Lace-up Climbing

Which type do you want?

• Neutral shoes. Great choice for beginners; allow toes to lie flat and provide all-day comfort.
• Moderate shoes. Good all-around shoe. A slightly downturned shape and stickier rubber makes them good for technical climbing.
• Aggressive shoes. The very downturned toes put your feet in a powerful position for challenging sport routes and bouldering; less comfortable than the neutral or moderate shoes.

Choose key features.

• Shoe closure options include laces, straps or slip-on.
• Uppers can be synthetic or lined- or unlined leather. Unlined leather uppers can stretch a full size, while synthetic uppers don't stretch much.
• Climbing shoe last is the foot-shaped model around which a shoe is built. Most rock climbing shoes are slip-lasted, which tend to be sensitive and less stiff than board-lasted shoes.
  

Consider these shoe fit tips.

• Shop later in the day as your feet can swell up to a full size during the day.
• Your toes should lie flat or be comfortably curved; your toe knuckles shouldn’t bunch painfully.
• Try them on in person for the best fit.

What is an avalanche transceiver?

• If recreate in snow in the backcountry, a transceiver is an essential safety device, along with a probe and shovel.
• Transceivers help you locate a person buried in an avalanche or others find you if you’re buried.

What features should I look for?

• Analog or digital: Most modern transceivers are digital, though some are both digital and analog.
• Multiple burials: Enables searchers to pick up multiple buried victims. Most brands offer multiple burial tracking, even in basic models.
• Marking function: Allows the searcher to mark or "flag" the location of each buried person.
• Display screen: Shows direction and distance to a buried person. Premium models may have larger, high-contrast screens.
• Range: Brands will list in meters the circular range (typically 40 to 70) in which one transceiver can sense others’ signals.