Bigwall footwear; what's your favorite

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thekidcormier

Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 24, 2012 - 10:37pm PT
Looking for suggestions on what kind of shostakovich to buy next..

On my last couple walls I've worn the 5.10 camp fours, which are really the only pair of technical footwear I've ever worn other then rock shoes.

So right now they are my favorite by default..


matty

Trad climber
under the sea
Sep 24, 2012 - 10:58pm PT
lol plywood! At times My feet have wished for it.


I've done some cooler temp aiding in my sportive makalus. Aside from being heavy they were really comfortable because of the super stiff sole and good ankle protection.
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Sep 24, 2012 - 10:58pm PT
I like stiff, bigger than normal climbing shoes. Pointy toe goes in the aiders nicely, and I end up freeing way more and speeding things up substantially.
E

Social climber
Tujunga CA.
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:09pm PT
kiss boots
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:18pm PT
The most comfortable I have worn for pure aid leads were a pair of Vasque Sundowners. I have recently found that LaSportiva Exum Pros are not at all comfortable in aiders. So next time I buy a pair of hiking shoes I'll be trying em out in aiders at the store. Should make for some interesting looks.
briham89

Big Wall climber
los gatos. ca
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:23pm PT
I really like my camp fours. I get a little shaky leading harder than 5.8 in them, but man do my feet feel better after aiding in those than in free shoes.
Vegasclimber

Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:30pm PT
Camp fours for me as well, and sometimes the Exum Guide high top version. The extra support in the ankles on the Guides can be nice if you're free hanging much.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
Sep 25, 2012 - 12:56am PT
Boreal BW Boots for more than a long day of aiding

Evolve BW boot for some free and some aid in a long day, like SF of WC

Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Sep 25, 2012 - 01:17am PT
We did a whole Approach shoe review and the five ten camp fours came out on top for walls. But guide Guide Tennies and La Sportiva Ganda also awesome. all are expensive considering walls kill shoes. Budget option: tight fitting old hiking boots then seem grip the crap out of them
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Sep 25, 2012 - 01:20am PT
This article I wrote has more detail on choosing wall footwear and other gear http://www.supertopo.com/a/How-To-Big-Wall-Climb-Gear-1-Essential-Aid-Climbing-Gear/a10535n.html
Vegasclimber

Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
Sep 25, 2012 - 01:28am PT
The biggest buzz kill for me on the C4's is how much the price has increased over the last few years. The first pair that I bought about 5 years ago, I got for $110, and they were amazing at that price. Not sure why they jumped to $150, that's a bit much for a shoe IMO.
matty

Trad climber
under the sea
Sep 25, 2012 - 09:32am PT
. Budget option: tight fitting old hiking boots then seem grip the crap out of them


I've done that and it worked pretty well. steel shank good. steel toe not so much. I thought it might help my toes from getting smashed on the rock but all that happened was the toe folded back and the edge of the steel toe dug into the top of my foot every step. Oh well...I seam grip all my wall shoes.
hoipolloi

climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
Sep 25, 2012 - 09:43am PT
Evolv Bolt

Free climb really really well, more supportive in the arch than guides (yet similar free climbing ability). Better toe rand (although some goo on the outside edges won't hurt).

Thats what I've been wearing lately.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Sep 25, 2012 - 09:48am PT
Crocs....the fancy ones with leather uppers.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Sep 25, 2012 - 12:19pm PT

These were some of my fav cheapo wall boots. could not free climb in them at all... but they lasted a bunch of walls and I either got em for free or paid less than $15.

I have been wearing the Evolv Bolt. Very solid. Similar performer to the Five Ten Guide Tennie. Guide Tennie free climbs better but the Bolt has better traction.
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 4, 2013 - 08:41pm PT
This looks like the most recent bigwall boot thread. I saw mention in another thread that the Boreal bigwall boot wore through the toe on only one grade VI. Was that all that was wrong with it? I have an older pair of those and they are pretty much what the Robbins Blue Boots once were. Are there any other like that out there? I have a pair of the Boreals but may get another pair since my feet have been growing! Here's a link;

https://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/rshoes/BorealBigwallClimbingShoe.htm
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Mar 4, 2013 - 08:43pm PT
Crocs
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 4, 2013 - 08:44pm PT
What a croc. I better get another pair of Boreals before they are sequestered.
Captain...or Skully

climber
Mar 4, 2013 - 08:50pm PT
Camp 4's are a good shoe, but Chris is right. The lifespan is too short to justify. I had a pair of Evolv's that went to sh#t right away. No more Evolvs, EVER.
Old Vasques are what I like for Walls, but then I ain't trying to free much up there. That shit's for heroes.

