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Camp 4 shoes good for aid climbing?
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Last time I tried to do The Prow on Washington Column, my partner and I tried to do it in a day. We failed but we're going back to do it the recommended 3 day trip in a couple of weeks. Last time I went up I wore fivetens daecent shoes and added in a plastic arch support that I cut off right at the toes so that I could stand in my aiders but still be able to climb 5.8 without having to put on climbing shoes. Problem was that the Yates aid ladders, even though they have the best support, folded around my shoes and pinched the sides of my feet. By the end of the day my feel hurt a lot. I was thinking of buying some new shoes that I can aid in all day but still bust out some 5.8 climbing moves. I was thinking of buying the camp fours. Does anyone have experience with these shoes or a recommendation for another shoe? Requirements: Good for standing in aiders all day, arch support, side arch support or stiff sides, should be able to free climb Yosemite 5.8 in them still. Thanks everyone. |
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La Sportiva gandas are what come to mind. |
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Yeah they would work. I don't remember there being very much free climbing on the prow... None that was 5.8, I would say. Have fun it is a great route. |
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Thanks, the grandas are super expensive and I'd never wear them around town so although that's a great solution I think I'd want something else. Any other suggestions? |
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Buy new aiders? That or cough up some serious dough for a pair of mountaineering boots. Have a look at the la sportiva hyper mid GTX, they have a plastic arch piece that i imagine would be good for standing in aiders. |
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I would not buy expensive mountaineering boots for aid climbing. Shoes get totally, utterly destroyed aid climbing, and quickly too. I blew through a brand new pair of approach shoes in only four walls one season. As a result, I typically buy something really cheap, like $30 Ozark trail shoes from Wal-Mart. They are comfy enough to stand in aiders and hike down in, and they are cheap. If you're finding you're doing a ton of free climbing, your best bet is to just head up in your climbing shoes and try to french free the aid moves as opposed to using direct aid. It's faster and will allow you to free climb in real climbing shoes instead of approach shoes. I can tell you that the Prow has very little free climbing mixed in with aid. The first pitch can be done entirely free, the second pitch has a ramp that can be crossed in flip flops, and after that it's nothing but aid (unless you can free .11+), until the second to last pitch or so, which is 100% free to the top. Accordingly, free climbing in your approach shoes shouldent really be necessary on that route. |
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My Camp 4's have been up El Cap twice, the Grand Teton once, the First and Third Flatirons several times each, and I can't even tell you how many Indian Creek and Tower approaches, free climbing up to 5.8 for sure. Actually they've free climbed 5.10 as they've been up Supercrack... is that cheating? They've held up just fine, better than a fair amount of my friends' and partners' approach shoes that haven't seen nearly that much use. I'm just now about to have to use my first bit of shoe goo on them. I've been very happy with them. |
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That's awesome. Hey Seb, I have the Yates wall ladders and they're supposed to be the most comfortable there is. My Daecents are just really floppy and I needed stiffer sided shoes. Also I know that I don't need shoes that can free climb on The Prow but I do other aid climbs also and will need to do free moves in them. Anyways, thanks for the info on the camp fours. I'm more comfortable buying them now that I've heard someone's else's experience with them. |
that guy named seb wrote:Buy new aiders? That or cough up some serious dough for a pair of mountaineering boots. Have a look at the la sportiva hyper mid GTX, they have a plastic arch piece that i imagine would be good for standing in aiders. LOL mountaineering boots for anything in the Valley. You have to get off that La Sportiva koolaid dude |
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La sportiva boulder x, much stiffer platform/sole than 5.10 but still climb ok. |
tim wrote:La sportiva boulder x, much stiffer platform/sole than 5.10 but still climb ok. These, and the Scrapa Crux's are pretty damn stiff. Honestly though the daescents were a soft approach shoe. |
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What about putting plastic tubing or BETTER, small PVC tubing that is cut to slip over the steps on the ladder. Cover the PVC cut slot with tape and make sure the PVC is the width of the step. Then use your 5.10 Ascent shoes without getting the pinched foot. |
Jon Hartmann wrote:Last time I tried to do The Prow on Washington Column, my partner and I tried to do it in a day. We failed but we're going back to do it the recommended 3 day trip in a couple of weeks. Last time I went up I wore fivetens daecent shoes and added in a plastic arch support that I cut off right at the toes so that I could stand in my aiders but still be able to climb 5.8 without having to put on climbing shoes. Problem was that the Yates aid ladders, even though they have the best support, folded around my shoes and pinched the sides of my feet. By the end of the day my feel hurt a lot. I was thinking of buying some new shoes that I can aid in all day but still bust out some 5.8 climbing moves. I was thinking of buying the camp fours. Does anyone have experience with these shoes or a recommendation for another shoe? Requirements: Good for standing in aiders all day, arch support, side arch support or stiff sides, should be able to free climb Yosemite 5.8 in them still. Thanks everyone. Yes, Camp 4's rock. But good lord man, harden up! It's climbing not knitting, your footware requirements sound like that of an 80 year old lady. |
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BigNobody, if you stand in aiders for 11 hours then you can talk to me about hardening up. Believe me, I climb a shit ton and don't complain about much. If I say my feet were hurting then my feet were HURTING. Standing in the Daecents for 11 hours was akin to wearing a slightly stiff sock. |
Jon Hartmann wrote:BigNobody, if you stand in aiders for 11 hours then you can talk to me about hardening up. Believe me, I climb a shit ton and don't complain about much. If I say my feet were hurting then my feet were HURTING. Standing in the Daecents for 11 hours was akin to wearing a slightly stiff sock. Lol, you make it sound like I haven't. And if you're in aiders for 11 hours on a Prow lead, I'd allot for 8 days when you go back. Best of luck kiddo! |
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Nope, I was leading every pitch and I stayed on the wall for 11 hours in a 1 day push for the top. Leading and then standing in them waiting for my partner to jug up to me. |
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May I suggest sitting in the harness next time if your feet hurt so much at the belays. But seriously brah, Camp 4's are sweet. |
NorCalNomad wrote: LOL mountaineering boots for anything in the Valley. You have to get off that La Sportiva koolaid dude I guess so does Andy Kirkpatrick. |
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I wear camp 4s for all of my bigwall routes. They work great and climb well. Most important thing to think about with aid climbing shoes is the toe cap. Without one they wear out much quicker from standing in aiders and your toe rubbing against the wall as you balance yourself. The Gandas are much too expensive to risk wearing them out quickly in the tip of the toe. |
that guy named seb wrote: I guess so does Andy Kirkpatrick. I was at the base when Andy started one of his zodiac ascents. He was not wearing hardcore alpine mountaineering boots. |
