Which Shoe to Buy!?

So, I know these topics get beaten to death on here, but I can't help myself.

I started climbing in August of last year and have been wearing La Sportiva Oxygyms since then. Though I haven't exactly worn them out, I'm a gear-whore and am looking at some upgrade options. I'd love some opinions on which direction to go.

I primarily top-rope at this point, but I would like to focus on bouldering a little more going forward. I'm pretty comfortable with 5.10s and have made progress on 5.11s lately.

What would you guys think would be some good options for upgrading my shoes? I'm currently looking at La Sportiva Katanas or Miuras (these get a bonus because REI carries them).

Thanks in advance!

Try on some Anisasi Velcros. If they fit your foot well they would be a great option. Bomber shoe.

I just upgraded from a beginner shoe to the miura. I mainly Boulder and have been learning to lead and these shoes are great

Miura VS's were my second shoe, and they are great shoes, but if your footwork is still sloppy from being a beginner (boy mine was when I got my Miuras lol) the toe will wear down fast.

I'm primarily a boulderer, I mostly wear Evolv Talons in the gym now and they are great for gym climbing. The rubber is hard enough to be durable, but soft enough to be sticky. Only thing I don't like is that they are lace-ups. I would love a velcro version of these.

Are we talking gym or outside? And if outside, the style of rock you gravitate makes a big difference. Plus, I know several gym climbers that dance up the yellow 12 in the gym in beat up "beginner" shoes. With big footholds and heroic moves I don't understand why people wear 170$ shoes inside.

climbing friend,

it matters not. try on many pair and buy those which are most tight yet comfortable with most excellent fit for YOUR foot, and ignore endless stream of bullshit about the brandings and the models.

Remember that the peoples with the scultped guns and technique most excellent may climb the 5.12 or 5.13 or greater with hiking boots or no shoes.

Also do not buy shoe with "gym" in the name ever again. No!

Tenaya Ra

Aleks Zebastian wrote:climbing friend, it matters not. try on many pair and buy those which are most tight yet comfortable with most excellent fit for YOUR foot, and ignore endless stream of bullshit about the brandings and the models

+1

I have some tenya ra as well and I liked them alot maybe a little too small for me but I just switched to a evolv defy and love them ! Tried on shaman and dint like them

Go with the Miuras. You'll notice a huge difference over the Oxygyms and everyone carries them, so you can actually try them on and get a good fit. As Aleks said, this is much more important than the idiosyncrasies of different shoe designs at this point in your climbing career.

The one that fits.
I wish MP would just auto-reply to any questions that are remotely near "What shoe", "what rope". or "what car".

Andy B wrote:Are we talking gym or outside? And if outside, the style of rock you gravitate makes a big difference. Plus, I know several gym climbers that dance up the yellow 12 in the gym in beat up "beginner" shoes. With big footholds and heroic moves I don't understand why people wear 170$ shoes inside.

I have also seen quite a few of those 12 gym climbers in tarantulaces that pull down really hard, instead of using their feet when they could. Sure you CAN climb the giant footholds in the gym just slapping your foot up there anywhere, but you can also place your feet precisely on certain points of holds, look for a small feature to pretend they are as small as what you'll climb outside.

I tried using nagos for roped routes in the gym and found my footwork outside after wasn't as precise. Switched to pythons, which are much more precise and have great feel (at the cost of some life with 3.5mm rubber). It did make a difference in my climbing outside, much easier to nail those tiny edges.

I do COMPLETELY agree with not buying $170 shoes to climb in the gym though. I got the pythons at $110 on closeout, bought two pairs to go for a while. My outside shoes never see the sandpaper walls of the gym.

Try on some La Sportiva Mythos.

Guys, shoes can be resoled...

I'm sorry, but I find the whole "I only wear good shoes outdoors" mentality a little ridiculous. Maybe if I was a professional dirtbag and/or lived somewhere with easy outdoor access I'd feel that way, but for those of us who have to drive a ways to get on real rock, it's just not realistic. Plenty of gyms use small holds, and plenty of setters set difficult problems where aggressive shoes will make a difference, particularly boulder problems.

I got some miuras and they didn't last very long, i really like no edge shoes for indoors they last for ever providing you don't take them on razor sharp granite.

I don't understand the aversion to wearing good shoes indoors. Real rock EATS shoes. Why not wear your expensive shoes in the gym, where they'll last 5-10 times as long?

Anyway if you're on your first pair of shoes you don't yet know what "fits" even means. Just try some until you find something you like. Figure out your size then hunt for them on ebay and here on MP.

There is too one big thing that works well if you climb in the gym with a store with shoes. You can often try the shoes and climb in them.

I know for real that different feet like different shoes. For me, even though evolve is also a very good shoe, my toes hurt very bad in them. Sportive fits my toe very well.

Locker wrote:"these get a bonus because REI carries them" LOL!

Maybe OP has REI credit to spend. Lots of folks get $ from REI every year.

that guy named seb wrote:I got some miuras and they didn't last very long, i really like no edge shoes for indoors they last for ever providing you don't take them on razor sharp granite.

The toe rubber on my Miura VS didn't last very long either, but I'm 99% sure it had to do with my footwork more than it did the shoe.

Quinn Baker wrote: The toe rubber on my Miura VS didn't last very long either, but I'm 99% sure it had to do with my footwork more than it did the shoe.

Not sure about the VS but i had the original miura as my second shoe and i wore through the toe in 3-4 months, granted I climbed allot in them but compared to my magical no edge shoes which have lasted over 12 months they were very disappointing when i saw the midsole after 4 months.

Gunkiemike wrote: Maybe OP has REI credit to spend. Lots of folks get $ from REI every year.

Also REI is one of the few places that will let you return climbing shoes with visible wear. And at some REI locations, the climbing shoes are all out on the store floor so you can try them on without dealing with a salesperson. This is a great way to figure out your size in a variety of shoes, then buy them when they're on sale somewhere.