Shoes for Red Rocks

Heading to Red Rocks early December and I've got a perfectly good pair of pink Anasazis that are sized great for 1-3 pitches but would be intolerable for some of the 6-8-10 pitch climbs I anticipate there. Any thoughts on whether I should go in the direction of mocs for comfort in combination with the anasazis or is it really going to be best to get an all arounder like the TC pros? also weighing the price point between the two. Thanks!

TC Pros are definitely worth the money for long days. They are stiff enough that you can even wear them with a thin sock and still climb pretty hard.

Moccs are incredibly comfortable (depending on sizing), but not terribly supportive. I could see you getting some pretty tired legs after 10 pitches in Moccs. Do you take your Pinks off between pitches? I know that this is easier said than done, but this might be a good idea after 2-3 pitches. TC Pros are comfy and supportive and still perform really well even if you size for comfort, but they are not cheap.

Do you like your Pinks? Maybe get another pair a half size up? My pinks are my long route shoes, and I love them. Good for edging and crack climbing - perfect for RR. I love TC Pros, but not for climbing thin cracks so I prefer the Pinks for routes you get a little of everything. I think Mocs would suck for the edgy pitches at RR.

You guys are crazy. You don't need TC Pros to climb moderates in RR.

Use whatever shoe is comfortable and go climb!

You might notice that he didn't specify a grade range....

Taking them off at belays sounds cheaper than a new pair of shoes. My $0.02.

Ted Pinson wrote:You might notice that he didn't specify a grade range....

Yeah and his profile says leads 5.10a.....
At Red Rocks a pair of decent approach shoes got me up that stuff and I´m fat, weak, old and talentless:-)

Locker wrote:Personally I think climbing in a pair of comfortable shoes is a better idea.

Yeah, but then how are you going to add an extra half hour to your climb time?

Locker wins.

After we settle the shoe conundrum, could we discuss how to wipe your butt on a trad climb? I go to the old standby of a ham sandwich, but keep losing my appetite. PLEASE HELP ME MAKE SIMPLE DECISIONS!!!

Locker wrote: Personally I think climbing in a pair of comfortable shoes is a better idea.

Of course, this is ideal. I'm just trying to be realistic. Sure, go ahead and grab a pair of TC Pros -- they're great shoes (as they should be for $180). I own a pair and use them often for multi-pitch climbing, but I still never wear them for more than 2-3 pitches anyway. Obviously, you have to be careful, and perhaps you just partially remove them to ease the tension (which can all be done while you belay your second, in addition to eating/drinking/adding layers/picking your nose, etc -- it's boring on belay). If your climbing shoes are so spacious to allow comfortable climbing for 10 pitches, they're really no more than approach shoes without traction. That's the case for my feet, anyway.

As far as wasted time, again, the trick is to handle this business while belaying (a follower). Worst case scenario, it's hardly Patagonian alpine conditions over there. You're safer on the walls than in Vegas!

I know -- I'll immediately think of this post when I finally manage to drop one!

Hmm...climbing in approach shoes is an interesting idea. Anyone ever climb cracks in them?