[psykx]

Hey all,
I'm starting to vaguely think about getting new shoes I'm bouldering about f5c and I think I want more sensitivity than my evolve defy's can give me. do I really need new shoes?

also I know lots of climbers have more than one pair of shoes, whats the idea behind that? is it simply that many people can't resist buying new shoes?

[Richie Crouch]

Your shoes will not be holding you back at all if you are working from font 5/+ up till about font 7c or above (assuming they have rubber and are not worn away with large gaping holes for toes). Sometimes changing your shoes can have a positive effect in the mind as you blame your previous puntering on the lack of grip/precision of the shoes ^^

You'll probably find some people have several shoes for different specific uses (or they are rich and can afford to make more excuses and experiment all the time ):

e.g.
Grit slabs, uphill walking = flat profile and soft rubber with a bit of an edge
steep roofs/walls/caves = tight fitting down turned profile a sharp point for hooking into pockets or pulling down on edges.

Some often might have a 3rd pair for warming up, bumbling about in to save the shape and rubber on their sending shoes.

I wouldn't necessarily change your boots unless they are the wrong size and your feet are moving about in them too much or they are crippling to the point of useless.

hth 

[bobkatebob]

Your shoes will not be holding you back at all if you are working from font 5/+ up till about font 7c or above

BOLLOCKS!!!


(sorry but it had to be said).

[bobkatebob]

Hey all,
 I think I want more sensitivity than my evolve defy's can give me. do I really need new shoes?

also I know lots of climbers have more than one pair of shoes, whats the idea behind that? is it simply that many people can't resist buying new shoes?

Well I don't climb above 7c and I find that if shoes aren't sensitive enough it's hard to feel that you are on small edges well, also those totally inflexable boots that they try to sell to beginners I find can't smear for toffee.  Totally inflexable boots also make it easier to stand on indoor holds using the bridge of your foot without easily realising.
though I havn't worn the evolves that you have, I thought they were a mid range boot though, rather than a biginners boot.

Are the boots a perfect fit? is there anywhere where they don't fit quite right?  (have to admit I don't like the rubber on the evolves but that's from seeing them in use from a few years ago and their rubber has meant to have gotten better recently hasn't it?)

Even in the sub 7c grades there are good reasons for owning more than one set of boots. If you climb on different rock types you could well find it easier to have boots that can cope better with the differences in the rock. Or if you climb in Font, you can be on smears, but you can also find very small edges.

[slackline]

Your shoes will not be holding you back at all if you are working from font 5/+ up till about font 7c or above

BOLLOCKS!!!


(sorry but it had to be said).

In one sense its not, if you learn to climb with shit shoes then you'll develop very good technique and strength (core etc.).  Then when you really need the advantage of precision shoes you'll actually benefit from it more than if you'd learnt with them.

[SA Chris]

As BKB says, fit is as important than shoe type (well most modern shoes anyway). I bought a pair of Defys for doing longer midgrade routes, but have found them to be excellent on smeary stuff as well, ven though the heels are a bit duff for hooking.

[webbo]

if you are climbing with shit shoes,they will be for ever skating off stuff and therefore your foot work will be for ever shit.
how many different pairs of shoes have you got rich or are you allowed that MANY because you climb 7c.

[highrepute]

I own a pair of evolve defy and they're not even that tight. I've climbed font7a, hardest I can go, in them no probs. I would say they're a good pair of shoes and won't be holding you back

[webbo]

richie admitted to owning 9 pairs in the shoe addiction thread plus another pair on order.

[psykx]

cool, I'll save the money for beer then. My shoes fit great a bit tight sometimes but mostly comfortable. It's probably just I need to clean the chalk off more often (and work on my foot work)

[bobkatebob]

In one sense its not, if you learn to climb with shit shoes then you'll develop very good technique and strength (core etc.).  Then when you really need the advantage of precision shoes you'll actually benefit from it more than if you'd learnt with them.

I have to slightly disagree with you there. It's ok if you have got enough time to climb regularly every week. You guys would cry if you knew how infrequently I get out climbing in Font. I end up climbing more regularly down the Castle and that is once a week if I am lucky.

So I say FECK OFF    to this climbing with $hit shoes to make you stronger, if I do that I'll just be as weak but climbing at a level of punterdom that is impossible for the normal climber to comprehend    and I say YAY and  to anything and everything that can make the few times that I get to climb as enjoyable as possible (ie being able to get up anything).

[Tris]

So I say FECK OFF    to this climbing with $hit shoes

Didn't seem to do much harm to Mr Dawes if I recall?

[bobkatebob]

Are you telling me that if JD had a choice between a decent pair of shoes right for the climb, he would put them back in his bag and specially take out and wear the Shittest pair possible?

now that's not dedication to climbing, that's just strange

[Tris]

What I was trying to point out is that technique is far more important than the quality of the shoes. Bad craftsman,tools etc

[tomtom]

I think that if you have confidence in your feet placement then you will use your feet, whereas if your feet are a skittering everywhere the focus tends to move to the arms. The former is more likely to build better technique IMHO.

Alot of it depends where you climb. I climb 95% on grit and in winter more on walls. So I have a pair of well bedded in Anasazi's for grit (also pretty handy on other rock) and a pair of Mad Rock things that are comfier and only cost £30 to beast at the wall...

A fairly decent fitting and quality boot will get you a long long way - but if you have a bad/baggy/old pair that are not that great then I think whatever your grade you will benefit from better boots.

Mind you, in my long and completely indistinguished climbing career theres only one pair of boots that I think have held me back - they were some Red Chilli Corona's which were/are just too stiff in the sole for me on grit. Mind you, I still use them on long routes on limestone and they have a little toe rubbery patch I find useful on one problem in particular...

I do however keep an eye out for some half decent boots going cheap, and sometimes buy them and dont use them for a couple of months...
Just my tuppence worth..

[Wipey Why]

Have to agree with the shit shoes you stronger comments. Teaches you to use your feet properly and develop core strength. I despair a a little when I see people climbing indoors on V4 problems in Solutions.

[a dense loner]

i have to agree with bkb, were you on crack when you wrote that nonsense richie? shoes won't affect you til you start climbing 7c or above? idiot!

[Jim]

a few fact:
richie is indeed on crack
his statement kind of is true if you only climb in the cave

[tomtom]

his statement kind of is true if you only climb in the cave

 

[Johnny Brown]

In one sense its not, if you learn to climb with shit shoes then you'll develop very good technique and strength (core etc.).  Then when you really need the advantage of precision shoes you'll actually benefit from it more than if you'd learnt with them.

I wouldn't agree with this. You can't learn the benefits or nuances of precise footwork until you have decent shoes. The only technique shit shoes will give you is how to thug through things with as little trust in your feet as possible.

Having said that, using bad shoes (trainers) later on can be of benefit if your foot technique has plateaued. But not until you have mastered decent boots.

[Jaspersharpe]

Have to agree 100% with Mr Footwork on account of the fact that he's right.

[SA Chris]

So true. If you want to learn good footwork, use good footwork. If you want to get strong there are campusboard and fingerboard.

[slackline]

I hereby officially rescind my earlier statement (mainly 'cause I know about £2.50's worth about training!!!)

[Johnny Brown]

I too know fuck all about training. I always figured getting the weight on my feet would be better than getting bigger arm muscles.

[slackline]

Yeah, but you can get weight on your feet irrespective of whether you're wearing a good-fitting, knackered old pair of shoes or the newest brand spanking new [insert your preference of climbing shoe here].