The Greatest Climbing Footwear of 2023

As climbing’s popularity continues to surge, the demand for high-performance gear is greater than ever before. While a climbing rope and a bouldering crash pad are not required items for brand-new climbers, a pair of shoes is essential from day one.

Thanks to recent innovations, the climbing shoe market now includes a vast range of brands and models that aim to accommodate various foot shapes and specialized climbing styles. Need a shoe for training sessions in the gym? No problem. Looking for a style that will elevate your heel hooking ability? There’s a shoe for that, too.

Our ongoing effort to test every climbing shoe on the market is led by GearJunkie staff writer Austin Beck-Doss. Austin is based in Lander, Wyoming, where a lifetime supply of pocketed dolomite and alpine granite provides the perfect testing ground. To date, Austin and other key contributors on our team have tested hundreds of different pairs of climbing shoes. The recommendations on this list are the crème de la crème.

We’ve divided our recommendations into many specific categories to help you efficiently identify the best shoes for your climbing needs. We’ve also included a comprehensive buyer’s guide and a comparison chart that will help you navigate the complex realm of climbing shoes. Our FAQ section exists to answer any lingering questions to help you make an informed purchase.

Editor’s Note: We updated our climbing shoe guide on November 15, 2023 to include fresh information on the state of the climbing shoe market, as well as to ensure that our selection is still current.

Scroll through to see all of our recommended buys:

The Best Climbing Shoes of 2023

Climbing Shoe Comparison Table

How We Tested Climbing Shoes

To put together this list of the best climbing shoes, the GearJunkie team rigorously compared notes on hundreds of models. Our ongoing testing involves systematic trial and observation. Author Austin Beck-Doss and editor Seiji Ishi are seasoned climbers with over 4 decades of climbing experience between them.

Beck-Doss, Ishi, and other stalwart climbers at GearJunkie have tested climbing shoes across almost every continent (look out Antarctica). From the slick limestone of Central Texas to the slabby granite of Squamish, British Columbia, we’ve edged, smeared, scrummed, and hooked in all sorts of rubber-laden footwear. In the gym, we wore shoes on competition-style boulder problems, overhanging training boards, low-angle slabs, and everything in between.

While we made sure to test popular models from major brands such as 5.10 and La Sportiva, we’ve also checked out shoes from smaller up-and-coming brands. We looked at popular long-standing models and 2023 season newcomers. With every model, we assessed comfort, performance, durability, and overall value. The very best of the bunch offered outstanding performance, comfort, longevity, or a combination of all three.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Climbing Shoe

Long gone are the days of toiling up big walls in Yosemite in a pair of stiff-soled mountain boots. In 2023, climbing shoes are sticky, lightweight, and fine-tuned for the job at hand.

It can feel daunting to decide where to begin when sifting through the numerous high-quality options. As a climber, that’s a good problem to have.

Beginner climbers may especially feel overwhelmed while navigating a sea of technical specs and shoe terminology. Experienced climbers may already have an idea of which specific footwear features they are looking for, but it can still be tricky to differentiate between similar options. This buyer’s guide can help any climber make an efficient and informed climbing shoe purchase.

Climbing Disciplines

Though rock climbing is considered a unified sport, it is really a collection of similar, but different, disciplines. Sure, trad climbing and bouldering both involve climbing on rock, but the techniques and gear involved are wildly different. For this reason, most climbing shoes are designed to specialize in a certain kind of climbing and appeal to a certain kind of climber.

If you’re a beginner climber who enjoys bouldering in the gym, avoid shoes that are designed for elite trad climbers. Shoes do not make the climber, but it is important to select the correct tool for the job.

Bouldering

Bouldering consists of climbing relatively short routes on small cliffs and freestanding boulders. This discipline is all about difficult climbing in its most distilled form.

Steep overhangs are common in this style, and bouldering shoes are typically designed with overhanging terrain in mind. Bouldering shoes are characterized by a downturned profile, toe and heel hooking capability, and a soft and sensitive sole.

Of course, not all boulder problems require the same kind of shoes. A thin and slabby v1 is very different from a juggy V5 roof. That said, shoes like the Scarpa Mago and the La Sportiva Solution Comp will work well in a lot of different bouldering scenarios.

Gym

As of 2023, gym climbing is in the midst of a major popularity boom. Gym climbing offers a convenient, social, and effective workout, and many gym climbers are perfectly content to climb exclusively indoors. As new gyms continue to pop up across the world, many shoe manufacturers are now offering shoes that are marketed specifically for gym use.

Typically when shoes are marked as gym shoes, they’ll be geared toward beginner climbers who have recently entered the sport. These entry-level shoes, like the Evolv Defy, are made to be comfortable and progression-focused.

Because most new climbers start out in the gym, it makes sense that beginner shoes and gym shoes have become almost synonymous. Beginner-focused, gym-style shoes also work great for learning to climb outside.

However, today’s market also includes indoor-specific shoes intended for elite-level competition climbers. These styles, like the La Sportiva Solution Comp, have been custom-built for the demands of modern-day indoor climbing competition.

