Flatiron soloing shoes?

Generally speaking I'm a coward and usually wear my rock shoes when soloing. That said I forgot them today and felt ok in my POS everyday shoes, so I wanted to ask what others are wearing these days.

Thanks.

BC

whatever shoes are best for jumping over the giant deuce somebody left about halfway up, GOOD STYLE!

NO!!! Scared shitless! ; }

Brian C. wrote:Generally speaking I'm a coward and usually wear my rock shoes when soloing. That said I forgot them today and felt ok in my POS everyday shoes, so I wanted to ask what others are wearing these days. Thanks. BC

"Generally speaking I'm a coward" = actually bitches, get ready for my awesomeness
go ahead and bow if that is your thing.

" and usually wear my rock shoes when I solo." = yes, I solo; as in I climb up shit without a partner(please don't speculate as to why I can't usually find a partner, just trust me I got plenty of partners begging to give me a belay).

" That said I forgot them today" = that's right bitches, soloing is so mainstream and casual to me that I forgot to bring my shoes. In fact I'm so cas about climbing up shit without a rope that I was intending to go to the 'cas route' on the diamond( F$@k, you of course I know the chimney will be a snowy mess right now and that you can't see incoming weather so get off it by noon or else your a lightning roasted noob).

"and felt ok in my POS everyday shoes" = that's right, I exude sticky rubber. I coulda climbed that s&;t with bowling balls strapped to my feet.

", so I wanted to ask what others are wearing these days. Thanks.". So I chllenge any a you chimps to claim you done something half as badass a this. Go ahead claims some shit.

I love my Evolv Cruzers. Perfect for the approach, feel great on the flatiron sandstone slabs.

Boo baa wrote: "Generally speaking I'm a coward" = actually bitches, get ready for my awesomeness .go ahead and bow if that is your thing. " and usually wear my rock shoes when I solo." = yes, I solo; as in I climb up shit without a partner(please don't speculate as to why I can't usually find a partner, just trust me I got plenty of partners beggting to give me a belay). " That said I forgot them today" = that's right bitches, soloing is so mainstream and casual to me that I forgot to bring my shoes. In fact I'm so cas about climbing up shit without a rope that I wans intending to go to the 'jcas route' on the diamond( F$@k, you of course I know the chimney will be a snowy mess right now and that you can't see incoming weather so get off it by noon or else your a lightning roasted noob). "and felt ok in my POS everyday shoes" = that's right, I exude sticky rubber. I coulda climbed that s&;t with bowling balls strapped to my feet. ", so I wanted to ask what others are wearing these days. Thanks.". So I chllenge any a you chimps to claim you done something half as badass a this. Go ahead claims some shit.

Generally speaking you are a moron

Paul-B wrote: Generally speaking you are a moron

Still getting the spray off my face. Just looking for the actual message/motivation of the OP.
And I'm posting the from the third flatiron, in my PJ's and my bedroom slipperz(which I resoled with butter)

Boo baa wrote: Just looking for the actual message/motivation of the OP.

Clearly you are either not very bright, illiterate, or joined today and are trolling hard. Your profile concludes the latter.

Paul-B wrote: Clearly you are either not very bright, illiterate, or joined today and are trolling hard. Your profile concludes the latter.

I won't claim any of the above, but do people really want to get the pulse of the general climbing public regarding what they're using these days for impromptu solos in the flatiron? Or maybe, just maybe was the OP motivated to let all of us know that he solo'ed the flatiron in his tennies . . .

Boo baa wrote: I won't claim any of the above, but do people really want to get the pulse of the general climbing public regarding what they're using these days for impromptu solos in the flatiron? Or maybe, just maybe was the OP motivated to let all of us know that he solo'ed the flatiron in his tennies . . .

You're right, no one on this website is ever interested in what other people are using. Anyone asking these things is clearly just a braggart.

Additionally, soloing flatirons in tennies is not remotely uncommon. The third has been soloed in roller skates...

