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Author

Shoes shoes shoes

flip

19-Jul-2005
10:47:12 PM

hey i a new climber and wanting to get my first pair of climbing shoes
im climbing hopefully at the grampians and i climb a bit of sandstone in warrnambool
if anyone could give me some basic advice on shoes eg brands styles and recommendations would be helpful, also shopping in melboure what store is the best as a shopper thought id ask clients over staff
thanks Phil aka Flip

AlanD

19-Jul-2005
10:58:23 PM

Try on lots of different models of shoes, which means going to multiple outlets. List the ones you like and then go back and try them on again. Comfort is very important, far more than price. Listen to the advice you get, but remember everyone has a different opinion and lot's it will be biased towards their application, their personal likes and dislikes. As a new climber your after a "entry level" shoe, rather than a "technical" shoe.

ShinToe Warrior

19-Jul-2005
11:57:50 PM

1. Wot AlanD wrote
2. Try Shoes on at the end of the day when your feet are more swollen with fluid from a day of being
upright.
3. type "shoes" into the search function in the forum section to read myriad opinions of varying utility
4. If you buy shoes in winter, be mindful that they will fit and feel a bit tighter during the warmer months,
esp if synthetic/lined - all of these factors allowing for stretch, pain tolerance, alignment of the planets etc
The shoes that are eye-wateringly tight during winter are the shoes that never leave the cupboard during
summer, unless its to send that V** boulder project, or to experience what foot-binding might have been
like for women in imperial china.
5. The right shoe is the one that fits your foot properly

LouK

20-Jul-2005
12:06:00 AM

I'm a fairly new climber too... my first shoes were a pair of madrock flashes. I bought them tight, but comfortable. Remember that trying them on for 10 minutes in the store and being able to bear the pain, is nothing compared to a full days climbing. look around the climbing gyms for shoes, esp altona, where alot are marked down to prices you won't find elsewhere. otherwise, good luck and happy climbing.

climbau

20-Jul-2005
8:48:52 AM

What the others have said.
PLUS
1. Look for a firm midsole, not soft like a "Five Ten Moccasym". Your feet won't be strong enough to support you with a soft midsole. A firmer midsole will make it easier for you to learn to edge and smear, and will be more comfortable when jamming.
2. Don't be afraid to leave them on while you look at something else in the Store/Gym. It should not be a matter of enduring the pain. Many top climbers have said that "you climb better when your not thinking about the pain in your feet".
3. Get the right shape shoe for your foot. That is: if your big toe is longest, then an "asymmetrical" shoe will fit better (they also tend to be more powerful in the toe-box)
, but if your second toe is longer then go for a "symetrical" shoe (quite a constant rounded profile when you look down on the shoe's toe-box).

flip

20-Jul-2005
12:02:16 PM

Thanks so far these are great tips and just varyfying what i thought i knew great help all anymoresugestions would be great about me as a new climber eg what is good quality cheap reack if there is such a thing

dalai

20-Jul-2005
12:14:39 PM

Climbing rack suggestions

http://www.chockstone.org/RockHardware/Order.asp?Action=Group&MainGroup=Rack%20Deals

There are 7 messages in this topic.