The Pronk, a true crack climbing shoe

Hey Danny! I am an engineer (albiet a different industry), lmk if you want any free advice. I would love to help a great cause that would benefit my shit crack skillz.

Hey Danny, any news on the Pronk quest? Any hope for Pronks for this fall's Creek season? 

I signed up and would almost certainly buy a pair as long as they’re in the general price range and durability of most other shoes.

The shoes sound great, but as someone who NEVER buys a climbing shoe without trying them on for fit, I think you might be missing a huge piece of your potential market unless you can do some kind of advance marketing with shoe demos. This certainly would not be a fast process - I could see it taking a year to place the sample shoes in the most common sizes in various venues.

I'm thinking of something like getting demo shoes into climbing shops that sell a lot of shoes, like Eastside Sports in Bishop, taking them to places where there will be large numbers of crack climbers, like Creeksgiving, and maybe a climber fest events.

Sorry to give you this feedback, but I've bought lots of climbing shoes over the years and even within the brand I usually buy (La Sportiva), the sizes change between the models and even within the same model, separated by a few years. Even in La Sportiva, not all models are right for my feet.

phylp phylp wrote:

The shoes sound great, but as someone who NEVER buys a climbing shoe without trying them on for fit, I think you might be missing a huge piece of your potential market unless you can do some kind of advance marketing with shoe demos. This certainly would not be a fast process - I could see it taking a year to place the sample shoes in the most common sizes in various venues.

I'm thinking of something like getting demo shoes into climbing shops that sell a lot of shoes, like Eastside Sports in Bishop, taking them to places where there will be large numbers of crack climbers, like Creeksgiving, and maybe a climber fest events.

Sorry to give you this feedback, but I've bought lots of climbing shoes over the years and even within the brand I usually buy (La Sportiva), the sizes change between the models and even within the same model, operated by a few years. Even in La Sportiva, not all models are right for my feet.

I second this. Very interested but my feet are weird and I would have to try one on to buy it. 

Mr Rogers wrote:

Super cool Parker! Love the hole in the market youre trying to fill. Signing up.

Curious as how dimmensions and usability for the bottom end of the intened functional size might be effected by foot size.... is there a noticibale difference in say a 13/14 flippers like I would wear, compared to a more normal humans size 10?

It's really really annoying when size 13s are the same width as a size 9

The only demo location needed is the Super Crack parking lot. 

I hunger for pronk updates.

Dang.  While I don't need these shoes, I would buy them and support your endeavor.  Now, if I could just find someone willing to invest this amount of energy into shoes that would fit Mortons toe people.  GF has it and all the shoes out there are uncomfortable for her.   But, would totally buy these crack shoes for JTree!

I will pay you for these shoes lmk when I can buy them. My air Tommy’s need friends 

Hey everyone, here's the Pronk update you are all looking for. 

I was working with some manufacturers in China where a majority of climbing shoes seem to be made and ultimately I wasn't psyched on what it would entail for myself (import/export, logistics, sales, advertising). I don't necessarily want to fast track myself into being a business bro, and I really enjoy building the shoes and managing that aspect. Plus, the shoe's just weren't that inspiring. 

So I've been doing a ton of research and calculations and I've landed on building them here, in Utah myself. Turns out I can price them at the same point as other hightops on the market and should have the margins to at least produce for a year or two before I have to reevaluate based on demand. 

I've redesigned the shoe for a locally sourced leather and am working through some performance details and getting samples onto friends feet so we can test performance and durability. (footage coming soon).

I've been learning CAD and have designed a custom last set that will model after my pronk last, with all the margins necessary for jamming cracks. It's also in a shape that should be a really good middle ground for the average climber. I'm also pretty thrilled with the leather selection (nubuck) and it's ability to really mold onto a foot and retain that shape. A really fun part of this process is when it comes time to order I can give you very very specific measurements to get everyone set up into the best shoe.

I have given myself some breathing room on a timeline, which means it's unlikely to see them available for your fall projects (unless you manage some prototypes). I so far love the performance and have been going hard on the newest prototype, but I don't want to release a shoe that has durability issues (looking at you end grain mocc's). That being said, the goal is to have the shop ready come winter. Spring 2026 in the creek is going to be a free for all ;)

I've seen climbing go through it with kickstarters and fund me's. I'm not too fond of taking orders or money before it's practical. Fortunately, I've been climbing with a full time job for over 15 years which has afforded me the necessary retirement account to manage getting this thing off the ground by myself. It's certainly more risk, but I feel good about it. 

If you haven't added your email to my link, I'd make sure it's in there. I assume that I'll only have the manufacturing capabilities to take orders exclusively through that email list for some time. When the time comes I'll send out an email and start building a first come first serve order list.

Here's a look at the new prototype, still some details to finish but it climbs like a dream. The height of the toebox over the pinky toe is 19mm! 

I've also created a template that integrates with the rubber at the same height so there are no catching points between the leather and rubber. This helps with performance, comfort, and delamination.

That's all for now, I appreciate everyone stoke and support so far. This has been far from the typical encounters here on MP. 

Danny 

Danny Parker wrote:

So I've been doing a ton of research and calculations and I've landed on building them here, in Utah myself. Turns out I can price them at the same point as other hightops on the market and should have the margins to at least produce for a year or two before I have to reevaluate based on demand. 

I've redesigned the shoe for a locally sourced leather and am working through some performance details and getting samples onto friends feet so we can test performance and durability. (footage coming soon).

I don't climb crack, but if you make them shoes in the US. Fuck it, I'll buy a pair and boulder with them.

Very cool project, glad I Signed up!

divnamite wrote:

I don't climb crack, but if you make them shoes in the US. Fuck it, I'll buy a pair and boulder with them.

You got any good crack boulders near you? Crack bouldering is a pretty great time 

Danny Parker wrote: "So I've been doing a ton of research and calculations and I've landed on building them here, in Utah myself."

"I've seen climbing go through it with kickstarters and fund me's. I'm not too fond of taking orders or money before it's practical. Fortunately, I've been climbing with a full time job for over 15 years which has afforded me the necessary retirement account to manage getting this thing off the ground by myself. It's certainly more risk, but I feel good about it."

These two things have turned me from "I guess I'll passively read these threads and probably never buy this guys shoes" to "I love what this guy is doing and can't wait to see if these shoes fit me well"