A Beginner's Guide to Rock Climbing Shoe Resoling
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| My Scarpa Technos in need of a little TLC. |
I've had the shoes for almost two years, and prior to my purchase of the La Sportiva Miura VS shoes, they were my only pair. I'd use them for everything - indoor climbing, outdoor climbing, bouldering - and they were in desperate need of some attention.
After much debate, I finally made the decision to get them resoled and am so glad I did. In the process, I asked myself some tough questions and learned a lot about resoling and climbing shoes in general.
Why Not Just Buy New Shoes?
This is the obvious question. If your shoes are worn out, there's always an option to go buy new ones. But most of us take a while to break our shoes in. We love them. I have sentimental attachments to a number of intimate objects. Plus, good climbing shoes are expensive unless you're lucky enough to have a pro deal. I'd much prefer to resole my Scarpa Technos for $42.50 than pay upwards of $100 for a new pair.If I'm Going for the Resole, Can I Do It Myself?
It is possible to resole climbing shoes yourself, though I don't know anyone who has. (If you have, tell me in the comments!) I read this article and decided that wasn't an option for me. After polling the twitter climbing community for the best place to send rock shoes for resoling, the obvious choice was Rock and Resole in Colorado. Aside from doing a bang up job on my shoes, they were incredibly helpful in explaining the parts of a climbing shoe, the different kinds of rubber, and what kind of resole I'd need.How Exactly Are Climbing Shoes Built, Anyway?
The sole is the bottom part of the climbing shoe, and the rand is the rubber layer above the sole that wraps around the shoe, including over the toe. Most rock shoes have a tongue, heel and lacing or velcro, just like normal shoes. This page has a great illustration of the various parts.How Does Resoling Work?
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| Bouldering at Earth Treks. (P. Esteso) |
Shops will usually charge separately for rand repair, which you'll need if you've really blown through the toes. The folks at the shop will either grind off or release the rubber from the shoe and glue on new rubber while doing their best to maintain the shoe's original shape.
And when it comes to the rubber they use, it's an exhausting to try and understand. Most long time climbers have a wealth of knowledge about how each brand of rubber wears and a subsequent brand preference. What I know is only a minuscule drop in the ocean that is information about rock shoe rubber, and the options are constantly changing.
At the time this piece was written, Rock and Resole carried what they consider the best on the market, and they believe the differences between rubber are minimal. They carry La Sportiva XS Edge 4 and 5mm, Five Ten C4, Onyx and can create a mix. I opted for the XS Edge 4mm because that's what my favorite bouldering shoes, the Miuras, come with.
Regarding thickness, the team at Rock and Resole explained that thicker rubber will give you less sensitivity, but more durability. The majority of shoes come with 4mm rubber, but depending on the type of climbing you're doing, thicker might be better. Though thinner rubber wears out faster, it's often preferred because of the increased sensitivity.
Have you ever resoled your own shoes, or had them resoled? Do you think it was worth it?
So, What's the Verdict on My First Resole?
The folks at Rock and Resole did a fantastic job. I ended up getting half soles on both shoes and one toe cap for $42.50 including shipping. I sent the shoes out from Philadelphia on January 21st and they made it back to me in less than two weeks. I'd consider that a pretty quick turnaround with shipping time included. The shoes look and feel like they've got a better edge than they did when I bought them. They're still soft, flexible, a lot stickier and a lot less stinky!Have you ever resoled your own shoes, or had them resoled? Do you think it was worth it?
Comments
- resole before you get holes, this way you won't need to spend extra on a rand job. The shoes will also 'take' the resole better and easier.
- cheaper shoes, with thinner soles, and lower quality craftsmanship, generally are only good for one resole. But a high quality shoe, when resoled before holes, can take several resoles.
this info is from conversations i've had with a cobbler and my own experience.
-Chris
- resole before you get holes, this way you won't need to spend extra on a rand job. The shoes will also 'take' the resole better and easier.
- cheaper shoes, with thinner soles, and lower quality craftsmanship, generally are only good for one resole. But a high quality shoe, when resoled before holes, can take several resoles.
this info is from conversations i've had with a cobbler and my own experience.
-Chris
http://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/info/climbing-shoes-parts.asp
When you get the shoes resoled, they usually just address the rand (if needed) and the sole. The mold the shoe is built around is what gives the shoe it's shape, not the sole. You can choose different thicknesses and types of rubber when you get them resoled, but I'm inclined to say they'll still hold their shape when you get them back.
Thanks for link to my old post. You seem to be doing sooper-dooper, and that's fantatastic :)
Since I'm here, let me throw out some info on the rubber thing. I'll use the comparison between Onyx and C4 to illustrate. The original C4 was, and remains great stuff. It is a bit softer (see hardness on my blog) Onyx. That means for all intent and purpose that it creates a better interlock at the interface of rubber/rock. That's great for friction, but the drawback is the rubber "deforms under load, like when smearing. It also doesn't edge as well. Friction is property that is affected by many factors (rock type, temp, adhesion, etc.).
If your a beginner, look for the harder rubbers. They wear longer because every noobs footwork sucks, and we tend to slide our feet all over the damn rock. It offers better edging too. Until your technique improves, softer rubbers won't help.
The thing with Onyx is Stealth's attempt to create a long wear version of C4, but C4 it ain't. Before I hijack the blog let me offer this; on steep face C4 will "creep" peior to letting go completely (a blow out). Onxy and other rubbers, like the stuff that came on Mythos, don't provide any warning, they just blow. Some like it that way, I hate it. I prefer feedback. It's how you dog-paddle up steep face.
Keep the spirit alive,
Be Safe, Live Long, Climb Hard