The Best Climbing Shoes of 2024

During long gym sessions or all-day multi-pitch routes, the Tarantulace remains comfy and will rarely bother your feet with cramps or hot spots. These shoes are not aggressive, and their flat last and unlined leather upper keep your feet in a natural and neutral position. This makes them a great choice for infrequent climbers who aren’t in climbing shoes long enough to break in a less comfortable, aggressive shoe (or develop an aggressive toe fungus).

For beginner climbers, the Tarantulace is perfect for honing new techniques. When learning the fundamentals of climbing, comfort, and durability are the most important qualities of a shoe. And that’s what the Tarantulace is all about. Thanks to a thick 5mm FriXtion rubber sole, these shoes easily last through several years of regular climbing without needing a resole or replacement, and like most shoes from Sportiva, they resole very well.

These shoes aren’t very sensitive, and they’re not a great choice for steeper, overhanging routes where you need to pull your body in close to the wall with your feet. The Huber brothers freed the Zodiac in the very flat lasted La Sportiva Mythos, but we mortals need all the help we can get, so spending more money on a performance shoe would be prudent for the ambitious climber. For everyone else, the Tarantulas will do the trick for the gym and occasional trips to the crag.

If you write off anything less than overhanging as slab climbing then pay attention, these shoes have several features to facilitate your experience in the sport cave. Their design is built around maintaining an aggressive downturned shape while maximizing sensitivity.

Pulling your body into steep walls and keeping your feet on is much easier with a down-turned shoe and the Drago’s tensioning system delivers in that department, while keeping the toes snug at the front of the shoe for edging sensitivity. When the going gets super steep, the upper is wrapped almost entirely in M50 rubber for toe-hooks and whatever else you need to employ to keep your feet on.

The Dragos are highly asymmetrical. While this isn’t the most comfortable shape, it does a great job of focusing all the power into the big toe. Since the Dragos have a comfortable upper and are fairly soft, the discomfort of the asymmetrical shape is somewhat negated.

In short, you don’t want these shoes for multipitch climbing, but you won’t be crying every time you pull them on for your sport project. These are on the narrow end of the spectrum, but thanks to their stretchy uppers, even our wider-footed testers found them tolerable.

With a soft, sensitive shoe like the Drago, you’ll be able to feel every nubin and micro-edge you’re trying to toe into, which helps with balance and trusting the feet. The trade-off is support. If you’re climbing hundreds of feet of less-than-vertical slab, do yourself a favor and wear a more supportive shoe like the Scarpa Generator or the TC Pro. One of our editors saw a kid sending a less-than-vertical 5.14 at Index WA in a pair of Dragos, so they’re more than capable of slabby feats, just not supportive enough for your romp up snake dike. 

These shoes are expensive, and they represent the pinnacle of Italian climbing shoe craftsmanship. They may feel floppy in the hand, rest assured, when properly sized, the Dragos are weapons on the steepest boulder problems. Right out of the box, they are sensitive and ready for hard climbing. Take care of them, resole early enough, and you’ll be able to enjoy them for several seasons. 

Because rock climbing encompasses many different wall angles, crack sizes, and rock types, every shoe is bound to have its own strengths and weaknesses. However, the TC Pro performs well across the board. It can edge on tiny holds, smear on slick rock, and foot jam with confidence.

Climbing can cause some discomfort in the feet, but the TC Pro’s soft Sentex liner and padded upper cuff help keep pain to a minimum while foot jamming or smearing. In fist cracks and off-widths, the hightop profile protects the ankle from bumps and scrapes. In warm conditions, the breathable mesh tongue helps prevent sweating and overheating.

The TC Pros have a thick forefront profile, which makes it difficult to jam in narrow and offset cracks. For thin crack climbing, check out a shoe with a thinner toe point such as the La Sportiva Katana.

Although the TC Pro was built for trad climbing on granite, its asymmetrical shape and pointy toe can also handle steep terrain and pockets with relative ease. If you prefer to own just a single pair of climbing shoes to wear on all kinds of routes, the TC Pros make an effective “quiver of one.”

