Climbing Technique For Beginners - Episode - 4 - Shoes

[@thegameknightuk8156]

This is great information. I had all these issues when i first (recently) bought climbing shoes. Everyone said "they should be really tiny and crush your feet". Even the guy in the shop talked me into a smaller pair. My first climb out with them i was slipping all day. Banged my head on a wall. Grazed my knee. Hurt my arm. And my feet were in agony. I had my first terrible climbing day and completely lost my confidence and went home miserable. So i bought a bigger size. I figured, stuff what everyone says, i want t be comfortable in my shoes and confident on the wall and if in 6 months i feel i need a smaller pair then i'll get a smaller pair at that stage. It was the best climbing decision i've made and I have not looked back. If only i'd seen this video first!

[@lostinature]

This is by far the BEST beginners fit guide i've seen. I'd been much better off with your advice before I bought my first shoe, that would probably have saved me from buying several pairs of shoes that were either ill fitting or too aggressive for what my feet could cope with :) You do a great job explaining. Very informative, easy to understand and usable - keep it up :)

[@reazhak]

Seriously my favorite climbing channel. New to bouldering and Eric's informative videos have guided me in the right direction. Too the point, with exceptional explanations all put together in a comprehensive manner. Just wanted to say great job and keep doing what your doing mate! Believe me, lots of new into climbing really appreciate it! Cheers!

[@hydra66]

would you do a video re: attitudes to falling/ how to approach fear for beginners?

[@noahrezentes]

Hey, I'd suggest increasing the volume of your videos in the future. I can barely hear this on full blast unless there's total silence in the room.

[@EricKarlsson]

+Noah R. Thats strange, i will dubbel check if others feel the same, thanks for the insight!

[@rubianod]

+Eric Karlsson Bouldering I felt like Noah, was watching this on the subway and had to have my volume to max (wich I usually don't need to), and even then I had trouble to hear everything. But besides that I liked the video, keep up the good work, currently using La Sportiva Tarantulace, and my wife got the Tarantula.

[@EricKarlsson]

That is a big bummer, i will fix that in the future! thanks once again for the insight and share! :)

[@R1C4RD0R3D15]

+Eric Karlsson Bouldering Remember, it can never hurt to upload a video too loud, because we can always turn down the volume. However, there is only so high we can turn up the volume when it is too quiet. Just a rule of thumb I follow for making videos.

[@humphrey7079]

Think he got it the first time guys lol

[@briannaFML]

I totally understand the logic behind his description of a perfect fit but I have flexible flat feet. Between not being able to scrunch my toes and the "arch" of my foot not being able to be bent certain ways I know I will never be able to do the more difficult climbs so I chose a comfort tight fit over a "competitive" fit. It's a fun hobby and I haven't had any trouble so far.

[@torbjoern1]

I think it is important to say that a shoe made from natural material will adapt more to your feet then one made from synthetic materials.

[@Deesum88]

Thank you so much for these videos! I'm glad I found you. Super quick, informative, and high quality videos without fluff. Thanks!

[@puripuribuns]

I just bought my first shoes based on your advise. Thank you!

[@Tormentor]

This green la Sportiva shoe you presented is my first and current shoe. What sealed it for me was that it does a good job accomodating my quite wide feet very well, even though it is 1 to 1 1/2 sizes smaller than my regular shoes.

[@xSchjolberGx]

I climbed for 2 years then had a five year break and just started again. I have wide feet aswell, and a very, very high instep, so i cannot even put my feet through the opening of most velcros. the shop only had the Miura and Tarantulace in the laces category. The miura turned out to be an awful fit, so i ended up with the tarantulace (Too bad, the Miura is a fantastic shoe). They work well, but since i am used to climbing shoes and have proper technique i got a 40.5, my street size is 44 (3.5 sizes down). They were uncomfortable in the beginning but after the break in i cant even imagine getting a bigger size. My problem is now that i am getting more technical (again) they are a bit to flat, the toe box could have been more compact. Overall i miss the aggressitivity they lack. The smallest holds doesnt work very well. Fantastic beginner shoe, as long as you get them snug enough, as they will expand by a size. You will however outgrow them before you outwear them. Thats okay though, as they will come in handy as a shoe for casual bouldering, warm up, long sport climbs and multipitch routes.

