When buying a pair of rock climbing shoes the most important things to look for are proper fit and performance. Proper fit in a climbing shoe means snug. Good performance means it will ‘stick’ or have ‘friction’ to reduce the chance of slipping and falling. Five climbing shoes that are “sure-fire” winners are the Evolv Rockstar Climbing Shoe, La Sportiva Women’s Katana, La Sportiva Mythos Lady, the Five Ten Women’s Anasazi Velcro, and the Mad Rock Women’s Onsight.
The Evolv Rockstar Climbing Shoe for Women has been a favorite with climbers since 2004 when it won awards from both Climbing and Rock Ice magazines. The Rockstar is a versatile mid-priced rock climbing shoe that is enjoyable for both beginners and experienced climbers. According to the experts at Rockclimbing.com – the Rockstar “performs well on cracks, sport climbs, and all-day multi-pitch climbs without sacrificing performance for comfort.”
La Sportiva Women’s Katana is a good rock climbing shoe for climbing indoors (in the gym) or outdoor sport climbing, crack climbing, and ‘bouldering. It’s a performance shoe with a Velcro closure to make it easy to put on and take off and for one hand adjusting. The sole is designed to be hard enough that it’s durable and rubbery enough to be sticky and get proper friction. The Katana is lined to reduce the chances of it stretching out of shape but users find it does mold to the shape of their feet.
La Sportiva Mythos Lady is known as a versatile and comfortable rock climbing shoe. The Mythos Lady is made with unlined leather upper so it fits snug but quickly molds to the shape of your feet. The laces tighten down around the toe and heel so the chances of the shoe slipping are reduced.
The Five Ten Women’s Anasazi Velcro is an excellent shoe for intermediate to experienced climbers. It has Velcro closures that make putting it on and taking it off easy and fast. The Anasazi is a slipper style of climbing shoe but it does not have an aggressive down-turned toe like some slippers do. The less aggressive toe lets the foot rest in a more natural position than an aggressively down-turned toe does – while the deep-cupped heel is positioned to drive the force forward to the toe area.
The Mad Rock Women’s Onsight Climbing Shoe is a versatile all-around performance climbing shoe. The Onsight is designed specifically to contour and to be comfortable on a woman’s feet. The narrow interior, heel, and higher instep of the Onsight create a climbing shoe that gives better fit and better performance.
Sources:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Shoes/Climbing_Shoes/Women’s_Climbing_Shoes/Rockstar_738.html
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Shoes/Climbing_Shoes/Women’s_Climbing_Shoes/Women_s_Katana_3619.html
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Shoes/Climbing_Shoes/Women’s_Climbing_Shoes/Mythos_Lady_638.html
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Shoes/Climbing_Shoes/Women’s_Climbing_Shoes/Women_s_Anasazi_Velcro_3458.html
http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Shoes/Climbing_Shoes/Women’s_Climbing_Shoes/Mad_Rock_Womens_Onsight_Climbing_Shoes_5014.html