In 2022, La Sportiva released newly redesigned TC Pros. Compared to the original model, the updated version has a more durable rand and a new olive green color. In our opinion, the TC Pros are now better than ever.

La Sportiva builds upon the success of the Solution with the ultra-modern Solution Comp ($209). Although the Comp is certainly a relative of the original solution and shares some key traits, it forges a unique path.

As the name suggests, the Solution Comp is specifically designed to shine in a competition setting. These days, high-end competition climbing requires a particular combination of precision edging and underfoot sensitivity.

The Solution Comp, with its soft midsole, pointed toebox, and massive patch of toe-scumming rubber, is possibly the most specialized competition shoe available today. It’s no surprise many high-level competitive climbers are regularly spotted wearing them.

The most noticeable difference between the original Solution and the Comp is the redesigned heel. Famously, the OG Solution includes a high-volume, ball-shaped heel cup. Over the years, many climbers complained that the heel created air pockets and negative space, which decreased the effectiveness of heel hooks.

In response, Sportiva built the Comp with a thinner, lower-volume heel. Right out of the box, the new heel is form-fitting and performs exceptionally well.

Though these shoes have a penchant for crushing in competitions, they can absolutely be worn outside too. Under the forefoot, a semi-supportive midsole makes it possible to edge decently well. But this support ends at the sole of the shoes, and ultimately they fall on the softer end of the spectrum.

This means the La Sportiva Solution Comps are probably not the best choice for vertical terrain that is technical and footwork-intensive. However, the Comps are hard to beat for steep routes and boulders — especially when powerful toe and heel hooks are involved.

In recent years, the climbing shoe market has largely focused on the trend of ultrasoft shoes that maximize sensitivity and minimize structural stiffness. While soft shoes are good for certain kinds of climbing, the designers at SCARPA understand that support is required when generating power on tiny footholds.

With a stout midsole and lots of underfoot support, the Boostic pushes back against the softness trend and announces itself as a master of edging. Though the sole and midsole of the Boostic are quite stiff, the upper on the new model is thinner than ever before. SCARPA used a patch of light and abrasion-resistant Alcantara fabric to keep the upper supple and sensitive without sacrificing durability.

A unique closure system utilizes Velcro straps to create tension across the form of the entire shoe. The result is a precise, high-performance fit.

Ultimately, the Boostic is something of a unicorn in the ever-expanding realm of climbing shoes. Sure, it’s stiff, but it feels far more sensitive and precise compared to most thick-soled edging shoes. The Boostic won’t eliminate your ability to feel the footholds while supporting your foot at the same time. It’s a magical combination.

The Scarpa Boostic is designed for an aggressive fit. Your toes must be slightly bent to maximize the specialized purpose of these shoes. When fit properly, the Boostic will channel lots of power into the point of your big toe. That said, they are also relatively comfortable right out of the box.

Read Review: SCARPA Improves Boostic Climbing Shoe Into Supple Edging Monster

Traditionally, slippers have been high on the comfort end of the spectrum but lacking in high performance. The latest iteration of the Instinct S bucks the trend with some clever design strategies and a good balance of support and sensitivity (while leaning a bit more toward sensitivity.)

Scarpa’s CTS tensioning system locks in the heel, while pushing the toes into the front of the shoe, creating a nice edging platform on a soft shoe. The synthetic Microfiber and Alcantara (A material made in Italy that feels a bit like soft leather) resist stretching and help keep the heel locked in during long, sweaty gym sessions.

The result is a shoe that performs better on a wider variety of terrain than any slipper we’ve climbed in before. Thanks to a generous swath of sticky rubber over the toe, the Instincts prove adept at toe hooks and bicycles on steep roofs, while the tensioning system doesn’t leave you globbing off tiny edges on slabby top outs.

Folks with wide feet generally fit the Instinct line well, and the slipper is no exception. Our tester sized down a half-size and found them fairly comfortable right out of the box, and soft shoes like these generally require less break-in time.

