[TimberTom]

Hi everyone.

I'm a short time reader, first time poster.

Iv been climbing for about 4-5 months ish mostly indoors.
Along with being week and not having much technique i think my shoes are
holding me back.

so i was wondering if u could recommend some replacements for my red chili
sausalitos.

Thanks

[slackline]

Best advice would be to go to a decent shop, ideally one either at a climbing/boulder wall that will let you try them out or with a small area of holds of varying size for you to try how they feel.

A new pair of shoes won't drastically improve your climbing ability though, particularly indoors where friction is less relevant.

Just climb lots, watch & talk to others who are doing things you're struggling with.

[SA Chris]

What sort of grades are you climbing? I don't think the sausalito is a particularly high end shoe, but if they are a good snug fit they should serve you more than adequately for at least your first couple of years especially if (as slackers says) you are climbing mostly indoors.
 
Best to address what are most likely the weekest (sic) links in the chain - being week and having poor technique rather than throwing some money at the problem. A new pair of high end shoes =  a day climbing outdoor or 10 visits to the wall.

[TimberTom]

I thought that's what you would all say, ill put the solutions on hold then 

I climb v3-v4, v5 on a really good day

[slackline]

Forgot to add, decent shops will also give decent advice in my experience.  This applies as much to climbing shoes as any other equipment, so support your local specialist shop as they're invaluable and more than just selling you a product.

[fried]

If you're climbing at that level, then what's holding you back is not going outside enough. When you climb outside enough you'll start to understand what shoes you'll need for what kind of problems you want to be doing.

[fatdoc]

Great post and replies.. Which I agree with, welcome to the sport that will never leave you.

Try to get outside as much as u can, ignore  grades and learn how to move, its a fascinating concept, everything else comes from this.

And don't forget, it's all about fun!

[lagerstarfish]

welcome to the sport that will never leave you.

and that's me stuck with Hotel California going round my head for the rest of the morning

TimberTom,

when you're relatively inexperienced in the dark art of buying climbing shoes you are best off consulting a shoe shaman with plenty of stock who knows what they're talking about. Ask at the shop (or some of their customers) to find out who knows all about the different shoes they sell - if such a person isn't in that day then try another time

different shoes suit different feet and it can take quite a while to find the appropriate ratio of comfort to performance that suits you

[Oldmanmatt]

Or...
After 30 years of this merry-go-round.
Buy a pair that you can keep on your feet for more than 10min without crying.
I have a pair of Anasazis (vcs) in my street shoe size for warming up and pair (~) a size smaller for serious things (?)...

And three or four other pairs of a variety of manufactures offerings and old shoes I can't part with; that I never wear.

[TimberTom]

Thanks for the great response everyone!!!

I don't have much of an excuse for not going outside as i only live a 30min drive from dartmoor but i will try.

I guess il stick with what iv got until i know what i want from a pair of shoes.

[Oldmanmatt]

Thanks for the great response everyone!!!

I don't have much of an excuse for not going outside as i only live a 30min drive from dartmoor but i will try.

I guess il stick with what iv got until i know what i want from a pair of shoes.

I'm 10 min further and I don't get there too often...

'course it do rain a lot 'n the wind can be a tad irksome...

We may have met at the Quay or Dart Rock?

I usually have a little girl in tow and a green garden bucket full of rope...

[SA Chris]

I usually have a little girl in tow

That just sounds so wrong.

[TimberTom]

We may have met at the quay i work pretty close so i go most of my lunch breaks and few times a week after work il keep an eye out for ya.

The wind n rain is pretty orrible round these parts, how hard do you think it would be to put a massive tent over most of Devon or even some poles with a tarp stretched over would do.

[Oldmanmatt]

I usually have a little girl in tow

That just sounds so wrong.

That's what the rope is for...