Choosing shoes: trying to “graduate” from Mythos

I’ve been climbing casually (read: multipitch 5.6-5.7 once or twice a year, infrequent visits to the gym) for about 20 years. In the past year, my 7-year-old joined a team and now I’m able to go the gym 2-3 times a week. I’ve starting leading and bouldering and generally pushing my limits and making steady progress in difficulty.

For those 20 years, I had a succession of La Sportiva Mythos. They fit like a glove and I didn’t have any need to try something different. Recently, I started looking for a new shoe that might be better suiting to a variety of more challenging terrain. My last pair were Mythos Eco, and I felt like the rubber wasn’t as sticky and the edging, of course, still sucks.

So far, I’ve totally failed. Anything that curls my toes over at all is intolerable—I could barely start to climb, much less test the shoe’s capabilities (Sportiva Miura, Skwama, and Solution; evolv Shaman; Scarpa Vapor V). (Also, because I have a bunion developing on one foot, I don’t think I should push through the pain. I’d like to be climbing for another 20 years.) I felt optimistic about the Tenaya Tarifa because they were soft, flexible and didn’t curl my toes (and I was excited about the sensitivity for tiny foot holds), but they turned out to be too soft (my ankles actually hurt), and in a direct comparison, I climbed better in my old shoes.

The only shoes I’ve been able to tolerate are TC Pros. While I’ll definitely use them for multipitch, I’d still like a pair better suited for the gym.

Questions for more experienced climbers on here:

- After reading all that, is there a shoe I should try?

- Is there anything out there that has superior performance to the Mythos but a relatively similar fit?
- I’m 37. Is it possible that after two decades with the same style shoe, my technique is adapted to THAT shoe and I just can’t make the switch to something new?

I thought one graduated to mythos.  As in if you are good enough to climb in mythos you can be comfortable all day.  If not you have to suffer. 

Mythos for sport to easy 10, Muria VS for hard 10 & up, Mythos for multi-pitch to 5.8/9, TC Pros for harder multi-pitch and
crack climbs.  And yes, the Murias are not “all day” shoes like Mythos.

I, too have foot problems, and mostly wear Mythos. The only other shoes I can tolerate are the women’s lace up Miuras and Tenaya Masai, which, incidentally, also have the same rubber as the Mythos. 

Possibly the katana lace sized for comfort. Stiff, not super downturned (when sized for comfort), an edging machine and some people love them for thin cracks...

I'm in a similar boat, just this season I had to move away from climbing primarily in mythos due to foot pain on long routes.

Look into the 5.10 Gambit. I'm impressed with my pair, they're super comfy, and even a half size to big, I don't notice it on anything but the smallest of edges. 

Or the Anasazi.  You might try the Pink Lace-ups or Tan Velcro, as they’re flat-lasted and won’t contort your foot into a weird shape but the heel tension gives you a lot of extra power.

Ted Pinson wrote: Or the Anasazi.  You might try the Pink Lace-ups or Tan Velcro, as they’re flat-lasted and won’t contort your foot into a weird shape but the heel tension gives you a lot of extra power.

The gambit is built on the Anasazi sole with the comfortable upper of the Rogue. ;) 

I guess I just don't understand the aversion to socks. It seems so many are hell bent against the idea of wearing them but I can't understand why. I resisted myself but I'm open minded and tried it after not only my local partner but a old school big name guy pushed me to try em. Was hooked the very first time I jammed a crack and that was that.

I only have to size about 1/2 size (euro) up in order to wear a medium/thin sock, and the break in for TC's or Katana Lace (as another poster said, very good choice if you don't want to wear TC's in the gym) is only 2-3 gym sessions. For multipitch, I wear the medium sock for at least 5-6, maybe 8-10 pitches, depending on heat. As my foot expands, I often take them off at ledge belays, and will switch to a DRI-FIT style thin sock after 6-8 pitches. If, say around pitch 12-14, I'm still feeling too snug in the shoe, I can ditch the sock entirely and still be comfortable, while retaining a snug fitting shoe and still having good performance. I'm sorry but comfort means a lot more to me than that last 1% of performance that I *might* obtain by sizing way too small.