If you’re in the market for one shoe for all disciplines, the Instinct S may be inadequate for certain endeavors. We’ve mentioned its softness, and that doesn’t translate well for long days on off-vertical terrain. While the shoes managed to heel hook well for us, the lack of Velcro straps or laces does mean that if the shoe feels loose in the heel, there ain’t a lot you can do about it. Something to consider when spending $200+ on a climbing shoe.

But let’s be fair and evaluate this slipper for what it’s designed for sport climbing, bouldering, and training. For vertical to overhanging terrain, the Instinct S excels, whether on sport routes or boulders, and it’s an awesome shoe for training or climbing in the gym, where the style progressively seems to favor a softer shoe.

While there are some drawbacks to the slipper design, the Instinct mitigates most of them well, and if you like the fit and performance of the Instinct Lace or Velcro, the S model will give you a more comfortable and sensitive experience. We’ve looked at slippers as loaners or “beater” shoes in the past, but the Instinct S proves itself a formidable tool for climbing at the upper end of our grade level.

Many youth climbing shoes lack the features required for high-end performance. Many of the world’s most skillful climbers are younger than 12, and they need good quality shoes just like the rest of us.

The Venga has an asymmetrical shape, which allows the wearer to apply power to their big toe while using small and technical footholds. A tapered toebox is great for stabbing technical pockets with accuracy and precision.

Just because a climber is young or small doesn’t mean they should have to climb in floppy, poorly made shoes. Evolv has outfitted the Venga with the same super-sticky Trax SAS rubber found on many of their high-performance adult models.

Though the Evolv Venga does lack toe-hooking rubber and an aggressive heel, it strikes an excellent balance between performance, comfort, and durability.

These shoes have a spit midsole, meaning the shoe is flexible between the forefoot and the heel, while a decent edging platform remains in the front. They’re much stiffer than the Scarpa Dragos, and much softer and more sensitive than the La Sportiva Katanas and Solutions. When standing on dimples and small edges, we could feel the features under our feet, which translated to confidence and more precise foot placements. They made some of our favorite Sportiva models feel almost overbuilt and clunky.  

The flip side to being sensitive is that they lack the support of stiffer shoes. This isn’t the shoe for romping up Crest Jewel on Yosemite’s North Dome or any longer route where you may be standing on your feet all day. But we’re willing to bet that’s not what Scarpa’s designers had in mind here. These shoes are fine-tuned for techy vert and slightly overhang terrain. Right out of the box, Bento was able to reach a new high point on a techier granite sport climb in Pine Creek Canyon, and he later enjoyed being able to pull in with his feet on steeper terrain at the Jailhouse near Sonora, Calif. 

Sizing down a full size from your street shoe seems just right for the Instincts, which is surprising, considering that the stiffer Instinct S fit nicely when sized the same as our street shoes. The slightly asymmetrical shape favors wider feet, and the heel is a little narrower, often making that nice sucking sound when we pull them on (that’s how you know the heel fits). If Tenaya shoes feel too narrow, but you crave a similar sensitivity factor, the Instincts might be perfect.

But let’s forget about the venerated TCs for a minute and look at the Aspects on their own. These are fairly stiff, slightly downturned, mostly symmetrical shoes, making them very comfortable for all-day missions. They have a high ankle cuff to keep your poor little ankles from bleeding while you squirm and grunt up wide cracks, and the rand comes up over the toebox for extra protection in hand-size cracks.

In our experience, the rubber is comparable to Vibram sticky rubber. At no point did we feel it was the shoe’s fault if we fell off a techy slab. For trad dads or anyone looking to get up something tall, the Aspect Pros are a good choice, provided you get a good fit.

But we don’t live in a bubble, and we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t compare the Aspect Pro to the TC Pro. Out of the box, the Aspects are noticeably less stiff than the TCs. This could be an advantage for some, as the TCs can be uncomfortable until you’ve worn them for many pitches. But all shoes get more comfy and softer over time, and after a while, TC pros reach a sweet spot.

