The sticky rubber on specialized climbing shoes performs two primary functions. It helps you literally stick to small holds on the wall, and it also protects your toes. Paying careful attention to your foot placements and buying your shoes carefully can help preserve the rubber on your shoes and protect your toes as you climb.
Step 1
Choose properly fitted climbing shoes. Although some competitive climbers may use shoes so tight they deform their toes, beginning and all-around climbers don't need such extreme footwear. Aim for shoes that are about half a size smaller than your regular shoe size. Another way of testing your climbing shoe fit: You should be able to wiggle all your toes together as one unit, but shouldn't be able to move them individually.
Step 2
Wear approach shoes to the climb. Climbing shoes are not meant to protect your toes against rocks, trees and other obstacles on the way to the climb, and the sticky rubber on the soles will wear away if you walk on them. They also could accumulate so much dirt that they will lose their stickiness.
Step 3
Place your feet carefully as you climb. Delicate, quiet foot placements -- you shouldn't hear your shoe rasping against the wall -- protect your toes and prolong the life of the protective rubber rand on your climbing shoes. Good foot placement also improves your general climbing technique and efficiency, so you'll be able to climb harder routes and not get tired as quickly.
Step 4
Remove your shoes between climbs, if necessary, to relieve the pressure on your toes. Some "trad" climbing shoes are loose and comfortable enough for all-day wear, and some climbers even wear socks inside all-day shoes. But if you're wearing tight, performance-oriented shoes that compress your toes, taking them off between short, hard routes is a must.
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