Barefoot climbing shoes reddit. You gotta let em break in and stretch though.
- Barefoot climbing shoes reddit. I was dismayed to find that climbers want the exact opposite of a barefoot feel for their climbing: arched rigid sole and tightly scrunched toe. I think it depends on your priorities between climbing good and foot health. You'd be better just trying whatever shoes you have and comparing them to your climbing shoes to see if you're willing to sacrifice the grip and precision of climbing shoes. Then people walk on the same floor with their climbing shoes and then walk it all over holds. I realize barefoot health is completely contrary to rock climbing practice, wherein generally, at an intermediate level, wearing tiny shoes that crush your feet is encouraged. Wondering if anyone here rock climbs/boulders and has any thoughts, thanks. I would like to get some barefoot shoes to hopefully make up for some of this. And I'm climbing in times when there is just few people. But that's it, I need chacos if I'm scaling walls, or going in and out of puddles while hiking up/downhill because a flat shoe lets you slide around in it. 8K subscribers in the climbingshoes community. I also assume it's not allowed in most gyms and definitely frowned upon to climb barefoot on public walls. I saw the recent thread and figured a specific thread for wide shoes and thought I'd get more specific with product posts. I can kinda understand it but if I'm climbing barefoot I'm not in doors and I have my shoes off well in advance and I walk around a bunch to kind of warm them up. I want some opinions on rock climbing (indoor) without climbing shoes. If there isn't a sign or something explaining that store's policy, I'd probably ask an employee before just going for it. My first thought is to wear the vibram five finger shoes but I'd like to know if anyone else has an opinion or ideas. Jul 6, 2025 路 All posts about barefoot shoes in one place. Get a cheap flat pair of slipper-variety climbing shoes like the 5. Majority of people here climb with shoes, but ever since I started to climb regularly, I see someone climbing without shoes like every 3 sessions. Sep 28, 2021 路 Barefoot rock climbing, can you do it? Should you do it? Info on the advantages, techniques and famous barefoot climbers. I started using mad rock remoras almost exclusively 8-12 months back as cheap gym trainers. Check out our posts for advice and reviews. Its honestly preference based. Reviews of individual shoe models for men, women or children, shoe lists, tips and recommendations. But the adaptations occur all the way up the kinetic chain, including how far I lean forward when walking. Hilarious how people get so uppity about bare feer on climbing holds when people and dogs in gyms are walking shit all over the floor. Today, I did a short, partly barefoot hike in the Italian Alps. Her reviews are better to introduce the shoe and see if it's made for your type of foot vs performance reviews. Barefoot Climbing. [–] mwiz100 VFF / Unshod1 point2 points3 points1 We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The shoes slipped back and forth and didn't stay where I wanted them to. Based on a lot of the reading, and especially as someone who has particularly wide feet, I'm pretty convinced of the benefits. It’s a legit problem, but there are shoes that will fit, even you can find a wide pair to work. You don't just want them the right shape for your bunions, but also you want them to fit the arch of your foot and your heel. I don't want to spend all this money just to have the I know logistically climbing barefoot is not possible and generally frowned upon. Personally I'm down to sacrifice a little for more aggressive climbing shoes Recently discovered the benefits of barefoot style shoes and I am looking to buy a pair soon. 3 is a Blundstone, so they’re… I thought of this analogy - walking barefoot/using thin barefoot shoes is like walking on hard concrete, as opposed to walking with cushioned "regular" sneakers is like walking on soft dirt or sand. The least minimalist shoe I have is the Altra Lone Peak 6. You won’t become very advanced as a climber unless you use the gear to facilitate it, because your feet didn’t evolve to hook into small holds climbing walls. Furthermore the arch shape is almost never anatomical except for in beginner/rental shoes. If you want a wide climbing shoe, there are going to be other higher-performing options with name-brand climbing rubber, like the Veloce or some of Evolv's new models. Barefoot Climbing is starting to take off in certain circles, and is slowly gaining popularity among some climbers world wide. Most people prefer soft downturned toes on shoes for indoor overhangs. Or don’t. They seem like decently serviceable shoes like your stand bd momentum or tarantulace Never gonna be super good for heel hooks, toe hooks or any really aggressive overhang. Regarding traction, which shoes would you recommend for my 45 degree roof? I have a harness. I was just wondering if people experience long term toe/feet problems from climbing shoes. Later I came across a fairly rocky section, that was too challenging for me, so I had to wear shoes. Read on to find out why you should always wear climbing shoes. Not sure if this is a result of them being curled/bent in my shoes (Butora GOMIs) or something else. 99% of redditors couldn't do this even if it truly did have little