Climbing competitions of today require a unique combination of gymnastic movement and precise footwork. Shoes in this category tend to have thin, soft soles and an aggressive profile.

Multipitch

Multipitch climbing involves long routes and full days spent with climbing shoes on. Comfort is an especially important consideration for multipitch climbing shoes.

Aggressively downturned and ultra-tight climbing shoes tend to be painful over long periods, so these traits are often avoided for multipitch routes. Most climbers prefer comfortable shoes with a flat profile for multipitch climbing.

If the route in question requires a footwork-intensive crux at your limit, comfy all-day shoes won’t do the trick. Still, for most big days on the rock, we recommend something with a tolerable fit and profile like the Five Ten NIAD VCS.

Trad

Traditional climbing routes usually follow cracks and fissures in the rock. Climbers jam their hands and feet in these cracks while climbing, and trad climbing shoes are designed with this application in mind.

Footjams tend to work best with shoes that have a semi-flat profile and are not aggressively downturned. Jamming with aggressive or severely tight shoes is unpleasant and not especially effective.

On this list, the La Sportiva TC Pro and the Katana Lace offer a low-profile toebox that can squeeze into narrow fissures.

Of course, steep and powerful trad routes exist too, and sometimes aggressive shoes actually are your best bet. As always, picking shoes for the job is not a perfect science. It’s wise to be flexible with your shoe choice. Sometimes trad climbing calls for aggressive shoes and sometimes bouldering calls for flat and stiff shoes.

Sport

Sport climbing comes in all angles and difficulties. Technically, sport climbing refers to a climbing ethic rather than a specific style. The word “sport” means something slightly different as far as shoes are concerned.

When shoes are marketed for sport climbing, they’re usually soft and aggressive, just like a pair of bouldering shoes. However, many sport climbing routes are not severely overhanging.

There are all kinds of sport routes out there. On vertical to slightly overhanging terrain, you’ll likely want a relatively stiff shoe with only a slight downturn like the Scarpa Generator. On steep powerful routes ala Rifle, CO or El Salto, Mexico, go with a shoe like the Scarpa Mago or La Sportiva Solution Comp.

Stiff vs. Soft

Every climbing shoe exists on a spectrum from soft to stiff. A shoe’s stiffness comes from its construction. Thicker material — especially soles and midsoles — results in stiffer shoes. Meanwhile, thinner materials create a softer and generally more sensitive shoe.

The stiff/soft spectrum works just like hiking boots. Stiffer shoes offer more support and help prevent foot fatigue and soreness. Softer shoes are more pliable and sensitive, allowing you to feel the nuanced texture of the rock through the sole and manipulate the shape and position of your foot.

When the route requires you to stand on lots of minuscule footholds in more vertical terrain, stiffer shoes are most effective. For smearing or bouldering on severely overhanging rock, softer shoes are the go-to choice.

On this list, the La Sportiva TC Pro is a great stiffer shoe that can handle tiny footchips and nubbins with ease. The La Sportiva Solution Comp is a mega-soft shoe commonly known as a “rubber sock.” The Comp won’t work very well on technical and vertical terrain, but it’s perfect for steep overhangs or indoor competitions.

Shoe Profile: Aggressive vs. Flat

Aggressive climbing shoes have a downturned shape that looks and feels similar to a claw. Thanks to this shape, aggressive shoes are great for climbing overhanging rock. Usually, aggressive shoes are also better for toe hooking and heel hooking.

Flat shoes tend to be more comfortable than aggressive shoes, as they keep your foot in a more neutral position. Flat shoes are great for beginners.

When climbers are just starting out, an aggressive profile will probably create more pain and distraction than actual climbing benefits. For this same reason, flat shoes are most climbers’ preferred option for all-day multipitch excursions.

Closure System

Rock climbing shoes typically feature one of three closure-system styles: laces, Velcro, or slippers. Some shoe models, like the Evolv Defy, come in more than one closure style. Though a closure system may seem like a minor detail, it can actually be an important factor to consider when choosing climbing shoes.

Laces

Laces are the classic closure system for just about all kinds of footwear. On climbing shoes, laces require a little extra time compared to Velcro or slippers. That said, laces allow you to thoroughly customize the fit of your climbing shoes.

For example, climbers with a wide toebox can keep the laces in that area slightly looser to accommodate their foot shape. Lace-ups are versatile. They can be kept loose for long multipitch routes or cinched up aggressively for increased precision.

Velcro

Velcro closures are quick and efficient to use. However, it can be difficult to create a precise fit with only a few straps. Also, Velcro straps can sometimes hinder a shoe’s toe hooking ability and can come undone while foot jamming in cracks.

On this list, the SCARPA Boostic employs a unique closure system that integrates the shoe’s straps directly into the structure of the shoe. The result is an impressively customizable fit.

Slippers

A well-fitted pair of climbing slippers can be comfortable, convenient, and excellent for smearing and jamming. However, because slippers rely on elastic fabric to create a precise fit, they tend to stretch out and become less effective over time.

On this list, the La Sportiva Solution Comp is essentially a slipper, though it does have a single Velcro strap which helps maintain the shoe’s integrity over time.

