Most comfortable aiders and aid shoes

4 aiders.

I don’t climb for speed and 4 aiders for me is comfortable. Still, I’m faster than 95% of you all. 

Mark Hudonwrote:

I don’t climb for speed and 4 aiders for me is comfortable. Still, I’m faster than 95% of you all. 

Lmao, you enjoying flexing on all of us knowing we can't say shit, Mark? You've definitely earned it, but you have now used one of your two annual flex passes. 

Ha!

- (Damn, I had so many other good flexes lined up) -

Kevin DeWeese wrote:

Speaking for the 5%, it ain't that high of a bar. (Sorry 95% of you) 

Kevin, you’re right. 

Not to shred on Ryan from HowNotTo, but I watched a couple of his how to big wall videos the other day, and I was really amazed at the low level, beginner, outdated and poor techniques he was describing.

I watched some people haul their gear up to Sickle last year, and was simply amazed, with all the information out there, how clustered their whole set up was, and how slow they were.

Mark Hudonwrote:

Kevin, you’re right. 

Not to shred on Ryan from HowNotTo, but I watched a couple of his how to big wall videos the other day, and I was really amazed at the low level, beginner, outdated and poor techniques he was describing.

I watched some people haul their gear up to Sickle last year, and was simply amazed, with all the information out there, how clustered their whole set up was, and how slow they were.

Most people are highly uninterested in researching big wall stuff and learning how to be more efficient. The vast majority seem to just want to take the struggle bus. I get that they have job jobs and limited time and all that, but I'm frequently astonished at how many beginner big wall climbers have never heard of a two to one or an alfifi or a long list of stuff. They also usually have an astonishingly low amount of aid cragging days and have never done a practice lower out or done much jumaring etc., etc.

I'm definitely in that 95% simply from lack of mileage and experience. Give me a few years though-- considering how fast I can scoot up a bolt ladder I'm sure my days of being a slow ass aid climber are numbered. =) 

Mark we could use a few more videos on your systems - those old anchor system videos you put out have been invaluable.

Big Redwrote:

Mark we could use a few more videos on your systems - those old anchor system videos you put out have been invaluable.

Making those well is difficult and I don’t have the cameras, the props and the locations to really do something much more than a 10 minute vid.

 I would really like to set up something where I give a seminar at a climbing gym. This would be a paid thing and it wouldn’t be inexpensive per person but I’d envisioned something like 10 or 15 people max maybe two hours and then two evenings.

A pair of Superfeet insoles can really go a long way in adding comfort/support to whatever footwear you have.    Something like the Boreal Big Walls, Scarpa Zodiac (the lighter of the two versions) or one of the La Sportiva Trango line orb boots might be the ticket.  Provided you’re ok with having something that isn’t as nimble when it comes to free climbing.  I bought a used pair of Trango Alp Evos for this purpose.  

What size shoe do you wear?  I have some Boreal Big Wall boots that are too small for my feet

+1 for Yates Big Wall Ladders or Aideer Russian Aiders 

Heya @Sam Klinger,

First off, I feel for you. I was dropped 40 feet to the ground on a backwards threaded GriGri back in 2008. (Side note - ALWAYS CHECK YOUR DAMN BELAYER). My feet were completely rebuilt. I spent 6 months in a wheel chair and then had to learn to walk all over again. It took 26 screws and bolts to put me back together again. I'm not sure what happend to you, but feel free to send me a PM if you want to share notes. This is the hardware I'm dealing with...

I'm just getting back into walling and I've decided to go with the leather Trango Techs.

https://www.lasportivausa.com/trango-tech-leather-gtx.html

I have no idea yet how they are going to work yet, but I do know that I want the most comfortable, supportive boot I can find. I've also had Skot make me a pair of 2” wide steps sewn to a 2” wide main body. In short, I plan to do everything I can to accomodate my situation, including recruiting help to hump loads. Don't let your feet shut you down! Again, let me know if you ever want to chat. I'd be happy to connect.

Good luck,

@Sam and @Tree

I’ll chime in with my own personal experience with shitty foot injuries… 

I shattered my Calcaneus rock climbing in 1991 right before I graduated high school.. when I did it I was a fledgling noob - so pretty much my whole climbing life happened post injury.. 

I went through the typical advice from doctors- the same doctors that said I’d never climb again, never run again and should get a desk job… 

Anyway- after decades of Orthodics and overbuilt shoes- I tried a different approach.. I began using my feet as much as possible completely barefoot.. I started doing foot/ankle specific strengthening, switched to completely minimalist footwear, even running Barefoot . 

my foot is still Fuct- but it’s significantly better in this past 10yrs since going minimalist than it was in the previous 20yrs.. 

Now my feet are so strong that I don’t need bulky overbuilt shoes or super wide Aiders.

I’m pretty sure I could wear Bunny Slippers and I’d be comfortable in aiders!!

Anyway- good luck guys- these types of injuries will completely change your life!!! But I like to think: “it’s a life sentence not a death sentence” 

-Quinn 

@Quinn - It looks like we could go twinsies on our left foot Xrays!  

I agree with you. For over a decade I tried to be really ginger with my feet. But more recently I've been pushing them beyond the comfort zone and they have actually improved. It's one of the reasons I've gonna give walling another go. 

At this point I'm gonna go until the wheels fall off. Then maybe just get a sailboat and start abusing alcohol more regularly. It helps to have a plan.