[@hoogal2]

Really great helpful info im a beginner and helped a lot, watched all four of you videos hope you post more look forward to keep learning better techniques

[@culpritdesign]

Really helpful series. I hope you keep producing more!

[@Flfreedom]

Joined a climbing gym yesterday and my fav is bouldering. My salesman(after watching this vid) I think has many in a painful shoe with my 2nd toe bent and cramped. I think I'm going to exchange them for one more size bigger to make it a little bit more comfortable for the beginning. thank you for the advice. And hello from St. Petersburg Florida

[@EricKarlsson]

Hi Kaylan! yeah try and see if that feels better :) keep me updated on your progress :D

[@rikvdmark]

Great series Eric! Recently started binge watching your videos and Magnus's videos ^^

[@luvpooh101]

such a thorough advice video. Thanks a lot!

[@missusingle]

Love the bag! I have that chalk bag but has *two* eyes.

[@dancostabile3743]

Very nice man. Awesome information for beginners, clear to understand and generally very helpful

[@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458]

Please do a video on which bags to buy cuz i wanna know how to get that fuzzy monster backpack for mysel xD

[@EricKarlsson]

hahah :D

[@imscheck]

that is like the first or second result in amazon for "chalkbag" (Brand: 8b+)

[@casp2150]

Eric Karlsson Bouldering I need a shoe for campusing, do you have any advice. Haha, just joking 😆

[@alexmiller7289]

I like that!!!!

[@jamesglancy3772]

Best climbing channel. Thanks helped a lot.

[@provuksmc6619]

4:17 I have the terantulas as my beginner shoes myself. I was able to do some hooks. And ive never seen the velcro straps leaving that much space for the strap. I think u just should tighten the shoes straps a lil more. Tarantulas are awesome beginner shoes. Can only recommend them.

[@ParanoidPoozle]

I'm hoping to buy my first climbing shoes this weekend! Thanks so much for the tips! This was informative, but I don't think I will be able to try them on a wall before I purchase them. At least I can try to mimic your tests in the shop somewhat. :)

[@EricKarlsson]

+ParanoidPoozle Man that is exciting! aah i see, yeah try make the tests and see what you get, keep me updated!

[@ParanoidPoozle]

+Eric Karlsson Bouldering Oh no! Budgeting is going to keep me from buying shoes until next month or so. But at least the rentals at the gym seem to be working just fine. :)

[@ParanoidPoozle]

Success! Thanks to your insistence I toughed it out in the store and tried on at least 6 or 7 pairs of shoes. I normally would have given up after the 3rd or 4th pair and just picked one and I'm so glad I didn't! Because when I finally found the perfect pair in store, it ended up having a hot spot when I got home! But since it was already so close to perfect, I was able to take some advise from Crux Crush and stuff the toe with socks and blast it with a hairdryer. That fixed the toe right away and now they truly are perfect! If I'd have settled for one of the other less comfortable shoes in store, I can't imagine what they would have felt like after getting home! I doubt I could have fixed it so readily. Thank you for stressing the importance of being comfortable! I couldn't ask for a better first pair of shoes!

[@rasmusmikkelsen9661]

Cool 8b+ bag

[@ainorebane4147]

I feel like scarpa shoes fit really well on people with thin feet. Both me and my friend has really thin feet so it's very difficult to find shoes, but scarpa shoes are really nice fitting on both of are feet.

[@kaimcguire5086]

Weird. I have wide feet, and the Scarpas were the only ones I tried that fit my foot.

[@alexnunez4019]

Great video(s). Thank you!

[@emgoodlife6681]

It should also be added - don't start with a shoe that is down turned. My first shoes were way too aggressive. I thought it would be fine because my feet didn't hurt, but eventually my shins started hurting. Not to mention, my foot technique sucked. It was over a year before I got a more neutral pair and started actually learning how to use my feet.

