Indoor climbing

buy some second hand on ebay, you'll be able to get some nice scarpa/5.10s for £30 that were £100 new

I'm not averse to getting 2nd hand, but I did think i could buy a few sizes to get the right fit if i get new shoes

I've got some of those boots from Decathlon, they're fine for a beginner. Climbing shoes are supposed to squash your toes together to force a stronger platform to balance on, and they're not supposed to be comfortable. But the hire shoes are all baggy and blown out at the sides, you'll have a better fit getting your own, and trying on a variety of different pairs before you buy.

@AlexD I used hire shoes for my first 4 or 5 sessions until I was sure I was going to do it regularly. You get used to the hire shoes although they never become comfortable.
Then if you are sure you like it get a pair of your own. I'd go for new over 2nd hand.

I'm about 80% sure I'll keep at it. I had loads of fun and so did the mate I did it with (also first time). the place it went is pretty convenient too - 15 mins down the Bristol to bath bike path.
I'll probably do it again next week with hire shoes, then get some of those decathlon ones, if they're not total rubbish.

I found bouldering had a really encouraging learning curve. It took a couple of goes up an easy problem and then I was at a point where I could get into it and start challenging myself. Managed to make it up a couple of yellow (3rd easiest?) problems that took me a few tries - felt I'd achieved something rather than just floundering around getting to grips with a new sport for the whole session.

You get used to the discomfort. My current shoes are super aggressive but it’s just a case of finding ones that bind your toes up in a way that isn’t too uncomfortable... For example, I literally can’t wear fivetens even with moderate fit but LaSportivas tend to all be comfortable, even with extreme downsizing. It’s all to do with the shape of your feet so the best thing to do is just go and try a bunch of different shoes in a shop. What you think of as tight now will change...

Climbing shoes are all uncomfortable, and won't feel 'right' until you've got used to a certain level of pain, and gone through the difficult process of breaking your own shoes in. The main problem with hire shoes is they are usually quite loose, having been worn by many different shaped feet, and not very agressive, i.e without much of an edge for balancing on smaller footholds.

The idea with climbing shoes is they squash your toes into one solid shape so your wieght is focused on a small area, making it easier to balance and grip. Stretch your feet before and after climbing, and take your shoes off between problems :)

Don't bother spending £30, they will wear out. Like with any sport, decent shoes are worth getting and start at around £50.

Great, just what I need: Another activity where I can use the 'well, if I'm going to be spending x pounds, then I may as well spend x+20 pounds' logic :-)

these are a good value, and well tested starter shoe. Lots of people use them for warming up / training.

https://www.climbers-shop.com/10893780/products/five-ten-anasazi-moccasym.aspx?origin=pla&kwd=&currency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpMLOBRC9ARIsAPiGeZBQ5Z3eoadA2R2UTBJK96zWT3yBtqX54dVMUxIDfD_-vMEkUkvm4nwaAlRmEALw_wcB

Hi everyone,

More for those within reach of Cambridge, but my brother is opening up a bouldering wall near the station that's due to open early next year. Believe it or not it will be the first dedicated bouldering wall in Cambridge, and by far the largest!

He's got a crowdfunding campaign going, where you can find out more and bag some goodies if you're keen:

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/rainbow-rocket

Otherwise, just trying to spread the word!

Please do pass it along to anyone in your climbing circles and anyone you know in Cambridge! :)

cheers

Hello,
I've just had a little taster at the westway climbing centre and it was suuuuuper fun.
Does anyone here go there often?
I'm looking to get more into it and wondered if anyone was a regular basically

New climbing wall opening in Vauxhall this week. Hopefully it'll become my regular if it's nicely set out and spacious: https://www.vauxwallclimbing.co.uk/news/vauxwall-east-opening/

My favourite centre of all is Vauxwall.... Love that place. Im spoilt for choice here in Bristol, but I still preferred that place...

Does the Arch Bermondsey (Building One) have a gym/weighs area?

yep, and scaffolding stuff for body weight, padded boxes, etc

Cool. Heading there later if anyone fancies it...

sadly at work today...

...on another note if you are climbing V2-V4 they're running a great course called "Bump Your Grade", a £5 per session on Sundays with an ace instructor focusing on technique. I did a session last week and it was great, very worth the small price

Any recommendations for a bouldering shoe? My current Five Ten Anasazi Blanco v.1 have reached peak stink and they've developed an immunity to Fabreze...

I do like Five Ten and I've been looking into the Team 5.10 or Team VXi if anyone has any experience with them? At any rate I'm after something techy/ aggressive and purely for bouldering, no interest in using ropes, so they don't need to be mega confortable.

Would never recommend a shoe as it’s so dependent on foot shape. What works for one person would literally torture another.

Having said that, La Sportiva Python ;)

Also looking for some shoes for bouldering. Are there any Facebook groups for climbing stuff, already on Outdoor gear exchange.

Yeah I think that's why I'll stick with 5.10. Almost tempted to just get another pair of Anasazis even.

Just back from my first session in well over a year though owing to an appallingly bad ingrown toenail. The supposedly healed toe started bleeding within 20 mins of putting my shoes on. :(

if you're buying shoes go to Rock On, nr. Mile End climbing wall. Same prices as the web and you get to try em on. Really impossible to buy good shoes online sadly!

Yeah that's the killer! I live in Dublin and none of the shops have any stock of the more interesting shoes, Just loads of the very standard stuff. Think I might be best waiting until I'm in London or Edinburgh (EICC has a pretty good shop).

Recently got some la sportiva solutions, took a little breaking in, but notable improvement for my footwork after using katana lace for 2years or so. Surprisingly they smear a lot better despite aggressive shape.

I have relatively narrow feet and quite a high arch I think, as a result I've never found shoes that don't have a bit of dead space under the arch :/

Having owned a bunch of shoes with "performance fit" i sized up the last time i bought a pair and my toes are much happier..No breaking in, I can walk around in them, dont have to pull them of all the time etc.. Cant say i've seen any dips performance vise either..

Just bouldering if that matters..

(Shoes i got is Five Ten Verdon VCS. I got hobbit feet..)