r/climbingshoes • u/New-Berry-2732 • 4d ago
Help!
Hi, I’m struggling to transition to my second pair of climbing shoes. My first is the La Sportiva Mythos, they are snug and comfy, my street size is 39 and they are a 37.5 (but they don’t look that small next to my everyday shoes). I have slim feet and have tried quite a few shoes, buying online and returning. I got close to ordering La Sportiva Kubo in 38.5 but went on holiday so held off. While on hold in Denmark I went to a climbing shop and the attendant convinced me to go Scarpa Vapor V in a 40. They are shorter than my Mythos and a bit painful but she said no pain no gain and that they would stretch…Have worn them at home for brief periods last 3 days and they are still sore. Should I persevere / is there any hope?
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u/DaHamstah 4d ago
The shoes won't stretch without load. You have to use them to break them in.
If they are generally fitting, they are definitely not to short. The downturn makes the shoe look shorter, because of the curve, but the length on the foot should be fine.
It sounds like you are not used to down turned shoes. It's a shape your feet naturally don't have, so it will take time to accommodate.
Btw, the Mythos is one of the straightest shoes on the market and for most types of climbing it's a really bad choice. Only in softer, long multipitches those have their benefits, so taking the step to modern shoes like the vapor brings the chance for a big improvement in your climbing!
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u/New-Berry-2732 4d ago
Thanks, you are right, I guess they feel a bit short but the pain is mostly in my knuckles because the top feels very hard and it’s leaving marks. But you are right, I am not used to downturned shoes, and realise the Mythos are an easy wear :) Thanks, I’ll persevere and walk in them more than I have been doing
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u/DaHamstah 4d ago
Don't walk. Most modern shoes are way more uncomfortable if you walk in them than if you climb in them. Walking will flatten the sole and create much pressure. Climbing, standing on the edge of the shoe, distributes the load of the foot like it's intended.
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u/Ok_Math_7331 4d ago
I would say it is even too big for you :)
They will definitely stretch, but you should climb in them for a while to get them to stretch. Usually, it takes 3-5 climbing sessions to feel comfortable in your climbing shoes.
Personally, I’m using 2 pairs of Scarpa shoes: Instinct VS and Instinct VS laces. Both are 44 EU, meanwhile, my street shoe size is 46.5. And I feel that I can downsize them even more.
You also need to remember that Mythos is a super flat shoe and non non-aggressive and non-asymmetrical. Meanwhile, Scarpa Vapor V is mid-range aggressive, and asymmetrical.
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u/New-Berry-2732 4d ago
Thanks, I just wanted to be sure I hadn’t made the wrong choice, I’m going to give them a proper chance :)
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u/Ok_Math_7331 4d ago
Just give it a go. Try to tolerate pain a little bit. It’s normal for climbing shoes to be uncomfortable, soon they will become much more comfy.
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u/New-Berry-2732 4d ago
👍🏻 thanks. I got too used to the comfort of my Mythos! but I know they are now holding me back
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u/Important_Strategy68 4d ago
I think its more the fact that you are not used to this type of tension in your foot. If you do not have any hotspots (where the shoe causes pain), I believe you just have to break them in. Vapours are not agressive shoes, but compared to a Mythos still very uncomfortable imo.
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u/ryzl_cranberry 3d ago
I'd recommend putting your feet in plastic shopping bags so your toes slip right in to where they should be in the toe box and wearing them while you watch TV in the evening. Let your feet warm them up and bit and they'll get a bit more comfy
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u/New-Berry-2732 3d ago
I’m going to keep them after the mixed comments and give that a try, and just chalk up to experience if they end up not being the right ones for me. Thanks
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u/Vivir_Mata 3d ago
You got bad advice. The Vapor V already has a pretty bad break-in period and there is no point to using the "no pain, no gain strategy" with them. They should be snug, form fitting, and a little uncomfortable, but not painful when climbing. You can expect to gain about 0.5 sizes with break-in, so try on a larger size to see how that feels to you and then size down to whatever you think can reasonably get you to the fit you want.
Vapors or Kubos are great options for a second shoe, but I would be sizing them differently.
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u/imtherty 3d ago
No pain no gain is terrible advice, and I hate that people keep repeating it.
Climbing shoes should feel like a firm handshake, uncomfortable but not painful.
Any “gain” you would get from a super tight shoe is negligible next to spending less time on the wall/ wanting to climb since they are so bad.
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u/Vivid_Cockroach3958 3d ago
Those look about 1-1.5 sizes too big to me. May feel snug now but when they stretch I bet you end up with the edges not staying in place under load.
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u/Vivid_Cockroach3958 3d ago
Forgot to mention a good way to help break in at home is to get them on your foot and take a hot shower… then leave them on as long as you can stand it.
Nothing is as good as just climbing in them though and sweating and flexing them under load.
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u/New-Berry-2732 3d ago
Thanks for all the comments. I think I panicked because I’m impatient and wanted to make sure I wasn’t making a mistake. Anyway, they already feel better, probably because I found comments reassuring and I put some plasters on knuckles. I take the points about them looking too big, and heel fit. I’m going to stick with them and learn through the process. My Mythos are still in good condition but I felt they don’t give me much sensitivity in my toe and I don’t trust my feet in them, so perhaps mistakenly I’m hoping moving onto something a little more curved (?’aggressive’?) would help me trust my feet more (and these Vapor were the shop person’s recommendation and had a significant discount so I went with them). Thank you all.
