best crack climbing shoes?

Moc's if its thin or you have to smear the crack. Make sure to fit them with your toes flat. They are amazing for Indian Creek.

Barracuda's work great for thin hand and hand cracks. I find they are not sensitive enough for finger cracks.

Miura's for just about anything.

I have a pair of Sportiva Tradmasters but I find them way too stiff and insensitive for most climbs. I now use them for offwidths which seems to be ok.

The 5.10 piton is an incredible crack shoe, just look at the amount of rubber on it. However the fit can be somewhat exclusive as it has a relatively large toe box. This also makes it a little less effective at thin cracks. I have also enjoyed the scarpa techno. You might be able to find a pair of scarpa marathons for cheap (discontinued I believe) - a great trad shoe but seemed to fall apart easily.

I am very fond of the Scarpa Techno for crack climbing and trad climbing in general. The only time I want a different shoe is if things get steep.

If your toes are curled much in your current shoe, I would definately attribute your pain to your footwear.

I believe I inadvertantly made the proper transition with footwear and I reccomend you take this into consideration for now and as your technique improves down the road:

I started out in a comfortable, relaxed fit shoe (toes flat) called the Montreal Splitter - no longer available, same class as the 5.10 Piton and Sportiva Tradmaster. They were great for learning the basics of crack climbing (balance, movement in corners and face splitters, ect... climbed lots of hand cracks with them and they were perfect). I found that they did not have the sensitivity i needed for thin-hands and down, so i bought a pair of...

Sportiva Mytho's (slightly better edging capabilities, thinner profile for thinner cracks, more snug fit than my previous shoe) but I thought did not hold up very well over time, although I did climb a bunch of fist and OW at IC in them. This led me to buy a pair of...

5.10 Moccasym, AKA "Mock's" (no laces to get chewed up, super plyable for surface contact in thinner cracks). I used them for bouldering for a week or so until they stretched out for cracks, and they have been my Indian Creek crack shoe ever since - the great thing about them is they have a super narrow profile (around the pinky toe), which makes finger cracks at least fathomable for me. They don't give me any pain regardless the size crack, but I think if I had jumped right into the Moc's off the get-go I would be crying my eyes out. They do suck at edging (which is nice now and then, even on crack climbs), so i bought...

Sportiva Katana's... seem to be relaxed fit, like the Moc's, but also seem to edge better. I am yet to see how they hold up, but so far they seem comforable, all round shoe for edging, thin cracks, and fat cracks as well.

Take from this what you want.

B

If you want to toughen up those feet and climb thin cracks, get a hold of some Ninja's. Initially your feet will die but then they will get better. I really like Acopa's for wider cracks, being designed by a pretty good crack climber they work well.
I think the best thing for improving technique is some top roping and PLACING your finger/hands.

john

dirtbag wrote:Sportiva Katana's... seem to be relaxed fit, like the Moc's, but also seem to edge better. I am yet to see how they hold up, but so far they seem comforable, all round shoe for edging, thin cracks, and fat cracks as well. Take from this what you want. B

The rands are so thin on katanas that they aren't going to hold up very long. Watch them really close, and as soon as the rand starts wearing, send them in to get a thicker rand.

Jon Ruland wrote:

Huh?

First, I don't troll. Second, and this will respond to an earlier post as well, when I (that, just me) say that, what I really mean is that if you're taping, odds are your technique could use some work and that if it was better you could avoid taping. Like John Strand said in his post, a lot of newer climbers don't realize that you don't stuff your hands in the crack, you place them and then apply counterpressure. Saves alot of skin and energy.

P.S. Don't bag on people offering legit. advice to your posts.

Fat Dad wrote: Huh? First, I don't troll. Second, and this will respond to an earlier post as well, when I (that, just me) say that, what I really mean is that if you're taping, odds are your technique could use some work and that if it was better you could avoid taping. Like John Strand said in his post, a lot of newer climbers don't realize that you don't stuff your hands in the crack, you place them and then apply counterpressure. Saves alot of skin and energy. P.S. Don't bag on people offering legit. advice to your posts.

You should try saying what you mean then, rather than parroting inflammatory aphorisms. There's a big difference between saying that tape is aid and that tape may adversely affect technique.

Tico wrote: You should try saying what you mean then, rather than parroting inflammatory aphorisms. There's a big difference between saying that tape is aid and that tape may adversely affect technique.

First of all, lighten up. Second, I am not "parroting an imflammatory statement.". There's nothing inflammatory about it. Rather you merely appear to be overly sensitive about a nonissue. Third, tape does help some to do climbs that might be more difficult without it. It's just part of the learning curve. It doesn't harm the rock, it isn't unethical, so who cares. I suggest you find bigger issues to worry about.

John Langston wrote:The best crack shoes are the ones having the most fun

Still miss Alex...can't believe it will be 10 yrs in Oct.

rip

Jon,

The most comfortable crack climbing shoe "currently in production" is the Sportiva Tradmaster. I've used them at Indian Creek for 4 solid days and my feet were still fresh for more cracks.

However the Tradmasters are not the shoe for finger cracks. I'm in search of the perfect finger crack "Coyne crack" shoe. I want something with a solid last that is not boxy and will fit nicely into finger cracks. I have on my list to try:
5.10 Piton
Evolve Bandit
Evolve Qwest - AF
Sportiva Baracuda
Sportiva Katana
Scarpa Techno

Has anyone tried the above shoes on finger cracks?

The techno is a spectacular all purpose shoe. Because of the shape of my feet, it and the mythos are the only footwear I have found that actually fits me, so honestly I have not used many other shoes through the years, but can comment on these. The scarpas have a flat rand so they are actually wearable for a whole day on rock, they edge ok, not mind blowingly well, but still certainly a high performance shoe. They're not the stiffest, so in cracks you can get your foot in past the toes it starts to hurt a little, but not horribly, and that's just part of the fun right? In thinner cracks they are great. If you need one shoe to do everything in, hard bouldering to long alpine moderates, go with the technos. It you are not as concerned with dime edgeing things, maybe try out the sportiva trad masters, they are sneaker comfy with a solid rand that cranks crack below 5.12 with ease.

Bryon, I've climbed in the Techno's a bit until I lost them. I used them out in Yosemite the entire trip on the Salathe and craggin'. I think they are a great shoe. I probably wouldn't wear them on harder thin cracks. I climbed the Rostrum while out there and carried the Scarpa Visions up just for the crux crack. I think the techno covers a lot of ground. I considered them an all day type shoe.

Rob Kepley wrote: Scarpa Visions

I too had Visions but, all that Peyote gave me the runs. hahah sorry.

I really did have visions but i bought them too large so i never wore them and finally gave them away The Veloce is a decent shoe but i believe 5.10 pitons are the crack shoe. I hear the 5X is good too they're just a more agressive version of moccs though.