We buy all the products we test — no freebies from companies. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission, which helps support our testing.
We purchased and tested 20 pairs of the best climbing shoes from brands like La Sportiva, Scarpa, Unparallel, Black Diamond, Evolv, Mad Rock, and more
We purchased the best climbing shoes on the market to test side-by-side. Our comprehensive review includes award winners from La Sportiva, Scarpa, Unparallel, and Ocun.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
By Dom Rickicki ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ Updated July 9, 2026
Whether you're just starting out climbing in the gym, progressing into roped climbing outdoors, or you need to replace an old, tattered pair, every climber needs a quality pair of shoes. For the beginner, we'll point you toward the best bang for your buck – a durable pair of shoes that will help you progress. For the veteran climber, we'll compare the best shoes on the market and highlight our favorites for specific uses.
For the first-time buyer, there's no better value than the La Sportiva Finale. The Finale is a big step up from rental shoes in terms of performance, yet it's just as comfortable.
For the experienced climber, we love the La Sportiva Katana Lace for sport and trad climbing. Blending edging power, precision, and comfort into one versatile package, it's well-suited for any type of roped climbing.
If you're focused on bouldering and modern sport climbing, the Scarpa Instinct VS is a bit more flexible and sensitive, which helps it thrive on overhung routes.
Our team of certified rock guides and professional rescuers has tested more than 75 shoes over the past decade. For this review, we purchased and tested 20 of the best climbing shoes on the market, highlighting options for everything from gym and sport climbing to bouldering and long trad routes.
Editor's Note: We updated our review of climbing shoes on July 9, 2026, to add in-depth reviews on shoes from Tenaya, La Sportiva, Scarpa, and Mad Rock.
Low-volume toe can slot into thin cracks and pockets
Lace-up design is more comfortable in cracks than Velcro
CONS
Less comfortable for all-day climbs
Stiffness sacrifices sensitivity
Pricey
SPECIFICATIONS
Style
Lace
Sizing Recommendations
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 - 1 US sizes
Performance Fit: down 1.5 US size
Expected Stretch
0.5 - 1 EU size
Downturn
Moderate
Asymmetry
Moderate (sharp toe)
For climbers who spend a majority of their time on vertical faces, hard trad routes, or even gently overhung climbs, the deservedly popular La Sportiva Katana Lace is a do-it-all workhorse. The subtle downturn, stiff rubber, and precise toe make this a shoe that can power down on small edges, yet it is still comfortable enough to wear on long marathon pitches. Our lead tester attests, “If I'm headed out for a day of challenging roped climbing in the Estes Valley, and I'm not exactly sure what a route is going to throw at me, the Katana Lace is often the first shoe I throw in my bag.”
The subtle downturn helps this shoe smear up routes, but it's far from a soft bouldering shoe. If your days are spent more often on overhanging routes, boulder problems, or in the gym, the Katana Lace's lack of aggressive downturn and sensitivity hinders performance for these styles of climbing. If this sounds like you, check out our favorite shoe for bouldering and sport climbing, the Scarpa Instinct VS. But when it comes to more vertical pursuits, the La Sportiva Katana Lace is our go-to shoe.
Less supportive mid-foot for long vertical pitches
High toe angle may be uncomfortable
XS Edge rubber is less sticky than XS Grip2
SPECIFICATIONS
Style
Velcro
Sizing Recommendations
Comfort Fit: true or down 0.5 US size
Performance Fit: down 1 US size
Expected Stretch
0 - 0.5 EU size
Downturn
Aggressive
Asymmetry
Moderate
In the world of steep climbing, softer and more sensitive shoes reign supreme. This design works well for overhanging routes, but when walls tilt back closer to vertical, the lack of rigidity makes climbing pretty challenging. Instead of one or the other, the Scarpa Instinct VS offers a third option. Unlike the Scarpa Drago, the Instinct VS combines a more flexible rubber underfoot with a stiffer rubber on the forefoot. This unique combination makes for a shoe that can pull on holds in overhanging terrain while providing a stable platform to stand on edges on more vertical walls. “I used to always carry two shoes for bouldering or to steep sport areas: a stiff downturned shoe, and a softer, more sensitive shoe. Now with the Instinct VS, I only bring one shoe,” claims our lead tester.
While the stiffer forefoot on the Instinct VS delivers admirable edging performance, its split sole in the midfoot remains fairly soft, which can lead to foot fatigue on long vertical pitches. Climbers with stronger feet may notice this less, but our testers shied away from this shoe for projects with lots of small edges. If you're looking for a more supportive shoe, check out the more versatile La Sportiva Katana Lace or the hyper-specialized Scarpa Boostic R. If the Instinct VS's high toe angle is a challenging fit for you, consider the Tenaya Mastia, which has a more supple upper for a more comfortable fit in a similarly aggressive shoe.
