Recount your favorite moments on a climb. What comes to mind? If you’re anything like me, part of what you’ll remember is the shoes you were wearing. When it comes to climbing shoes, the word “obsession” is an understatement with the condition I have. I absolutely love climbing shoes and I am positive a good chunk of the climbing community does too. Over the history of the sport, there have been lots of awesome climbing shoes that have left a big impact for climbers. And year after year, I get so excited to see what the next line of climbing shoes are going to be. So here’s my list of the coolest climbing shoes ever made so far, whether it’s something revolutionary that helped evolve the sport or just the aesthetic that helps the shoe stand out. Let me know if any of these strikes a chord with you.
The Coolest Climbing Shoes Ever Made
I’ve listed these shoes in alphabetical order based on brand, not by any other metric.
Boreal Fire
The Boreal Fire was one of the first climbing shoes with rubber designed specifically for the sport. Before these, climbing was done in basically minimalist hiking boots or thin tennis shoes. With the advent of the Fires, every climber wanted a pair. The 1980s was largely dominated by this shoe alone, fits well with the look of the times.
Boreal Ninja
Known for being the first slip-lasted shoe as well as the first slip-on, the Ninjas changed the way climbing shoes were made. With slip-last construction, the upper fit the foot like a sock, upping the fit and sensitivity to new heights. Also, slip-ons are awesome, so buckle up because this is just the first on the list.
Butora Narsha
The Narshas weren’t for everyone, and that’s okay. It’s like a sleeve tattoo, either you like it or you don’t. But if Sauron was a climber, he’d wear this without a doubt.
EB Super Gratton
Before the Boreal Fire were developed, there was the Super Gratton from EB, which were honestly a glorified pair of climbing boots. Pretty lacking in any features that you’d find in a modern climbing shoe, at least you could wear these to dinner after a day out on the rocks. Two birds with one stone.
EB Balboa
The Balboa just looks like a really well-tuned and powerful sportscar co-designed by Seb Bouin. Although somewhat similar looking to the Scarpa Drago, these hold their own in terms of quality of materials and color scheme. If only there was a US distributor!
Evolv Nexxo
For some reason the lime green and the royal blue just work so well together in the Evolv Nexxo. And the minimal stitching pattern on the upper adds a subtle aesthetic that I adore. It also sports one of the meanest downturns I’ve seen on a shoe yet.
Five Ten Moccasym
The Moccasym was one of the first climbing shoes to make use of the slingshot rand (that piece of rubber that wraps around the heel of the shoe). Five Ten developed the slingshot rand to help maintain heel tension and the perfect fit. The Moccasyms are your no-frills classic flat-soled shoe, just like your favorite comfort food.
Five Ten Teams
Built for sensitivity with its super-thin and soft 2.5mm rubber sole, which was pretty unheard of at the time. This lent to its unparalleled performance and precision. Too bad you needed some narrow ass feet to fit into these.
Five Ten 5X
For those who loved the original Five Ten Moccasym, the company decided to up its performance with this rendition. The 5X is a glorified pair of Moccasyms with a cute little strap and improved heel design. I’d give my little toe to have a pair of these in my quiver.
Five Ten Diamond
The world’s first climbing shoe made for women, the Five Ten Diamond featured a lower volume toebox and a smaller heel cup. This paved the way for our current market of climbing shoes with low-volume and women-specific versions.
La Sportiva Futura
A redesign of the original ones from the 80s, the newest Futuras feature No-Edge technology and a sleeker look. The No-Edge technology is especially fun to climb in, allowing you to feel anything and everything with your toe to really dig into a hold. The wavy mountain patterns on the upper also really help these shoes pop!
La Sportiva Solution
The climbing shoe built for bouldering, the Solutions were introduced in 2007 and created a new wave of performance shoes meant specifically for the discipline. With hot features like the P3 rand and a split-sole construction, they allowed for flexibility on steep climbs while also maintaining the downturn shape over time. Sure, the molded heel cup wasn’t as impressive as later iterations but it was an innovative idea at the time to say the least.
La Sportiva Mythos
If you’re not familiar with the Mythos from La Sportiva, a little interesting fact is that the design of the shoe hasn’t changed much since 1991. Which is kind of crazy because they still sell like hotcakes. What made the Mythos so popular was the unique heel-tensioning system, which incorporated a lace that wrapped around the entire backside of the shoe for a more secure fit. (Just like how skateboarders have shoelace belts I suppose).
La Sportiva Miura
Probably still the flagship of La Sportiva even after 25 years, the Miuras has got to be one of climbing’s hottest shoes. Since its release in 1997, these shoes have stood the test of time as THE modern climbing shoes favored by ordinary climbers and professional athletes alike. You really can’t beat a classic.
Mad Rock Phoenix
Look, you thought it. I thought it. Everyone thought it when they first saw the Mad Rock Phoenix. It kind of looks like a pair of Vans skate shoes, right? Which is pretty sick in all honesty. The striped tongue also adds a nice touch to a rather unique aesthetic.
Scarpa Instinct S
Awesome, another pair of slip-ons! The original Scarpa Instinct S are a true weapon and showed that a slip-on could be performance-oriented. Although the current Instinct S slippers are also rad, what I loved about the originals were the slightly wider toebox and the full-length sole that offered a ton of support. They even brang them back for a limited edition version, although it looks like nothing changed between these and the originals. Which is why I guess it goes to show, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it“.
Scarpa Instinct VS
The Instinct VS was introduced as a velcro strap improvement to the original Instincts. However, they took off in popularity and are still a fan-favorite pretty much everywhere. So much so that there is a softer VSR version as well as a women’s version now. You nailed this one on the head, Scarpa!
Scarpa Drago
In my opinion, the Scarpa Drago is one of the coolest climbing shoes ever made in terms of aesthetic and functionality. All of the proportions and panels are just so pleasing to the eye. Added to the fact is how well they perform, they dominate the competition circuit and can be seen crushing outdoor projects as well. The amazing suppleness, the heel cup that can’t be beat, these shoes do everything right and nothing wrong.
Tenaya Oasi
The Oasis really made an entrance in the climbing shoe market with its futuristic look. A cool, functional velcro strap and the ability to climb both slab and overhung rock made these an immediate success. Paired with the fact that they are exceptionally comfortable, the Oasis helped change what we thought a climbing shoe could do.
Unparallel Vega
Very few shoes can pull off the all-black look in my opinion. However, the Unparallel Vega does it quite tastefully. Second place for all-black shoes goes to the Mad Rock Remora Tokyo Edition.