steps. If you have any specific questions let me know. I definitely go barefoot. There's literally no reason to be climbing in the gym barefoot. I wear exclusive minimalist shoes regardless of the activity (except for specialist shoes like Climbing shoes). These shoes are remarkably soft compared to everything else I've tried climbing in up to that point, and I haven't really climbed in anything but soft shoes since. Are there five fingers shoes good for outdoor (rock climbing, running) that are not made of 100% plastic material? I really like barefoot shoes to balance out the squeeze of climbing shoes. Sure a show can work on certain holds but they are way over used as most climbs don’t need the aid. People don't appreciate it, they think it's gross. By then your feet will be more used to the feeling of climbing shoes. What do you all think of climbing sans sticky rubber shoes? Do you think there would be added grip from your toes once muscles in your foot reach their peak ability. Czechia. I wear minimalist shoes and go barefoot most of my day, but climbing shoes are quite constricting and crush the toes' ability to splay. Reply reply hexabyte • Foot shaped shoes seem to go against the ethos of climbing, but these are made by a company that also makes regular climbing shoes so maybe they're… Jun 25, 2024 路 In a world where we get picky about the climbing shoes we wear, there are climbers who are bouldering V17 barefoot. May 19, 2024 路 Most climbing shoes are already built to be worn "barefoot" and don't really have any cushion or midsole whatsoever (except for a few Boreal models). Just got back from camping last week and went hiking barefoot. Climbing shoe recommendations Does anyone have recommendations for climbing shoes to wear that won't squish all my toes and put them into a point? My climbing gym requires shoes, but I want to wear my correct toes in my shoes while climbing because without them I have pain in my bunion. I like my 5. Namely, the point of the shoe is as small as possible to allow all of the pressure in your foot to focus at a single point giving you the most traction on a foothold. (For Scandinavia) one day I am in a oversized mens suit with a small top/sports bra and Feet problems Hey everyone, I'm new to climbing, in fact, I'm about to go climb at my local bouldering gym. You gotta let em break in and stretch though. After 1-2 sessions with them, I’m experiencing pain around the nail of 2 of my toes towards the end of my session and afterwards. I don't like climbing shoes and I was thinking of trying with bare feet, or grippy yoga socks. I climb often so worry about my feet being squished into tiny climbing shoes. I plan to go for hikes barefoot next year though once it warms up again, and try running outside completely barefoot (Currently running VFF). At first I had difficulties with the fit of the sandals. I love hiking in shoes that allow me to feel the ground beneath me, I feel a lot more stable and safe that way, so I almost always hike in "barefoot" or minimalist shoes. Climbing shoes are designed the way they are for a reason - to give you maximum control, precision and power Walking with bare feet is no problem, I think. ( I also saw a barefoot dude in the stall today, which was bogus). I've recently stumbled on the world of barefoot/minimalist shoes wide toe box, zero drop, etc. Be aware that you'll slip on the soles where rock climbing shoes would grip, and you'll destroy the uppers quickly, but if you're having (safe) fun, then don't let anyone ruin your party. I'm trying to get back into climbing this winter to have some good indoor cardio, but my recent change to barefoot living has made me reconsider some things. I specifically bought two casual pairs that I wear to work as well, which are pretty cool. I'm barefoot almost all the time and outside a ton. I know climbing schoes are designed towards performance and have featured that help with certain grips. My question is, do barefoot shoes actually work / make a difference? A friend of mine tried them but gave up because they caused her pain. Thanks in advance for any suggestions 馃檹 Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best Add a Comment AutoModerator • Moderator Announcement Read More » Reply reply GreednPower •. It is benefitial strength wise though imo. I wear Xero shoes daily and currently hike with Xero Xcursion Fusions. I wore climbing shoes at first (climbing gyms require them as a rule) and it was uncomfortable I'm considering trying out barefoot shoes. It flattens out aggressive shoes, pushes dirt and dust into the rubber, causing it to polish holds, and is just uncomfortable, depending on how you fit your shoes. And while climbing shoes might feel restrictive at first, the sole and edge is actually essential for climbing on tiny edges and smears - stuff that would be We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Soon after that, founder of the company Saltic started ugrading the football After years of suffering stinky barefoot running and climbing shoes, I think I've finally found the best solution (not directly in FAQ): I had other types of barefoot shoes, but I think the fivefingers have done the most for my foot health and movement. After a while, this problem disappeared. so do you guys have any ideas, recommendations or experiences you'd like to share? I’m climbing Kili in January and am looking for footwear recommendations. They