[@naminaro8842]

Ugh this is going to be the hardest part! Finding perfect shoes for my janky-ass feet.

[@xander9711]

Hahahaha I can relate I'm buying my first climbing shoes :D What's the level of climbing your at?

[@Pizzi236]

Great videos! Keep on!

[@EricKarlsson]

Thanks man! :D

[@merecago]

Hi Eric, could you do an update or a small series for children? I have an 8 year old son that has been going to climbing school for 3 years now, but I can´t find much info for kids. The shoe is a problem, ´cos my boy destroys his regular snickers every 2 or 3 months, but he also outgrows them pretty much at the same pace. I just bought his first pair of climbing shoes, but i bought them a little large... I´d have to win the lottery to buy 3 or 4 pairs of regular shoes and 3 to 4 pairs of climbing shoes! Maybe there is a trick you can pass along. Ok, sorry for the long message. I really enjoy your videos. I got to you from Magnus.

[@ilciavo]

Thanks for the video, would you advice wearing socks to make the shoe slightly snugger?

[@kaimcguire5086]

Don't wear socks, wear tighter shoes. The reason for having tight shoes in the first place is to bring your foot as close to the rock as possible. Adding another layer is counterproductive.

[@booneuse302]

I'm about to get my first pair of climbing shoes. I was looking at the La Sportiva Finale. My normal comfortable shoe size is a 9 and that is with relatively thick socks on. So for my climbing shoe do you think I should go down a 1/2 size a full size or maybe even 1 1/2 sizes? I do plan on wearing my climbers barefoot.

[@Sajitus]

Hello, 5 years late but saw the video now :) Small question - I am worried that the reason I don't "trust" my feet due to pain is because of my nails digging into my skin (I don't have a penetrating nail, but I think I am starting to...), do you or other climbers go for a pedicure every once in a while to cut these nails 'edges'? Is it something known within the climbers community?

[@snowrider4495]

After wearing climbing and trying on shoes I bought la sportiva mythos!

[@nataliemarie46]

I'm gonna argue that the Momentum's from Black Diamond are the perfect outlier here for beginner shoes... they're sized via street-shoe size and are snug enough for good heel hooks, etc.

[@DearthXalex]

should I get two different sizes if one feels way tighter then the other?

[@JaNo0oO0o]

Hello Eric, I'm also looking into buying a pair of Ocun or Rock Pillars climbing shoes. I'm a beginner, my foot length is 270 mm. Looking at the size chart on holdbreaker.com, I would go for size 41.5, as it would be only 5 mm smaller than my foot. Would this be a good starting point or should I go lower in size? I want to buy them online, so unfortunately I cannot try them on before. Thanks.

[@timeafarkas]

Is there any way to test shoe fit without a wall?

[@JayantWakode]

Hey Eric! Could you please advise about sizing of Ocun Oxi S for high performance fit? I'm expecting high sensitivity and precision on heel hooks.

[@georgiamillis4218]

I have been climbing for a few years now but have always worn red chilli spirit in a size up from my street size. My toes are flat and the toe box is slightly bagging as the laces don't go close enough to the toe. So, tried tenaya masai size 6.5 (I'm 6 street size). Fits snug and comfy everywhere but the toe box...toes are curled quite a bit, which is not too uncomfortable on my right foot but turns out my left foot is bigger 😖😖 I'm not sure whether to keep them or go up another half size, tops of my toe knuckles are painful against the top of the shoe

[@georgiamillis4218]

When your internal dialogue turns into a youtube comment essay 😐

[@HEAVYMETALMAGICVIDS]

Haha I guess I need to get some bigger shoes :P Awesome video!

[@EricKarlsson]

+Noah Robert Thanks Noah! :D

[@jadebonanno6767]

please can you tell me where this place is ? I'm dreaming about a bouldering place like that ! especially with the gym part and this sofa too ;)

[@EricKarlsson]

Its in stockholm Sweden, its called klättercentret Telefonplan :)

[@MyTree]

Hey nice tutorial! I have one question thou My right foot is almost one size smaller in scale than my left foot It is been 3 years that i climb but i haven't found a convenient solution for it Do you have a practical solution for my issue? Thanks!

