mtngrrrl Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 I like my shoes, but I've come to realize I should add a new shoe to my collection based on the following. First, if I want to climb 5.10+ alpine (or even alpine cragging a la WA Pass), I'm going to have to climb hand cracks. Second, I hate crack climbing pain. It seems like whenever I'm in a hand-sized crack my feet are killing me. My hands hurt, too, but I can handle that. My feet even hurt on Classic Crack to the point that I can't imagine climbing even 3 pitches like that. So, what should I look for in a good, all day crack shoe. Board lasted?? That sounds so old skool, but I did like the Boreal Zephyr's when I tried them on years ago. I have three pairs of shoes now, two sportier, softer shoes and one sorta straight-on, tube-shaped shoes that I wear with socks on long, cold routes. These work OK in cracks, but they're a little on the large side since the last resole. Since it's not always about the shoes, how do you cope with the pain of torquing your foot in cracks like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 boreal ace, or get stronger feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montanapup Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Boreal aces. Pretty good realiable board lasted shoe. If you want a slipper, I'm trying out the new 5.10 Anasazi Southwest. This shoe is really stiff with nice edge and seems to have a nice support. I've used these for bouldering and sport. Crack is next. I prefer a slipper nowadays and these work for me. My two bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 boreal ace, or get stronger feet. Pbbbbtttt. Yer the only one who likes those ones Drupy. Aces are excellent though for a career with Ringling Bros. All pointed and shit. *For Me* -Wide cracks, big enough to hand jam and above: don't matter waht you wear, gumboots, whatever -- it's all about pain tolerance, in hands and feet. Jamming full foot hurts less than only the front portions. -Thin cracks: slippers are the best. Sensitivity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Jamming is gonna hurt no matter what in big cracks (esp if you weigh 210 like me). Suck it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 no doubt it hurts after many pitches, but your feet get stronger and you learn how to place them so they don't hurt as much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Your shoes could be too tight. Note that you said one of your pairs was not too bad, but they were a little big. If you've got shoes where your toes are hammered over you are obviously going to hate cramming those things in cracks. My advice: shoes that let your toes lie flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 YO! The best crack shoe out there for hand cracks (ha, everyone's got a different opinion) is a blown out moccasym...emphasis on blown out! You want your toes to be flat, w/o the slight toe down bend that you have for good sport climbing performance... Screw the board lasting...moc's are where its at...they've got a smooth upper surface so there's no material (like a reinforcing area around lacing holes) that will "bite" your foot when its inserted and torqued in the crack...and the toes have to lie FLAT... Plus, they are super fast to slip off at belays, you can even just pop the heel off for instant relief if you need it!!!! One thing that sux though is walking off in them...but that's where a pair of tevas work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Jamming is gonna hurt no matter what in big cracks (esp if you weigh 210 like me). Suck it up. 210!!!! JEEZUZ!!! You should go climb offwidths and get out of hand cracks!!! HAHAHAHAHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Jamming is gonna hurt no matter what in big cracks (esp if you weigh 210 like me). Suck it up. 210!!!! JEEZUZ!!! You should go climb offwidths and get out of hand cracks!!! HAHAHAHAHA I should just go climb ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 No way! You'll pull the wall down!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 No way! You'll pull the wall down!! i really like the mythos for crack climbing. awesome shoe for all-day climbs. but sometimes climbing cracks just hurts - that's just part of crack-climbing. technique helps, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cman Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 for the mythos. taking care and placing each foot jam carefully has definitely lessen foot pain for me. that is why great climbers can climb cracks all day, not because they are masochists but because excellent technique= not painful. or so i have been told by great climbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallstein Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Mythos and mocassyms are great for thin crack climbing with mixed face moves. But they wear out way to fast. I usually only get around 40 days of climbing on them before they blow out. Not nearly worth what they cost. I would reccommend something with a little more leather and structure. The boreal equinox is a good all around crack shoe. The leather is a little thicker than the moccs and the mythos with a little stiffer sole. Not as brick like as an ace though. Equinoxs get even better after the first resole, boreal rubber sucks for most crack climbing. I do almost all of my multi-pitch climbing in a pair of old Kaukulators. I have had them for 5 years and they are on there first sole. They have been up 5 walls and have at least 125 days of climbing on them and they are still going strong. I remember being a young sport climber and laughing at people that wore shocks in their shoes but i've made the swith to socks and have never been happier. Something that I have found to drastically lengthened the life of my climbing shoes is seam grip. I coat all of the seams and goo up the pinky toe area. On the pain...well its almost all entirely technique