When you're climbing there are two parts of your body that are touching the rock, your hands and your feet, and everything relies on them. Your feet, and what you have on your feet, are one of the most important parts of climbing. When you go out to buy your first climbing shoe the amount of slang heard in the gym or in an outdoor store, and the beta spewed at you from seasoned climbers, can be overwhelming. Shoes include numerous types, fits and parts, and you must find the right shoe suited to your needs.
Types
The types of climbing shoes are numerous, each with their own specific purpose. A down-turned shoe is an aggressive climbing shoe that is molded so the toe is angled down. A down-turned shoe can be a slip-on or secured with laces or velcro. This type of shoe works best on steep climbs, in the gym or anytime that you need to produce more power from your feet.
Another type of climbing shoe is the slip-on. A slip-on shoe has no laces or Velcro to secure it on your foot, it just slides on. The majority of down-turned shoes are slip-ons but not all slip-ons are as aggressive as a down-turned shoe. Most slip-ons will slip off when heel-hooking and are better suited for smearing and edging.
A third type of climbing shoe, usually the most comfortable, is the lace-up. These shoes are secured on your foot with laces, much like an everyday sneaker. Since these are the most comfortable, they work well on long, multi pitch climbs where you wont be able to remove your shoes much.
Similar to a lace-up, but with a different system to secure the shoe on your foot, is the velcro. Instead of laces, this shoe uses Velcro straps to secure the shoe on your foot. This shoe is great for bouldering and any other time that you need to take your shoe on and off frequently.
Fit
The fit of a climbing shoe is very important and will effect how well you climb. If the shoe is too loose you will lose much needed precision with your feet; too tight and you will be in too much pain to feel the foot holds. The proper fit is similar to that of a sock. You want the shoe to fit your foot as snug as possible, making sure there is no extra space around your toes or heel. Stand on your toes to see if there is any pain and pull on the heel to make sure it is snug and secure. Also, each climbing shoe company designs shoes differently, offering a different fit. Be sure to try on different makes and models to find the shoe that fits your foot the best.
Purpose
Because there are many different types of rock and types of rock climbs, climbing shoes are designed for different purposes. Some shoes are designed for comfort and are suited for long trad or sport routes, while others are designed for short, powerful bouldering routes. No matter what type of climbing you're doing, the purpose of a climbing shoe is to transfer your power and your body weight to your feet.
Parts
Climbing shoes have a few specific parts to them that are used while climbing. The sole on the toe of a climbing shoe is molded at a 90-degree angle, instead of rounded like sneakers, to allow you to edge on small holds. The entire sole of a climbing shoe is made of rubber that will allow you to stick on the rock better, especially while smearing on slab. Most of the heels on climbing shoes are designed to cup your heel snugly and not slip off when your pulling with your heel.
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