Climbing Shoes for Wide Feet buying guide

Are you struggling with finding the right pair of climbing shoes because of your broad paw? Don't worry anymore. Climbing shoes for wide feet are here to the rescue.

The boots have a broader width, which provides you with proper comfort and support while climbing. Whether it be indoors or outdoors, the boots provide adequate traction to enjoy the activity.

All you need to do is sort out the best pair from different options available in the market. For this, you need in-depth knowledge of different elements of the product.

A comprehensive buying guide comes handy here. You can rely on it for correct details and facts on different characteristics of the product. Compare all the options with the given pointers and strike down the pair that fits your requirements.

Before starting with the guide, let us have to go through a quick introduction to the product.

What do you mean by Climbing Shoes for Wide Feet? Why do you need them?

When it comes to rock climbing, both the experienced and novice climbers are likely to have a snug fit of their climbing shoes.

But some climbers have wider feet, so they will not feel comfortable if the shoes fit snuggly. Therefore they need climbing shoes specially made for big feet.

With these shoes, it is very easy to get maximum comfort and relief required for climbers having wide feet.

These climbing shoes are designed a little wider, which means you will get some extra room to properly fit your feet. Thus you will get some more support to climb for a long time without having any discomfort.

You have to find the best quality wide feet climbing shoes to make sure they are durable enough for long-lasting use.

Types of Climbing Shoes for Wide Feet

1. Neutral Climbing Shoes

Typically, these shoes are appropriate for beginner climbers. They are designed with a flat profile that provides ultimate comfort to the climbers for a day-long activity. If comfort is the main priority, the experienced climbers can also choose these shoes for all-day climbing.

The extra thick outsoles and medium to stiff missiles ensure additional support for wider feet. You can also use these shoes anytime and anywhere you want.

However, these shoes do not perform well when you are on an overhanging route. Due to the stiffness, the soles have a lack of sensitivity.

2. Moderate Climbing Shoes

These shoes are renowned for their comfort. They are constructed in such a way that they ensure excellent flexibility.

So, if you have bigger feet and you are planning for technical climbing, you can look for a pair of moderate climbing shoes for better performance. Due to the little downturn profile, these shoes can do well on slab routes, cracks, or overhanging routes.

They have thin outsoles that offer firmer grip, but on the downside, they are not resistant to wear and tear.

3. Aggressive Climbing Shoes

These shoes are designed with a downturn profile and a lot of heel tension to be the ideal choice for the advanced level climbers.

With these climbing shoes, it is not very difficult to move on an overhanging route. They offer you enough strength and power because of their asymmetric shape.

But some climbers have a problem with the shape during multi-pitch or single-pitch climb.

Things to deem about while selecting an appropriate Climbing Shoes For Wide Shoes

Material

1. Leather

Leather can be a decent choice for climbing shoes for wide feet. Leather is stretchable so it can provide a comfortable fit for the climbers.

However, due to this stretchability, you may find it challenging to select the right size of the shoes. Though the stretchability amount depends on the leather types, the leather shoe can stretch between .5 and 1 shoe sizes.

Also, some shoes can stretch up to 1.5 sizes. You should keep it in mind that a tighter climbing shoe is more stretchy.

Another positive side of using leather shoes is that they are more breathable than synthetic shoes. Thus, you can have dry feet without any odor.

2. Synthetic

The synthetic material has less stretchability than leather, so you can quickly get the correct size of your shoes. The fit of the shoes depends on their size. So, having a pair of synthetic climbing shoes will be an excellent option for wide feet climbers.

You have to be careful while choosing the shoe size because synthetic material will not stretch much after use.

One major drawback of the synthetic material is that they are not breathable, so your will feet become sweaty. It can also create an odor.

Nevertheless, synthetic climbing shoes are straightforward to clean and maintain. They are resistant to water, and you can wash them with regular water.

You will find some synthetic climbing shoes which are vegan friendly.

3. Hybrid

Sometimes, the combination of leather and synthetic materials are used in designing wide feet climbing shoes. This hybrid material does not stretch much but ensures an excellent fit for wider feet.

The performance of the shoes depends on the amount of synthetic and leather used in these shoes.

You may find the leather area a little tighter, but it will stretch with time, and you do not need to worry about your comfort.

The hybrid material is a little more expensive than other materials, but it will surely be worthy of your money.

Fit

When you are about to buy climbing shoes for wide feet, you should check the fit of the shoes in the first place. You will need a snug fit of the shoes so that you can wear them comfortably.

Many shoes are designed with stretchy materials. Therefore, they will adequately mold to the feet after the break-in period.

Leather is more stretchable than synthetic, which means you should choose the material carefully to have a comfortable fit.

Also, you should examine carefully if there is any dead space between the heel and toe areas. It may have a negative impact on the performance when you need some tricky moves.

