Sport Climbing Shoe Suggestions

I currently climb in the La Sportiva Mythos and feel I have reached the next level of climbing, and the flat nature of the mythos is holding me back. I’ve tried on the Miura and Solution but my foot shape (long, then, and flat…. Extremely flat) doesn’t work with them. I know the La Sportiva line extremely well but not any of the other brands. Does any one have a suggestion on a downturned, aggressive sport climbing shoe.

There's a lot of great options out there, and pretty much any modern performance shoe will be an improvement over the Mythos. So it's just a matter of trying on many shoes to find what fits and what works for you. Advice on the internet will be of limited utility.

That said, for a narrow foot that is fairly flat, you might want to look at Tenaya shoes like the Tarifa, Iati, Masai, etc. These can often work well for narrow feet. Not the Mastia though - that is wider 

Also, make sure to look at the Women's, Low Volume, or LV versions of shoes. These are generally narrower and may worke better for you than the Mens / High Volume shoes.

rock climbing wrote:

Sounds like cam nall + Mythos = match made in heaven.
I doubt it is the shoe that holds you back. A lot of people climbed and still climb really hard sports routes in Mythos. People buy into the shoe manufacturers marketing way too much 

Well, Charlie Bentley did Pumporama in stiletto heels, and it’s seen multiple repeats in Crocks, but I don’t think that it’s accurate to say that shoes don’t make a difference.
What’s a “cam nall?”

Have you tried Butora Gomis? I was looking for a solution-like shoe and the gomis were to thin for my toe box.

My first name is cam or Cameron, my last name is nall. It’s literally my name, and the mythos is a great shoe, but it’s not very aggressive, I definitely could keep progressing in the mythos but we live in 2023. Certain gear makes life easier. 

Sounds like “rock climbing” is hidden behind a screen name and just likes to talk shit.

rock climbing wrote:

let me know what you are going to get and how much difference is going to make. Mythos were designed as a performance shoes

Your troll account would be more believable if you put at least a few fake ticks and a couple stolen photos on your profile. Damn kids these days.

Cam Nall wrote:

My first name is cam or Cameron, my last name is nall. It’s literally my name, and the mythos is a great shoe, but it’s not very aggressive, I definitely could keep progressing in the mythos but we live in 2023. Certain gear makes life easier. 

Got it…Silly me. In the last few years I became a fan of the LS no-edge stuff, but I have feet like ping pong paddles, so kind of opposite of yours. 

rock climbing wrote:

You do know how Alex Huber is. Right? If you need ticks google him I’m sure you will find some.

He likes Mythos  that is what I put the photo. He probably did the first 5.15 in Mythos 

Not sure how he is. I don’t know him personally. Do you know how Ondra is? He sent the first 15d probably, but not in Mythos.

OP, there are many threads on this topic. However, if you want to stick to LaSpo, I would try the Skwama or solution comp, probably in Low Vol/Womens if your foot is really narrow. Size down till it is ALMOST painful to wear them when standing on a small foothold. Unparallel also runs narrow in my experience so far. Black diamond Methods and Shadows also run a bit narrow and are worth trying on. Basically just try on a bunch of stuff. Most anything will be an upgrade from a bagged out pair of mythos if sized right.

Thanks for the legitimate comments guys. I just figured that a little downturn would help push me. I can usually bag most 5.11s with a little work and have almost got a 5.12 under the belt.

“Rock climbing” you’re clearly a troll. The rock and ice community are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. We all just want to climb as much as possible and push each other. Maybe you should go out and climb instead of sitting behind a computer screen. Fucking pitiful.

Cam Nall wrote:

Thanks for the legitimate comments guys. I just figured that a little downturn would help push me. I can usually bag most 5.11s with a little work and have almost got a 5.12 under the belt.

“Rock climbing” you’re clearly a troll. The rock and ice community are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. We all just want to climb as much as possible and push each other. Maybe you should go out and climb instead of sitting behind a computer screen. Fucking pitiful.

Cam Nall, how did you know their partner’s name was Pitiful?

John Clark wrote:

Most anything will be an upgrade from a bagged out pair of mythos if sized right.

A used condom is better than a baggy pair (is there any other size?) of mythos.

Colonel Mustard wrote:

A used condom is better than a baggy pair (is there any other size?) of mythos.

But Alex Huber climbed soft 5.15 in them!? How could that be!?

Back to the OP. Long, narrow feet are perfect for the Muira laces (not the velcro). Also as already mentioned Tenaya shoes work well (I have the Oasi, just remember when sizing them that they DO NOT stretch at all) for this foot type as well. 

How do the Muiras and Solutions not work well for you?? Are they painful, slopy fit, to narrow, or something else?? One thing to remember is that when going from flat shoes to downturned shoes, it will stress different muscles in your feet, so they aren't super comfortable until your feet adjust. 

John Clark wrote:

But Alex Huber climbed soft 5.15 in them!? How could that be!?

He could have climbed harder barefoot. Such a waste.

Cam, if you like the lace-ups for sport climbing like I do, I’d recommend the Katana Lace and Testarossa. The Katanas have a moderate downturn and are pretty stiff and would probably be an easier adjustment than going to the Testarossa, but it’s still a big enough change to make a difference in your climbing. The Testarossas are much more aggressive, but I find them to be relatively comfortable for longer routes compared to other aggressive shoes. I use the Katanas probably 75% of the time and pull out the Testarossas for stuff at my limit.

Thanks Austin! I actually was leaning toward the katana lace. I’ve been in Kauai for a few weeks but when I get back to Colorado plan on going over to Boulder to the new La Sportiva outlet. I’ll be sure to try on both of those!

FWIW I climbed my first 12c (the style being gently overhanging with short crimpy cruxes) in TC Pros. Everyone was making fun of them at the crag so I got Solutions but I've still only managed to climb 12+ in them on the same wall. I was expecting to be at least a 14 climber by now given the improved toeing.

It does "feel" better to climb in solutions but I wonder how much of a difference did it really make?

rock climbing wrote:

You do know how Alex Huber is. Right? If you need ticks google him I’m sure you will find some.

He likes Mythos  that is what I put the photo. He probably did the first 5.15 in Mythos 

Pedantic on my part, but Huber did Open Air in Vipers, not Mythos. 

MP sees roughly 23984723984723 queries per year on "the best shoe for ________".  The answer is and always will be the same.  Go to a shop/store that has as many different models as possible.  Try on as many different shoes- profiles/brands/velcro vs. lace, etc. as you can.  The one that fits you the best is the one you should go with.  If you're in pain, it's unlikely that you will progress at the rate you want to, and it's possible you may not progress at all.  So, job #1 is to make sure you're not in pain when you're climbing.  Once you get THAT shoe, then you can branch out to something that fits your foot and is more aggressive.  Or something that fits your foot and is more rigid.  Or less aggressive. Or softer, or... you get the picture.   The biggest jump I ever made in footwork was when I finally discovered that your feet don't need to be crammed into some rubber and leather torture device to stand on small holds.

It depends on your climbing style and preference! For all-around performance, try La Sportiva Miura or Scarpa Vapor V. If you need aggressive shoes for bouldering, consider Five Ten Hiangle or La Sportiva Solution. Comfort-focused? Go for Evolv Defy or Scarpa Helix.