Comfort Fit: true to US size
Performance Fit: down 0.5 - 1 US sizes
Expected Stretch
0 - 0.5 EU size
Downturn
Aggressive
Asymmetry
High
To achieve a high level of performance for steep climbing, you are often looking at steep prices – the Ocun Bullit breaks that paradigm. For a mid-tier shoe, the Bullit really stands out, feeling and performing nearly as well as the premium models we tested. After a bouldering session, our lead tester pointed out, "Climbing in them back to back, these shoes felt about as good to me as the much more expensive La Sportiva Solution." The upper materials are supple and sock-like; the large toe patch makes it easy to toe hook; and a snug heel pocket complements the sensitive, grippy rubber, making heel hooking easier. The Bullit has a powerful asymmetric shape and a soft flex that make it easy to toe into holds on real rock or to smear on large plastic volumes in the gym.
The Bullit is a great option if bouldering is your thing. But in our opinion, it lacks the versatility to branch out into other types of climbing, mainly because the soft flex doesn't provide enough support. This shoe may do quite well climbing overhanging sport routes, like those at The Red River Gorge. However, if you regularly climb vertical walls with more edges, we recommend a stiffer shoe, such as the Scarpa Instinct VS. The Bullit never outperformed more premium bouldering shoes like the Scarpa Drago, which is more precise and sensitive. But it did keep up, and that's saying a lot – this isn't just a good shoe for the price; it's actually a really good shoe.
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 - 1 US sizes
Performance Fit: down 1.5 US size
Expected Stretch
1 - 1.5 EU size
Downturn
Flat
Asymmetry
Moderate
You've been renting shoes at your local gym, and now you've decided that rock climbing is a sport you want to commit to – time to buy your first pair of shoes. The La Sportiva Finale is an excellent place to start. Its flat shape is comfortable enough for long sessions at the gym or long, multi-pitch routes. But unlike other entry-level shoes like the popular La Sportiva Tarantulace, the Finale is designed with a moderately asymmetrical profile, featuring a slightly curved inward toe to make it a bit easier to grab small edges or tuck your toe into a pocket. With ample rubber underfoot, this shoe is more durable than some of the other, more premium options. The most common trait among new climbers is sloppy footwork, but as you refine your skills in the Finale, you don't have to worry about your new shoes wearing out.
While a shoe with a thinner outsole, like the Black Diamond Momentum, may make it a bit easier to feel that small divot or edge, that shoe's rounded toe box isn't nearly as precise as the Finale, nor is the rubber as tacky. When most people get into climbing, they're not quite sure where their path will take them. While the specialty Ocun Bullit may be a great value for bouldering specifically, the Finale is a solid climbing shoe across all disciplines. For the adventurous type who wants to climb in the gym and on real rock, there's no better value than the La Sportiva Finale.
Comfort Fit: 0.5 - 1 US sizes
Performance Fit: down 1.5 - 2 US sizes
Expected Stretch
1 - 1.5 EU size
Downturn
Flat
Asymmetry
Neutral
The Unparallel UpMocc is a minimalist, easygoing slipper that's sure to appeal to fans of this classic design. The ultra-sticky rubber inspires confidence for smearing up long slab pitches or gripping large volumes at the climbing gym. The UpMocc is a cult classic for desert crack climbers, but we think it's actually a great all-around shoe – you can choose to size it comfortably for moderate trad climbing or tightly for the gym. “While guiding, I often find people struggle the most with trusting their feet, and budget shoes do little to help solve that problem,” explains our lead tester. “The UpMocc changes this by giving you a shoe with sticky rubber and increased sensitivity, so that you can trust what you're standing on.”
Other price-point shoes, like the Black Diamond Momentum or La Sportiva Tarantulace, have a similar flex, but they're built with bulkier rubber that's less sticky and less sensitive. What really sets the UpMocc apart in this price range is the premium, sticky rubber. While this is one of the UpMocc's best attributes, it also makes this shoe poor at edging. The relatively soft rubber lacks the support to stand on small edges, and we often felt like we were going to roll off. This is one of the reasons we'd point newer climbers who haven't yet built up the foot strength to climb in a slipper like this toward the slightly stiffer La Sportiva Finale. Of course, high-performance edging shoes come at a price, and specialized shoes like the La Sportiva TC Pro are both less sensitive and more expensive than the UpMocc. While it may not be the same trad powerhouse as the TC Pro, for every other style of climbing, the UpMocc is a climbing shoe you can happily climb in all over the world.
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 US size
Performance Fit: down 1 - 1.5 US sizes
Expected Stretch
0 - 0.5 EU size
Downturn
Aggressive
Asymmetry
High
The Scarpa Drago is the softest and most sensitive shoe we have tested, making it the perfect option for feeling every part of the rock or curling your feet into holds on overhung routes. Utilizing a small patch of Vibram XS Grip2 rubber on the forefoot and a thin, glove-like design, the Drago helps you stick to marginal holds in steep terrain and grab them with precision. Our testers have come to love this shoe for its grip on steep bouldering projects, whether they're in the gym or outdoors. It's not all about toeing in on holds, though. The Drago is covered with sticky M50 rubber and a sensitive heel for when you need to bust out some fancy footwork. Our lead tester has this to say, “When creative footwork, like heel or toe hooking, is necessary to solve a problem, I like bringing out the Drago to make these moves that much easier.”
