The Best Women’s Climbing Shoes of 2022

Whether edging on vertical granite, heel hooking steep boulders, or smearing on gymnasium volumes, these picks will enable you to really feel assured in your subsequent climbing day.

Climbing sneakers are extremely nuanced and various in form and really feel. Finding the fitting shoe relies upon loads on what sort of climbing you’re doing and what sort of rock you’re doing it on. Add in the truth that sizes, rubber sort, and match range wildly from model to model, and it’s no surprise that discovering the fitting shoe could be a problem.

That’s why we’ve spent months looking for out and testing the highest 10 greatest climbing sneakers to satisfy your climbing wants and objectives, analyzing components just like the shoe’s profile, closure system, match and really feel, consolation, efficiency, and sensitivity.

These sneakers smeared up multi-pitch slab, jammed into a spread of crack widths, withstood drizzle, and hit the crag throughout 90-degree Fahrenheit summer time warmth. The routes had been scattered from Canada to Colorado, on varied North American granite, and ranged between trad climbing, sport climbing, and toprope.

And whereas there isn’t a single pair of sneakers that works for each particular person’s toes and climbing fashion, we’ve highlighted quite a lot of choices. It could be helpful to have totally different sneakers for various climbing disciplines in the event you dabble in a couple of, as many usually do.

These are the sneakers we put on and love — one of the best climbing sneakers that may make you hit the boulders or the crag with extra confidence than ever.

For much more assist discovering one of the best match, discuss with our purchaser’s information and FAQ on the finish of this text. If you’re searching for a fast rundown of value and options, try our comparability chart.

The Best Women’s Climbing Shoes of 2022

Best Overall Women’s Climbing Shoe: La Sportiva Katana

The Women’s Katana Lace from La Sportiva ($219) is among the greatest all-around, high-performing sneakers in the marketplace. The Katana has been a beloved shoe by many for years, and La Sportiva simply got here out with an up to date model in 2022 with slight enhancements to key parts of the shoe.

The Katana is a mildly downturned, stiff shoe identified for its exact edging and pocket efficiency whereas additionally being smooth sufficient to smear on small granite footholds and twist into cracks. The up to date model has a reconstructed heel cup, with a thinner strip of rubber that hugs the Achilles in addition to rubber on the perimeters of the heel for higher sensitivity and efficiency, making this an ideal shoe for bouldering as properly. 

This shoe may not be one of the best for newbie climbers, nonetheless, because it has a really excessive price ticket, and has efficiency qualities which can be higher suited to the intermediate to superior climber. The Katana Lace performs exceptionally on all however steeper terrain, the place you’ll desire a extra aggressively downturned shoe to higher pull on holds. 

Specs:

• Closure: Laces
• Weight: 15.2 oz (pair)
• Upper materials: Microfiber/leather-based
• Rubber sort: Half-sole 4mm Vibram XS Edge Rubber

Pros:

• Great on quite a lot of rock and terrain
• Mild downturn makes it versatile for vertical and overhangs
• Edges and pulls properly
• New girls’s model comes with a break up sole for elevated sensitivity

Cons:

• Must dimension otherwise for up to date model
• Expensive

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Best Budget Women’s Climbing Shoe: Black Diamond Momentum

 

Due to the flat final and nonaggressive character, one tester — who used this shoe on 5.9- to five.11-rated multi-pitch granite in Yosemite, South Lake Tahoe, and Colorado’s Taylor Canyon — had this to say: “The Momentum is not my go-to gym shoe, but it’s a great cragging shoe and is good for beginner climbers.”

It additionally comes with a price ticket that’s exhausting to beat, making it an ideal finances decide for somebody simply entering into the game.

The Black Diamond Momentum ($100) will get a thumbs-up for breathability. Its artificial knit higher supplies nice airflow. And the shoe’s skill to flex and mildew to the foot makes for a cushty match. Its flat profile makes it nice for all-day climbing, as extra downturned sneakers are usually uncomfortable for lengthy durations.

One disadvantage: The rubber isn’t all-time high quality, so it slips at instances, particularly on indoor holds. But the tester mentioned it really works greatest exterior.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 13.2 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Synthetic knit
• Rubber sort: 4.3mm rubber

Pros:

• Competitive value
• Great shoe for newbies
• Flat and cozy

Cons:

• Missing top-notch rubber, so indoor climbing will get slick
• Climbers might desire a higher-performing shoe after a while

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Runner Up: La Sportiva Women’s Skwama

The La Sportiva Women’s Skwama ($180) pairs the sensitivity and suppleness of a slipper with the downturned motion of a way more aggressive shoe. “These excellent shoes are high performers on boulders and sport routes, and work just as well in cracks with their low-profile build,” one in every of our testers mentioned.

