pros and katana laces felt too sloppy for anything but dead easy alpine stuff by the time their first resole had been worn through, I toss em. 

Nick, what size are your TCs and Katanas Laces that you toss out? 

Joe, I've gotten my shoes resoled until they fell apart. ie., R&R said they were done. I have about 8 resoles on one of my pairs of scarpa boosters. I usually get about 1.5 months on a a pair that is soled with 3mm edge 2 before I'm on the rand. My katanas lasted a bit longer before they needed a resole. Key is to not  go through the rand. Pulling the rand off is hard on the shoe and its shape.

With online closeout deals on discontinued shoes, I usually weigh resole vs $20 more for new shoes. 
Doesn't work with TC Pros, though. Although it has worked for a selection of quality Five Ten shoes, recently.

Basically I’m not Honnold or Julian H so I’ll plan to get them resoled again.  Thanks everyone

Z Winters wrote:

Nick, what size are your TCs and Katanas Laces that you toss out? 

I don't have any TC in the pipeline, but there is a pair of katana laces in 41.5 that need a first resole I'm happy to give away if you want them. I'm trying a switch to the womens kataki with xs grip. 

Greg D wrote:

Does down sizing make rubber more sticky?  

I own them too.  But, I'm over them after many years and 3 pairs.  Happy to sell mine for dirt cheap.  Moved on to Scarpa Maestro for my all day shoe (as if the TC wasn't expensive enough).  

Haha probably not, but it does feel that way.  Maybe it’s easier to apply enough pressure to stay on when there’s no room in the toebox?  I sized my second pair a full size down from the first and they’re much more secure, although obviously not quite as comfortable.

Nick Drake wrote:

I don't have any TC in the pipeline, but there is a pair of katana laces in 41.5 that need a first resole I'm happy to give away if you want them. I'm trying a switch to the womens kataki with xs grip. 

41.5 katana is my size.  Will happily take those off you for free.  

Joe Trabucco wrote:

41.5 katana is my size.  Will happily take those off you for free.  

Go for it Joe. Not my size

Greg D wrote:

Does down sizing make rubber more sticky?  

I own them too.  But, I'm over them after many years and 3 pairs.  Happy to sell mine for dirt cheap.  Moved on to Scarpa Maestro for my all day shoe (as if the TC wasn't expensive enough).  

what size are you looking to get rid of? I found a used pair that I thought were going to be the right size, but were too tight, so my wife wears them instead. (She's a half size smaller than me.) I'm stilll interested in giving them a try. If you have them in 40.5, I'd be interested.

Andrew Krajnik wrote:

what size are you looking to get rid of? I found a used pair that I thought were going to be the right size, but were too tight, so my wife wears them instead. (She's a half size smaller than me.) I'm stilll interested in giving them a try. If you have them in 40.5, I'd be interested.

I have tc’s in 44.5, 45 and 45.5 I would give away. 

Nick Drake wrote:

Rarely ever talk to anyone truly climbing hard that isn't on your same program. I always find it odd when people say how many resoles they have and claim performance isn't different. When I've seen them climb in person it's usually two camps, people not climbing above 11- and/or people who overgrip and rely waaaay too much on their upper body. Personally both TC pros and katana laces felt too sloppy for anything but dead easy alpine stuff by the time their first resole had been worn through, I toss em. 

Got to disagree. I've done 13d in shoes that were on their 7th resole. Just did a 13a Wednesday (with a double hernia so not much core strength...thus, requiring good footwork) in those same shoes that are now on their 9th sole. Btw Rock and Resole do them. My partners do the same at the same grades and harder. Note that some of these routes are very footwork dependent and not all steep power routes.

Greg D wrote:

I have tc’s in 44.5, 45 and 45.5 I would give away. 

Whoa, hey man, I'd take the 44.5s off your hands if you really don't want them! Happy to pay some shipping or whatever!

Point is I burn a sole in 1.5 months and resoles work just as well as originals. Thats 8 pairs a year at 180+ ea. Who can afford that?

I wear scarpa boosters, sportiva solution and katana lace. Sizes vary from 42-43 street shoe is 10. Boosters are very forgiving for my foot and is my main shoe.

R&R has the molds so the resole and toe cap doesn't change the feel of the shoe. Not all resolers have those.

each shoe has its own last.or are you talking about the mold that holds the shoes shape while they resole.

I'll add that when I wore boreal stingers, I would have them soled with 5.10 rubber before I even wore them. This wasn't uncommon in the 90s. Also, I got 11 resoles out of one pair of them. Mythos before that and vectors before that...

Jon W wrote: Point is I burn a sole in 1.5 months and resoles work just as well as originals. Thats 8 pairs a year at 180+ ea. Who can afford that?

I don't think we're actually terribly far off on overall life of the shoe than, we just have severely different wear rates. Overall you're still talking about a pair lasting just over a year with the resoles.

Even on highly textured granite I've got a minimum of 300 pitches before a resole, hell my gym training shoes (walltopia highly textured wall) go for 6-9 months before wearing to the resole point (pre toe cap wear). My local sport crag is smooth polished serpentine, by the time you finally wear those shoes to a resole they've lost precision. So most of my shoes are in rotation for 9-24 months total, so for me if I was doing 8 resoles I'd be rocking a pair for 7 years or more and the upper would definitely be worn out. 

Jon W wrote: Point is I burn a sole in 1.5 months and resoles work just as well as originals. Thats 8 pairs a year at 180+ ea. Who can afford that?

I wear scarpa boosters, sportiva solution and katana lace. Sizes vary from 42-43 street shoe is 10. Boosters are very forgiving for my foot and is my main shoe.

R&R has the molds so the resole and toe cap doesn't change the feel of the shoe. Not all resolers have those.

each shoe has its own last.or are you talking about the mold that holds the shoes shape while they resole.

I'll add that when I wore boreal stingers, I would have them soled with 5.10 rubber before I even wore them. This wasn't uncommon in the 90s. Also, I got 11 resoles out of one pair of them. Mythos before that and vectors before that...

Got to agree with Jon on this one.  I even low-key thought the same thing in my mind.  I go through soles ever 2 months usually.  Maybe 2.5.  I can’t afford that either.  

Damn you guys must get out a lot more than my semi-weekend warrior status. I rotate shoes, but still have a couple of main pairs and the soles/resoles last a year, sometimes more.
I wear, separate, completely worn out shoes for the gym.