Everybody’s climbing now, and quite right, too.
Running shoots the joints; gyms can be too expensive. Where to turn but to the wall? The number of indoor climbing centres in London is remarkable, matched only by the sheer numbers of people who regularly pilgrimage to these hangers to clamber up and down the artificial faces simply for the fun and thrill of it.
Anyone who has rented shoes from a climbing centre will know full well that buying a pair of your own is vital. Not only will the cost of renting catch up with the cost of purchase within 20 or so climbs, but rental shoes are slippy, overworn, and tattered- sometimes even dangerously so.
There are currently more shoes on offer than ever before, and from an increasing number of brands. Just a cursory glance across the shelves will tell you that each shoe is designed for a different purpose.
Some have toes that hook like the mighty talons of an eagle, others are flatter, thinner, wider, heavier, lighter - well, you get the idea. Different shoes also suit different surfaces. If you’re bouldering indoors you’ll want different footwear to if you’re ascending a granite face.
The type of shoe you select will also reflect your ability as a climber. Beginners should generally wear a more comfortable shoe with a flatter sole, while advanced climbers will wear a toe curling banana-shaped pair for better weight transfer on smaller holds.
Watch out too for different closures. Shoes are either lace up, slip-on or Velcro. This is largely a personal choice based on comfort. Experienced climbers tend to use lace ups in order to adjust the bind on the feet but Velcro are the more popular simply for ease of use.
What are climbing ratings?
Indoor climbers will be familiar with the rating system which ranks routes based on their difficulty. The scale begins with VB representing the easiest routes, through V0 and to V10. Beginners and casual climbers will most likely hover around V2, V3. Intermediate climbers will be challenged by a V6 or 7 and only advanced climbers would tackle anything beyond this.
Best climbing shoes at a glance
- Best for indoor bouldering: Ocun Bullit, £95.16, Alpine Trek
- Best for climbing on a budget: Scarpa Origin V2, £77.36, Alpine Trek
- Best for aggressive climbing: Evolv Shaman 3, £139.50, Go Outdoors
- Best for beginners: Five Ten NIAD VCS, £130, Adidas
- Best for steep climbing: La Sportiva Genius, £105.40, Amazon
- Best for short routes and confident climbers: La Sportiva Miura VS, £114.99, Decathlon
- Best for toe hooks: Scarpa Instinct VS, £116.06, Alpine Trek
- Best for lace-up comfort: Tenaya Masai, £125, Ellis Brigham
- Best for breathable: Black Diamond Momentum, £85, Black Diamond
- Best for the fashion conscious:So iLL The Street, £135, So iLL
See the best climbing shoes below.
Shop now
Ocun Bullit
Best for: indoor bouldering
The Bullit is a specialist indoor bouldering shoe and as such is particularly popular with the huge numbers of casual climbers who rely on climbing centres to get active and don’t necessarily take regular pilgrimage into the wild.
This is a high performance shoe but it’s comfortable enough that anyone can wear it without feeling a pinch, particularly if you’re just bouldering for an hour or so. CAT 1.5 rubber provides good grip and the moulded toe-patch gives increased confidence when hooking. Given the price bracket, it’s difficult not to recommend this shoe to most indoor climbers.
There are cheaper climbing shoes on the market, but the Bullit will stay with you as you improve; you won’t be looking to upgrade within six months. It’s available from sizes 4-13, 100 per cent vegan and is well worth the investment.
Buy now £95.16, Alpine Trek
La Sportiva Miura VS
Best for: short routes and confident climbers
The Miura is a classic shoe which has been central to the success of the iconic La Sportiva brand for twenty years. With the Miura VS, La Sportiva haven’t just produced a velcro version of the lace up, but improved on it.
The VS is a more aggressive climbing shoe with a tighter fit and, in my opinion, it’s one of the best all-round shoes on the market. Admittedly, this isn’t a comfortable shoe and doesn’t appeal for longer routes, neither will it suit absolute beginners. But for confident climbers tackling anything up to 5.13 climbs or the bouldering equivalent, this shoe excels.
I particularly recommend this shoe for climbers looking to step up in class because it offers superb support for edging as well as heel hooking, providing you with that extra ounce of confidence.
Buy now £114.99, Decathlon
La Sportiva Genius
Best for: steep climbing
The Genius is perhaps La Sportiva’s most successful no-edge climbing shoe and some have even suggested it feels like a shoe-sock hybrid rather than an out and out piece of footwear. Certainly, stripping the edge off the shoe means the Genius is lightweight and hyper-sensitive. The shoe almost vacuums the foot and gives an incredible feeling of intimacy between toe and wall.
Again, this isn’t one for beginners; it’s a specialist shoe that performs well when steep climbing. However, no one is going to own the Genius as their only shoe. It’s a great no-edge option to have in an arsenal of shoes for accomplished climbers. The rubber is also particularly thin as a result of the no-edge technology so don’t expect them to last as long as other shoes.
