How “tight” should climbing shoes be?

Yurywrote:

Is this real or just a motivational speech?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqtw_8dPmwP 

Story from Jim Thornburg about Sharma warming up on a 5.12 in hiking boots.

One of the founding members of team tough that I used to climb with a fair bit would work his FA project on TR solo in his approach shoes until he had it totally dialed. when it came time to redpoint FA he would break out the real climbing shoes. It was a done deal. 

James -wrote:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqtw_8dPmwP 

Story from Jim Thornburg about Sharma warming up on a 5.12 in hiking boots.

This is a silly example. Sharma has climbed 5.15c. Even if that .12 was a 5.12d, he’s still eleven full grades below his max redpoint. 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

One of the founding members of team tough that I used to climb with a fair bit would work his FA project on TR solo in his approach shoes until he had it totally dialed. when it came time to redpoint FA he would break out the real climbing shoes. It was a done deal. 

This.

A serious climber will have multiple pairs of shoes saving the tight ones for when it really matters. Mostly I climb in approach shoes, have a medium shoe and a “sending” shoe that’s stupid tight.

In general, if you can walk around in your shoe and keep it on for an hour+ it’s too loose.