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u/mtnrckr 2d ago
My two cents: they look a little big. I’ve experienced pain when trying on sizes that are too big because the material bends into my foot rather than with my foot. Does that make sense?
Also, my personal opinion: I’m over buying shoes that are too painful right from the start. I, of course, went through that about 6-7 years ago when I first started looking into more aggressive shoes. But there are shoes now that are very snug for me without the hot spots. Like someone else said, I take them off regularly when climbing bc they are so snug, but I don’t get pain that I have to climb through or break in. For me the Scarpa Veloce lace is that shoe. I climb harder in these than I did wearing Shamans or Drones, which always hurt me. Tenaya shoes are also worth looking into if you want something less flat for a thin foot. Ok bye.
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u/New-Berry-2732 2d ago
Thanks, it does. And after saying i’d keep these shoes and give them a chance I have decided life is too short to? And also I realised they are a bit baggy in the heel. Returning them and going back to the drawing board and I think Tenaya and La Sportiva of all the brands I have tried are the closest so will try some more. Thanks for the advice
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u/Patient_Tomatillo487 4d ago
I would return them and get proper fitting in a store :))
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u/New-Berry-2732 4d ago
Thanks, I actually did, I wasn’t sure but the attendant convinced me to go with them and tolerate the pain for a short while. I thought on day 3 of gentle breaking in at home they would feel better! I have two days to return them before I leave Denmark but thinking maybe it’s the material that’s hard and it will soften…
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u/sheepborg 3d ago
As a point of reference a vapor v needs 8-10 full climbing sessions on the shoe before it's feeling close to how it will ultimately feel.
Picking the right climbing shoe is always a process. Not really possible for us to say if the shoe is right or wrong.
Lots of women with narrow heels end up with a vapor V sized 0.5 too small to make up for the mid/large size heel of the shoe, experiencing a disproportionate amount of pain until they switch to a different shoe thats better matched to their foot shape.
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u/Temporary_Spread7882 4d ago edited 3d ago
Yeah nah they say that but it may or may not work.
The surely very experienced old climber who sold me my first pair of shoes said the same and for months I climbed in pain and couldn’t weight my toes. Knuckle pain btw. I could literally see the texture difference of the bones between inside-outside of the joint pressing through on the skin.
Then after trying on heaps of brands and models I found the Boreals I could finally use my feet in - instant upgrade in skill. Went to slightly more downturned ones years after, the flat-ish shoes were not what held me back until then.
And then I tried a too small and aggro pair for a few sessions and managed to give myself months of bunion pain that is juuuuust about to fade away.
TLDR: mild discomfort is ok and will probs go away, actual pain is bad and there is bound to be a shoe shape that fits better. Keep looking.
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u/GroovePT 3d ago
Here comes the hate lol
Climbing shoes aren’t supposed to be comfortable. That’s not their purpose. Are they meant to cause sharp pain the second you put them on? No—unless you’re pushing for maximum performance on tiny footholds. But if you’re bouldering seriously, yes, they will hurt after a minute or two. That’s why I take mine off between tries—to avoid destroying my toes.
If your goal is to stay on the wall for long stretches, then pick a pair that’s bearable for that use. But this idea that climbing shoes shouldn’t hurt is misguided. They’re designed for climbing, the same way ballet shoes are designed for ballet. Neither is built with comfort as the top priority.
If you still don’t get it, why bother with climbing shoes at all? Just wear Converse or Crocs—they’re super comfortable, perfect for a nice cozy gym session.
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u/New-Berry-2732 3d ago
The haters do always come…way too quickly… Anyway, I enjoy climbing but am not sure that my experience of these shoes is what I should expect, having not had this level of knuckle pain with my first pair. I can’t stand crocs or converse but thank you for your wise recommendation
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u/GroovePT 3d ago
It’s not hate man, it’s facts and sometimes reality hurts more than the shoes. Are you going to refute any of my points or just call it hateful? Why would anyone be hating on here? What do I have to win by not telling you the truth? I would just be lying to myself
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u/New-Berry-2732 3d ago
You’re the one that said ‘here comes the hate :)
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u/GroovePT 3d ago
V0 ~50 % V1 ~25 % V2 ~12 % V3 ~6 % V4 ~3 % V5 ~1.5 % V6 ~0.7 % …. Etc
So this is an approximation from a couple of unofficial studies but around half of the people that “climb” haven’t sent a outdoor v1 or equivalent indoor grade. This is why you shouldn’t ask Reddit for advice in climbing and why I expect hate.
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u/New-Berry-2732 3d ago
I get it. To give a different point of view, it’s resulted in me committing to a decision and stopped me trawling the internet so it has helped. Time (and I!) will tell if these shoes are the right ones or not, and if not I’ll hopefully sell them and keep looking for something that works for me at the level I’m at, which is not very high and that’s ok - I climb for fun and for my mental health, I’m just happy to climb without any illusions of being a great climber :)
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u/quizikal 4d ago
They actually look a bit big compared to your foot.
It's normal to have a little discomfort but not pain. Typically it can take a couple of sessions to break them in and they will get a bit more comfortable