Climbing Shoes for Beginners

Ok, so rock climbing has become your new favorite sport and you are slowly progressing. What's next? Your first pair of climbing shoes! Just like beginning any other sport you are lost and unsure what to look for in this first purchase. Thanks to our friends at Outside Magazine they have provided this article with tips and suggestions of what to look for. Read full article here or begin below.

"What Should I Look For In My First Pair Of Climbing Shoes?"

By: Joe Jackson

The world of climbing is filled with opinionated people. For advice on my first pair of climbing shoes, I turned to one of them: Saylor Flett, a full time teacher for Feather River College's Outdoor Program where he has introduced hundreds of students to climbing.

He's been obsessed with all things climbing for more than a decade, and in spite of having a real job—is a proper dirtbag. His position offers him ample time to live the dream—taking off to Yosemite every May to sleep in a cave and climb big walls like El Cap.

Saylor told me that everyone should absolutely buy their first pair of climbing shoes from a reputable shop, but warned me to be wary with the fitting advice that you may receive from the employees. "Some tough guy gym rat who can do pull ups with his pinkies is going to tell them to buy a pair of shoes that are a size and a half too small. They aren't going to clip their toenails, are going to be miserable in those shoes, and they are going to quit climbing," he said.

Read full article here.