I prefer to free solo wearing my bunny slippers. As in monte python and the holy grail killer rabbit slippers. They're awesome! Yeah!

I've just done Freeway in climbing shoes, but my roommate borrowed my Vasque Scree light hikers and liked them, I think I'll try those the next time I head up.

Yo B,

I always just wear approach shoes. (I assume you mean flatirons as you are from the area.. But didn't clarify that...)

Just don't get them muddy, or carry yer rock shoes in the little backpack with your beer & chalk as a backup...

People solo like this in the flatirons all the time. I actually like it better then wearing my rock shoes.. Not just for comfort, but it keeps me from getting into trying things too hard. (Keeps me out of getting myself into trouble. That may be hard for some folks to grasp that thought!)

I don't know why people have to be posting like assholes about this... Shit, some long solos, or scrambles as we call them are only 4th class to 5.4!
If you can climb 5.8 (lead) and have the ability to just have a "good head" then it is not that big of a deal. Sure, don't fall.. You would die.. But you could die driving down the road too, and that does not keep people from driving. Or any other philosophical way you want to put it!

If you want info on any fun flatiron after work link ups PM me and we can chat. No need to blow peoples minds on here with that! ;)

And, if you like to solo and have a beer there too.. :) let me know, and we can go have some fun!

Cheers,
Cory

Thanks to the few people with input. I assumed Flatirons was obvious from the post thread but I guess not. Let me try to be a tad more specific. I solo easy east face routes in the Flatirons often and like I mention tend to be overly cautious as far as wearing climbing shoes as they feel much better than the cheap tennis I own and often will carry a thin rope so I don't have to do down climb routes. Yesterday I forgot my shoes and ended up feeling ok in my old worn out shoes Der Freischutz Sout Ridge but would much rather have had something that climbed better in a few places as my shoes don't friction well at all. Just made me wonder if I could get another shoe that climbed we'll enough so I didn't always have to bring my rock shoes.

Does anybody have a recommendation on a good, sturdy tennis shoe or approach shoe that hikes we'll up the trail but doesn't feel like your feet are going to peel off at any moment?

I use La Sportiva Boulders ...

When I lived in boulder I would usually wear my Sportiva wildcats (trail runners).

I had kind of a trail running / easy soloing circuit thing going so that worked out nicely.

Boo baa wrote: Still getting the spray off my face. Just looking for the actual message/motivation of the OP. And I'm posting the from the third flatiron, in my PJ's and my bedroom slipperz(which I resoled with butter)

Funny, the OP wasn't 1/10th the dick you are being. Yer' hung like a digitally enhanced porn star here.
Lots of people scramble in the flatirons, it's OK, really. It's a long tradition.

As for the OP:
About any tight-fitting sticky rubber approach shoe will do. Dot rubber is better than lugs, all around. Just make sure there is no slop in the toe-box and that you won't get blisters on the downhills if you are sockless. From there, it's down to fit and comfort. Sportiva and 5.10 make some of the better models as far as I am concerned. About 1/2 of the guys I know scramble in Sportiva's Exum Ridge model. That's saying something considering that there must be 20 options to choose from these days- to have one model dominate like that. The 5.10 'Guide Tennies" are the one I'd say I seen next most often.

Unfortunately they don't make the exum ridge anymore. But I will second that. pretty much anything with sticky rubber will climb well(rope or no rope), so long as it is fitted with a tight toebox. Nowadays some people are making light running shoes with sticky rubber. For most the difference in friction and security is huge.

Thanks guys. The shoes I was wearing yesterday have a very sloppy toe box even with them cinched in all the way. I use the Patagonia Cragmaster as an aid climbing shoe but always figured it wouldn't smear well on Flatirons due to it's slight rigidity. I'll take them out and give them a go. I'll also check out the Boulder Xs.

Tony B wrote: Lots of people scramble in the flatirons, it's OK, really. It's a long tradition.

But most don't have to spray about it especially trying to disguise it as a gear question.