Parts of a Climbing Shoe

The primary parts of a climbing shoe are the sole, midsole, closure system, rand, and upper. Each part has a specific role to play in the shoe’s construction, and each can have an effect on overall performance.

Upper

The largest component of a climbing shoe’s construction is called the upper, which covers the top and sides of your foot. Climbing shoe uppers are made of either leather or synthetic material. Neither is strictly better, but they each have unique strengths and weaknesses.

Leather uppers stretch and conform to the shape of your foot. If you’re interested in a shoe made from leather, you can purchase a slightly smaller size under the assumption it will stretch and expand.

On this list, the Acopa Merlin is built with a robust leather upper. Though the Merlin feels a bit stiff and uncomfortable right out of the box, it will stretch and become well-fitted over time.

Synthetic uppers do not stretch, and they will generally maintain their original shape in the long term. When purchasing synthetic shoes, it’s important to make sure you buy the exact size and fit you want, as it will not change over time.

Another benefit of synthetic uppers is they can be quite thin without sacrificing durability. On this list, the SCARPA Boostic includes a very thin, lightweight upper made from Alcantara fabric. This subtle feature adds sensitivity to the Boostic’s performance without adding weight or decreasing durability.

Climbing Shoe Rubber

As a primary point of contact between the climber and the rock, the rubber outsole is a crucial part of any climbing shoe.

In 2023, all climbing shoes feature sticky rubber soles. As a general rule, soft and thin rubber outsoles are better for steep routes and bouldering. Soft rubber is stickier, and the thinner the outsole, the easier it is to feel the texture of the footholds underfoot. While soft and thin outsoles can be great, they also tend to wear out quickly. It’s a bummer to pay $200+ for a shoe that runs out of rubber after 4 months — but that’s the price climbers pay for top-notch performance.

On the other end of the spectrum, harder, thicker outsoles are ideal for vertical routes with tiny footholds. On the famous Dawn Wall on El Capitan, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson utilized La Sportiva TC Pros with firm rubber outsoles to stick to minuscule quartz crystal footholds. Harder rubber compounds also tend to last longer before they require resole or replacement.

Some shoe manufacturers make multiple types of rubber for various climbing applications. For example, some La Sportiva shoes include XS Grip 2 rubber, while others include XS Edge. The softer, rubber-like XS Grip is ultra-sticky and soft, but also wears down quickly. Meanwhile, the slightly harder XS Edge rubber is less sticky but a bit more durable in the long term. Many other shoe brands including Tenaya and SCARPA also use XS Edge and XS Grip rubber.

There is a lot of debate in the climbing shoe world about which shoes have the best rubber. All of the shoes we have included on this list come with quality, highly capable sticky soles.

Fit and Sizing

Properly fitting a pair of climbing shoes is a puzzling task. Every shoe manufacturer seems to fit their shoes according to their own unique system. Often, sizing will even vary from style to style within a single brand’s lineup. Ideally, the best way to choose the right size is to physically try on the shoes.

How tight or loose to wear climbing shoes will depend on your needs as a climber. Generally, climbers like to fit their shoes tightly when trying routes that are challenging for them.

A tight fit ensures minimal negative space within the shoe. A tightly fitted shoe will slightly curl the toes, which helps to channel power into the toe edge when standing on small footholds.

However, the performance benefits of tightly fitted shoes come at the cost of discomfort. Your feet do not want to be held in an unnatural position, and tight shoes will need to be regularly taken off during your session to give your feet a break.

There is nothing wrong with sizing your climbing shoes for comfort. Beginner climbers especially should prioritize comfort over an aggressive fit. For long sessions at the gym or all-day multipitch routes, you don’t want to worry about nagging pain and foot cramps.

Value

Much like single-day lift tickets, climbing shoes are rapidly approaching the $300 threshold.

All of the climbing shoes on this list are high-quality, though they do range wildly in price. Typically, entry-level climbing shoes lack specialized features and cost quite a bit less than high-performance models.

For beginner-level climbing shoes like the Evolv Defy or La Sportiva Tarantulace, you can expect to pay between $75 and $120. With thicker soles and heavier materials, much of the value of entry-level shoes comes from their long-lasting durability. On this list, the La Sportiva Tarantulace is our pick for the best budget climbing shoe.

High-performance climbing shoes are significantly more expensive than entry-level options. Specialty features like toe hooking rubber, a downturned profile, and added arch support boost a shoe’s performance capabilities.

On this list, shoes like the La Sportiva Katana Lace ($220) and the Scarpa Generator ($225) represent some of the most expensive options on the market.

Men’s and Women’s Versions

Some climbing shoe styles, like the La Sportiva Tarantulace, come in both men’s and women’s versions. Generally, men’s versions are a bit wider and higher volume than women’s versions. Sometimes, men’s versions also feature harder and stiffer rubber compounds than women’s.

Every climber has a unique foot shape. Many men find that women’s versions of climbing shoes are a better fit, and vice versa.

For our specific recommendations on women’s climbing shoes, check out the Best Women’s Climbing Shoes of 2023.

FAQ