While the Drago is an excellent shoe for steep, overhung climbs, it becomes less capable as you tilt the wall back towards vertical. Its soft flex doesn't support your foot very well, and fatigue will creep in quickly as you try to edge up vertical faces. It's sensitive enough to take advantage of even marginal holds, but that also means you'll feel every point of the rock, which is pretty painful for weighting your feet on slabs. For boulders with vertical faces and small edges, we recommend the Scarpa Instinct VS over the Drago for the stiffness in that shoe's toe box. When things go horizontal, though, we trust the Drago to keep our feet stuck to the rock.
Comfort Fit: down 1 US size
Performance Fit: down 1.5 - 2 US sizes
Expected Stretch
0 - 0.5 EU size
Downturn
Aggressive
Asymmetry
Moderate
The La Sportiva Ondra Comp may just give you the leg up you need to send your gym projects or up your game in competitions. These shoes were designed in conjunction with Adam Ondra – widely regarded as the world's best climber – to perform on the Olympic stage. While most of us will never know what that feels like, we can all definitely benefit from the Ondra Comp in our daily sessions. Most gym shoes are ultra-soft, which makes them great for smearing on volumes and clawing into holds. But the Ondra Comp adds just a touch of stiffness under the toes for increased edging performance without sacrificing its ability to smear. Our lead tester points out, “I really appreciated the additional stiffness on small screw-on foot jibs in the gym, which helped me stand up on my toes for a bit of extra reach.”
The Ondra Comp has a slightly wider toe box than other La Sportiva shoes we've climbed in. While this adds a touch of comfort, it also makes this shoe feel slightly less precise, especially when compared to the Scarpa Drago, its closest competitor. The blunted toe box, combined with the overall lack of rigidity, also makes the Ondra Comp a poor performer for edging on rock. While we appreciated the Ondra Comp's surprising versatility for transitioning to bouldering outdoors, we often wanted the edging capability of a shoe like the Scarpa Instinct VS. But as a unique design that splits the difference between stiffness and sensitivity, the Ondra Comp is our new favorite gym shoe.
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 US size
Performance Fit: down 1 - 1.5 US sizes
Expected Stretch
0.5 - 1 EU size
Downturn
Flat
Asymmetry
Moderate
Adorning the feet of climbers at trad areas around the country, the La Sportiva TC Pro is a beloved classic for good reason. These shoes were designed by climbing legend Tommy Caldwell for big wall free climbing in Yosemite, but you surely don't have to be sending 5.14 grades 2000 feet off the ground to enjoy their benefits. The TC Pro's flat-lasted sole and stiff flex make it a comfortable shoe for standing on your toes all day on big climbs. Beyond just comfort, the precise toe and narrow fit offer ample performance on the kind of slabby and vertical climbing you often find on big routes. But where our testers, and many other climbers, love this shoe most is for jamming cracks. The stiff last helps you feel secure as you twist your feet into fissures in the rock, and the high-top design provides ample ankle protection.
Flat soles and stiff flexes surely make crack climbing easier, but they don't give you much of an advantage in steep terrain – if you're looking for a bouldering or sport climbing shoe, you'll be much better served by the Scarpa Instinct VS. The TC Pro is a classic for crack climbing, but it actually lacks a bit of precision for thin cracks – for this, we highly recommend the thinner Unparallel UpMocc. While the TC Pro fits our lead tester well, we know that its narrow last doesn't work for everyone. For a wider fit with similar performance, check out the Scarpa Generator Mid. But if the TC Pro fits, we can't recommend it enough for trad climbers. “From desert splitters, to El Cap, to laps in my backyard at Lumpy Ridge, the TC Pro has probably been the shoe I've climbed in the most,” admits our lead tester. “For day-to-day adventures, they've been a trusty companion for many years.”
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 US size
Performance Fit: down 1 US size
Expected Stretch
0 - 0.5 EU size
Downturn
Aggressive
Asymmetry
High
The original Boostic was a classic shoe among climbers working on the hardest technical face climbs. Scarpa updated the shoe a few years back, but many climbers felt it didn't live up to the old model. Fortunately, Scarpa took this feedback to heart and gifted us the Scarpa Boostic R. Essentially a reissue of the legendary edging powerhouse, the Boostic R is the same great shoe as the original, according to our testers. What makes this shoe so special for edging is a combination of a stiff, full-length sole and an aggressive shape that holds your foot in a supported position. All the while, the shoe maintains a good level of sensitivity, which is very unlike that of other shoes in this style.
We have become big fans of the Boostic R, but it is worth driving home the point that it is a highly specialized shoe. It's a shoe that you add to a quiver, rather than an all-arounder you rely on for most of your climbing. Its stiff flex makes it nearly impossible to flatten onto smears or grab holds on an overhanging roof. If you plan on climbing a lot of slabs, the La Sportiva Katana Lace is a much more versatile option. But when it comes to its intended purpose – driving up hard, technical face climbs – the Boostic R is unbeatable. Our lead tester claims, “For all of my sport climbing projects this season, this has been the shoe on my feet; anything else feels underpowered.”