Considering the overall feet width can be helpful to get the right fit. You should choose the fit according to the specific shape and width of your feet.

Weight

Many climbers do not pay much attention to weight while choosing their climbing shoes for wide feet. But it will be better to consider the weight of the shoes for better performance.

Usually, the material used in designing the shoes, as well as their profile, determines the weight.

If you choose a shoe that has a thicker sole and reinforced design, it will be heavier than a slip-on model. For the lighter weight, you should select thinner soles.

But it is recommended to focus on the purpose instead of the weight. There are several factors that have an impact on weight.

So, you must look for good construction and material quality to get a moderate weight for your climbing shoes.

Shoe Last

You must consider the shoe last before making your purchase. Shoe last is related to the shoe mold, which includes the heel width, forefoot width, toe box width, etc.

All these factors are equally essential to get the right fit for the climbing shoes for wide feet. Also, the shoe last can determine the overall shape of the boots.

You can find the climbing shoes with different designs such as straight, asymmetric, or downturned. It depends on the shoe last how they will look and feel.

If you are planning for rock climbing, you will need the slip-lasted design because they are more sensitive instead of stiffness. As they do not have the insole, the stiffness comes from the midsole.

On the other hand, board-lasted shoes have less sensitivity because they are stiffer. Therefore, you can choose them for all-day comfort without any doubts.

Comfort

The primary purpose of buying wide feet climbing shoes is to get comfort, which means you must check this feature properly while choosing your shoes.

The upper part of the shoes can be stretchy, but the rubber does not have any change. The toe and heel areas should fit your foot correctly.

Not all climbers have the same shape of feet, so the heel cup and toe box will definitely differ from one another.

If you feel that the toe box or heel cup does not fit well to your feet, you should discard the shoe immediately and go for other designs.

Another critical factor that you should look for while buying your shoes is the mesh lining and tongues. With these, you will be able to improve your comfort.

Mesh linings are useful to prevent moisture and make the shoes more breathable. Moreover, you can search for a tongue with extra padding for the utmost comfort.

Durability

It will be wise to buy a pair of rock climbing shoes which are more durable. Besides getting the correct fit, you should buy strong and sturdy shoes for long-lasting performance.

Especially if you are fond of rock climbing and go climbing very frequently, you must need a durable pair.

Commonly, the thicker rubber offers more durability where the thinner rubbers are appropriate for sensitivity. So, it seems like a tug of war to leave one for the other feature.

When you select the aggressive type of wide shoes, you must make sure that the downturn design remains the same for a long time. Also, they should not change their curved shape.

Closure

The closure system of the wide feet climbing shoes determines how easily and comfortably you can wear and remove your shoes. There are three types of closures, including lace-up, velcro straps, and slip-on.

Lace-up closure is absolutely perfect for achieving a proper fit. It allows you to loosen and tighten your climbing shoes as per your needs and comfort.

If you want to take on and take off your shoe, a hassle-free Velcro strap will help you the best. Therefore, they are also appropriate for bouldering, gym climbing, etc.

Finally, you can look for the slip-on closure. Due to its elasticity, you can easily use these shoes. Slip-on closure is preferred for its high sensitivity, which is a plus for climbing. It requires neither straps nor laces, but you will get the best result for slotting climbing into the cracks, etc.

Although it entirely depends on your personal choice, which type of closure system you will need for your climbing boots, you should check all of them carefully to pick up the best one for you.

Upper and Outsole

1. Upper

The upper part of the climbing shoe is constructed by using two typical materials, such as leather and synthetic.

You can choose the upper material according to your comfort. There are some uppers that are lined or unlined. Also, you can see padded uppers for better comfort.

2. Outsole

The outsole is the bottom part of the climbing shoes that are usually made from rubber.

The outsole of the shoes must be strong and durable because they get in touch with the rocks directly. Some outsoles are sticky, where others are thin/thick.

Sticky rubbers can be appropriate for climbing on the slabs. In contrast, firm rubbers are required for edging.

So, it is clear that you must choose the thickness of the outsole in an efficient way to get better performance on the rock.

Downturn

Downturn means the capacity of the toes of your climbing shoes to curve down. For wide feet climbing shoes, the downturn is an extremely vital feature, so you must consider it before buying your shoes.

Usually, shoes with a flat profile are comfortable. Oppositely, there are some shoes that are more aggressive, and they are capable of providing powerful performance.

Downturned shoes can be an ideal choice for climbing steep walls. It is recommended to go for a neutral or moderate downturn for beginner climbers.

Thickness

A climbing shoe can either be stiff or flexible, and that ultimately depends on its thickness. It means you must consider thickness as a primary buying factor while scanning the climbing shoes for wide feet.

This is applicable for both male and female climbers, so they should check the thickness accordingly. Typically, thicker shoes are stiffer and flatter, which can be handy for the climbers.

