are approach shoes worth getting

An example of approach shoes being nice but not necessary: I climbed Grand Teton two years ago and last year, once in boots (plus climbing shoes for a technical section) and once in approach shoes. In boots, I could hardly pick my feet up at the end of the day. In approach shoes, I was jogging down the switchbacks at the end. If I only used the approach shoes that one day, I'd consider them worth it.

A place where approach shoes with dot rubber excels is Joshua Tree, where an approach may contain some class 5 moves, which you will be doing with a pack on. Very nice to have shoes that you can "trust the feet" smearing on. 

Personal fave is either La Sportiva TX2 or TX3 & Five Ten Guide Tennie. 

EDIT:  like other posters here, you can do climbs like Owen Spaulding, Exum Ridge, Cable Route/Keyhole Ridge on Long's Peak, lots of stuff in the Sierra's, can be done in just approach shoes. Much more comfortable for the toesies. If you have to jam a crack, the durability of the approach shoe will decline very quickly.

EDIT:  like other posters here, you can do climbs like Owen Spaulding, Exum Ridge, Cable Route/Keyhole Ridge on Long's Peak, lots of stuff in the Sierra's, can be done in just approach shoes. Much more comfortable for the toesies. If you have to jam a crack, the durability of the approach shoe will decline very quickly.

Yeah, dont abuse the sides. Love mine, but I wish I didn't try to jam with them (and take them onto roofs for work a couple times). Got people in $25 shoes eyeballing my $150 shoes very judgmentally as if I am homeless lol

Dan Daugherty wrote:

I swear you just described bouldering.

I'm pretty sure bouldering requires you to not actually get anywhere...

My problem with approach shoes has always been comfort. It's one thing jamming my square-ass feet into climbing shoes while ascending, another to hike a couple miles with a pack in shoes that are too narrow 

Isaac Mann-Silvermanwrote:

I'm pretty sure bouldering requires you to not actually get anywhere...

My problem with approach shoes has always been comfort. It's one thing jamming my square-ass feet into climbing shoes while ascending, another to hike a couple miles with a pack in shoes that are too narrow 

Buy approach sohoes designed for wide feet then => problem solved. 

I can suggest you try Scarpa Mescalito for ex, I love those shoes and I have pretty wide feet myself. 

Approach shoes are super good if you have an exposed approach to the climb, but if you're just hiking to the base of the cliff, you don't need them. 

I wear mine fishing

Not good enough to replace your hiking shoes, but if you need hiking shoes, go for it. I love my Arc'teryx approach shoes.