For a supportive shoe specifically designed to power off edges, the Boostic R is surprisingly sensitive. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Product Comparison Table
Finding the right climbing shoe will help make climbing easier and more enjoyable. Credit: Dom Rickicki
How We Tested
We've been testing the best men's climbing shoes for over a decade. We purchase every shoe at retail, just like you, and send them to our team, who test them over many months. Our lead testers rely on friends and colleagues with a range of foot shapes to provide more accurate feedback on each shoe's comfort and fit. Our crew laced up or velcroed into these kicks at crags across the American West to evaluate each model on five performance metrics:
Leading our test team is Dom Rickicki. Dom is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide with over a decade of climbing experience. Residing in the epicenter of Estes Park, CO, he is surrounded by a storied climbing history, including some of the hardest boulder problems in the country, famous big walls like The Diamond, hard single-pitch test pieces, and classic granite trad routes. This setting inspires Dom to progress across all disciplines of climbing, and as a climber who takes his gear seriously, he enjoys dissecting the nuanced differences between climbing shoes.
Previous reviewers Jack Cramer and Matt Bento laid the foundation for this extensive review. Both Jack and Matt are veterans of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team, with decades of combined experience on the rock. Like Dom, Jack and Matt share an affection for a variety of climbing disciplines, ranging from low-boulders to massive big walls. All three reviewers agree that it's tough to find just one rock-climbing shoe that can do it all. But hopefully, with their insights, you can find the shoe that best suits your goals and budget.
Meticulous side-by-side testing across disciplines helps us better understand the nuances of each pair.
Analysis and Test Results
We all want to send our projects, take on harder on-site climbs, and continue to progress as athletes. Being able to do this largely comes down to proper training and skill development because, safety gear aside, our sport isn't actually very gear-intensive. If we focus on just the physical act of climbing, our only 'gear' is chalk and shoes. Looking at climbing from this angle, we see that the single most important piece of gear we can buy is the one that goes on our feet. Outside of pure hard work, shoes are the one thing that will actually improve your performance. Our testers see this clearly – sometimes one shoe lets us easily climb a route, while another leaves us desperately overgripping. Choosing the right shoes for you can be a challenge, and our aim is to offer recommendations, based on comparative testing, to make that decision a bit easier.
Our favorite shoes are those that strike a good balance for their intended use. Manufacturers may claim that one design can do it all, but the reality is that all designs involve trade-offs. Different styles of climbing require different performance characteristics, and it's impossible to incorporate all of these characteristics into a single shoe. When looking at the relative scores in this review, notice that our favorite all-arounders rarely ever score a 10 in any one metric. Other shoes that score 9s or 10s in a single metric often come at the cost of a low score in another metric.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
You may be asking yourself, “Is it worth it for me to pay the premium price for shoes?” That's a fair question. If you're just starting out, it's worth saving some money and opting for a shoe like the La Sportiva Finale. Most of us exhibited pretty poor footwork as beginners, which led to quickly wearing out a pair of shoes. Once you've burned through your first pair of shoes, you've probably climbed enough to justify buying a pair that's a bit more expensive and offers better performance.
If you're just starting out, you want a comfortable shoe so that you can maximize your time climbing and progress your skills. The La Sportiva Finale is one of the most comfortable shoes we've ever worn. Credit: Jack Cramer
We recognize that the climbing landscape is changing, and while most climbers start out in the gym, many are now focused entirely on gym climbing. Even if you are heading outdoors, many are sticking strictly to bouldering. We admit that this is a great way to keep costs to a minimum, since you don't need to invest in other gear. If you're climbing primarily in the gym and occasionally head outdoors to boulder, the Ocun Bullit is a comfortable option that climbs nearly as well as premium options at a fraction of the cost.
The Bullit is an affordable shoe that punches far above its class, especially for gym climbers. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Comfort
Comfort is pretty subjective and boils down to a few factors. If you line up a bunch of climbing shoes, you'll probably notice that none of them really look like feet, even though they should fit like a glove. A climbing shoe is designed to put our foot in an optimal position for climbing, not for walking around.
By climbing the same route in one shoe after another, we can make comfort a much more objective metric. Credit: Dom Rickicki
At the extreme end of the shape spectrum, a performance edging shoe may have a highly asymmetric shape with a high toe angle at the front, meant to curl your toes into a crimp. This shape drives a lot of power into your big toe, so you can stand on the smallest of holds.
You'll notice that our lead tester's naked foot looks very different from its shape in an aggressive shoe, like the Scarpa Drago. Credit: Dom Rickicki
On the other end, you have a crack climbing shoe that's flatter, stiffer, and more symmetrical, so that you can stand up on it when foot jamming. Outside of their symmetry and toe angle, the volume and width of a certain last (the shape of the shoe) may or may not work for your feet.
A flat shoe, like the TC Pro, is specifically designed to be worn on long multi-pitch routes and longer days in the alpine. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Sizing Your Shoes
Sizing climbing shoes can be a nightmare. Some companies intentionally calibrate a performance-climbing fit to correspond to standard street shoe sizes, while others run true to size. In the latter case, climbers have to size smaller than their street shoe size to get a performance fit. Still, other manufacturers seem to vary their sizing from model to model, making buying shoes online maddening.
