Let’s face it, most of us spend most of our time climbing indoors. Getting the best pair of gym climbing shoes is important to help get the most out of your indoor climbing experience.
The durability of shoes is split between the thickness and hardness of the rubber. So shoes that have thick, hard rubber will last longer than shoes with thin, soft rubber.
That being said, many climbers prefer a soft, thin shoe for performance reasons. This is important for sending problems and routes at your limit but for the majority of climbs, you can get away with a more durable shoe.
Getting a proper gym shoe will also stop you from having to buy a brand new pair of rock climbing shoes every month or so. This can be a strain on your wallet, as well as your feet. Breaking in a new pair of gym shoes can be brutal on your toes!
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The Multi Climbing Shoe System
Climbing shoes are a very important piece of gear for any climber. In most cases, you only have 4 points of contact to the wall and 2 of them are your shoes. To be a good overall climber you will need to invest in the proper shoes for each type of climbing you decide to try.
Having a super aggressive Bouldering Shoe will often be uncomfortable on a long, slabby route. On the other hand, a loose fitting pair of slip-on’s will for work well on a steep overhang.
Depending on your level of climbing, you might want to consider adding a variety of different shoes to your collection.
A full “rack” of shoes will consist of:
- Bouldering Shoes
- Sport Climbing Shoes
- Gym/Indoor Shoes
- Crack Climbing Shoes
- Level Dependant Shoes (Beginner, Intermediate, Etc..)
Ideally, we would all have 5 plus shoes with us at all times but this is often impractical. It is much more realistic to have just 2-3 pairs of shoes depending on what type of climbing you do most often.
The one thing that is almost always the same for any climber is we all climb in the gym. That means that everyone should have a good pair of dedicated indoor climbing shoes to keep their high-performance shoes from wearing out.
Top 5 – Best Climbing Shoes for the Gym
#5 Mad Rock Drifter Climbing Shoe
Claiming to have sent up to V15 performance is not an issue with the Drifters.
The Mad Rock Drifters are the perfect shoe for any beginner looking to do hours of training in the gym. They are also about half the price of everything else on this list!
#4 Five Ten Anasazi Moccasym Climbing Shoe
Ever wonder what it would be like to climb barefoot but still have the exceptional friction of Stealth Rubber? Well, this is exactly what you get with the Five Ten Anasazi Mocs!
These are possibly the most comfortable shoes on the market, as well as the best bang for your buck!
#3 Scarpa Vapor V Climbing Shoe
Best Use: Moderate to Hard Bouldering/Sport Climbing
It always hard to get a proper gym shoe that will also be great for outdoor climbing as well. The Scarpa Vapor V is the exception to that problem.
With the ability to climb 5.15, you can go from with the Vapors
#2 Evolv Shaman Climbing Shoe
Best Use: Bouldering or Hard Sport Climbing
The Shamans are the brainchild of one of the most epic climbers of all time, Chris Sharma! These shoes are SICK!
Being a great shoe for climbing hard stuff but also having a thick set of rubber makes these a great option for the regular gym rat. These shoes will also perform above average on outdoor climbing so don’t count them out on your next trip!
#1 La Sportiva Oxygym Climbing Shoe
Best Use: All Around Moderate Climbing
With a hearty 5 mm of rubber, you won’t be needing a new pair of shoes anytime soon.
Did we mention you can get them for under $100!
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Keep Crushing Y’all!
Owner and Operator of Every Last Rock. He is dedicated to spreading the Stoke about all things climbing. Often found Bouldering around the US and obsessively training.