Pedal Agony

June 7, 2006 11:29 AM

How do I stretch out a pair of rock climbing shoes?

I bought these rock climbing shoes (5.10 Anasazi) about two months ago a full size smaller than what I usually wear in regular street shoes. I was expecting them to stretch at least half a size but they really haven't stretched at all and my feet are killing me every time I go climbing -- I go home with bruises on my big toes and trouble bending them for the rest of the week. Is there any way I can stretch these things out or are they destined for eBay?

I've found some information online about stretching regular shoes, but these have something of a curve to them so I'm not sure if I could use a shoe stretcher. So far I've tried dampening them with hot water and putting them on, manually pushing on them, and just wearing them for hours upon hours. So far not much luck.

posted by ducksauce to sports, hobbies, & recreation (10 comments total)

In principle,shoe trees could stretch out a shoe - at least enough to break one in. You can forget about gaining a full size, however. You can expect maybe a (rough) cm of extra space by stretching, but at the cost of the shoe's integrity. Without a proper fit, you're going to blister your feet at best, or more likely, gain corns/bunions and a host of other problems over time.
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:40 AM on June 7, 2006

Don't stretch them out - that's how they're supposed to be! If they really are too small (which doesn't just mean they feel constricting, as this is to your advantage in climbing), you probably can't stretch them; they're not made out of elastic for the same reason.
posted by xanthippe at 12:00 PM on June 7, 2006

a little stretching out of a climbing shoe through use is normal - i could be wrong about this, but i think the 5.10 anasazi velcro is a board-lasted shoe, and as such won't stretch any more than a half-size. a slip-lasted shoe like this may stretch up to a full size - the tradeoff being that a slip-lasted shoe is more "floppy" (more sensitive, not as good at edging) than a board-lasted shoe.

shoe trees are certainly worth trying. in my experience, the best way to stretch/break in a climbing shoe is by use. i realize this is a bit of a circular argument, but if you physically can't bear wearing a climbing shoe long enough to break it in, you might be better off with a different shoe.

it sounds to me like you've done alot to try and make these shoes more comfortable. overall comfort is not necessarily a desirable trait in climbing shoes, but after all this work your toes still bruise and you can't regain normal flexibility within a few minutes after taking the shoes off, i would encourage you to at least try a half-size larger shoe.
posted by the painkiller at 12:07 PM on June 7, 2006

I have cheapie Mad Rock climbing shoes that are very tight. What I do is put spring-loaded cedar shoe trees in them after I climb, while they're still wet (yeech). It seems to reduce the funk a little, and keeps them from shrinking when they dry.
Your shoes, though, may in fact be too small, in which case you probably won't be able to stretch them out enough. You want shoes that are uncomfortably tight for standing/walking around, but not so tight that your feet hurt for more than a few minutes after you take them off.
posted by spacewrench at 12:08 PM on June 7, 2006

Anecdotal data point: I too made the mistake of buying climbing shoes that were too small, based on the advice of my more serious climber friends. I tried and tried to strech them out, but my feet were just too unhappy to even enjoy the climbing sessions. I bought a replacement pair that were a full size larger, and now my feet are quite content (though not loungingly comforatble). In hindsight, the original pair was much too small as I probably over-exagerated the advice of my climber friends. So, if you can stretch them out, do it, but if you are too unhappy, to the point that it is affecting your climbing, ditch em. Note: I am not hardcore like my friends, and actually find that pain is painful.
posted by |n$eCur3 at 12:21 PM on June 7, 2006

I'm not sure that you are going to be able to (or really want to) stretch your shoes so that they are comfortable. I have one pair of shoes that I purposefully purchased very tight. When using this pair (mostly for sport climbing or short trad routes) I peel them immediately off as soon as I get off the rock or to the belay station.
Do you take the shoes off as soon as you are done climbing? Sandals are helpful for having something around to slip into.
posted by fieldtrip at 12:40 PM on June 7, 2006

Thanks for all the answers so far, though they're sounding somewhat discouraging.

fieldtrip: taking the shoes off many times throughout the day/night is no problem and expected -- but I can't even finish the route before they become unbearable. I don't mind pain -- it's when it gets too agonizing to put any weight at all on my toes that it starts to just interfere with what I'm trying to do. My toes literally feel like they're breaking.

The spring tree sounds pretty good, but I'm worried that it will distort the natural shape of the shoe. These have a dropped heel so they're kind of shaped like birds' feet. Maybe I'll see if leather softener will be of any help.
posted by ducksauce at 1:21 PM on June 7, 2006

from the link: "Upper made of Cowdura™, a strong breathable synthetic suede that doesn't stretch like leather"

while we were investigating a pair of vegan climbing shoes a few months ago, our sales guy made sure to say that they would NOT stretch (vs. regular, ie leather, ones). Looks like you may have to invest in another pair (maybe try selling these ones as "barely used"?).
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 1:43 PM on June 7, 2006

I just looked at the product page you pointed to and it says right there that the upper is made of a non-stretch synthetic material.

The shoes are too small for you and there doesn't seem to be much at all - considering the product page - that you could do about that. I used to sell climbing gear a little bit and one thing we consistently noted in the shop I worked at was that people greatly exaggerated the down-sizing off their shoes. The fact is that although climbing shoes should be tight, there is a great benefit to being comfortable in them as well, and a good fitting shoe - whose last and overall shape suits your foot etc - will be comfortable and totally dialled in without downsizing too much.

I would try and sell them before they get too funky. I was always surprised that there was any market at all for used climbing shoes, but there was when I used to climb and I bet there still is though at a deep discount.
posted by mikel at 1:44 PM on June 7, 2006

you really don't stretch them out, your feet just get used to it. if you were to move back from a pair of technical bouldering slippers that get comfortable to some lace-up all-day shoes, you'd feel like they were too big for awhile. if you went back to the slippers, you'd have to get used to them all over again.

my advice is to buy them every so slightly uncomfortable and then climb at least 2-3X/wk. if you buy comfortable shoes now you'll be wondering why they're so loose in a month or two, if you do. you can buy tighter shoes then.
posted by kcm at 2:47 PM on June 7, 2006