Our lead tester has this to say: “When I try on shoes, I often find I hit a point where one size fits comfortably tight and the next size down fits uncomfortably tight, but not painful. Usually, I go with that uncomfortably tight pair, as most shoes break in by about half a size. This shoe will end up comfortably tight after some use, and my foot will fill the gaps without it being too baggy. If my foot doesn't fill those gaps without being painful, it usually means that this shoe won't work for my foot shape and I need to try a different model.”
If you are shopping online, find a retailer with a generous return policy so you can order several sizes and return whatever doesn't fit.
Increasing asymmetry, starting with the more neutral Unparallel UpMocc, then the La Sportiva TC Pro, and the most asymmetric Scarpa Instinct VS.
We primarily base our comfort scoring on a shoe's intended climbing style. A shoe geared more toward all-day climbing, like the La Sportiva Finale, should be comfortable for long periods on lower-angle rock. On the other hand, a shoe designed for steep terrain like the Ocun Bullit will likely not be comfortable for long days, but should be comfortable when pulling with your feet on severe overhangs or when heel- or toe-hooking. These two shoes come in at similar prices, but their use cases are very different.
While people mostly think of downturned shoes as less comfortable, this is not always the case. Mildly aggressive but solid all-around shoes like the La Sportiva Katana Lace or Scarpa Instinct VS strike a nice balance between the two ends of the comfort spectrum. Sized appropriately, these shoes should be comfy to climb in, but may need to be removed while walking around. The comfiest downturned shoe we've tested is the Tenaya Mastia, which uses super supple upper materials to blend comfort and performance for bouldering.
We were seriously impressed by the fit and feel of the Tenaya Mastia, especially compared to other high-performance bouldering shoes we tested. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Slipper-style shoes score high for comfort, but really, any flat-soled model made from stretchable leather that easily forms to your feet will be more comfortable than an aggressively downturned model. Additional materials can both aid and detract from a shoe's comfort, depending on how they're employed in the design. For example, the padded, stretchy tongue on the Katana Lace makes it feel comfortable out of the box and protects the top of your foot from tightly pulled laces. The new lace protector on the TC Pro, on the other hand, can create a rigid pressure point on your foot.
A bit of extra padding on the tongue of the Katana Lace really goes a long way, making this one of the most comfortable shoes we've ever worn. Credit: Jack Cramer
The lining, rubber layout, and upper material all greatly contribute to a shoe's comfort. In most high-end downturned shoes, the trend is to use microsuede (or similar materials) on the inside to reduce hot spots and ensure a snug fit. Top models, like the Drago or Instinct VS, feature very soft linings that make these shoes quite comfortable relative to their aggressive shapes. These shoes also have rubber strategically laid out around the shoe so you can toe hook securely without any rubber edges digging into your feet.
The thick toe patch on the Instinct VS makes it particularly comfortable for toe hooking, a move that can be quite painful on shoes that aren't designed for it. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Smearing
As one of the most frequently used techniques in a climber's arsenal, smearing should be considered for every style of climber. To smear well, a shoe needs to flatten out over vague features on the rock, allowing you to feel small holds. The rubber also needs to be super sticky so it latches onto these small holds. Ideally, it also provides enough support to push off those same small holds or stand on them while placing trad gear.
To smear well, a shoe needs to be flat, like the Unparallel UpMocc. Or, if it is downturned, it must be soft enough to flatten out under pressure, like the Scarpa Drago. To feel small holds, a shoe must also be sensitive. Thinner rubber soles let you feel more of the rock, thereby improving a shoe's sensitivity.
The soft Drago allows you to press a bunch of sticky rubber onto flat holds for better purchase, even in overhung terrain. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Sensitivity is an amazing attribute for any shoe, unless you plan to be standing on your feet for extended periods, say, while placing trad gear. For trad climbers, wearing shoes with slightly thicker soles, like the Katana Lace, will stiffen them just enough to help prevent fatigue or pain.
Even though it's stiff in the forefoot, the midsole of the Katana Lace is just flexible enough to effectively smear on barely-there holds. Credit: Jack Cramer
Climbers looking to smear on large-volume holds in the gym often prefer a shoe like the Ocun Bullit or La Sportiva Ondra Comp, which excel at smearing thanks to a soft, sensitive flex profile. An added downturn in these shoes helps to climb steep terrain, where you need to curl your toes around holds.
Softer shoes like the Ondra Comp easily flatten out and conform to large flat holds. Credit: Dom Rickicki
On the flip side, a climber looking to smear up long routes in Tuolumne would find these shoes too soft and downturned to spend extended time on their feet fiddling with small gear. Instead, they should look more towards something like the La Sportiva TC Pro, which is flat and stiff enough to help avoid fatigue.
The TC Pro is stiff enough to support you as you stand on your toes, yet flat and sticky enough to smear well up lower-angle rock. Credit: Dom Rickicki
As with any scoring metric, we try to put our smearing scores in context based on the shoe's intended use. The UpMocc and the Ondra Comp may score similarly for smearing, but they will be used in very different ways. The UpMocc is great for long slabs, whereas the Ondra Comp is better for smearing on gym holds.
