Feature  History  Bios  Events  Orgs  Gear  Photos  Forum  Quotes  Reads  Links  Home		This feature article was snagged from . Click here for the previous articles Rock Shoes Man oh man (woman oh woman?) do people ever have differing opinions about rock shoes. This has been one of our hardest articles to write because we can't seem to hear a consensus about what women like. Maybe it's just because feet are so unique, and when you are looking for rock shoes you are looking for something like a second skin. Summary: Five Ten Diamonds and La Sportiva Mythos are favorites; other than that lots of women like lots of different shoes. Talk to us, please, about your experiences. Buying rock shoes takes patience and often experience. Sometimes your first pair is perfect, but sometimes it takes lots of miles to figure out what you like best. Also, most people progress quickly when they first take up climbing, so that not very long after you've purchased your beginner shoes, you might find that you are lusting for something a little jazzier. One good option is to buy a good pair of all-around shoes first, not too tight. Then you can climb inside, outside, slabs, cracks, try it all. Then, as you get better or figure out what you like, you can get some more specialized shoes and fit them a bit more tightly. This article focuses on the nuts and bolts of rock shoe technology, categorizes some of the most popular shoes, and offers our two cents worth about fit and comfort. As we continue to get more information from our clients and other women climbers, we'll try to keep you posted on what is working best for most women for various applications. Also, bear in mind that there are really no "rules." Try as many different shoes as you can and use what works for you. Rental programs and clinics at rock gyms can be perfect for this. There are two basic types of rock shoes, slip-lasted and board-lasted. Slip lasted shoes are made by sewing the uppers to a leather insole to create a kind of sock. The sock goes over a form called a "last" (which is used in all shoe manufacturing to simulate the shape of the foot). The midsole, rands (the rubber that wraps around the outside of the shoe) and soles are then glued on. Usually you can tell a slip-lasted shoe because you can see the distinctive, unlined "sock" inside. Slip lasted shoes are good for indoor and sport climbing, and can excel on steep faces. They are usually very sensitive and flexible, and for that reason can be hard to wear on long routes or when you need edging capability. They tend to stretch more than board-lasted shoes. Board-lasted shoes are constructed more like a traditional shoe. The uppers are placed on the last and then glued to an insole. The midsole, rands and sole are then glued on. Board-lasted shoes usually look more like a regular shoe inside, with a visible insole. They typically offer more support and are stiffer, for better edging. The traditional wisdom is that the stiffness of the sole makes them more comfortable for climbing cracks, although you see lots of people climbing cracks in slip-lasted shoes. Board-lasted shoes are usually the best bet for a beginner shoe. The shape of the shoe is also important. There are two types of lasts, known as "cambered" lasts and "flexed" lasts. A cambered last creates a shoe with a distinctive pointed toe, like the Boreal Stinger. Cambered lasts are used most often with slip-lasted shoes. Flexed lasts duplicate the flexed position of the foot as it climbs. This is the most comfortable position, especially for longer wear. Flexed lasts are used most often with board-lasted shoes. A paramount consideration in terms of comfort is the shape of the sole. Different sole patterns accommodate various styles of climbing as well as differing foot shapes. High performance shoes often have radically curved sole patterns displaced toward the big toe. Obviously, the basic shape of your foot as well as the type of climbing you do will influence how comfortable you are in a radically asymmetrical shoe. If you have a long big toe and significant "toe slope", you'll do better in an asymmetrical shoe than if you have toes all the same length. Top climbers develop preferences for the rubber used on the soles, which varies among manufacturers. In our view, the rubber on all the major shoes is excellent, and discussions of rubber performance tend toward the Talmudic. Let us know if you have opinions about rubber, and maybe we'll make you the scholar in residence. For a beginner climber, comfort and versatility are important. Often a beginner will prefer a lower-priced option. Good beginner shoes include the following: Five-Ten Diamond — a wonderful all-around shoe designed for women's feet. Worth the price. Five-Ten Spire — another versatile and comfortable beginner shoe, at a good price La Sportiva Cliff — comfortable, especially for a slip-lasted shoe, versatile and well priced La Sportiva Aero — board-lasted, but sporty and flexible, lots of women find the low cut works well on their feet These are the ones we carry and we chose them because we like them. There are lots of others. Once you advance beyond the beginner level, you'll start to develop your own preferences and judgment. Often a logical next step is into a slipper (no laces) or something like the Mythos or the Stinger. The Mythos are one of the most popular rock shoes for women. They have a unique adjustment system around the foot, are soft leather, aren't too radically shaped, and happen to be lovely. They make a nice all-around indoor or sport shoe if you bought a versatile outdoor shoe for your beginner shoes. Lots of people have written about fit. Conventional wisdom is that your toes should be right at the end of the shoe, but not curled under. The shoe should fit snugly and smoothly around your entire foot. Do not accept gaps, bumps, or scrunched up spots or you will regret it. One thing women need to watch out for is too much height in the back of the heel, which ends up digging into the Achilles tendon. Hot stuff climbers sometimes wear their shoes very tight. If you plan to be out for a full day think twice before fitting them too snug. If they hurt when you try them on, think how much they'll hurt on the sixth pitch, or worse yet on a descent. You gotta suffer to sing the blues, but how much blues do you wanna sing? Also, shoes that are too tight can do real damage to your feet, and you can end up losing toenails or with all sorts of other ugly problems. Most people wear rock shoes without socks, but some prefer a thin sock for climbing outdoors, which helps keep them dryer inside and feels a little less nasty. It might help prevent blisters as well. If you take your shoes off and on a lot during a long day, a thin sock can help with getting them on over sweaty feet, and will be nice in your approach shoes as well. Care points: You'll feel it when your shoes need resoling. Don't let the sole or rand get so worn down that replacement will be difficult. Lots of beginners drag their toes up the wall. It's natural, and you'll probably stop as you gain skill and confidence, but until you do watch for wearing away the rubber on the toe. There are a number of resoling companies, check our links page. If your shoes get wet, wear them or stuff them with newspaper or something while they dry or they might shrink. Do not under any circumstances dry them over heat or they will shrink and maybe start delaminating. Hot car trunks are hard on them but everybody does it. Folk wisdom is that you should wet them and wear them until they dry to break them in. The manufacturers do not endorse this, but some climbers swear by it. If you've got a pair you can't return and nothing else has worked, try it. I once improved a pair substantially by treating the leather uppers with a leather conditioner — it softened them up and that really helped, but they looked like hell and were pretty sticky. Please, please let us know what you are wearing and how they work. We'll revise this article often. Go to womenclimbing's Rock shoes | Go to MountainWoman Footwear More questions? More suggestions? question@mountainwoman.com .
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