Climbing shoe

A climbing shoe is a piece of foot wear that is specifically designed and worn for climbing. To increase the grip of the foot on a climbing wall or rock face due to friction, the shoe is covered with a rubber layer. Usually, the shoes are only a few millimeters thick and will have a very tight fit around the feet.

High performance shoes are made of a special vulcanized rubber that becomes flexible as it gets warm due to friction. This vastly increases the surface area between the shoe and the rock thus providing a better grip for the climber. Some of these shoes are asymmetrically shaped so climbers can stand on smaller ledges than with symmetrical shoes.

Manufacturers of climbing shoes include: Boreal, Five-Ten, La Sportiva, Millet.