Our individual gear reviews address whether a shoe is better for sustained smearing on long, slabby routes or for technical smearing on boulder problems. It is rare for a shoe to do both jobs well, so it is worth delving deeper into this question before purchasing a pair of shoes based solely on a single score.
For smearing up clean granite slabs, the soft and sticky UpMocc is a tester favorite. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Edging
The ability to stand on tiny edges is paramount to success on many routes, especially vertical to gently overhanging climbs. The more weight you can support with your feet, the less you will burden your throbbing forearms. What gives all the top-scoring shoes their edging prowess is a full-length sole of stiff Vibram XS Edge rubber and an asymmetric shape with a precise toe.
The Scarpa Boostic R and the La Sportiva Miura VS also have higher toe angles for added support, whereas the Katana Lace has a more comfortable lower toe angle.
Let's look at toe angles: the higher volume toe box on the Boostic R (right) allows you to knuckle up your big toe, compared to the Miura VS (left), which is subtly flatter. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Rigid flexes and precise shapes make for excellent edging shoes, but these design features are all but nullified if your shoe is not sized tightly. Tight doesn't have to mean painful, but any air gaps or a sloppy fit will mean the shoe no longer supports your foot, and edging becomes far more challenging. Because you are putting so much pressure on a small part of your shoe, any poor fit will usually make the shoe feel like it is rolling off the hold.
The rigid structure is one of the reasons why the Boostic R is unmatched for edging performance alone. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Along with fit, consider the angle of your big toe in a shoe. In general, a higher angle on your big toe allows you to drive more power into a small foothold – but this performance point generally comes at the cost of comfort. Some climbers handle this well, while others don't, so personal preference plays a role.
Even though it has a flatter profile, the Katana Lace is at home on tiny edges, thanks to its stiff midsole. Credit: Jack Cramer
“For vertical walls, my preference is a flatter toe angle, like the Katana Lace or TC Pro,” shares our lead tester. “I have just never been able to get along with high toe angles unless the terrain is more overhung.” Of course, personal preferences will vary – we know plenty of climbers who prefer a higher-angled toe even on vertical terrain.
If you're new to climbing, we recommend starting conservatively with a shoe with a flatter toe angle while you get used to the fit of climbing shoes. It is worth remembering that if you size a shoe too tightly, the pain will simply make it unbearable to weight your foot, eliminating any edging performance you were trying to achieve.
Edging performance often comes at the cost of sensitivity, and shoes that excel at edging can feel pretty clunky, especially during break-in. The Scarpa Boostic R amazed us by providing support on the smallest holds while remaining sensitive enough to feel what you're trying to stand on. The shoe uses a stiff Flexan midsole and stiff XS Edge rubber, combined with Scarpa's V tension system, to maintain stiffness. What is so incredible about this shoe is that designers used this material in just the right doses, keeping the rubber thin under your big toe so you can actually feel the rock.
Whether we're bouldering or sport climbing, there is no other shoe we'd rather wear for technical face climbs than the Boostic R. Credit: Dom Rickicki
The Boostic R is a touch more sensitive than the La Sportiva Miura VS, which is, by classic standards, the best edging shoe on the market. Both of these shoes are highly precise, stiff, and asymmetric edging machines. It's worth noting that the Miura VS does have a slightly flatter toe angle than the Boostic R, which some folks may prefer for more than just edging projects.
The downturned profile of the Miura VS helps you pull into the wall and edge on small holds and pockets. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Pulling
As the angle of cliffs and boulders shifts to overhanging, we enter the realm of gymnastic climbing movements. To succeed in this terrain, we must use creative footwork to take any weight off our forearms to avoid the dreaded pump. We can think of our feet like hands here, curling our toes into holds to hold on, or employing heel-and-toe hooks to engage our larger leg muscles and pull into the wall.
Shoes like the Scarpa Drago or La Sportiva Ondra Comp are our favorites – their soft flex and aggressive downturn shape help you claw into holds with talon-like precision. These two shoes use the stickier Vibram XS Grip2 rubber, rather than the harder XS Edge formula, which provides better friction on marginal holds. Both are also covered in ample sticky rubber across the toe and heel to increase your friction while creatively hooking.
For overhung climbs, finding ways to use your feet to take weight off your arms is paramount. The Drago makes geting creative easy. Credit: Dom Rickicki
To some extent, the world of shoes designed for overhung terrain represents the pinnacle of performance in climbing shoe construction. Within this world, we can find a wide variety of models that highlight different performance characteristics, and it is not uncommon to see climbers carrying many different shoes to the crag to take advantage of the performance they need for a given climb. The Drago and Ondra Comp are great for the most severely overhung terrain or for slippery plastic holds in the gym, but their soft flexes can be a hindrance when the terrain is less steep, or the footholds are very small.
The additional stiffness under the toes of the Ondra Comp gives this shoe a slight advantage for pushing off holds you've pulled with your toes. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Shoes like the La Sportiva Solution or the Scarpa Instinct VS offer a stiffer flex profile but still maintain a downturned shape. We prefer these shoes when a route also requires us to climb vertically, where we need to put more weight on our feet and use small edges on overhangs.
