The first time you go rock climbing, you probably wore your basic hiking shoes. When you are ready to get serious about the sport, you need to consider upgrading.
When rock climbing, your feet serve a very important purpose. Depending on the climbing and terrain, they usually act as anchors for your movements. As anchors, it is important that they grip well. Regular cross trainers and the like are designed for many purposes, but climbing is not one of them.
Climbing shoes are more or less exactly what they sound like. They are designed for the unique grip requirements you need when scaling a boulder or wall. They tend to look similar to bowling shoes, but without the soles. They are also designed with rugged material and a lace up design. The toe is really where the magic happens. The shoes are designed with a “sticky” rubber toes that is soft and provides maximum grip. The first time you try them, you will be shocked at just how much grip they provide.
There is a downside to climbing shoes, however. They have a very limited us, to wit, to climb. If you try to wear them for any other purpose, such as walking to the climb, you feet are going to be punished. You are also going to wear out the shoes and they are not particularly cheap. Most people carry their shoes to the base of the climb and then put them on only when they are actually ready to start.
Climbing shoes have come a long way in the last 20 years. The choice used to be very limited and the quality was hit and miss. Now, there are plenty of choices and quality is very high. The key to finding good shoes is to understand what kind of climbing you are going to be doing. Start with a general purpose climbing shoe that isn’t massively expensive. As you climb with it, figure out what you like and dislike. When it is time to buy your next pair, you should have a better idea of what you want in a shoe.
Climbing shoes make a world of difference. The grip levels are superior to anything else you could possibly wear. If you are getting serious about climbing, you should definitely buy a pair.
http://www.add-articles.com/Article/Getting-a-Grip-on-Rock-Climbing-Shoes/75162
