Climbing shoes are one of the oddest-looking types of footwear you can find. They essentially look like a piece of fabric dunked in a steaming tub of hot rubber. And many people who’ve never seen them before end up stunned at how much they cost. What the heck is in these parts of a climbing shoe anyway? Do they contain alien technology? Are they made with the plumage of a phoenix? Unfortunately, no.

So then, one might ask, what is everything for? What features do they offer apart from a standard ol’ shoe and how do they differ from one pair to the next? In this article, we’ll answer all of your climbing shoe questions concerning its anatomy. What’s more, we were lucky enough to have a pair of climbing shoes “volunteer” to be dissected in the name of science. Of course, the Simian Republic greatly appreciates it. We even sent its makers a heart-felt letter and a free two-week trial to a hot new yoga studio. But that’s beside the point, here it is, all the parts of a climbing shoe anatomy explained.

Parts of a Climbing Shoe Dissected

The UpperThe InteriorThe Outsole

Parts of a Climbing Shoe Anatomy Explained

1. Heel loops – Use them to slip on climbing shoes with ease or clip them to a carabiner for easy carrying.
2. Lining – Since you’re meant to wear climbing shoes barefoot, a lining is added for comfort and durability. However, not all climbing shoes are lined.
3. Tongue tab – Found on slippers and velcro shoes that sport an elastic gusset (such as this shoe). Used for opening the shoe’s tongue for easy foot insertion.
4. Tongue – Thin and sometimes padded for improved comfort & fit. This shoe happens to have a stretchy elastic gusset, which helps your foot sink into it snugly. However, not all climbing shoes have an elastic gusset. Some feature split tongues that fold on each other for a cushy fit.
5. Closure system – Slipper, velcro, or laces, choose what you prefer. Some closure systems are good for specific styles of climbing. For example, laces are great for route climbing. Velcro straps work well for bouldering and sport climbing. And lastly, slippers provide all-day comfort and is excellent for gym and crack climbing.
6. Upper – Almost all climbing shoe uppers are made with unlined leather, lined leather, or synthetic leather. Each has its own pros and cons. What’s most important to note in the upper material is the stretch. Unlined leathers stretch a lot, lined leathers a good amount, and synthetic leathers hardly stretch at all.
7. Toe rubber – Higher performance climbing shoes have rubber on top of the toe for toe scumming and hooking.
8. Rand – Refers to the rubber covering the toe and sides of a climbing shoe. Helps to create tension throughout so you can be more precise with your footwork.
9. Slingshot rand – Introduced by Five Ten in 1991, the slingshot rand wraps around the back of the heel and the bottom of the shoe. This helps tension the entire shoe while also pulling around the heel cup, resulting in better heel hooking performance. Although almost all climbing shoes have a slingshot rand, some do not. One such shoe is the La Sportiva Mythos.
10. Heel – Refers to the back of the shoe, which is mainly used for heel hooks. Its shape is directly determined by the heel cup.
11. Edge – The prominent end of a climbing shoe that allows you to stand on small edges. Some shoe brands, like La Sportiva, make climbing shoes without edges that conform to the subtleties in outdoor rock. One such shoe is the Futura.
12. Last – What a climbing shoe is built around. Determines the shape, width, and volume of a shoe. In fact, all shoes in general are built around lasts.
13. Shape – Refers to the curvature of a climbing shoe. Flat-soled shoes offer more comfort while down-turned shoes offer more performance.
14. Heel cup – Locks in the heel to prevent any movement or slipping. The heel cup’s shape is also determined by the shoe last used. Thus, almost every climbing shoe will fit a heel differently.
15. Heel rubber – Refers to the patch of rubber surrounding the heel cup that is used for heel hooking. Many climbing shoes offer unique heel rubber designs which help improve heel hooking performance. One such shoe is the Mad Rock CS Drone, which features a prominent heel edge.
16. Midsole – Many downturned shoes lack a midsole in the arch to improve shoe flexibility. This shoe flexibility makes for better performance on steep climbing. However, those with a midsole provide more support for standing on edges, smears, face climbs, and the like.
17. Sole – Refers to the rubber on the bottom of a climbing shoe, although many refer to the toe portion of the shoe as the sole. Soles come in many thicknesses, anywhere from 2.5mm to 5.5mm. A thinner rubber sole offers more sensitivity, while a thicker sole offers more durability and support.
18. Asymmetry – Refers to the amount of curvature in the toe area. A shoe with high asymmetry (such as this shoe) features a more pronounced curvature that forces the foot into a power position. The shape of the shoe drives the entire foot toward the big toe. However, shoes with low asymmetry do not force the foot into a power position, offering more overall comfort.

*For tips on choosing climbing shoes, check out our official guide*