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Rock Boots - Size Matters!

I have been asked many times, "what are the best boots for me to wear", my standard reply is"the ones that fit." At first this might appear a bit of a glib answer but it holds very true, all manufacturers will tell you the fantastic technical merits of footwear how a down turn last will put more power into the shoe, how "their" rubber is the "stickiest" BUT if your foot is rolling around inside your shoe, it really won't matter about the…

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Rock Boots - Size Matters!

Throughout my career, I have worn everything, I started with EBs, wore Boreal Fire's for the longest time, I helped develop the Scarpa range in the 1980's (alongside Martin Atkinson and Andy Pollitt) but I have also tried all the major manufactures over the years, Sportiva, 5.10, Red Chilli etc. I have to say that I do have a soft spot for Scarpa still but that is because they fit my feet.

So what does it mean to have a correctly fitted pair of shoes?

Comfort is clearly an issue, should your rockshoes be comfortable? Many climbers will insist on having the greatest discomfort and the tightest rockshoes possible. This might have been true several years ago when the materials used and the design of the shoes were less advanced than they are now, shoes will certainly "give" but very few models will stretch. Also to state the obvious, the tighter you buy your shoes the more they will "give".

Comfort is also dependent on usage, are you in your rockshoes all day, or are you pushing your standard and only in your rockshoes whilst your trying your project? Personally I wear my rockshoes quite tight but I am so used to the discomfort of poorly designed shoes (EBs) over the years, so that a tight pair of well designed rockshoes seem positively comfortable.

The right shoe for you

We have carefully selected our range of footwear to suit specific foot shapes and then usage, so for example, if you have a narrow, low volume foot and are pushing into the harder grades then an Evolv product is possibly the one for you, if you have a wider foot then maybe a 5.10 product is more suited. Of course you should ensure that the heel fits correctly and that there is no internal roll, all these aspects we can ensure with our expert fitting.

Warning

We cannot recommend that you purchase footwear over the internet unless you really know what you are buying and it is a repeat purchase of the same style and same size. I find that sizes do vary, eg. I am a 41 in Scarpa yet a 39 in La Sportiva so if you are buying mail order please ensure you know exactly what you want.

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