Stinky Climbing Shoes What to do?

embrace the funk!

jane-gallwey wrote:So washing machine doesn't kill shoes? I've a few pairs of unworn shoes that I'm trying to sell, problem is despite never being worn they've been kicking around in the infamous "gear room" for several years and aren't shiny new looking anymore.

Mine came out in their original color (which I had forgotten was yellow), and smelling wonderful. I used cold/cold cycle on gentle with about 1/4 the amount of detergent I usually use for a load. I also stuffed some dryer sheets in the shoes in the washer and they seem to have given off a nice smell too!

Mike Morin wrote:embrace the funk!

best answer yet. I usually take a good whiff before shoeing up just for the rush.

Mike Morin wrote:embrace the funk!

The funk doesn't embrace me!

I wear a pair of sperry topsider boat shoes, and they develop a similar funk to them over the summer with sweaty feet. I've found that hydrogen peroxide does the trick quite well. Since the stench is caused by bacteria, best way to get ride of it is to kill them. Pour some in there and watch it bubble away. After you do that throw them in the washing machine and they should be good as new.

If you can squeeze into your shoes with a thin pair of socks and climb with them every so often, the micro-organisms will transfer to your socks that can be washed and slowly the stench will decrease. This will also stretch out your shoe some, so they will be a little more comfortable on long pitches.

MAK wrote:If you can squeeze into your shoes with a thin pair of socks and climb with them every so often, the micro-organisms will transfer to your socks that can be washed and slowly the stench will decrease.

It's all about the bacteria. You've got a foot problem, not a shoe problem. Most of the fixes posted address the symptoms. Get the bacteria off your feet, out of your other shoes, and off of the shower floor.

Socks are a good idea. Use thin WOOL socks. Wool is anti-microbic, and takes way longer to get funky.

Get the dead skin off your feet. I've always thought jogging barefoot on the beach would be great for this, but I really have no idea. Anyway, I think the chicks would dig it too, but you'll have to ask Hank.

Hank Caylor wrote:Wash your damn feet! Dirtbags. The ladies dig it.

+1

Stich says, "'That is also certainly the case with my old fleece and synthetic shirts.'"

What, you don't wash those things after a day of climbing? Your poor partner(s). LOL

Funny thread that comes up now and again....

Personally, I've never used anything for my shoes and they don't smell that bad. But then again, I have about 4-5 pair of shoes that I rotate. I also keep everything aired out in my gear room, ropes, packs, shoes, all soft goods, everything.

Mi dos centavos

adios y tengo un buen dia
Juan

Make a tea tree oil spray with some water. I'd say 2 oz of water to about 20 or so drops of tea tree. Spray it in your shoes and on your feet before and after you climb. Works well for athlete's foot as well.

Dr Scholls foot powder regularly both during and after use......cedar shoe forms when shoes aren't being used.

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I always had disgusting shoes until I put essential oils of Maleleuca and lavendar in my shoes. Works wonders!

Isopropyl alcohol works wonders.

Here's one solution that works and I swear by...

Pour about 4-6 oz. of Pin-Sol in a bucket of water. Put some rocks in your shoes so the sink. Soak for about 24 hours. Take out and rinse with water. Air-dry.

This works wonders. Pine-Sol is a natural anti-bacterail, and is bio-degreadable. It is safe on your shoes and doesn't melt the rubber off or do anything to ruin the shoe.

I used to have this problem until I started carrying my shoes clipped to the outside of my pack. I appears that damp shoes buried deep inside a climbing pack create a veritable paradise for bacteria.

Shoes on the outside of ones pack stay dry and in my experience smell free. Plus what better way to show off to the world that you are a bad ass climber.

"Canada" Eric Ruljancich wrote:I used to have this problem until I started carrying my shoes clipped to the outside of my pack. I appears that damp shoes buried deep inside a climbing pack create a veritable paradise for bacteria. Shoes on the outside of ones pack stay dry and in my experience smell free. Plus what better way to show off to the world that you are a bad ass climber.

Yep, I always carry the shoes clipped to the outside of the pack unless I have to do otherwise.

I probably posted this before since this is such an old thread, but I put them in a plastic bag and toss them in the freezer.

After climbing open up your shoes and put a dryer sheet or two inside of each. It should help with the smell. Also don't keep the shoes closed up tight, or in the bottom of a bag.

Its a trick I learned with my mountain bike pads.

Scott McMahon wrote: Yep, I always carry the shoes clipped to the outside of the pack unless I have to do otherwise. I probably posted this before since this is such an old thread, but I put them in a plastic bag and toss them in the freezer.

Or, if you're lazy like me, just leave them in your car parked outside overnight during winter.

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