OP, find someone with a 1/2 size larger and try a couple diff sock combinations, see how it feels...you might be surprised.

Try Tenaya Masai. I still climb Mythos for all day moderates. I can't tolerate downturned toes. The Masai stick to everything. They are super precise. The toe area is stiffer that the Tarifa.

Why do you feel you need to change shoes?  Wear what fits.  There's an older dude I climb with that I've watched climb overhanging 5.13 sport routes and boulder V8 in mythos---with socks.  Same dude cruises 5.12 crack and slab.  Could he bump it up a letter grade with super aggressive shoes?  Maybe.  Would he be more uncomfortable?  Definitely.  

Footwork and mileage will do more for you than cramming your feet into an uncomfortable position that may lead to you actually climbing less.  

Five Ten Verdons are my favorite comfy shoe. They’re great for edging, decent for smearing, wide toe box probably won’t bother your bunion, and they are on sale cheap on the Adidas website. I sometimes use the lace ups for crack climbing and they are pretty decent for that too.

Rogues are nice and comfy and versatile as well, less supportive than Verdons. I, too, am a sock wearing heathen.

It’s nice to get all these recommendations. But , the two most important aspects for your new shoes are finding ones that match your foot shape and getting the right size. Shoe salespeople often want to cram climbers into something too tight. With so many synthetic shoes out there, you need to buy the shoes to feel the way you want it to fit almost out of the box since they barely stretch at all. This is in complete contradiction to the mythos which stretch a ton.

Based on what you are saying, I would look for a shoe that is flat to slightly down turned and stiffer than the mythos. Lie to the salesperson. Tell them your size is at least one size bigger. When you find a shoe that seems to match your foot shape, no hot spots, even pressure all around, you can then decide to drop a half size or more. You should be able to walk around, play on a test wall if they have one, for at least 15 minutes with no pain. Your shoes do not have to be painful to perform.

Try the TC Pros.  I was a long-time Mythos wearer and switched to the TC's about a year ago.  For me they are nearly as comfortable as the Mythos and perform MUCH better all around, but especially for edging.  I use them for everything, including the gym.

Consider a second pair of Mythos a half size smaller. Plenty of people climb/have climbed super difficult routes in them. If they don't seem as sticky, give them a quick scrub with sand paper or a wire brush. Or maybe resole with something stickier. Some alternatives that work for me (ie my feet are different than yours...but maybe not by much!): I like my Sportiva Cobras for the gym and some outdoor routes (wouldn't generally wear them for long trad though they're pretty comfortable). I like the Sportiva Katanas nearly as well as TC Pros for all day stuff--mine are tighter than my TC Pros. Last, but not least, my son bought a used pair of Scarpa Instincts out of the $15 bin at the gym a few weeks ago. Too big for him, they fit me perfectly and are now my go-to gym shoe, especially for steep stuff. They edge super well...

Bottom line though is don't over-think it. Your shoes, my shoes, these aren't what holds us back! ;-) 

Amy Brown, I was told that you can get very good edging performance from Mythos by having your resoler add a second layer of rubber and then sand it down to taper with the first layer.  Maybe ask your resoler if they have ever done this.  Then you have exactly the fit you want with better edge stiffness.  Werner Braun told me this and I'd believe anything he told me about climbing!

But I've always gotten great edging out of the Katana, and that has hardly any downturn, if that's what is hurting your foot.

Amazingly helpful, thanks to everyone here.

Russ B wrote:

The gambit is built on the Anasazi sole with the comfortable upper of the Rogue. ;) 

Yeah, but she mentioned she was looking for something a bit more aggressive.  Gambits/Rogues edge about as well as Mythos, whereas Anasazis are excellent at it with all that extra heel tension.

Ted Pinson wrote:

Yeah, but she mentioned she was looking for something a bit more aggressive.  Gambits/Rogues edge about as well as Mythos, whereas Anasazis are excellent at it with all that extra heel tension.

I own all three of those shoes and use them regularly. I disagree.