What rock climbing shoes

just got started into rock climbing shoes have you got any advice that you wish to share regarding sizes (I heard something about down sizing) brands and prices.
Many thanks
danny

Yeah, don't get talked into buying ridiculously tight rock boots, particularly on easy to middle grade routes, you simply don't need to have your toes crammed painfully into a shoe two sizes down on your normal. You need a fit that's snug - your foot shouldn't move around at all - but not painful. They will stretch a little, but lined shoes and those with rubber slingshot rands don't give that much. For some reason, shop assistants used to be obsessed with selling boots as tight as they could. Some sort of macho thing, it's pointless, they'll just hurt your feet and won't do anything for your climbing.

I'd also steer clear of the weird, radical slipper-type things as a beginner. You'll find that they have thin, flexible soles and probably won't offer enough support for your feet, FiveTen and Scarpa both offer a decent compromise between performance and comfort, other brands to consider would be Boreal and La Sportiva, but there are other decent brands around too.

Try lots of different boots on and go for the ones that feel right on your foot. Some let your big toe lie straight, others tend to cram your toes into the middle, depends on what shape your feet are. Oh, and don't worry about what size the box says they are, just buy the ones that are the right size for you.

Your best ally with all this is a good climbing shop with knowledgeable staff and a good range of different shoes plus, ideally, a mini-wall to to try them out.

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Thanks for that! The guy at the climbing wall was telling me that he has got he shows 2 sizes down but didn't recomended it for beginners.

Anything else I should get while I am still learning on the wall?
Danny

You don't need much indoors - chalk bag and some chalk ball-type things because your hands will get sweaty and slippery, a harness if there's a leading wall, where you need to use ropes, but for most stuff, your best bet is to get some experience and take it from there.

I haven't bought new rockboots for ages mind, perhaps someone else could suggest some specific models for beginners?

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

The Mammut Tusk at 39.99 seems to be a very good value beginners boot (check out needlesports).
Basic Scarpa models also have a good rep for comfort. I agree with Jon that comfort should be the main issue here, and yes, I've made the classic mistake recently of buying my first pair in years and finding them too small and tight on one foot in particular. I fancied getting back into bouldering but I can't keep them on to walk around the boulders!

Comfort should be the #1 consideration, and remember you might need to go up or down a size or two in particular styles to get the best fit. Just ignore the size label.

Each brand or style suits one specific foot shape best, so it's best not to rely on what other people find comfortable, but make your own decision.

If several shoes fit well, then you need to take into account the type of climbing you will be doing, something this article explains well.

Don't think you have to buy a beginners shoe just because you're only starting out. Although these are cheaper, they're not necessarily more comfortable than higher performance shoes, and they tend to be stiff, making them less suitable for smeary routes. And if you progress rapidly, you'll find yourself wanting a more technical shoe before the old pair are worn out. But if you anticipate sticking to lower-grade climbs, then they're a better-value choice. Just don't be blinkered by a sales assistant into restricting yourself to beginners shoes. You might need to go up a size for the more advanced shoes for comfort, but you can still retain most of the performance benefits.

My own preference is for 5-10 Anasazi laceups (which I wear a size bigger than an expert would)and their old Zlippers. 5-10 devotees would agree with me that their rubber seems to be stickier than other brands, giving an instant boost to your performance. And even a rubbish climber like me can benefit from that.

The other thing about sales people is they sometimes don't think that someone might want to wear stickies for a long time on a long multi pitch route, possibly in cold weather, so it's sometimes worth trying a pair with a thin pair of socks on, have a think about what you might want to do long term, purely indoors?, outside on long multi-pitch routes, bit of both, if they're uncomfortable after ten minutes, imagine what they're going to feel like after half an hour stuck on a ledge belaying when you can't move your feet around!

Thanks for all this, so a chalk bag chalk ablls shoes and a harness? I know of a smallish 20-30ft wall near me (haigh hall if you must know) and fancy it (not ALONE) after a bit more practice indoors. So I will probally need a rope and a belay but what will I need?

take a peek at this seem to remeber they were doin a harnes and belay kit offer.....


may be worthwhile buying a device for the indoor wall so you get used to a specific type....no point using a plate type thing on a wall then using an ATC type outside...

best to do some indoor stuff first, then see if you can meet up and go climbing outdoors with either a club or possibly even an instructor, after a while it will become easier to find out what type of climbing you want to do, sport, multi-pitch, winter stuff etc, then you can start looking for the right gear for your prefered activity, saves money in the long run, and it's not so confusing buying the stuff if you know what you want before parting with the cash

Daniel, don't buy ANYTHING technical until you know how to use it. You could seriously injure yorself by unwittingly using gear in an unsafe manner.

Your climbing wall probably hires or lends most of the gear out - check. Most of them run beginners' courses, and unless you've got an experienced partner, I would strongly suggest you attend one. Stick to unroped climbing, which needs shoes and chalk only, until you've been taught how to use the other gear.

I agree with Joan about the Five Ten Anasazi booties, they also come in a velcro version for easy swappings. The sole is extremely sticky. However a soft sticky sole won't last as long.

The Mammut Tusk at 39.99 is a bargain and not such a financial disaster if you decide climbing's not for you after a few months, the sole isn't as sticky as the Five Tens but is more durable. The uppers tend not to be so forgiving so you may wish to consider wearing thin socks with them until they're broken in or your heels may know about it!

However - I climbed for a year on borrowed kit B4 I got my own booties and harness...
...and the sizing thing - years ago people often bought a smaller size but now some manufacturers have wised up and put more realistic sizes on - I actually need rock booties a size bigger than in street shoes.

Oh, and when you decide to buy your own, go to a shop like e.g. Needlesports where they have a mini-wall for you to try them out on....it's no use walking round the shop to see if they suit (like at Nevisports) because that ain't what they are designed for!