Best stiff climbing shoes. Whether you’re tackling your first indoor wall or venturing onto outdoor routes, the right pair will provide the support and grip you need to climb with confidence. Mar 7, 2025 · If you’re overwhelmed by the variety of climbing shoes, our expert-vetted guide covers everything you need to know. Mar 10, 2025 · For climbing multipitch routes at your limit, these are the shoes to choose. Feb 26, 2025 · Choosing the right climbing shoes for beginners can make a huge difference in comfort, performance, and overall climbing experience. See full list on outdoorgearlab. Hot take: stiff vs soft shoes Warning: potentially controversial opinion incoming. ) Mar 17, 2023 · Are you confused about which type of climbing shoe to get? Would your style of climbing benefit more from stiff or soft rubber? It gets very confusing, doesn’t it? In this article, we’ll compare soft vs stiff rubber in climbing shoes. com Jun 12, 2025 · We put 23 pairs of climbing shoes to the test on boulder problems, sport climbs, and traditional routes. Below we break down the 18 best rock climbing shoes of 2025. But they can certainly help you perform at a higher level, and having the best climbing shoes for your project—that's climber speak for a route or climb you're working on—can make the difference between sending and going home disappointed. My reasoning is that the downsides of stiff shoes can be mostly mitigated, whereas with soft shoes, there are some things you simply cannot do. When and where do these types of shoes come in handy? Here's what you need to know about stiff shoes. A stiff shoe with a moderate downturn will make it easier to scale vertical climbs. Jan 8, 2021 · 21 of the LATEST new and updated best climbing shoes Jan 2021. As climbing shoes become more specialized (and more expensive) the Katana lives on the top of our list due to Jan 22, 2025 · We've selected shoes for every type of climber, whether you're sport climbing, trad climbing, bouldering, climbing at the crag, sessioning problems at a gym or just starting out. You should always have like 6-7 different pairs of shoes lol, tight soft shoes, tight edging shoes, multipitch medium shoes, end of the weekend upsized soft and edging shoes, the freshie sending pair, and a lucky pair for good measure. Find our quick recommendations here or read on for our staff and members' favorite climbing shoes. Jul 7, 2025 · Whether you’re looking for an aggressively downturned shoe for hooking your way up boulder problems, or a comfortable design for all-day granite ascents, we’ve got you covered. Stiff shoes make better all rounders than soft shoes. . Nov 11, 2023 · Stiff climbing shoes are a clever design that act as a platform for you to stand on. Top picks for beginners, intermediate, bouldering and under $100 plus COMPLETE buyer's guide! La sportiva solution and butora gomis are my go to right now. Peek our favorite 2024 climbing shoes from flat profiles to sharp downturns. In this guide, we ranked and reviewed the 7 best climbing shoes for beginners, along with our May 16, 2024 · Climbing shoes need to make sense for the type of rock and style you’re climbing. These were our favorites. We’ll also take a look at the common brands as well as clear up some misconceptions. If your outsole rubber is too stiff, you might not be able to weight your heel on a slab, and if it's too soft, you Oct 8, 2023 · For the best sport climbing, your shoes will need to have a stiff midsole, quality edging platform, a tight heel cup, and ideally a lace closure. Nov 17, 2023 · The shoe that's best for you depends on your body type, climbing style, the type of rock you climb on, and how much you want to spend. Once you Apr 16, 2025 · So when asking what shoes are best for “sport climbing,” you’ve really got to ask yourself several questions: (1) What sort of rock am I going to be climbing on? (2) What types of shoes typically feel best for me? (3) What style of shoe will best compliment both my style of climbing and the specific rock I’ll mostly be climbing on? Aug 21, 2023 · For the best sport climbing, your shoes will need to have a stiff midsole, quality edging platform, a tight heel cup, and ideally a lace closure. We’ll look at the difference between soft and stiff soles. Mar 23, 2023 · The shoes don’t make the climber. Also surprisingly durable for a high performance shoe, lasted 8 months before I resoled them could have probably pushed it another month or 2. The solution is still my favorite sport climbing shoe that I have tried, precise and makes me feel confident on even the smallest feet. Jul 16, 2025 · Stiff climbing shoes are more supportive and less flexible while soft climbing shoes are more flexible and are more sensitive (meaning you can feel the rocks you’re standing on. vpgbtulu ixouji qebe eza xgtcf jaljbnzx ybhl qounb ujxbktrf wlnaiv