Climbing shoes are supposed to be close fitting and snug. Finding the perfectly fitting pair of climbing shoes may not be a herculean task for those with slim feet while it could be equivalent to finding a Cinderella fit in a whole kingdom for those with wide feet.

We have listed the best possible options amongst the best climbing shoes for wide feet so that you don’t have to compromise in your desired features while getting a pair.

Five Best Climbing Shoes for wide feet Reviewed

La Sportiva Wide Climbing shoes

All-rounder function: These climbing shoes are designed to help you execute many techniques with skill and precision. You can smear, edge, lodge into small cracks, all with ease.

Superior Comfort: These are one of the most comfortable climbing shoes you’ll ever come across. The unlined leather upper is smooth, soft, and adapts to the feet with ease. The lined tongue in the shoe increases the air flow and improves moisture control. There is a synthetic leather overlay that provides proper support.

Efficient lace system of closure: There is a system of lacing harness that closes on being pulled quickly and efficiently adapts to the foot inside. The snug fit provides the ideal support and strength to the foot.

Durable: High quality materials have been utilized in the constriction of this long lasting shoe. The midsole is made of 1.8mm LaspFlex and the sole has 5mm FriXion. 

The only drawback of these shoes is their less perfect smearing ability.

Tenaya Oasi Rock Climbing shoes for wide feet

Aggressive type: This shoe is versatile. It can be employed on overhanging and vertical routes as well as for bouldering. 

Comfort: Although an aggressive type of rock climbing shoe, Tenaya Oasi is quite comfortable especially when compared to its other counterparts. You can wear these shoes on the longest routes without getting done with them.

Excellent construction: The closure system for this shoe is microfibre and Velcro. The tongue of this shoe is made of Lycra which offers smoothness and breathability while lining is made of cotton treated with TXT. The cup for your heel is very adequate in size.

Extraordinary fit: Even with wide feet, your toes will perfectly fit in these shoes and your grip on the rocks while making moves will be precise.

Durable: These shoes are known to be durable and last long.

One major drawback for these shoes is their higher cost as compared to other similar varieties.

Climb X Rave Strap Climbing shoes for wide feet 

Economical: This is the best climbing shoe you’ll find without having to go hard on your pocket. You won’t have to compromise on the best features while paying a lower price. Your wide feet will have all their comfort together with the edge required in ascending.

Best Comfort: This shoe provides excellent comfort. This pair will be perfect for both your outdoor climbing treks and your gym climbing drills. The fit will be snug and perfect and you’ll feel no stress on your feet whatsoever. The adjustment on this shoe is precise and it is ensured that your feet don’t get pinched or cramped while working.

All-rounder construction: The collar and the heel for this shoe are padded to provide additional snug while the versatility is enhanced by the special double stitch construction and the polypropylene midsole bound in one piece that ensures comfort in all moves.

The one drawback for this variety is the low quality rubber used for construction.

Black Diamond Momentum Lace Climbing shoes

Neutral and comfortable: These shoes are a neutral type of climbing shoes that provide comfort all day and provide a flat rest to the toes. This pair is known to have incomparable breathability. The stress on your joints is greatly reduced and the strength of your feet is enhanced to undertake tough vertical climbs. 

Their special engineered knit technology accounts for the excellent air exchange helping in comfort and the lace fit provides for proper adjustment and ensuring a snug fit.

Durability: The sole is made of 4.3mm Neo friction rubber to ensure a consistent performance while providing adequate strength and longevity to the shoe. 

The only drawback is that the rubber used in this shoe provides less friction than other comparable options.

Scarpa Instinct Wide Climbing shoes

Enhanced toe power: These shoes have high tension active rending that provides the ultimate toe power along with a Vibram XS Edge in the forefoot that increases the gripping abilities while improving the longevity of the shoe.

Snug fit: The snug fit provided by these shoes is enabled by the floating power strap that fits the foot perfectly while enhancing its power. 

Comfort: This shoe can be worn all day without feeling stressed and liable to getting cramped or strained.Their non stretchable construction ensures that you don’t feel tired of wearing them all day. This shoe’s upper portion is made of Lorica Micro Suede which makes it all the more easy going on your feet.

The hook and loop strap of closure also enhances fit and ease. Extra breathability is provided by the tongue and heel loops.

Edging and Smearing capabilities: The heel of this shoe has  Vibram XS Grip 2 which makes them very sticky on climbs and greatly enhance the edging and smearing abilities. 

Durability: Vibram XS edge rubber sole that is utilized in this shoe accounts for the excellent grip and the longevity of the shoe. This is the perfect shoe to work pro on hard climbs and to go on working with for years on end.

One limitation is that these shoes are more expensive.