Navy edit: Yeah, they're sweet, if you're a high dollar dude. I trend towards thrift.
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 4, 2013 - 08:56pm PT
The Boreals are pretty sweat really. If anything they are on the too light side. They are not quite as beefy as the Robbins boot. It would not be difficult to make a toe cap to protect them from wear, that you pull off to go free.

Edit; so Captain, if the other shoes are sh#t and you have to keep replacing them.......
Roger Brown

climber
Oceano, California
Mar 4, 2013 - 09:14pm PT
I like Camp4 the best. Had to buy 3 pair last season. If I had a sponsor I would wear whatever they gave me :-)
Captain...or Skully

climber
Mar 4, 2013 - 11:13pm PT
Thrift stores are amazing these days, Sailorboy. Hehehe.
Check it out. I prowl quite a bit. Ever got a pair of Vasques for 5 bucks? I have. Will again, too. Buying new stuff is overrated.

Navy edit(again): Oh, well that changes the whole equation. As you were.
Cheers, mon.
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 4, 2013 - 11:43pm PT
I hear ya. I tend to hold out for footwear though - specially since my feet are huge.
weezy

climber
Mar 5, 2013 - 12:02am PT
once upon a time, me and the larry did a night ascent of ancient art in chacos.

i think 5.10 guide tennies are the best. not real stiff but they freeclimb pretty good. i've even bouldered in them before.
OlympicMtnBoy

climber
Seattle
Mar 5, 2013 - 12:19am PT
I've had a pair of Evolve Maximus boots that have been up several walls and only needed minor repair. They free climb reasonably well too.

I use Russian Aiders and don't seem to have as much trouble wearing out the toes of my shoes as some though. Maybe I'm just awesome, YMMV.
crunch

Social climber
CO
Mar 5, 2013 - 12:54am PT
I've been enjoying these for a few years now:



Can stand in aiders all day, can free climb some, good sticky rubber. Burly leather from who knows what animal...rhinoceros?

Long forgotten where they came from, maybe purchased on a long ago trip to Chamonix for attaching crampons?

Only drawback is the feisty smell they have acquired....
Captain...or Skully

climber
Mar 5, 2013 - 07:58am PT
There ya go, McHale's Navy...get some Rhinoceros shoes like Crusher's. Rhinos are huge, too(added plus).
Good looking shoes, Steve.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Mar 5, 2013 - 10:17am PT
Wellingtons
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 5, 2013 - 12:55pm PT
yeah, i could keep my chaulk in those too, and scrap the chaulk bag. These look like the ticket - about the same price as Boreals.
Don Paul

Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
Mar 5, 2013 - 01:11pm PT
It would not be difficult to make a toe cap to protect them from wear

My idea for this was to just wear an old pair of sneakers that you're going to throw away, since whatever you wear, you'll wear through the toes all the way to your real toes. I remember on moonlight buttress, almost at the very top of the route is runout 5.6 face and I was smearing all over it with floppy sneakers, maybe good to have a way to do some basic free climbing in case of emergency, lol.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Mar 5, 2013 - 01:34pm PT
My two pairs of Galibier Yosemites (Better known as RR's) -- one comfortable, one tighter (but still pretty comfortable), purchased in 1969 and 1971 respectively, are still sufficiently intact to climb in, and I am still waiting for a better Yosemite big wall shoe. They work quite well in off-widths, and the heel helps keep them stable in aiders. The relatively stiff shank keeps them comfortable when aiding, too, and gives them pretty good edging capability.

Pure friction is their main weakness, but I climbed Marginal in one pair and Patio in the other, so they work for the sorts of friction moves I've encountered on bigger climbs.

It's just a pity they're not made anymore.

John
Messages 1 - 31 of total 31 in this topic
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