[@EricKarlsson]

+My Tree Glad you enjoyed it! I see, most people have Half a size diffrence when it comes to there feet, so there is always a tiny bit of compromise. Either you take the shoe slightly bigger so you get less discomfort on your bigger foot, or you take is smaller so you will get abit more doscomfort. So if you want a better fit, i would say try a half size smaller then what you have right now, see how it feels and try see if the fit is worth it. If you have gone down as far as you can and you feel that the pain will hinder you, then i would suggest finding a shoe with a really good heel on it, so even do you might have abit air in the shoe, (the smaller foot) it might still feel solid. Hopefully this can help you! Keep me updated on thoughts and trials :D

[@zein9986]

Thanks this is great advice! But what actual shoe brands and models, as a beginner, should I be looking at?

[@EricKarlsson]

+Babiker Zein Nearly all brands focus on some diffrent formed feets, lets say Fiveten, they usally fit better on people with a a more narrow foot/heel. La sportiva is for Wide Feet and wide heel. Scarpa is going for the more wide feet too, but they are not so nice for people with a greek toe, (toes that are longer then your big toe) But you should start with the beginner shoes from any brand, since they will allow you to stand on a shoe that will help you too eez into climbing and creat a good platform to start from :)

[@zein9986]

+Eric Karlsson Bouldering appreciate the help and thanks for a great series for beginners! :)

[@RissNar]

+Babiker Zein Also since you are a beginner I would avoid down-turn shoes (shoes that have a curved sole). I would recommend shoes that have a flatter bottom because it allows you to ease into climbing then once you get more advanced you can upgrade to a down-turn shoe. I started out with the Five Ten Rogues but the La Sportiva Nago's and Taratulaces are other popular shoes. There are many other options those are just the ones I know off the top of my head. Good luck finding a shoe!

[@ChristopherOkhravi]

Tack :)

[@ievapraneviciute3645]

0:08 epic!:)

[@CCMrJones]

3:01 right? i hate when my feet hurt so much i cant even breed!

[@masoncheng]

i like what you're doing but the audio seems weak in this episode.

[@EricKarlsson]

+masoncheng Yeah im sorry about that, i will not make the mistake again :)

[@paulmitchell5349]

If walking in the shoes is painful, they are too tight. More experienced climbers carry 2 pairs ,one pair a comfy fit and one pair tighter, for very small footholds and smears.I have been climbing for 45 years.

[@noahchicoine4780]

OMG Love the fuzzy monster bag! Where can I get one? Edit: Nevermind Found it! 8B+

[@Eiegod]

Nice video, but where I bought my shoes there was no climbing wall next to the shoerack... :(

[@PImasta]

Eiegod so don't buy them there. Than rather buy them cheaper on the Internet and sent them back within 14 days if they dot match with you. A salespoint without any test climbing rig and any advisory is just useless.

[@Wolf3fd]

Adam Ondra has his normal shoe size 44 and his climbing shoes are 38,5. :D

[@JibbAlbin]

Whoa! I would be screaming if I climbed with shoes that small. Ah, right.

[@AMM1998]

@@JibbAlbin well have you seen the dude climb? that must be why he's so loud hahha

[@theflobro96]

i went from that green lasportiva shoe to the evolv bandit, i went from a size 8 (40,5) to a size 11 (44) to get the right fit. normally i wear a size 8,5 (41) for regular shoes. really weird :p

[@haiphan2977]

theflobro i am a size 2 normally and am a size 4 in climbing shoes - Samantha

[@TheSturle]

My first shoe was the Evolv Bandit, its a awesome beginners/ have on for extended periods shoe. Now i use the shoe mostly for trad/multipitch. The bandit is an good allround shoe, BUT do not buy it too big. The Bandit expands quite a bit when you are breaking it in so if you buy it with an awesome fit right from the getgo it will start to feel a bit loose after som use. I would recomend going half a size down from the good snug fit in the store. It will feel a bit too tight the first time, but after break in it will be an amazing shoe. The leather shoes dos often expand a bit, forming to your feet, compared to the synthetic ones, giving a better fit overall (for me at least) than the synthetic ones :)

[@prawtaannez9780]

what if one of your feet is bigger than the other one by a bit? I bought these climbing shoes and realised one of my big toes was a tiny bit bigger but just enough to make it painful when I put pressure on my big toe. However when I tried a size bigger it was too loose and my feet slid around inside :/ is there anyway I can stretch out my other shoe instead of having to buy two different pairs of shoes? Thankyou!