If you need to pull into the wall and stand up from a sit start, a shoe with a slightly stiffer profile, like the Instinct VS, may be the ticket. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Across the Western US, there are many limestone crags characterized by climbing on small pockets – including famed areas like Wild Iris, Ten Sleep, and Shelf Road. These tiny pockets challenge your footwork as you try to chisel your toe into them and pull your weight off your arms. The Solution, with its ultra-precise toe, is a popular shoe because it allows you to get into the hold while still providing enough support to put weight on your feet. You may also find that shoes we score high for edging, like the Muira VS or Katana Lace, work best here, as their ultra-precise toes help you dig into these pockets, and their downturn shape still allows you to pull your weight into the wall.
Even though fully overhanging isn't the ideal angle for the Katana Lace, it can still hold its own against softer shoes, making it much more versatile than other shoes specifically designed to pull. Credit: Jack Cramer
Depending on the situation, you may be fast and sloppy while pulling overhung moves. Sloppy isn't always bad, as sometimes we are onsight climbing, or we're just trying to move as quickly as possible. In general, a softer shoe like the Ocun Bullit forgives a bit of sloppiness, as you can just cover a hold with sticky rubber rather than carefully edging onto it.
The Ocun Bullit was an excellent training partner, giving us a bit more leeway as we figured out moves on new boulder problems. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Going even further down the ultra-specific rabbit hole, check out the La Sportiva No-Edge range of shoes, including the La Sportiva Mandala. The edgeless toe profile helps you paste even more rubber over a hold, which can be advantageous for on-sight climbing. Other times, we have the beta dialed in and can be ultra-precise with our movement. For efforts that require more precision, a stiffer shoe like the Mad Rock Drone 2 HV could be the ticket.
The unique no-edge toe on the Mandala allows you to quickly cover a hold with a lot of rubber. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Crack Climbing
For many climbers, crack climbing is a love-it-or-hate-it sort of affair. Ultimately, cracks tend to be the most striking lines up a face, but the technique required to climb them requires patience to learn and is often a painful affair until you get good at it. We have tested crack-climbing performance at various crags across the country, including Lumpy Ridge, Colorado; Indian Creek, Utah; and Vedauwoo, Wyoming. While we have tried our hardest to find a silver bullet for all the cracks at these famous crags, it is just not that simple.
Shoes like the La Sportiva TC Pro and Scarpa Generator Mid are what we often grab for our crack climbing objectives. Their stiffer flexes and flat toe profiles allow us to jam cracks more comfortably; added ankle protection helps when the cracks get wide, and their chiseled toes still allow us to get purchase when the cracks taper down to finger size. For all-around crack climbing, these are great shoes, but the world of crack climbing goes far deeper than just old-school-looking high tops.
Their high-top designs make crack-specific shoes stand apart from other climbing shoes on the market. From front to back, the Black Diamond Aspect Pro, La Sportiva TC Pro, and the Scarpa Generator Mid. Credit: Dom Rickicki
For the most technical of thin cracks, we tend to go for a softer shoe with a lower volume toe, like the Unparallel UpMocc. These shoes are still flat and comfy for cracks, but their stickier, softer rubber is advantageous when you're trying to cram as much rubber as you can into a thin jam or a corner. For sandstone cracks, their stickier rubber is especially helpful on the featureless rock.
Even though the UpMocc has a blunted toe box, its soft, sticky rubber offers a huge advantage for jamming in thin cracks. Credit: Jeff Dobronyi
Watch videos of the hardest crack climbs in the US, and you may notice climbers wearing shoes that don't score super highly for crack climbing in this test. For these routes, climbers usually choose a shoe like the La Sportiva Solution or Scarpa Boostic R for their advantages on the face holds they're actually standing on – they generally just put up with jamming when they have to.
The La Sportiva TC Pro is our favorite shoe for pure cracks that are hand-size or wider. It's also one of the best for traditional multi-pitch adventures. Credit: Jack Cramer
While we wouldn't recommend specifically buying a pair of shoes like this for a crack climb, if you already own a pair, it can be worth experimenting. One shoe that strikes a nice balance for crack and face climbing is the Katana Lace. It does a great job of edging onto holds outside of the crack, but is still just flat enough to be comfortable while jamming, and its precise toe can be useful for thin jams.
For a combination of face holds and torquing jams, few shoes perform as well as the Katana Lace. Credit: Jack Cramer
Pain and discomfort are common complaints among beginner crack climbers, so if this includes you, it's worthwhile choosing a pair that won't add to your pain. Any shoe with an aggressive downturn is going to hurt, simply because the position the shoe places your foot pushes your knuckled-up toes directly against the rock. The other thing we look at is the closure system. Velcro closures can create pressure points when you try to twist your foot into a crack. A lace-up shoe like the TC Pro or a slip-on model like the UpMocc will reduce these pressure points.