The Aspects start out softer and, in our opinion, get too soft for top-notch performance once they’ve broken in. This is all very subjective, so “know thy foot”! And if you crave a trad shoe that isn’t so stiff that your arches are screaming all day, the Aspects are a great option. Just remember, unless you have toes of steel, that extra stiffness translates to power, giving you the confidence and the platform to stand on tiny holds all day long. 

Some of us have been at this climbing thing for a long time and are pretty set in our shoe preferences, so don’t let our affinity for the TCs influence you if you’ve tried on the Aspects and you like them. They’re the first shoe from Black Diamond that we recommend without hesitation. And speaking of trying on, one of our testers wears a 9.5 U.S. in his street shoes, and a 9.5 in the Aspect Pros felt right on the money!

Scarpa’s newest shoe aims to truly compete with the TC Pro. The Scarpa Generator ($225) is a mid-top with a flat, neutral shape and an “eco suede” upper. In our experience, the Generator performs well for its intended purpose — long, technical granite routes with a mixture of crack and face climbing. In the hollowed lands of Yosemite, Squamish, and Patagonia, it’s the perfect shoe for the job.

With its full-length midsole and ankle cuff, the Generator is a stiff shoe — especially fresh out of the box. Though the shoe does break in over time, its elaborate tension system maintains a supportive fit. During a NIAD ascent — or similar high-mileage climbing outing — the Generator has the capacity to stave off foot fatigue and undue cramping.

Many climbers aren’t used to climbing in mid-tops, and the extra material around the ankle can be an adjustment. Fortunately, the Generator manages to protect the ankle bones in wide racks without undue pain or discomfort. The cuff is supple and well-padded.

The Generator is the result of nearly 100 prototypes, and the intensive research and development definitely show in the final result. From off-widths to micro edges and slabs, the Scarpa Generator busts the TC Pro’s monopoly on El Cap.

We tested the Indalo on the pocket-covered sport climbs of Wild Iris, Wyo. Even in thin one- and two-finger pockets, the sharp toebox shape allowed us to apply maximum power to the big toe and flow through delicate and powerful sequences.

Inside the Indalo, a padded mesh inner liner hugs the top of the foot and limits movement within the shoe. A thermal-molded heel cup adds structure for secure and precise heel hooking.

The Indalo is quite pliable. It’s not mega soft like the La Sportiva Solution Comp, but it does offer enough support to keep your feet from aching on long, footwork-intensive pitches.

Straight out of the box, the Indalo feels a bit narrow in the toebox. After a few sessions, we found that the Indalo conformed nicely to our foot shape.

Once broken in, these shoes can be worn during long sessions on the Moon Board or at the crag without needing to pull them off and take a break. The updated closure system makes it easy to fine-tune the fit.

The impressive comfort of the Tenaya Indalo makes it a highly versatile shoe that can thrive just about anywhere. However, if you’re planning a trip to a pocket-heavy climbing area such as Ceuse, Wild Iris, or Smith Rock, the Indalo will be an especially worthy addition to your kit.

Read Review: The Mastia’s Big Brother Is Pointy, Powerful, and Precise

The Vapor series has long been popular for traditional climbing due to its comfort, support, and sensitivity. The Vapor S takes things just a bit farther with its Nano Strap system. The Nano strap is composed of two laces attached to a Velcro tab that sits high on the shoe, almost touching the ankle. It’s useful when you need a little more assurance for heel hooking, while staying completely out of the way for foot and toe jamming. 

Speaking of jamming, the Vapor is one of the best crack shoes we’ve ever worn. The wider toebox makes hand-sized cracks feel comfortable, and the low-volume toe is perfect for wiggling into 0.75 Camalot-sized cracks or even smaller. Imagine the classic 5.10 moc, but with more edging support and a synthetic upper that doesn’t stretch, and that’s more or less our experience crack climbing in the Vapor S.