and balance. The only time my feet hurt when crack climbing is when I am pumped and stressing out. My technique and awareness go to shit and I start torqueing my feet way to much. Same goes for my hands, I only get gobies when I start over-jamming and stop focusing on the pressure I am applying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyperu Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Mythos and mocassyms are great for thin crack climbing with mixed face moves. But they wear out way to fast. I usually only get around 40 days of climbing on them before they blow out. Not nearly worth what they cost. I would reccommend something with a little more leather and structure. The boreal equinox is a good all around crack shoe. The leather is a little thicker than the moccs and the mythos with a little stiffer sole. Not as brick like as an ace though. Equinoxs get even better after the first resole, boreal rubber sucks for most crack climbing. I do almost all of my multi-pitch climbing in a pair of old Kaukulators. I have had them for 5 years and they are on there first sole. They have been up 5 walls and have at least 125 days of climbing on them and they are still going strong. I remember being a young sport climber and laughing at people that wore shocks in their shoes but i've made the swith to socks and have never been happier. Something that I have found to drastically lengthened the life of my climbing shoes is seam grip. I coat all of the seams and goo up the pinky toe area. On the pain...well its almost all entirely technique and balance. The only time my feet hurt when crack climbing is when I am pumped and stressing out. My technique and awareness go to shit and I start torqueing my feet way to much. Same goes for my hands, I only get gobies when I start over-jamming and stop focusing on the pressure I am applying. this is the best advice youre gonna find... i have the blu kauks too and they are real good and comfy...i also like the mythos, but as wallstein says they wear out quicky. techniq is the answer, and i find that focusing on the climbing helps me avoid focusing on the pain, or falling, or being scuurrrd, or anything negative like that. have fun-bp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 i've got a pair of 5.10 diamonds that i had forever before they died. most comfy pair of shoes i've had ever even for cracks. now someone out there needs to teach me to jam w/o gettin gobies. my feet never bother me much but my hands are are mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lummox Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 personally for 5.10 cracks a supertight shoe dont add much in the way of performance. i go for all day comfort. i have blue kaukulators. on the third fukin resole. i reckon i will have to try the la sportiva mega as a replacement. i like the ankle bone cover. low top shoes tend to dig into my achilles to the point of blister. fuk that noise. friends swear by their old scarpa dominators. not many high top climbing shoes around anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 i've got a pair of 5.10 diamonds that i had forever before they died. most comfy pair of shoes i've had ever even for cracks. now someone out there needs to teach me to jam w/o gettin gobies. my feet never bother me much but my hands are are mess! Get some bigger ones! And isn't anything bigger than a purple camalot an offwidth for you anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtngrrrl Posted February 16, 2004 Author Share Posted February 16, 2004 Thanks for the posts. It's funny, I never hear anyone talk about cracks hurting, so I'm glad to hear others feel the pain, too. I'm fine with dime edging and steep slab smearing, but owie on the crack torquing. I don't think it's really a foot strength issue. Guess I'd better practice some more. Yeah, technique... Yeah... Uh, what's a "gobie"? Sounds like snot on your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Gobie: hole in hand. Ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglehead Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 I like my Aces. Yeah, they're not the most sensitive shoes, but they work for me for cracks. I have 2 prs of shoes, the Aces and a pair of slippers for more sensitive stuff. The slippers wear fast though. Gobies: TAPE. Don't most of you tape your hands for at least some cracks???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 I picked up a pair of the new Scarpa Marathons last year right before climbing Angel's Crest in Squamish. I wore them all day and loved them. I've climbed up to 5.10 cracks in them. I even don't mind the Scarpa rubber, but 5.10 rubber will make them better. They're slip lasted, but do have a slightly stiffer sole which helps when jamming. I agree with what others have said, as your technique improves your feet will hurt less. However, sometimes it will just fucking hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrueger Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Since it's not always about the shoes, how do you cope with the pain of torquing your foot in cracks like that? Climb faster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Since it's not always about the shoes, how do you cope with the pain of torquing your foot in cracks like that? Climb faster! Krueger's actually got a point here. When I'm resting on one jam and fiddling with gear or figuring out where to move next, that's when I feel the most pain. Also, I don't always slam all of my foot into the crack, just what needs it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrueger Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Krueger's actually got a point here. You say that like you're surprised -- as if I never have a point? I hate to state the obvious, but it's usually the first thing overlooked ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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