feel really well balanced between soft and stiff. I know the shoes for climbing are bad for my feet but it’s just something I’ve accepted. Is there a reason no one else does this? Has anyone tried yoga socks and found success or crushing defeat? But what has put me off massively is the amount of people (youtubers especially) that brag about how when they do experiments to try conventional shoes again, they get knee pain basically being super biased in trying to prove that barefoot shoes are the best and you should never go back. Walking on flat ground and climbing vertical walls are very different tasks. I asked the front desk, (this is a large gym in a decent sized city) about their policy, and they agreed that it was gross regarding the kids shoes, but that the policy is no barefoot climbing, but they can climb in socks or their own shoes. I dont think barefoot board climbing is detrimental in terms of technique to your footwork but I also dont think it is benefitial either. I’m generally barefoot or in zero drop/minimalist footwear for everything else in life except wearing boots for spur climbing. The best downturned shoes for my foot shape are the Evolv Shaman. Theoretically if you had this made up scenario in which you had two people; one walks without shoes for 80 years on hard concrete all day and the other walks without shoes for 80 years on soft dirt I think training barefoot is great for body tension as personally I feel, that keeping my feet on is easier with climbing shoes. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. I did wear socks with my rental shoes at the gym, but once I got my first pair of climbing shoes I went barefoot. but my problem is that I have been using barefoot shoes for a year now and the rental shoes felt like a nightmare, so I was thinking about getting a barefoot shoes just for climbing if I end up going climbing more often. Not in terms of thinness, but in toe splay - or lack of. Has anyone seen any barefoot style ‘wide’ climbing shoes that follow a proper foot shape? Most climbing shoes are already built to be worn "barefoot" and don't really have any cushion or midsole whatsoever (except for a few Boreal models). I do know climbing shoes are made to wedge your toe onto and into small places; I'm not a complete newb to climbing. r/barefootshoestalk: All about barefoot shoes and minimalist footwear. Maybe also some orthotics for your supination, but I figure that's also something you can focus with mindfulness while walking. Learn about their comfort, fit, and performance on the wall. 10 Moccasyms for that - they stretch and are comfy, and are pretty dang sensitive and somewhat barefoot-like while also being useful for climbing. Personally even after 4 years of using minimalist/barefoot footwear I still am not able to do 100% of my runs in barefoot shoes without starting to get shin pain. I brought my climbing shoes (and hiking shoes obviously) but decided not to put them on on this boulder that was straight armz. I’m currently looking at the Xero But u/gotham_possum if you want some advice from my resole/shoe shop: Just because you get shoe farts doesn't mean it's a bad fit (at least where it matters). com Dec 10, 2023 路 I picked up a pair of the vivo barefoot trackers and really like them for climbing. This got me wondering, how much gravel and rock is too much for barefoot hiking? How tough can you reasonably become? What are your Background: Started climbing in mid-2019, lanky and light with equally long and narrow feet. For basketball i have Lebron 15s but the toebox isnt the greatest since Ive started splaying. The Xcursions I feel won’t be the best as the sole is pretty thin and if going over rough terrain I think I may get some aches and pains. In barefoot shoes, this just feels wrong and gives me inner knee + lower back discomfort, so my body adapted. Wondering if anyone's ever tried this, perhaps I should post this on r/barefoot. I love going barefoot, and also got pretty into indoor rock climbing about 6 months ago. i want to join a climbing gym but dont want to mess up my feet from wearing the tight and unnatural climbing shoes. You will likely climb harder with shoes. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The only exception is an elder statesman in the community (quite the legend), who's struck a deal with the manager that he can climb barefoot on the conditions that the feet are clean and he rocks a shirt with "The feet are clean" typed on the back. But I was curious if anyone has tried climbing barefoot? Or possibly with a minimalist type sandal coated with typical 54K subscribers in the BarefootRunning community. It doesn’t seem like a rational response to the actual issue of hygiene. A community of barefoot and minimalist runners. Which sandals do you wear? What recommendations do you have for the most minimalist shoes that come as close as possible to walking barefoot? See full list on climbingshoereview. Jun 21, 2020 路 Saltic Fura M Review - Barefoot Shoe Reviews"From Climbing to Production and from Production to Climbing“ In 80's there were no climbing shoes at all to be bought in former Czecho-Slovakia Republic shops and so the climbing accessories. I don't think they are gonna be really good. They have a toe sock shoes, which can give you a full barefoot experience and protect your feet!! I highly recommend you check out their shoes, which are a great solution for barefoot people! We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. My physiotherapist wants me to transition to barefoot/minimalist shoes to strengthen my feet and address some issues. Yes you can climb in tennis shoes but it will just hinder your experience and attract unwanted attention. 