[@EricKarlsson]

Nearly everyone has a diffrence in foot size, the normal is arouund half a size. So we always have to follow the bigger one, and there will always be compromised. Lets say you take size 42 and that one feels really good on your big foot, you can do everything with it, but on the other foot it feels slightly loose and you dont have the same feeling, its slides around, then you have to make a compromised move. Either you keep that shoe because it feels really good on one foot and you can kinda trust your feet in both shoes, but the performance of the shoes has gone down. Option 2 is to go down i shoe size if you can. But from what i understand is that you cant, so the best thing you can do it to let it stretch out, after a couple of weeks they will feel alot better for sure. is it so painful you cant put your weight on your feet at all?

[@prawtaannez9780]

Eric Karlsson Bouldering It's not to bad tiptoeing on the ground but sometime when I climb and I have to put my weight on my right foot it is almost impossible

[@EricKarlsson]

hmm thats a problem, climbing shoes are made for climbing not walking in, so never pick shoes based on walking around. I would say try other shoes or a bigger size and see what you can do with them, if you cant put weight on your feet, you wont be able to learn how to climb proparly, keep me updated on your progress with another pair of shoes :)

[@prawtaannez9780]

ok I'll try looking around at other shoes and get back to you :) Thankyou btw

[@pamason9191]

Also, Look for reviews on shoes that say they stretch a lot with time. Generally natural materials (as opposed to synthetic materials) have a little more stretch. Try to get one that is a compromise between your two feet, and they will form to your mismatched feet.

[@acwill6259]

Hey Eric, cool pants! Where can I buy a pair?

[@EricKarlsson]

+Alexander Will They are from Blackdiamond, i got mine from Klättercentret, but i hope they sell them at blackdiamond :D

[@thegreat7861]

God I wish I’d have seen this video when I first started climbing 😕😕

[@usefuldreamer4955]

Why wouldn't barefoot shoes work?? Like Vibram 5 finger shoes or Vivobarefoot??

[@jroquem]

i was wondering, if you know an easy way to break in a new pair of climbing shoes.

[@mromanat]

Jorge Roque Climb in them

[@LemonsandLove]

Awesome tips as always! :) I'm curious - do you wear socks in your climbing shoes or not?

[@EricKarlsson]

+Lemons and Love Thanks :D i dont wear any socks in my climbing shoes, the standard thing is too use socks in rental shoes, but in your own shoes always without, so you can get a very good feeling and idea of what you stand on :)

[@jaimecardenascervantes9908]

I wish I had watched this video before buying my first shoes. They're too big and slide out during heel hooks :(

[@kevinorr54]

1:30 "It's a slippery slope"

[@crwelch12]

this like wearing hockey skates i have a nine foot and a 7 skate

[@gritlup2089]

You like a real life version of Milo from Atlantis The Lost Empire.

[@EricKarlsson]

Oh damn, my friends do say that as well :D

[@aaronpower998]

whats the brand of the more aggressive shoe?

[@EricKarlsson]

+Aa powe There name is Ocun and the shoe is Oxi

[@aaronpower998]

+Eric Karlsson Bouldering thanks am debating getting a more agresseve shoe (than my muras )

[@EricKarlsson]

+Aa powe The oxi's is one of my all time favorit shoe, i would highly recommend it :)

[@stephenhunt736]

Does this work out work for tall 10--year-olds😅😅😅

[@rareformx]

Bra saker!

[@jakestanbro959]

Hahaha nice couch.

[@pepakosumbersky9975]

How much size are you feet???

[@apollyon96]

the more pain the better

[@EricKarlsson]

+Yama Bushido haha no Yama ! :D