Buy now £105.40, Amazon
Scarpa Origin V2
Best for: climbing on a budget
The Origin is a wonderful climbing shoe for beginners and comes in at an incredibly competitive price. The neutral profile immediately suggests this isn’t an aggressive shoe and admittedly, when you advance in your climbing and start to explore toe and heel hooks or more complex technical moves, it’ll be time to upgrade to a more aggressive shoe.
The V2 comes in both a men’s and women’s version. The women’s shoe is slimmer and comes in a different colour scheme, otherwise the two are identical. Pick your fit based on the shape of your foot rather than your gender.
Buy now £77.36, Alpine Trek
Scarpa Instinct VS
Best for: longer periods
The first thing you’ll notice about the Instinct VS is the ribbed toe patch across the top of the big toe which is designed to provide extra traction while toe hooking. However, the wider profile across the toe doesn’t make them ideal for small cracks.
The fit combines a classic slipper fit with a single velcro strap to keep the heel in place. Although the shoe is targeted at experienced climbers, it’s not the most aggressive shoe on the market but is comfortable enough to wear for long periods. The shoe is slightly more expensive than the Instinct Lace, but still represents decent value for an intermediate climbing shoe.
Buy now £116.06, Alpine Trek
Evolv Shaman 3
Best for: aggressive climbing
The Shaman is the headline from the Evolv range and was designed by the American climbing legend Chris Sharma with an eye on creating a shoe that could tackle some of the most challenging routes around the world. The shoe has an aggressive downturn but with 4.2mm of rubber between foot and rock, the Shaman lacks any real sensitivity. The rubber is soft meaning other shoes edge better than this one.
However, I haven’t found a more comfortable high-end shoe than this which means you won’t be longing to plunge your feet into icy water when half way up a pitch. While my normal climbing size was suitable for me, many others have warned to go a size up on these so it’s worth trying a couple of sizes before committing.
Last season’s Shaman is available at a discounted price; this year’s model is a slight improvement, provided you can swallow the price.
Buy now £139.50, Go Outdoors
Five Ten NIAD VCS
Best for: beginners
The NIAD VCS from Five Ten is a reimagining of the Anasazi which has kept many climbers happy since 1992. This is a great climbing shoe for keen beginners who are committed to learning to climb properly rather than just heaving themselves up casual routes.
They’re also great for slab climbing - when the rockface has a gradient less than 90 degrees - where you’re reliant on friction and balance. The new design of heel and toe are the point of difference when weighed against the Anasazi. The rubber cup shape of the heel means edging is improved with the NIAD, while the power point across the front lies between big toe and second toe.
Rather than having the focal point directly across the big toe, the NIAD is a good option for beginners, sacrificing somewhat on precision in favour of spreading the user’s weight.
Buy now £130.00, Adidas
Tenaya Masai
Best for: vertical walls and slight overhangs
The Masai isn’t the most aggressive shoe from Tenaya, neither is it the cheapest, but it speaks volumes that this is their best-selling climbing shoe. As all-rounder lace-up models go, the Masai is right up there.
It has been designed with edging in mind and works well on vertical walls and slight overhangs. The anti-bacterial cotton lining has been designed with optimum comfort in mind and means the shoe should hold up well over time.
Being a lace up model, the shoe can inevitably start to crunch later in the day but no more so than any other lace up and don’t forget you’ll achieve a tighter fit than with many Velcro or slip-on shoes.
Buy now £125.00, Ellis Brigham
Black Diamond Momentum
Best for: breathable
This neutral shoe comes in women’s and men’s sizes as well in different colours. It’s a comfortable, durable and affordable shoe with two velcro straps which make for an appropriate fit.
The soft toe rands and neutral shape mean you won’t come out this climbing shoe bloodied and bruised after a day’s bouldering. The foot bed is made from hemp and the shoe is entirely vegan which adds a nice touch. The design is also highly breathable. While this may sound like a low-priority, climbing shoes really can stink after a while or in the most disgusting cases, can become breeding grounds for bacteria and practically come to life… so breathable, yes, breathable is good.
Buy now £85.00, Black Diamond
So iLL The Street
Best for: the fashion conscious
Climbing shoes aren’t supposed to be a fashion accessory. But the tragic truth is, I suppose, that everything you wear reflects you as a person.
So for the fashion conscious, So iLL have created a shoe that’s designed to look dapper. And to be fair, it does.
The Street comes in jet-black and on first glance looks more like a trainer than a climbing shoe. So iLL are also particularly trendy thanks to a collaboration with Hollywood hunk Jason Momoa - do check out his Instagram for topless videos of his shocking climbing technique.
The shoe itself has a tight fit and thin midsole so you’ll feel the rock beneath you. At this price, some might say its style over substance, but then there’s a market for that, too.
Shop more sizes at So iLL
Buy now £72.57, Alpine Trek
Verdict
Every climber has different needs, unique skills and personal preferences. But assuming most people reading this are amateur climbers looking for a shoe to take to their local bouldering wall, look no further than the Ocon Bullit. I really like this shoe, not just because it’s sensitive, sufficiently aggressive and comfortable, but because you can grow as a climber with it. You won’t need to buy a new shoe in six months. The slipper design with a single strap also makes it easy to take on and off between routes.