This shoe is much stiffer than the Scarpa Drago and a smidge stiffer than the Instinct S, with a full-length supportive midsole. Compared to the La Sportiva TC Pro or the Scarpa Generator, it leans toward the softer end of the spectrum. For long days on your feet, you may want a stiffer shoe, though we found it plenty stiff for all-day alpine romps and moderate climbing. Since they’re on the softer side, the Vapor S are fairly sensitive, and breaking them in took almost no time at all.

There are stiffer shoes out there, and models that are more adept at technical edging, but comfort-wise, the Vapor S are hard to beat. If you’re tired of burning toes and screaming Achilles and are looking for something that offers decent performance, we highly recommend the Vapor S. If you’re looking for a similar fit with precision lacing, check out the Vapor Lace.

Read Review: Real Performance With All-Day Comfort: SCARPA Vapor S

Generally, this shoe has more of an old-school flavor — highly supportive with a thick layer of outsole rubber under the toe. These shoes are the complete opposite of “rubber sock” shoes like the La Sportiva Solution Comp.

Though we were skeptical at first due to this shoe’s thick and sturdy appearance, its climbing ability left us immediately impressed. We tested these shoes on the coastal sandstone sport climbs of Northern California, and they managed to handle tiny water-polished footholds with ease.

Because the Merlins are super-stiff, they are the perfect shoe for technical edging on vertical to semi-steep terrain. Even when applying lots of weight and power to the toe edge of these shoes, the arch of the foot is supported, and the heel hardly sags. The plentiful support also keeps the feet from becoming pumped and tired.

Through the many layers of material that make up the Merlin, it’s difficult to feel the nuance of footholds as you use them. These are not highly sensitive shoes. Though they do have a modern split sole, the foot does not have a whole lot of mobility inside the Merlin.

Still, when small edges called for maximum toe power, the Merlins far exceeded my expectations. While climbing in these, we didn’t mind the lack of sensitivity.

The Acopa Merlin is a staple of the heritage brand’s legendary lineup of top-quality climbing shoes. If they were good enough for John Bachar, they’ll surely work for the rest of us.

The sole of the Defy is neutral and flat, which keeps the foot in a comfortable anatomical position. Additionally, a soft antimicrobial liner and padded split tongue make the shoes plenty comfortable to wear through a long gym session.

A thick 4.2mm TRAX rubber outsole will hold up to the demands of long gym sessions. We used the Defy regularly in the gym for several months, and the soles continue to perform well with plenty of rubber left. While learning fundamental techniques, you want a shoe that prioritizes comfort and durability, and the Defy perfectly fits this profile.

Although climbers of all levels enjoy this as a workhorse gym shoe, they’ve been specifically designed for beginner and intermediate climbers. They’re pretty much neutral in every category — not too stiff, not too sensitive, decent for edging, decent for smearing, etc.

The Defy will do the job when climbing outside, but it’s most at home in the gym. Also, the Defy tends to best fit climbers with lower volume and wider feet. Because it is leather-free, the Defy is vegan-friendly and will stretch very little.

The Vapors are comfortable straight away, and they continue to break in and stretch during their first few sessions of use. Though these can be sized aggressively, we found having a bit of extra room in the toe can actually be an asset, especially when climbing thin cracks.

Though these shoes work best for crack climbing and technical trad climbing, we found they work quite well for steeper terrain, too. Even bouldering felt natural in these, especially on problems that required scumming or stemming.

While climbing thin cracks, we were impressed with how well the toe point of the Vapor Lace pinches down and inserts into narrow fissures. Compared to other popular trad climbing shoes, it performs exceptionally well on offset cracks, laybacks, and flaring seams. We recently worked on a sport climbing project with a flared crux toe jam. The Vapors were the key to the redpoint.

Despite the slight downturn, the Vapor has a natural shape that is comfortable enough to wear all day. When jamming in flaring cracks or pinched-off corners, the generous toe rubber patch adds lots of friction and inspires confidence during delicate movements.

Though the classic lace-up tension system works just fine on the Scarpa Vapor Lace, we’d like to see the laces extend a little farther toward the toe to allow for a more precise fit. Other than that, this is an excellent trad shoe — especially when the cracks get thin.

Read Review: The Scarpa Vapor Lace