My Climbing Shoe Review
Okay, I am no expert with climbing for sure, but I have definitely had my fair share of shoes!
For the most part, I don’t think a shoe plays too much of a role in your climbing (a really strong climber is going to be really strong whether they are in top class shoes or rentals), but shoes do come into effect when you are at the edge of your comfort zone. For me, when I wear my Vapor Vs and can feel each small nubbin (compared to the lack of sensitivity in, say, the mythos), I can try a lot harder because I have more confidence in my movement. So shoes can be important, but not the most important! Focus on skill and strength to move that comfort zone. Here are my reviews of shoes from a decent climber who likes to fool around on anything (sport, bouldering, trad…)
Scarpa Vapor Vs: $200 at REI (here)
These are my all-time favorite shoe. They are a shoe with a slight downturn but not as aggressive as the likes of the Solutions. I really like these because their edges are really sturdy which makes them a great shoe for all different types of climbing. Compared to other shoes, I also find these quite comfortable—I even prefer them sometimes over my classic trad dad shoe! These are a popular shoe, and if you frequent REI, you may find them in your size at the garage sale—it is worth a check! I have both their velcro version and their lace up version. I personally like the lace up version for my try-hard days because I can tighten them a bit more specifically—though I haven’t seen the lace-up version in the U.S. as much as I have seen the velcro. My velcro version has busted a hole in the toe after 2 years of owning so I mostly use them for chill days in the gym.
La Sportiva Mythos: $159 at REI (here)
I use these shoes as my trad dad shoes. I think they are comfortable, albeit a little stiff. When I find myself on delicate feet, it can be hard to trust my feet given how little feeling of the rock you get through these shoes. These are my main shoes for crack climbing (when I don’t need a high ankle) and they work well until you get into tiny finger cracks that your feet have trouble feeling. The laces help hug your entire foot which is nice, but it does make it a bitt difficult to replace your shoe if you bust the laces (which is likely if you are doing a lot of crack / off width climbing)
La Sportiva Katanas: $219 at REI (here)
These shoes are great but quite expensive (probably one of the most expensive shoes on the market). However, they are super comfortable and provide really great edging. I would compare these pretty similarly to the Scarpa Vapor Vs. I don’t actually own this pair of shoe, so I can’t provide as much detail, but I have tried them on during demo days and have really considered getting a pair. I’ll probably get a pair if I ever see them on sale!
La Sportiva Tarantulace: $89 at REI (here)
Whenever I get someone into climbing, their first question is “What shoe should I get?” When you’re just starting, the tarantulace is exactly what you need and want. It is sturdy, will last a while, and gets the job done. It is a relatively comfy shoe given it is flat but similar to other all day shoes (like the mythos above) it doesn’t have the best sensitivity. Still these shoes are often on sale (or found at the REI garage sale) for cheap, making the initial investment into shoes much less!
Scarpa Maestros: $146 at Backcountry (here)
I used to use these as my trad shoes. These shoes have a very stiff sole with thick leather exterior and a bit of ankle protection. I personally found these shoes a bit painful but I am unsure what was the cause. For me, I often had to take off the shoes because the blunt shoe box pushed really weirdly into my big toe nails. I don’t think these shoes are not “tall” enough and don’t view these as taller than any of my other shoes, but the curvature of the toe was very painful to me—I often found myself going for my Vapor Vs before I’d go for these. Others have expressed significant Achilles pain, so make sure to try these on before you get them! These are another shoe that I have seen on sale quite often (potentially because REI was about to stop carrying them so I am not sure if the amount of sales I see for them will continue). They are Scarpa’s attempt at the unmatched Sportiva TC Pros (another shoe I have yet to own :-( Hard to convince yourself to get a pair when both trad shoes you own are in good condition and gifted to you)
La Sportiva Solutions: $195 at REI (here)
Okay, really hot take, but I don’t love these. This is mostly because of the style of climbing I prefer. When I climb (other than trad days which is basically steep hiking for me), I like slab or slight over hanging angles. I rarely find myself in an intense cave and when I do, my Vapor Vs get the job done. I find these shoes to be too soft where sometimes I even hurt my toes when the foot placement is sharp. Given I am not in steep caves, I also will smear a lot which will destroy the rubber on these shoes quickly. I also found that they stretched a good bit after the first year of using these such that when I pulled the velcro as tight as it could be, only a bit of the velcro pull tab would actually be attached, the rest was past the velcro bit on the shoe (did that make sense). Finally, I haven’t seen other people mention this, but my feet sweat a lot, and they worked the leather in the interior sole such that the leather molded to my toe crevasse. It caused for a really weirdly sharp bit of leather in the shoe that was a bit painful when I put the shoe on (but did fall into place once the shoe was fully on)
