When it comes to managing your climbing shoes, it’s essential to think about how they’re going to feel as you are ascending or even descending.
Ample control is a must or you are not going to feel good about the climbing shoes.
In general, the one thing people note has to do with how the climbing shoes feel. They ask, should climbing shoes hurt?
Climbing shoes should not hurt. They are designed to be flexible and offer a snug fit. However, this does not mean the climbing shoes should be tight to the point they become rigid or painful.
If a climber feels pain when wearing their shoes, they need to move a size up.
Any time pain is involved in the climbing process, it is not a good thing. This creates an additional layer of concern regarding the climber’s safety.
Do not overlook this detail and make sure to change your climbing shoes to ones that fit well and don’t hurt.
Here is a look at how climbing shoes should feel when you put them on and begin ascending.
Table of Contents
How Should Climbing Shoes Feel?
1. Flexible
The first detail you are going to want to think about will be flexibility.
You do not want to go with climbing shoes that are going to put pressure on your feet. This is when you are not going to be able to move around freely and it will become much harder to get to where you want to be.
It’s important to stay as flexible as possible.
The more you look into this, the better your results are going to be.
A flexible setup works well.
This is key when it comes to getting more out of your shoes and ensuring you get to enjoy what you are doing as you move around.
When the climbing shoes are flexible, you are going to be pain-free and it will also be easy to grip onto holds.
2. Snug Along The Sides And Front
This is the one detail that is going to stand out.
When people think about climbing shoes, they often compare them to traditional ones. These are not the same as those.
Climbing shoes are designed to offer more control when you are on a cliff or looking to maximize your grip on key holds.
If this does not happen, you will slip.
As a result, traction control matters with your footwear.
You will want to ensure you are getting as much traction up a cliff as possible. This is why the fit is supposed to be snug.
In a bid to find a snug fit, some people go overboard and create a situation where it is too tight. This is not good.
It should be snug along the sides and front without overdoing things. The moment it becomes uncomfortable is when you are going to want to go a size up.
3. Breathable
You should always think about going with something breathable.
Breathable climbing shoes are a must.
This is the only way you are going to feel in control of how you are moving. Otherwise, you are going to get uncomfortable and it will hurt a lot.
Be patient when it comes to finding climbing shoes that are going to keep you cool while you are moving upwards.
When you have sweaty toes, this is when things get worse and you start to get uncomfortable. It can also start to hurt depending on how the shoe is designed.
4. Curled Toes
This is one of the main reasons people state climbing shoes hurt.
It has to do with the front of the climbing shoes.
Climbing shoes are designed to have a curled look at the front. This is done on purpose. The premise is to make sure the front of the shoes can grip onto the surface as you are climbing.
If the shoes were flat, you would not be able to grab on as you want to.
This is dangerous and it makes it much harder than it needs to be while climbing. As a result, the curled toes aspect is true.
However, this does not mean the toes should be curled to the point it hurts.
It should be a slight curl and enough to allow you to hook on.
Final Thoughts
Should climbing shoes hurt?
Climbing shoes should not hurt. They are designed to be flexible, breathable, and offer a snug fit along the sides and back. If the shoes hurt, they should be swapped out as it is dangerous to climb while in pain.
It will take a bit of time to find the right shoes and that’s normal.
You should go through a few pairs to see what works for your climbing needs. Some will prefer a much tighter fit while others are going to want something that is far more lenient while they are climbing.
It simply comes down to preference.