2. Because my feet are so narrow, I decided to try Barefoot shoes are typically minimal and flexible with thin sole to let your feet feel the surface and mountaineering shoes are exactly the opposite - rigid and protective, so you could pretty much ignore the surface specifics. I was wondering, has anyone had a similar experience of wanting to continue rock climbing after your feet have changed? Even if say I were to buy larger climbing shoes, I'm wondering if wearing them could be detrimental to the progress I have made in foot health. But it's about keeping the holds (which are very expensive) as clean as possible. Most trail shoes that are minimalist would probably be fine for hiking up mountains It's not about them being dirty, it's just trying to minimize how fucked up and nasty the holds get. If you want to get good at climbing it has to be climbing shoes, for mucking around on some boulders, VFF or similar toe shoes will work. One of them we evolved for, and the other we do for sport, because it’s challenging for us. Took my shoes off in an area where there were few stones on the ground, and enjoyed it a lot. A subreddit designed to help those looking for rock climbing shoes. The barefoot shoe ideology is completely counter to climbing shoe ideology. Please put any suggestions below! Reddit's rock climbing training community. Solution comps are what I use. 10 moccasins (although those fall apart in a month so don’t get them). For barefoot climbers climbing with shoes feels like you are paralyzed from the waste down as the shoes prevent any connection to the rock. There isn’t an expectation of cleanliness like there is at a corporate fitness gym. Aggressive/downturned/cambered shoes have a curve to them that naturally puts your foot in a pulling position. Luckily, I had a pair of goat grip style shoes (they are basically like sock-shoes, and definitely do not scrunch your toes). They offered me free rentals, but I opted to use my goat grips. The scenario with the plastic and climbing shoes at the gym usually occurs when a climber gets shoes so aggressive and tight People go barefoot because you’re technically not supposed to walk around in your climbing shoes. I think a bunch of r/climbing have tried it which is why we revolt to let another human suffer. I climb around V8-V9 btw. Friend who climbs in different gym also notices ppl climbing barefoot from time to time. If you just chance buying online, be prepared to send them back. I prefer this style footwear for the zero drop and wide toe box. I have just bought my first pair of climbing shoes. Even my beloved Wildling Tanuki are not nearly as comfortable as these sandals. These just look super wide. These are the best two suggestions I have been given has anyone used either of them and how were they? I’ve been wearing barefoot or minimalist shoes for a few months and recently have started rock climbing. Will anyone ever know if you don't? Probably not. I am looking at getting a new shoe as my feet are so cramped in normal climbing shoes it kills me. I have been looking into barefoot shoes and minimalist shoes. Yes, rock climbing barefoot is doable but not recommended for many solid reasons. Climbing shoe recommendations Does anyone have recommendations for climbing shoes to wear that won't squish all my toes and put them into a point? I don't think I'm quite strong enough in my feet for simply wearing minimal flexible soled shoes, but any alternatives or climbing shoes people have found with a wide toe box? At my local REI, they have some super thin disposable socks, almost like panty hose, that they ask sock-free climbers to use when trying on shoes. Would forza trainers work here? Can any golf-nuts confirm? If this helps: At work i wear Allen edmonds extra wide shoes (cannot ditch traditional dress shoes in my line of work and i very much love the style). A proper review should consider the durability, comfort, grip when running, lifting, hiking, climbing, etc To be fair, most of her reviews are lifestyle shoes so hiking/climbing in them isn't really realistic. I wish it was viable to combine the two, but in my experience it becomes very painful trying to solve the walls without the shoes. More sensitive shoes exist. 42 votes, 155 comments. ? I'm looking for something mainly for easy multipitch climbing so instead of climbing shoes I have been looking at approach shoes as I have wide feet and do not like to compromise my natural toe splay. I went to a climbing gym a few hours away, and when I got there I realized I left my climbing shoes in my home gym. The question now is, of course, how does the shoe compare to other barefoot shoes? In fact, since I got the Shamma, I've only been walking around in this shoe. Also, did you ever take your shoes off during the session? I usually rest my feet a couple of times during the session. Before I knew about the needs and functions of our feet, I was shoving my wide size 12s into aggressive climbing shoes a size too small and from this suffered bad pinky toe cramming, slight big toe pronation, and a binding tightness of the middle toes Carrotfueled's