However, if you want to have a more sensitive shoe, you should not go with thicker climbing shoes. With the thickness, the sensitivity of the shoes decreases.

It is recommended to choose thicker shoes for beginner climbers so that they can improve their skills effectively. For technical climbing, thicker climbing shoes offer more support and strength to the novice.

On the contrary, experienced climbers are more likely to have thinner shoes instead of the thicker ones as they need more flexibility and sensitivity while climbing the rocks.

Type of Climbing

You will find different climbing styles, which are mainly divided into two major styles, such as outdoor and indoor locations.

It is needless to mention that indoor location means you are climbing in a more familiar and controlled environment. So, you can choose a pair of climbing shoes which are less durable.

The primary purpose of indoor climbing is to help you in practicing your climbing skills efficiently, so you should never overlook the comfort of the shoes.

But, when it comes to outdoor rock climbing, you will be in a more vulnerable situation. You must choose the tougher climbing shoes that can withstand any uncontrolled or unexpected conditions.

Therefore, you will need more durable and more rigid shoes to keep your feet protected from the rocks and make your climb easy.

To be more precise, you can break climbing into two specific styles, including free climbing and bouldering. It will help you to select the right pair of climbing shoes according to your needs to make sure it will improve your climbing performance.

Flexibility

Usually, the flexibility of the climbing shoes depends on the stiffness of the midsole. But it is very crucial to check the flexibility of climbing shoes for wide feet in advance.

With a soft midsole, you can quickly move forward for bouldering or gym climbing. The flexibility provided by the missiles makes it possible to adjust your feet conveniently during climbing.

If you are looking for a better sensitivity between the rock and your foot, you should opt for the softer midsoles.

Nevertheless, stiffer shoes are always ideal for outdoor rock climbing, where you need more skills. In addition, you will get more stability and support for technical climbing.

It is suggested for the novice climbers to search for a slightly stiffer midsole so that their ligament and foot muscles can get extra strength required for outdoor climbing.

Fit Size and Shape

Each and every climber has their own specific shape and size of feet. It will be stupid to assume an overall figure in general. Some people have narrow feet, while others have wider feet.

Therefore, you must know the exact shape and size of your feet before buying the climbing shoes for wide feet.

If you have an unusual shape of your feet, you must choose the shoe design accordingly.

Remember that selecting the wrong shape and size means the shoe will be too tight or too loose, which you never intended for.

People with narrow feet should buy climbing shoes having a narrow structure. Similarly, climbers who have wider feet should not go for narrow shoes.

When your shoes fit tightly, you will feel uncomfortable to climb. So it will be better to stop climbing until and unless you get the correct size for your feet.

Especially if you have a wider foot, it will need some extra space to fit correctly. Only a specific shape and size of your shoe can give maximum comfort during your climbing.

How to get the best fitting shoes

Throughout this guide, the fit is one of the primary concerns that can determine whether you are making the right purchase or not.

Long gone are the days when you need to adjust your feet inside the tighter climbing shoes. Instead, you have a wide range of options so that you can choose the climbing shoes for wide feet that fit your legs in a proper way.

Every brand comes up with its own size, so you need to measure the size of your feet very carefully. It will be better to start sizing from the street shoe.

You should have a snug fit so that every part of the foot gets an equal level of comfort while they are inside the shoe.

The best way to get the right fit for the climbing shoes is to keep on trying. Try different climbing shoes as much as possible before paying for a final one.

You should know when you need to go down or go up one size.

Go down if

1. You have wiggle toes or feel your heel is slipping
2. You can shift your feet from one side to another inside the shoe
3. You have dead space inside the shoe
4. You do not have a snug fit of the toes at the end of the climbing shoes

Go up if

1. The shoes are so that causing pain
2. You have several pressure points that hurt
3. It isn't easy to stand on your toes

You should keep it in mind that not all climbing shoes are meant to fit correctly. If you think you are not getting the correct fit, you should change the shoe model rather than going up or down a size.

You need to know the accurate size of your foot for a particular brand, and then you can follow the same size in the future for that brand. However, if you change the downturn of the shoe, you will need to change the size accordingly.

FAQs

1. How wide are these shoes?

Some wide shoes increase the with by 0.25 inches and some by 0.5 inches. Select the one that provides you with proper comfort and support.

2. My shoes are a little tight. Can I do something to make it more comfortable?

Yes, soak your pair in hot water for some time and start your climbing with the wet shoes. The material will loosen up a little, and you will find them more comfortable around your feet.

3. Are these shoes worth their value?

Yes, if you have a wider paw, you will find the shoes quite comfortable. You will find proper support and traction while you are climbing any surface.

Final Thoughts

With all this information in your hand, what are you waiting for? Go have a quick tour of this extensive guide to wrap your head around all the critical factors of climbing shoes for wide feet.

Equip your feet with the best pair and enjoy the thrill of the activity without any discomfort.