Climbing shoes should feel snug, but not so tight that your toes are bent. When you first try on climbing shoes, they should be snug enough that you can’t easily slide your pinky inside the shoe.
As you break in your climbing shoes, they will stretch and become even more comfortable—but never so much that you can easily slide your pinky inside them again.
If your climbing shoes are too loose, they won’t support your feet properly or give you enough friction when edging.
If they’re too tight, they could cause blisters or numbness in your toes. Climbing shoe fit is largely a matter of personal preference, but there are some general rules to follow to keep yourself from experiencing chafing or cramps while climbing.
Climbers with smaller feet tend to prefer shoes that are slightly shorter and narrower in the heel.
The Truth About Tight Fitting Climbing Shoes
Climbers used to break in their leather climbing shoes with a blowtorch in the ‘good ol’ days’ and they would stretch and conform to the shape of the climber’s foot.
Nowadays, climbing shoes are made with synthetic materials, which don’t stretch like leather and are designed to fit snugly without compromising performance.
Climbers often wear their climbing shoes for hours at a time, so it’s crucial to wear them in before using them on a long climb.
You might encounter some discomfort in the beginning, but that’s nothing compared to the pain you’ll experience if you don’t break them in first.
If your climbing shoes are too tight, they could cause blisters and cramping in your toes.
On the other hand, climbing shoes that are too loose are not as effective at edging and will make heel hooks more challenging.
Shoe type
Climbing shoe type affects fit and performance. Slippers are designed to be the most comfortable type of climbing shoes, but they’re not great for edging because their soft, sensitive soles offer little support and no resistance when you are trying to stand on small edges.
Slippers are best suited for indoor climbing because they excel at smearing.
Stegs are next in terms of comfort, and are also good for smearing, but are more supportive than slippers and are a little better for edging.
Ankle-length trad shoes have stiffer soles and a higher heel than sport climbing shoes, which makes them more suitable for edging and heel hooking, but they’re less comfortable than sport climbing shoes.
Finally, there are bouldering shoes, which are very firm and rigid, but they excel at toe hooking.
Climbing shoe fit
Climbers with smaller feet tend to prefer shoes that are slightly shorter and narrower in the heel.
Climbers with larger feet often prefer a taller shoe that has extra room in the toe box area. One way to test whether your climbing shoes fit correctly is to stand on a boulder and lift your heel as high as possible.
If your toes can’t curl under, or your heels lift off the ground, the shoes are too short.
If the toe of your foot hits the end of the shoe, the shoes are too long. If the fit is correct, your foot will be able to curl your toes under, your heel will just barely lift off the ground, and your toes will hit the end of the shoe.
Edging and heel hooking
Edging is the act of standing on the inside edge of your foot. This technique is common when climbing slabs or vertical terrain with small holds.
When you are edging, the inside edge of your foot should be against the wall and your heel should be lifted off the wall slightly.
In order to do this, the heel of your climbing shoe should be slightly higher than the toe.
If your climbing shoe is too low, you will be unable to stand on small edges. This is especially problematic when climbing slabby rock.
When heel hooking, you will want your heel to be against the wall with the inside edge of your shoe lifted off the wall.
Your shoe should also have a high enough heel to allow your toes to curl under and grip the wall. If your climbing shoe is too high, your heel will bump into the wall when heel hooking, and you won’t be able to bend your toes enough to grip the wall.
If your climbing shoes are too low, you won’t have enough room to stand on small edges.
Toe hooking
Toe hooks are powerful moves that involve hooking your toes under a hold and yanking your body upward.
Toe hooks work best when the shoe has a high heel and a rigid toe box. When you are toe hooking, your toes should be curled under and you should be standing on the ball of your foot.
If your climbing shoes are too low, you won’t have enough room to stand on the ball of your foot, your toes won’t be curled under, and you won’t be able to generate enough power when toe hooking.
If your toe box is too soft, you won’t be able to dig your toes under the hold and you’ll lose energy while trying to climb.
The importance of fit when choosing a climbing shoe
When you’re shopping for climbing shoes, it’s important to consider how the different shoe designs affect fit and performance.
Climbers who are looking for the most comfort and versatility should choose a mid-length shoe with a low profile and a wider fit.
Climbers who need a stiffer, more aggressive shoe that excels at edging should consider a rock climbing shoe with a higher profile and a narrower fit.
For the best edging performance, you’ll want a stiffer shoe with a higher heel and a narrower fit, and for the best toe hooking performance, you’ll need a stiffer shoe with a low profile and a wider fit.
Do climbing shoes stretch?
Climbing shoes will stretch a little bit, but not enough to provide the level of comfort that you get from a slipper.
Climbing shoes are made from synthetic materials, which don’t stretch like leather.
If your climbing shoes suddenly feel a lot more comfortable, there’s a good chance they’ve stretched out and broken in.
When you first use your climbing shoes, you’ll want to wear them for a few hours at a time until they are broken in and fit perfectly.
Why are climbing shoes so tight?
If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Why are climbing shoes so tight?’ the answer is simple: climbing shoes are meant to be worn as tight as possible so you can get the most out of them.
Climbing shoes are designed with a snug fit in mind, so they can be super uncomfortable when they’re brand new.
When you first wear your climbing shoes, they will feel extremely stiff and unforgiving, but they will break in and become much more comfortable after a few sessions.
How rubber thickness and softness affects performance?
The thickness of the rubber on the soles of climbing shoes can affect their edging and heel hooking performance.
The thicker the rubber, the greater resistance it will have and the more stable it will be when you are edging.
However, too much rubber can make it challenging to stand on small edges, so your best bet is to look for a shoe with a thin or medium-thickness sole.
The softness of the rubber on your climbing shoe’s sole can affect its toe hooking ability. While soft rubber will be better at toe hooking, it won’t be as good at edging.
Top Tips for finding the right fit
FAQs
How snug should my climbing shoes be?
Climbing shoes should be snug-fitting but not too restrictive. They should feel like a second skin, but still, allow you to wiggle your toes. Your feet swell while climbing so they might need adjusting during the climb. When fitting climbing shoes, try them on with socks you would typically wear while climbing. There are two methods to try on climbing shoes. The first is to put your foot in the shoe with the heel resting on the ground and fine-tune the fit by lifting your foot up and down. The other method is to put your foot in the shoe and press your heel down as hard as possible while fine-tuning the fit by tilting your heel in and out. When trying on shoes, getting a good fit in both length and width is important. The length refers to the size of your foot while width refers to how wide your foot is. A too-small or too-large shoe will cause pain while climbing. A shoe that is too big will cause your toes to cramp, a too-small shoe will likely rub your pinky toe raw.
How much room should you have in climbing shoes?
It largely depends on your foot size and the type of climbing you will be doing. If you have large feet, you may need a larger size climbing shoe to fit comfortably. Conversely, if you have small feet, a smaller shoe will be necessary to fit your feet. Additionally, softer shoes are generally easier to fit than stiffer shoes.
For bouldering and sport climbing, a size EU 38 – 41 is appropriate for men and EU 39 – 42 for women. For trad climbing, a size EU 42 – 44 is appropriate for men and EU 43 – 46 for women. For mountain climbing, a size EU 45 – 48 is appropriate for men and EU 46 – 50 for women.
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