guide to climbing shoes (lightly edited by tinyOnion & soupyhands): Shoe Terms Downturned the general shape of the shoe, and more specifically the angle of the toe and foot posture. The amount of time spent in your climbing shoes is very little in the grand scheme of things (unless you are climbing multi pitch) and it will balance out if the rest of your time is spent barefoot or in minimal shoes. I'm open to it, but I like my various pairs of running shoes that have some cushion and are not zero drop. You will have to sacrifice and wear shoes on the other end of the spectrum while climbing. After a year or so of running you can start gradually adding some mileage in a barefoot shoe. The nature of barefoot shoes having wide spacious toe boxes is the opposite of what is required for climbing sadly. My climbing shoes still fit but are much tighter, as expected. For me I need to focus on stretching my big toe and flexing it out and upwards, because climbing squeezes it in and down. We're strict with people climbing without shoes at the gym I work though. This really bothers me and it would be amazing to have a shoe that doesn’t hurt my long toe so bad. On steeper walls, this helps set up your toes to not just push downward on holds, but Jul 3, 2025 路 Explore Saltic's Eliot barefoot climbing shoes reviewed by pro climbers. Is barefoot/minimalist shoes actually better for you? Looking a new pair of shoes for multi-purpose use, 5-10K road running, trail running, hiking on mountain paths, gym training, CrossFit workouts etc. I work in art and need to look sharp and very on trend. Please include barefoot shoes too! Please chime in with any barefoot (close to the ground, can feel it through your feet) or wide toe box shoes (natural foot shape instead of squishing toes) you've tried and liked! The absolutely best thing is to simply try on as many pairs as you can. Would you say my foot shape is more greek or Roman? Having a tough time finding a shoe that isn’t crushing the knuckles of my toes, but also fits my narrow heels. Shoe farts are caused by trapped air under the arch of your foot. My gym says no climbing shoes in the bathroom. I wear barefoot shoes the VAST majority of the time I spend Have you ever climbed barefoot before? (IMO as someone who has climbed for many years and worn minimal shoes for daily life and running for almost as long) the human foot is not suited for the kind of bouldering and sport climbing you find in modern gyms and trying to do so is painful. Barefoot climbing shoes? Does anyone have any experience with la sportiva tx4, arcteryx konseal ar or 510 guide tennies etc. A subreddit dedicated to discussing and reviewing climbing shoes. Thanks! The only downside to them is the barefoot style doesn't keep your foot snuggled in place if you're climbing extreme terrain. The idea is to strengthen the foot into one sort of claw that can cling onto a tiny ledge. I’m just struggling to find something that doesn’t look sporty or makes me look like a crunchy-mom. I started climbing a couple of years into my barefoot journey. Especially if you start to climb harder grades you will need aggressive shoes. At the gym i wear minimalist Whitins. I already work out barefoot at the gym, and I am recovering from plantar fasciitis. Barefoot Climbing Shoes? This is an odd one - went rock climbing today and discovered the shoes are pretty painful for someone wearing ‘barefoot’ shoes constantly for years. Climbers started to useing football shoes because of it's thickness and shape. Also, do your toes typically hurt towards the end of a climbing session? Jul 7, 2025 路 We tested 25 top pairs of barefoot shoes from Vivobarefoot, Whitin, Merrell, Lems, and more — these are our favorites. To piggyback off this, I am about 4 months into the barefoot transition and was a pretty serious boulder climber for about 6 years before this. My shoes are too uncomfortable if I put the smallest amount of lining (plastic, etc) in them, so socks would never work for me. As others have said, you will need real climbing shoes if you want to climb harder grades. If I continue to rock climb and wear barefoot shoes will my feet be healthy. , while continuing to run in more conventional running shoes (with lowish drop As a beginner I'd climb with the roomier shoes but keep the old ones and then you can start using them when your roomer pair gets worn out. However, i would like to know if there is maybe a shoe that emulates the barefoot feeling more closely than a traditional climbing shoe. So I've recently started picking up rock climbing, and I enjoy the sport a fair bit, except the shoes are a torment! I understand why climbing shoes want to compress your toes, so was wondering instead if there are any barefoot runners here that are also climbers, and what do you do to help your feet cope with the shoes? The downside is because my shoes fit properly now (that is, they are super tight and uncomfortable), I naturally want to take them off between routes and while belaying my partner, meaning I’m walking around the gym barefoot. The monk undoubtedly took a much easier route. Reply reply jbnj451 • Anyone familiar with barefoot shoes? I’ve been wearing bare foot shoes for awhile now and can’t stand the narrow bouldering shoes. Is it fine to transition to barefoot style shoes for everyday life, walking, commuting, etc. tbz dzbld adoyu vtfof pbwkjd enqiyxj hwhod qzyjf msjicvmg phlgu