Building a shoe quiver

I think my days of having one pair of shoes at a time are over. For some context, I climb both in and outdoor 4-5 days a week. Most of the stuff I work is in the mid 5.12 range and V8ish, so I'm looking for some performance oriented shoes. I like my Skwamas for most general use but I'm looking to diversify a bit. I think a pair of TC pros are on the list for slab and crack climbing. Does anyone have suggestions for a cheap-ish indoor only shoe? I think with Skwwamas, TC's, and an indoor option Ill have the start of a decent quiver. Lastly, any suggestions as to anything missing from that list, any need for a fourth pair?

I would check out the BD Zone and Shadow. They are on sale a lot and I like their rubber. I use the momentum lace for gym shoes but they sorta suck if you need to really monkey pull with your toes on really overhanging stuff. 

LS Testirosa - Climb is really hard

LS Mura LU - Climb is kinda hard

LS Cobra -  Crack, particularly thin cracks.

BD Aspect - Slab

???? - Wide Cracks

I've heard great things about the drones. I think those might be my gym go tos.

Albert B wrote:

???? - Wide Cracks

Wear a tight-ish TC inside a gargantuan TC? 

Seemed to work for Emily Harrington wearing Alex Honnold's over her own in the monster   

I just wear my resoled shoes indoors. 

Albert B wrote:

LS Testirosa - Climb is really hard

LS Mura LU - Climb is kinda hard

LS Cobra -  Crack, particularly thin cracks.

BD Aspect - Slab

???? - Wide Cracks

I always check people's tick lists before taking their advice to make sure they have a similar frame of reference

I would say build out the quiver on a scenario basis. I specialize in crack, but dabble in everything and have a shoe for nearly everything. I usually use five ten cause they are cheaper, but every major brand has a shoe in one of these categories.

Soft downturned sticky shoe for overhanging where pulling with feet is more important than edging. (Five ten team)

stiff downturned shoe for overhangs where edging s more important (five ten hiangle)

flat stiff shoe for non-aggressively overhung edging, slabby edging, cracks too small or too big to jam with next shoe (TC Pro/five ten Pinks)

soft flat shoe for friction slab/smeary stems/ all day crack (Moccs)

Beater shoe for Gym TRs and mileage bouldering. (BD momentum)

John, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.  I’m going to try on the pinks . My feet aren’t happy in TCs.

Albert B wrote:

John, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.  I’m going to try on the pinks . My feet aren’t happy in TCs.

TCs are better. Does anyone actually break shoes in anymore?

John Clark wrote:

TCs are better. Does anyone actually break shoes in anymore?

No. We wear them once and then bury them as a sacrifice to the crag gods. What are you on about?

Henry Sheridan wrote:

I think my days of having one pair of shoes at a time are over. For some context, I climb both in and outdoor 4-5 days a week. Most of the stuff I work is in the mid 5.12 range and V8ish, so I'm looking for some performance oriented shoes. I like my Skwamas for most general use but I'm looking to diversify a bit. I think a pair of TC pros are on the list for slab and crack climbing. Does anyone have suggestions for a cheap-ish indoor only shoe? I think with Skwwamas, TC's, and an indoor option Ill have the start of a decent quiver. Lastly, any suggestions as to anything missing from that list, any need for a fourth pair?

For a soft indoor option and staying in the LS family for the fit, I would say the Theory or the Futura.

My "quiver":

Alpine up to D+: La Sportiva Mythos
Alpine above D+ and everything else (single, indoor...): La Sportiva Otaki
I also do a lot of rock routes with my Scarpa Mescalito

I don't really do bouldering

John Clark wrote:

TCs are better. Does anyone actually break shoes in anymore?

What are you on about?  

Albert B wrote:

What are you on about?  

I'm on about almost any leather shoe will fit you fine if you size them and then break them in thoroughly. I love moccs & tc pros, but they do not fit in any way I would consider comfortable until probably 10+ hours (3-5 long sessions) of climbing. I would say moccs are the worst fitting shoe out of the box even though you could trace my mocc evangelization for posts dating back years. with plastic I can keep them on for about 30 seconds sitting down first go.

I really like having one tight performance oriented downturned shoe for projects and sport climbing.  Then a 2nd more comfy shoe that serves two purposes

1) It's comfy enough to leave on at the gym for a couple of hours

2) It's comfy enough in which to multi-pitch and crack climb

Eric D wrote:

I really like having one tight performance oriented downturned shoe for projects and sport climbing.  Then a 2nd more comfy shoe that serves two purposes

1) It's comfy enough to leave on at the gym for a couple of hours

2) It's comfy enough in which to multi-pitch and crack climb

Agree! Below a certain level I don't think you need more than 2 pairs 

Personal recommendation for gym shoe: resole an old pair of your Skwamas and use those. Cheaper than a new pair, similar fit, and you can cycle new pairs from outside to the gym as they wear out.

High tops are nice for cracks, so the TCs will work well. I can't really give quiver advice though, I'm using 4 pairs of Miuras for everything. If you feel strongly that you need different stiffness/sensitivity for different styles, then you can experiment

James D wrote:

Where a tight-ish TC inside a gargantuan TC? 

Seemed to work for Emily Harrington wearing Alex Honnold's over her own in the monster   

Wearing two shoes on one foot is aid

Don't go down the rabbit hole!!! 

Kidding, sort of, just climb with other people who climb harder than you and pick there brains about shoes and start buying and you'll eventually like find ones you like. 

John Clark wrote:

I'm on about almost any leather shoe will fit you fine if you size them and then break them in thoroughly. I love moccs & tc pros, but they do not fit in any way I would consider comfortable until probably 10+ hours (3-5 long sessions) of climbing. I would say moccs are the worst fitting shoe out of the box even though you could trace my mocc evangelization for posts dating back years. with plastic I can keep them on for about 30 seconds sitting down first go.

Moccs fit me perfectly and almost all la Sportiva shoes are way too baggy for my narrow heel. Different strokes...