What you should consider while buying climbing shoes?

The Type of climbing shoes you buy is an important consideration. If you are a beginner, the neutral flat shoes will be ideal and you’ll slowly progress towards more advanced varieties of shoes as your skill in climbing is enhanced.

Shoe closure: Climbing shoes have mainly three types of shoe closure: lace up, strap on, slip on.

The lace up variety is considered the most versatile as it can be tightened to suit your perfect fit while the strap on and slip on varieties are easier to wear and take off and work best while gym climbing and bouldering because there’s no chance of a lace opening during the climb. 

The slip on shoes are most preferred because of their elastic closures and the ability to lodge perfectly into crevices while providing the best sensitivity for small holds. Beginners mostly use slip on shoes to quickly build foot strength.

Material of the shoe: Leather climbing shoes will be easy to maintain and are capable of being deodorized. The synthetic climbing shoes, on the other hand offer more breathability so that the moisture content is controlled and foot comfort is enhanced. Leather shoes will be more flexible than synthetic shoes.

Shoe lining: Lining of the shoe controls their stretch over time. Unlined leather shoes can stretch to a larger size over the time so you are advised to buy a size smaller than your perfect size. The lined leather shoes do not stretch as much, the stretch factor is decreased to half size. A lined shoe will be more comfortable and will stretch less.

Outsole of Climbing shoes: The rubber portion of the shoe on the outer side and towards the bottom is known as the outsole. The outsole’s thickness determines the performance of the climber. Various types of rubber are used to build outsoles, while the sticker ones are ideal for use in smearing and for climbing slabs, thick firm rubber outsoles enhance edging abilities.

Proper fit: It is important for your climbing shoe’s fit and tightness to be customizable. Hard climbing will often make your feet swell so that you’ll need to loosen up your shoes. The kind of socks you wear will also affect the fit of your shoes.

Your climbing shoes should ideally not have any dead air space. The shoe should perfectly fit on all portions of your foot and it shouldn’t be possible to move your foot when inside the shoe. Take care that this doesn’t mean your toes need to be curled and tightened. Your toes should rest flat inside the shoe. Your heel should be closely fitted and the shoe should not stress the pressure points of your foot.

The three types of Climbing shoes

You should take note of what type of shoes will best suit your climbing skill and route. Climbing shoes come in three different varieties, each predominantly suited for some climbing styles, each with their own loss and benefit. The different types are known as neutral, moderate, and aggressive.

Neutral

These shoes are mainly used by beginners but will often be used by experienced climbers owing to their comfort. The profile of these shoes is flat and the toes remain straight in the shoes so they can easily be lodged into cracks while ascending. Thick rubber support in the soles of these shoes gives a solid base to feet and they can be easily worn all day because the fit is not too tight and the comfort is adequate.

The thick base of these shoes could compromise on the sensitivity of the feet and it could get tough to determine less obvious holds while using these. You’ll want another type of climbing shoes for the difficult routes that require more advanced skill.

Moderate

You can easily differentiate moderate shoes from the neutral and aggressive climbing shoes by their outward appearance. Moderate climbing shoes are slightly turned downwards from the front portion. This slight turn is known as a camber and it is capable of making your advanced climbs more safe. 

The soles of these shoes are thinner than neutral shoes to enhance the sensitivity required for discerning small holds on the route and the rubber on these shoes is made sticky for better edging capabilities. These shoes will not compromise your comfort as much as the aggressive climbing shoes but they are less comfortable than the neutral ones. The precise shape of this shoe is meant to give your feet more power and strength. 

One major drawback is their ability to wear down faster because of the thin soles and the sticky rubber that doesn’t last long. 

Aggressive

The aggressive climbing shoes are more downturned in shape than the neutral and moderate types. Their aggressive curve means to concentrate the control and the power towards the big toe. The big toe is the strongest area of the foot and the curve of these shoes enables precise placement of toes on small holds. The very tight fit of these shoes strengthens the foot more than the other two types. The rubber is more sticky and the sole is thin for enhanced sensitivity.

The biggest drawback of this type is the decreased comfort and the fact that they wear easily and don’t last long. Smearing and lodging into small cracks is also better executed by the other two types.

Here are some tips to enhance the comfort of your climbing shoes for wide feet

• You can always use a shoe stretcher in order to stretch your tight climbing shoes.
• It is advisable to be aware about the importance of snug fitting on the climb and choose the shoes that fit you best.
• In case your feet are not of the same size, you can use an insole inside the shoe for your smaller foot and maintain the proper fit required for climbing.

Conclusion

Climbing shoes are one of the essential climbing gear to ascend any terrain. We hope this article helps you in getting the perfect fit for your size so that you keep ascending!