Rock shoes

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Enthusiast

Sport climber
Port Townsend WA
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 12, 2012 - 08:28pm PT
Please post the size of your regular shoes and that of your rock shoes. I'd like to get an idea of the difference, if any, and see if I can buy the shoes online instead of traveling 60 miles.
Thanks
S.Leeper

Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
Nov 12, 2012 - 08:49pm PT
9.5 street
9 rock

I dont like to be in a lot of pain.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Nov 12, 2012 - 08:54pm PT
I am a 9.3 US on a brannic on my left, 9.5 on my right. Both in the C/D width (depending on how much I am running/hiking)


I wear a 39 Miura, 40.5 Force, 9.5 shaman, 7 UK red chili (all styles), 9.5 Dragon, 8.5 anasazi VCS, 39 Scarpa Instinct S, 8 Defy Lace, 41 TC Pro, 39 Solution, 9 Talon, 38.5 Mytho, 7 Moccasym.....


Long story short - your feet are yours and yours alone. You might be my size and wear a FULL number size above.

You should be filing the shoe with your foot - if you get a high volume shoe, but you don't have the conditioning to wear it (it hurts when it is on 1/2 size larger than the tightest pair you can possibly put on) find one with less volume - less 'bulge' in the toe box.

Conditioning isn't equal for everyone - I used to play hockey and can wear WICKED small shoes for a long time, given they fit the shape of my feet (many don't). If you don't have really strong feet, or very conditioned (and not arthritic) feet, stick with something stiff where you aren't relying on your foot strength but the infrastructure in the sole/midsole. Edging get stiff, overhanging get soft, thin cracks get thin toes, hand cracks get stiff lace-ups, yada yada.....


The 60 mile drive might suck, but it is nigh impossible to buy a shoe sight unseen online. Best to support local if you can, but I understand limitations.


Greg
Captain...or Skully

climber
Nov 12, 2012 - 09:41pm PT
I wear the same size & just tie my rock shoes snug(ger).
Ya gotta be good to your feet. You need them.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Nov 12, 2012 - 09:46pm PT
Listen to Greg.
surfstar

climber
Santa Barbara, CA
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:35pm PT
buy multiple sizes online at 50% off, return the ones that don't fit

haven't paid more than $60 for shoes the last two years
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:40pm PT
2nd that just buy the shoe size.

Buying small is only for advanced super hard climbing.

Get shoes that you can enjoy standing around in all day. Especially if you plan to do long multi-pitch climbs.


Five Tens - best rubber - good for normal to wide feet.

Boreal - good for narrow feet, resole with Five-Ten rubber (what I do)

All Others - find what fits best at a good price - resole with Five-Ten C4 rubber.
Plaidman

Trad climber
South Slope of Mt. Tabor, Portland, Oregon, USA
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:42pm PT
Ya gotta be good to your feet. You need them.

Feet are aid.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
bouldering
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:48pm PT
Drive the sixty miles.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Nov 12, 2012 - 10:50pm PT
gotta think about stretch, holmes.

unlined leather, mucho
lined leather, some
fake stuff, I don't know, probably minor stretch.

I wear Mocs size 9.5. Street 10.5-11

I say make the drive. Poor fitting shoes suck.

Rankin

Social climber
Greensboro, North Carolina
Nov 12, 2012 - 11:11pm PT
I picked up some Scarpa Instinct super cheap from Amazon. Shipping was free, returns were free. So I just ordered two different pairs and returned the one that didn't fit the way I like.

In my experience with the difference companies, I would roughly say that I wear mostly US 9 in street shoe, 8.5 evolv pontas, geshido, optimus; 8.5 five-ten anasazi, 7.5 moccasym; scarpa instinct 40.5, mago 41; la sportiva cobra 39.5. I tend to size my shoes snug but not tight, depending on the make of the shoe.

If you haven't worn climbing shoes very much, I would recommend a comfortable all-around shoe rather than a super aggressive, down-turned shoe. Also, leather shoes will break in and stretch better than a synthetic material. Finally, don't think that you have to sacrifice comfort for performance. The late great John Bachar used to say that you climb better when you're feet are comfortable. He sure would have known.
SCseagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
Nov 12, 2012 - 11:16pm PT
Make the drive or order many that will need to be returned.
My shoes are in different sizes dependent on what I'm using them for. Also different manufacturers fit me very very differently, yet size is the same.
As I've gotten older my climbing shoe size tends to be the same as street shoes. Comfort for me is the main thing.



