NEWBIE HERE!!!

[excited newbie]

Awesome, thanks alot Teth, Yeah I wore climbing shoes once when climbing indoors at Montreal. My feet were killing me, I normally wear size 13 shoes and I squeezed into a ten. It was horrible.
Is there any particular type or brand of shoe that you would recomend? I have this pet peeve thing about buying crappy gear...

[mitchleblanc]

Awesome, thanks alot Teth, Yeah I wore climbing shoes once when climbing indoors at Montreal. My feet were killing me, I normally wear size 13 shoes and I squeezed into a ten. It was horrible.
Is there any particular type or brand of shoe that you would recomend? I have this pet peeve thing about buying crappy gear...

5.10 baby. All the way. Nothing else will do! Boreal sucks, seriously. I've owned a few pairs.. La Sportiva is better, but I haven't owned a pair I've really liked. I've owned several (like.. 8??) pairs of Moccasyms, they rock yo. So do the velcro anazasis (spelling?). Check out Mad Rocks too. They are super comfortable, great, hold their shape, etc.. just rubber is soft, so if your footwork sucks (or even if it's good) they'll wear out fast.

My two cents.

[Fred]

I second the 5.10 Anasazi Velcro

[mitchleblanc]

I will note that I have a wide, paddle foot that looks like a damned spatula, which is why I have found that the velcro anasazies are too pointy and not as good as the moccasym. That, and the hell cup is too deep for me, and (for lots of people) tears near where the rubber meets the leather. Fred? Opinion? But yeah, as I said before, they are good. Don't buy the (La Sportiva) vipers man, some people love them, but I think they are on drugs. The leather is soft and wears out fast and the shoe lost it's shape super fast for me.

My four cents.

[dcentral]

I like the moc's too.

I wear 12-13 normal shoe too depending on the shoe so I find the moc's fit my feet really well.

I tried a Mad Rock muggen. I think it was a size 12 and it just hurt too much I couldn't even get them on properly and since they are lined they weren't going to stretch that much.

[mitchleblanc]

I like the moc's too.

I wear 12-13 normal shoe too depending on the shoe so I find the moc's fit my feet really well.

I tried a Mad Rock muggen. I think it was a size 12 and it just hurt too much I couldn't even get them on properly and since they are lined they weren't going to stretch that much.

Well, get a size larger!

They are basically (the white ones, whatever they are called) a cross between a moccasym and a anasazi velcro.. I thought. Yeah, lined.. but still quite comfy and soft.

Actually, mine were way too tight too, they killed me, I could barely use them. Oh well.

[Fred]

I hate the Mocs but have owned about 8 pairs of Anasazi Velcros. I'd never buy another pair of Mocs. Because they aren't lined and can't be tightened, they roll around your foot within a month. Try standing on little jibs when your shoe rolls around your foot. They are certainly comfy shoes but not technical unless you are climbing steep jugs. I find you can be almost as comfortable in a pair of Anasazi velcros and not suffer on your technique. If anything, they are an incredibly technical shoes and edge like mad. But... Like Mitch said, the heel cup (hell cup as Mitch put it although I don't think he was making a joke) is terrible. Even still on the new re-modeled shoe. Not too crucial if you climb vertically and in the gym but when there's alot of hooking going on you might want to think of another shoe. It's not that bad though. I've only had one of them tear near the "hell" cup but i think that's partially my fault (and others) for buying them too tight. Buy the Anasazi Velcros about 1/2 size down from your street shoe. I wear 1 full size down but they take a long time to break in. They don't stretch because they are lined but they do mold (if that makes sense) and that relieves alot of pressure on your toes but at the same time gives you wicked edging power. So if they really hurt when you try them on, that's ok. They will mold to your foot.

[dcentral]

Mec didn't have a size large in the Muggens.

I don't really have too much of a problem with my mocs rolling around. Although they do have their limitations.

By mold do you mean that mold that stinks up the place. Some of the worst smelling shoes I have ever been around are the Anasazi's. Although that could just be saying something about the people wearing them.

[mitchleblanc]

I hate the Mocs but have owned about 8 pairs of Anasazi Velcros. I'd never buy another pair of Mocs. Because they aren't lined and can't be tightened, they roll around your foot within a month. Try standing on little jibs when your shoe rolls around your foot. They are certainly comfy shoes but not technical unless you are climbing steep jugs. I find you can be almost as comfortable in a pair of Anasazi velcros and not suffer on your technique.

You dissing my technique?

Haha. Shutup. I climb hella technical shite in my mocs. I'm like, the technical master. I eat technical pieces of shi*t like you for breakfast. You eat pieces of shi*t for breakfast? ... No.

Seriously though, I think the main issue for mocs is that they fit best for wide feet, on account of (as fred noted) the no wayt to tighten and no lining. But if they do fit... they are the greatest thing since ... me? Buy them. Seriously. Do it. DO IT.

[martha]

I've had about 5 pairs of Anasazi Velcros and love them. they are super technical and edge like mad, but are also comfy enough on longer trad routes if you just loosen up the straps. The do SUCK for heel hooking cause of all the dead space between the shoe and your foot.

the BEST shoe I have EVER had is the 5.10 dragon. And to our dismay, you can't buy it anymore. You CAN get the 5.10 V10 which is the same shoe only in a slipper.
The dragon has the best heels in the world for hooking, and I can hook on super small crystals and jibs like it is nothing. Perhaps, as Mitch has said about himself holds true for me, that I am just a technical master. But I doubt it.

I've had the 5.10 sapphires too, the womens shoe, and I have to say they were sweet. When they are new, they are super technical and helped me fly up crimpy nightmares like Montezuma Revenge or Farewell to Arms, however, once they stretch out, they are the flower on trad routes and smear like mad. But we aren't talking about the Sapphire are we? NO. I know. sorry. I digress.

[excited newbie]

Well, Ill have to try both the Anasazi Velcros and the moccasyms if I get to a MEC in Calgary.

[The Teth]

The brand which works best for you will depend on the shape of your foot. No one likes both the Anasazi's and the 5.10 mocassins. One will seem to fit your foot better than the other. Both of these are best used for bouldering.

I have owned about 8 pairs of 5.10 mocassins. They do not slip around on my feet, but my feet are probably shaped differently than Fred’s feet.

The company 5.10 uses C4 Stealth rubber which is arguably the stickiest rubber on the market.

My first two pairs of shoes where Boreal Aces. They are a lace-up shoe. I still have both pairs and they are in better condition than when I bought them. That is, I have had them resoled with C4 Stealth rubber which makes them twice as good. The rubber used by Boreal sucks. Also, the new Boreal Aces (the blue ones) suck and ware out quickly. Mine are the old red ones which they stopped making years ago. These are the shoes I use for Trad climbing.

You may want to consider getting a lace up shoe for your first pair. They are good for rope climbing, and ok for bouldering, but the main point is that the soles are usually thicker (look for this) which will make them last longer, particularly when you are starting out. Wait until your second set of shoes to get slippers or velcro. You can resole the lace-ups and continue to use them for rope climbing, but slippers do not last well enough to bother with a resole.

My wife likes the Le Sportiva Katana (spelling?), but she has a very pronounced arch which fits with the aggressive curve of the shoe. This shoe is normally only used by hard core climbers who can stand the pain, but if you have a very high arch then...

The Teth