Whether you’ve been climbing for a week or years, if you’re wondering about climbing shoes, how long they last, what they’re made of, or what they’re used for, you’ll find an answer before you finish this blog article.
A climbing shoe is a special type of footwear designed for rock climbing. A good climbing shoe has a stick yard smooth rubber sole and an extended rubber rand, and it fits with very little padding. Climbing shoes, as the name suggests, are not designed for walking, hiking, or running, but just climbing. They are only worn at the foot of a climb before you begin the sport.
A modern climbing shoe is intricately designed with patterns that look very much like that of its wearer’s feet. It’s made with leather fabric and synthetic leather. They’re made with a toe box that points downwards to improve the wearer’s ability to stand on small holds and pockets while climbing.
Uses of Climbing Shoes
Climbing shoes are among the most crucial gear climbers require to finish a climb successfully. While you may be unsure of the purpose, relevance, or need for a climbing shoe, you’ll get to know that rock climbing is a challenging task without them. Simply put, not choosing to wear them will limit your climbing sport. As a result, there are countless purposes and benefits of climbing shoes:
- Without climbing shoes, you’ll be limited to some climbing levels as your normal shoes will not be able to fit on footholds.
- Most climbing shoes have your toes pointed down in front and this, in turn, gets your toes close to the wall which unwittingly gives you more control.
- Climbing shoes help you climb quicker—particularly when you’re climbing outdoors.
How To Choose The Best Climbing Shoes
There are so many climbing shoes on sale nowadays that it might be tricky to determine which ones are adequate, for you to choose wisely. When you have a lot of options, making the best decision becomes more challenging.
There are a lot of attractive shoes out there that are without enticing technical features. These can divert the climber’s attention and confuse their heads because they’re pretty at face value but do not successfully serve their purpose. Our short “how-to” guide, on the other hand, will assist you to select the most suitable climbing shoes. Some features must be considered when selecting the best climbing shoes:
- Your Level Of Expertise: For beginners, it is imperative that you carefully choose your climbing shoes. As a beginner, it’s recommended that you use rigid models. This is to help your foot properly work as it aid in the gradual development of the muscles.
- The Use Of The Climbing Shoes: Your choice of climbing shoes largely depends on what you want to use them for, the type of wall you’ll be climbing, and how long you plan to use them. This will require you to find out the thickness of the sole of the shoe, the varying degrees of stiffness and softness as the case may be. These all depend on what the climber wants to use them for and how well he wants to perform at the sport. Hold on! One last thing you shouldn’t forget to check is whether they’ll fit you or not. Choosing the correct size of climbing shoes is vitally important.
Types of Climbing Shoes
You can pick from the various types of climbing shoes available. These are:
- Gym Climbing Shoes: Gym climbing shoes are extremely convenient and appropriate for beginner climbers. Most of these gym shoes have synthetic uppers; some made with unlined leather.
- Trad Climbing Shoes: Trad climbing shoes have a flat bottom which means they are non-aggressive shoes that have a toe box that is narrow and perfectly works on climbs that crack.
- Bouldering Shoes: How long do climbing shoes last? You’ve known what climbing shoes are, their uses and importance as well as their types. Now the questions remain: How long do these shoes last?
What Is the Lifespan of Climbing Shoes?
Usually, brands give a one-year guarantee about the durability of a climbing shoe but it typically lasts between 4 to 10 months. However, at this point, you have to understand that its future lifespan or durability depends solely on how frequently you use them.
For your shoe’s durability to last 4 to 10 months, you have to wear them only twice a week. They can deteriorate faster if you climb a wall with them as frequently as 3 or 4 times a week. Low durability is the reason most experienced climbers own more than one pair of climbing shoes. They literally can’t afford to have their shoes ruined!
Also, your climbing shoes can last up to 2 years given that you wear them only once or twice a month and can last even longer (5 years) if used a couple of times per year but this is only possible if the shoes have zero damage. But here’s some good news, even though your climbing shoes can only function for some months you can replace their worn-out soles. If you continuously do this, your one pair of climbing shoes can remain in use for years.
How To Make Climbing Shoes Last Longer
There are a lot of factors that affect the durability of climbing shoes and some certain tips if applied can help your shoes last longer:
There are a lot of factors that affect the durability of climbing shoes and certain tips if applied can help your shoes last longer
- Choose a fit that fits properly
- Maintain and constantly clean your shoes
- Use your climbing shoes only when climbing
- Replace the soles of your climbing shoes
Conclusion
A climbing shoe doesn’t deteriorate like a normal shoe or sneakers. Climbing shoes usually lose their longevity in the sole and the rand. If maintained properly, it would give your climber experience pleasant memories.
Assess your shoe and its performance. Replace it if necessary, and properly care for it to increase lifespan and save cost. This way, you can have a wonderful climbing experience.
