BUTORA Unisex Acro Rock/Indoor Climbing Shoes

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A member of La Sportiva’s performance line, the Otaki women’s version is a medium-volume, moderately aggressive model that users find incredibly comfortable for a fairly wide variety of foot types while giving an almost-elite performance. While we considered anointing this model as the best climbing shoe in our Overall category, its peak performance potential is still slightly less than the Miura VS. This means the Katana Lace can still outperform 99% of us mortal climbers and our abilities! I scored shoes on various aspects of performance (edging, toe/heel hooks, smears, etc). Because these shoes are aimed at bouldering, my testing was biased toward steeper terrain, although I did try all shoes on faces and slabs.

But the Flash’s stiff platform does surprisingly well on small edges and footholds. It’s capable on most angles of terrain. There isn’t much toe-top rubber, but I found the heel a solid performer. Synthetic: resistant to stretch, synthetic uppers ordinarily remain the same size as when they are first worn, although some models may stretch a small amount. These materials tend to be less breathable than leather and often feature moisture control to compensate. Less durable than leather and more susceptible to abrasion.Another classic with decades of performance accolades, the Miura VS could be called old-fashioned next to young guns like the Acro. The Acro is a climbing shoe that can deliver optimal performance with maximum comfort: whether you’re spending a whole day at the crag or crushing at the gym. The shoes come with more rubber on top of the forefoot to boost performance on toe hooks and scums at the front. The toe of the Solution Comp is where all your power is focused, and it narrows down to the point that will hook onto the smallest of features and take more strain off your fingers than you thought possible.

The Tenaya brand is known for building shoes using lower-volume lasts than many manufacturers, and climbers with narrow feet generally have positive things to say about the fit of Tenaya models. Users of the old shoe report needing to buy about one size larger in the new Five Ten NIAD shoes, so beware. And the toe box might be narrower, while the heel is wider. Whether this is good or bad depends on your foot.

The stiff heel rubber on this shoe only extends an inch or so above the base of the heel. On some heel hooks, that left me pressing hard with little to no protection. Too often, the result was pain and inconsistent performance.

A relative new omer to the climbing scene, this Korean climbing company has steadily been gaining fans. Starting with a few models, their shoes now encompass every style of shoe for every style of climbing. Known for their attention to detail, quality shoes, and the relative affordability of their products, the Butora Acro is no exception. In many cases, I was glad for the extra protection of the stiff rubber. When heel hooking smaller holds, the ball could sometimes be harder to use than softer heel shapes. On sharp heel hooks, I was glad for the protection. The aggressively downturned toe makes this shoe excellent at holding onto footholds on steep and techy terrain. Most of us don’t climb V9 or 5.13, but we still want climbing shoes that make moderate grades easier and help us climb with more grace and less effort. The La Sportiva Otaki does just that, on terrain from overhung to vertical that comprises the vast majority of most climbers’ diet.

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But I still found myself reaching for the Shaman with reasonable frequency. On my foot, it was among the most comfortable shoes in this test. The Dentex liner is made up of eight sections that direct the stretch of the shoe while keeping your feet dry. As for the comfort and fit issues, most had dissolved by the end of the testing period. The stiff ankle cuff eventually became comfortable, and while I could never get the Skwamas as glove-like as I wanted, performance didn’t suffer. These shoes will likely fit best if you have average to wide feet. A more downturned shoe provides more support and leverage on small footholds and overhanging, steep routes. The NIAD VCS isn’t great at anything, but it’s good at everything. And if you can get the sizing right, you can wear the shoes all day and still climb at a relatively high level on any terrain. You also get high-performing soft rubber with Five Ten Stealth C4.

As climbers, we know that there is a cornucopia of shoes to choose from. There are so many shoes to choose from it can get very overwhelming. And to make it worse, or better given the choices available, the shoes vary widely catering to every possible need and preference. They are made in different shapes, stiffness, material, fits, and methods of closure. Enough choices to make anyone dizzy! This sea of options means that there is a shoe out there for every foot type, no matter how unique. It’s just a matter of casting out and seeing what you catch. Eventually, you’ll find the ones that are just right. In this post, we’ll detail the best intermediate climbing shoes for you. While 5.10 can boast a fair number of devotees for their many excellent shoes, the Hiangle is not one that comes to mind. It does not often receive the adoration of the experts and is often overshadowed by its many siblings such as the Anasazi. However, this climbing shoe is recommended by a large portion of the climbing community, and for this reason, it deserves a spot on this list. On my foot, the HiAngle is slightly more comfortable than the Solution. The unlined leather upper stretches and conforms to your foot. After breaking in, the HiAngle settled into a fit that I could easily wear for long sessions. While these shoes are an acceptable choice as a beginner shoe, the price tag attached may make this shoe more shoe than is necessary. However, for an intermediate or advanced climber, the Vapor V makes a fine addition to a climbers arsenal. Slip-On: Slip-on models, or “slippers,” provide the least in terms of adjustability. However, they are popular among climbers because they’re very comfortable and they’re easy to slip on and off in between climbs.Their proprietary Neo Fuse rubber is directly competitive with Vibram XS Edge and five-ten Stealth rubber. The La Sportiva Theory is a purpose-made climbing shoe for hard indoor bouldering and competition climbing. With a single velcro strap and slipper-like comfort, it’s incredibly sensitive but offers surprising edging ability thanks to La Sportiva’s P3 tensioned rand system and No-Edge sole technology. Although the Acro is impressive on overhanging and steep routes, it struggles on purely vertical terrain. Popular high-performance climbing shoes with a comfortable, efficient fit. Butora is committed to always delivering the best possible climbing shoe for every level of climber. A “beginner” bouldering shoe might be viewed as a contradiction in terms. When bouldering started outdoors, there were no bouldering gyms, and most of the routes were definitely not designed for beginners.