Susan
strangeday

Trad climber
Brea ca.
Nov 13, 2012 - 12:31am PT
For me, 5.10 shoes fit perfect at my exact street shoe size.
johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
Nov 13, 2012 - 12:39am PT
Different models within the same brand can warrant different sizes. Then toss in sizing guesses that come with different materials, some stretch, some not so much. Toss different brands into the mix and you got many, many different sizes for one foot.

Go to a store and try them on, ask about stretch. Don't listen to any salesperson that says they need to be really tight, they only need be snug.
Enthusiast

Sport climber
Port Townsend WA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 13, 2012 - 06:18pm PT
Thanks guys. I'll probably make the drive just to be safe.
Prod

Trad climber
Nov 13, 2012 - 06:26pm PT
gotta think about stretch, holmes.

unlined leather, mucho
lined leather, some
fake stuff, I don't know, probably minor stretch.

I wear Mocs size 9.5. Street 10.5-11

I say make the drive. Poor fitting shoes suck.


Agreed, But when I had a long drive, I'd just buy a few sizes of what I was looking for have them shipped then return the ones that I didn't want.

Prod.
michaeld

Sport climber
Sacramento
Nov 13, 2012 - 06:57pm PT
10.5 Street shoe

8.5 La Sportiva Muira's, Scarpa Vapors, 5.10 Anasazi Lace ups.

9 Acopa Merlins
crasic

climber
Nov 13, 2012 - 07:47pm PT
Street Shoe: 13.5
Climbing shoes: 11-12.5 depending on shoes.

I got size 44 Mythos (11-11.5 US) and they are so big now that they are floppy. Some shoes stretch a bunch.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
Nov 13, 2012 - 08:45pm PT
You need to be more brand specific. For example, my 8.5 sized street shoe doesn't want to fit into a sized 9-1/2 Acopa JB, BUT my son says that he scored a pair of used Muiras that he's going to gift me that are sized 8! I saw a pic and they look new.

Recap

Street shoe = 8-1/2

Acopa JB's = 10.0

LaSportiva Muiras = 8.0

Is that not crazy? I own Scapas, Red Chiles, other LaSportivas (TC Pro and Focus), Other Acopas, a bunch of Evolvs, 5.10's and such a huge sh#t bunch of other shoes that it's a running joke to my wife and they all seem to be different sizes. That's why a local shop is so good to have near.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Nov 13, 2012 - 09:00pm PT
I am a 9.5 and wear a size 6 miura.


Sizing has SO MUCH MORE to do with how conditioned your feet are. Not like a T-Shirt.


Your shoes are your sabre by your side - unique and personal, tailored, and job-specific.


Some shoes (Miuras, Mythos, Moccasyms) are 15-20 years old. In those days, when you bought a shoe, you bought the smallest size you could fit into.

THESE days, you CAN'T sell shoes on-line if you base it off this model. Instead of making the size of the shoe off the length (like before) many companies now have newer models pre-sized. Meaning, if you are a size 9.5, you SHOULD BE WEARING a 9.5 (the evolv Shaman is a great example, as well as many new 5.10's).


Look, I don't play basketball. I suck at it. I could buy LeBron James shoes TODAY, the way HE sizes them, and probably they will at least keep me sucking as much as I already do when I play. They might even make me BETTER at it.
A new climber CANNOT climb in Chris Sharmas shoes the way HE fits them. No different than a guy who is a white belt walking into a dojo trying to break 15 bricks.


Let your feet get strong, objectively analyze what it is about your footwear that is failing you and how you use your feet (are you always edging, do you bury rubber behind edges, do you wear big shoes so edge with the big toe's first knuckle [bad]). You are your own coach, and you have to have a sample size of Experience - no toy can fix that. Maybe someone who has worn a lot of shoes and knows a lot can fill you in on something appropriate, but at the end of the day it is your feet in them - not mine.
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