Choosing the Right Shoe for the Right Job
Though there are many ways to climb, and lots of gear to use, the single most important piece of gear is always your climbing shoe. With so many types of climbing shoes, how do you pick the right one?
Most of us will end up having several pairs for several different uses, eventually. For myself, there are about 3 styles that I’ve found myself using for everything, over the years, with occasional experiments when a really snazzy new shoe comes out. Once you figure out what fits and works for you, you will have a good toolbox of 2-3 shoes that work perfectly, depending on what you want to climb..."
It can be summed up with a few simple rules about soft versus stiff shoes.
The softer the rock, the softer the shoe, and vice versa. Also, the steeper the rock, the softer the shoe, and vice versa. And to add one more element to the mix, the lighter and smaller you are, the softer the shoe, and vice versa. So a light, small-footed person climbing steep, soft rock would want the softest possible shoe. A heavy person climbing vertical, hard rock would want an extremely stiff shoe.
For example, if you are a light person climbing super steep sandstone, the Project is a great choice, and the Dragon if you are heavier. The Moccasym is also a great, soft shoe for sandstone, particularly cracks.
If you are a light person climbing technical limestone, you might choose the Anasazi LV (medium amount of stiffness), and if you are a heavy person on the same rock you could try the Anasazi lace-up (slightly stiffer) to get the same performance.
If you are a light person climbing on granite, one of the hardest type of rock, you would probably then go for the Lace-up. The heavier person would probably get better results with the Newton or Verde.
Although I used to wear ridiculously tight shoes, I find that they work better for me when they are wearable from the get-go. I tend to size all my shoes a half-size down from my hiking shoe size, unless it’s an all-day situation with less difficult climbing, in which case I go bigger, the same size as my hiking shoe.
Think about what kind of climbing you mostly do, and choose the shoe that you think will fit that. When it’s time for another pair, go for the shoe that fits another type of climbing, maybe for an upcoming trip. After a while, you’ll have found your real stand-bys for fit and performance, and if you’re like me, those will be your favorites for the rest of your life. I personally use Moccasyms and Anasazi Lvs for almost everything I climb, and can’t imagine being without them! I also really like the Anasazi Lace-ups, the Projects and the old Zlippers (I have a few cherished pairs) for certain other specific uses.
To a certain point, gear is gear, but you MUST have the right shoes."
Source: http://fiveten.com/community/blog/8820-choosing-the-right-climbing-shoesa-tutorial-by-five-tenr-elite-athlete-steph-davis#comments