The type of rock may influence your shoe choice for crack climbing. On granite, the La Sportiva TC Pro is one of our favorites and it also seems to be the most popular model with the general public. Credit: Jack Cramer
It's worth noting that crack climbing is a specific skill that requires specific footwear. While you can get away with it in other shoes, we think having a good pair will help you enjoy crack climbing more and learn the skills faster.
Testing different shoes side-by-side to compare climbing prowess. The Generator Mid (bottom) is stiff enough to be comfortable in wider cracks, while the Black Diamond Aspect Pro (top) has a more precise toe. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Other Notable Climbing Shoes
We work hard to curate a selection that represents a cross-section of the best climbing shoes on the market. But the modern landscape is full of so many options that, of course, we can't include every shoe in our review. Below is a list of other shoes we've tested recently that didn't quite make the cut when compared to similar options that performed better in one way or another.
Bouldering and Sport Climbing Shoes
Scarpa Chimera – According to Scarpa, this shoe is closely related to their Furia family of shoes, which are specifically designed for an ultralight, glove-like fit. The Chimera performs almost like a stiffer Drago, however, we ultimately preferred the Drago for its softer, more sensitive feel.
La Sportiva Solution Comp – This shoe is a favorite of some of our testers over the original Solution for its narrower, more supple heel. It's also softer, which some may like for steeper routes or gym climbing. The only shoe that can come close to the pulling prowess of the Solution Comp is the Scarpa Drago, but the Drago has the added advantage of smearing better.
La Sportiva Skwama – This shoe strikes a nice balance between stiffness under the toes and a softer midfoot flex, ideal for outdoor bouldering. While we prefer the Scarpa Instinct VS, we recognize that its narrow last won't fit every foot. The Skwama has a wider forefoot, making it more accessible to climbers with wider feet.
The Chimera is one of those shoes that helps you find tiny footholds, thanks to its precise toe profile and soft rubber. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Edging and Face Climbing Shoes
La Sportiva Miura – This is a tried and true classic that has been on climbers' feet for many hard ascents throughout the last two decades. Its lace-up closure and asymmetric shape deliver high precision on your hardest technical climbs. However, if we're going to jam our feet into stiff shoes for an edging project, we'll opt for the Miura VS, the Velcro version, or the even more powerful Scarpa Boostic R.
La Sportiva Otaki – This shoe blends an incredibly stiff forefoot with a subtly softer midfoot. This combo makes it a great shoe for edging without sacrificing much sensitivity, but it lacks some precision compared to other more modern shoes, like the Ondra Comp.
Scarpa Instinct Lace – This lace-up shoe with a full-length rubber outsole provides stiff edging performance. While climbers with wider feet will likely prefer the wider last of this shoe, folks with more average or narrow feet will likely prefer the La Sportiva Katana Lace.
The La Sportiva Otaki won't make you a better climber, but it may give you a leg up in areas that demand precise footwork, like the Buttermilks. Credit: Matt Bento
Crack and Trad Climbing Shoes
Black Diamond Aspect Pro – This specialty shoe feels like what the BD design team created for their weekend climbing trips in the Utah desert. The super-slender toe is the thinnest of any high-top we have tested and jams a full cam size smaller than classic crack shoes like the La Sportiva TC Pro. Even though this shoe has stickier rubber than the TC – which is reassuring on featureless sandstone – it doesn't edge nearly as well, which is a problem.
Black Diamond Aspect - Unlike the high-top Aspect Pro, this is a low-top trad shoe with stiff flex. It's a shoe that offers well-balanced performance for crack climbing, at a very reasonable price. While it's more of a specialty shoe, we could crack climb just as well in the more versatile Unparallel UpMocc, and use that shoe for sport climbing and bouldering, too.
For long technical alpine routes, the Black Diamond Aspect Pro's softer rubber feels less clunky on a cold morning. Credit: Julia Cassou
Budget Shoes
Five Ten NIAD VCS - The original version of this shoe was a popular shoe for decades. After Adidas acquired Five Ten, many of the original designers left to form Unparallel – fans of the Anasazi VCS, we recommend you look at the Unparallel UpMocc instead of the newest version of the NIAD VCS.
Even if the La Sportiva Tarantulace is designed for beginners, it's a highly capable climbing shoe. Credit: Jack Cramer
Conclusion
We'd like to offer a disclaimer to close out: product reviews are inherently subjective, especially for rock climbing shoes. Our assessment of each shoe is largely contingent on the shape of our testers' feet, the type of rock we climbed, and how tightly we sized them. Our advice is built on the first-hand experience of multiple climbers over many months of climbing, but everyone's feet are different. While comfort is obviously important, we wanted to focus on how these shoes perform the moves and techniques that climbers use most frequently. A shoe's performance in these metrics helps determine whether it is a great climbing shoe. Ultimately, your perfect pair of shoes needs to fit well first and match your goals second.
Whether you're new to the sport or a seasoned veteran, we've tested everything you need to get out climbing, including climbing ropes, harnesses, top-rated belay devices, and quickdraws. We've even pitted different climbing chalks against each other to try and determine the best performers. From boulders to big walls, our roundup of the best climbing gear on the market has something for everyone.