Their sensitivity makes these sneakers shine, as they flex and press on the smallest footholds in overhung terrain. Their patented S-heel building ensures safe heel hooking motion, and their Velcro enclosure permits for straightforward on-and-off on the boulders or crag. We liked these sneakers on all varieties of rock and terrain, from overhanging granite crags to sandstone cracks and boulders, to pocketed limestone.

While these sneakers excel at climbing pockets, toeing into finger cracks, and smearing on granite slabs, they fall quick when actual vertical edging comes into play. The softness that makes these slippers so snug and shine in different methods doesn’t make for one of the best shoe for severe face climbing — you’d need to go for a stiffer shoe with higher edging capabilities if that’s your major sort of climbing.

With that mentioned, the Skwama is so good at each different fashion of climbing which makes it our runner-up for greatest total girls’s climbing shoe.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 12 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Leather/microfiber/rubber toe cap
• Rubber sort: 4mm Vibram XS Grip2

Pros:

• Sensitive and aggressive for tougher climbing
• Very snug slipper design
• S-Heel building for superior heel hooking

Cons:

• Not good for vertical edging
• Leather higher stretches over time

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Best Women’s Climbing Shoe for Beginners: SCARPA Force V

Ready to start out climbing? The SCARPA Force V ($159) is a stable newbie possibility that may develop with you.

It’s an superior all-around shoe with nice padding, assist, high quality rubber, and a roomier toebox. Plus, foot entry and exit are simple with massive pull tabs, a smooth tongue, and straightforward Velcro straps.

“The moderate profile and flex of the midsole provide enough support for endurance or longer days of climbing but not for routes that are too extreme,” mentioned one tester.

This is one other shoe with a flat final that makes climbing all day a cushty affair, but it surely’s not the best choice for steeper climbing.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 17 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: 1.8mm suede
• Rubber sort: 4mm Vibram XS Edge

Pros:

• Less aggressive final for lengthy days on rock
• Great padding
• Easy to tackle and off

Cons:

• Lacks stiffness for climbers wanting inflexible assist

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Best Aggressive Women’s Climbing Shoe: La Sportiva Solution

The La Sportiva Solution ($180) is drastically downturned within the toebox, supplies glorious assist for prime arches, and has a slender heel cup, making it an ideal alternative for these with slim toes. The Fast Lacing System, which is an built-in single-strap Velcro attachment, permits for fast closure. Though our testers discovered the straps to be a tad lengthy for super-narrow toes.

“I love the support and hug that these shoes give my feet on vertical climbs. In contrast, I might not choose these shoes for a long, multi-pitch day or lower-angle routes,” mentioned one tester.

The Solutions shine within the arenas of bouldering and steep sport climbing, as their downturned nature makes toeing in on small footholds a lot simpler than with a flatter shoe. The heel cup means that you can make use of heel hooks for highly effective bouldering strikes, and the rubber on high of the shoe permits for buy on these finicky toe hooks.

Because of their aggressive nature, these sneakers usually are not our decide for multi-pitch routes or all-day consolation. But in order for you a high-performance shoe for these exhausting boulders or your newest overhung sport climbing venture, look no additional.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 17 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Leather/Lorica
• Rubber sort: 4mm Vibram XS Grip

Pros:

• Awesome high-arch assist
• Aggressive shoe for bouldering and steep sport climbing
• High-performance shoe

Cons:

• Velcro closure is lengthy for slender toes
• Not snug for all-day use

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Best Trad Climbing Shoe: La Sportiva TC Pro

 

The La Sportiva TC Pro ($219) has been the trad climber’s shoe of alternative for over a decade now, and that hasn’t modified. An up to date mannequin launched in 2021 makes nice enhancements to the tried-and-true basic, with a steady rand that’s much less vulnerable to delamination, a wider tongue that’s much less vulnerable to rolling, and a small plastic shoelace protector on the within of the shoe to assist resist abrasion from cracks.

This stiff shoe is made with 4mm of Vibram XS Edge rubber which helps you to stand on the tiniest dime edges on vertical terrain. Its flat sole permits for all-day consolation on lengthy routes and in cracks. Being so stiff, it tends to really feel “clunky” in your toes, particularly in case you are used to carrying softer, extra delicate sneakers like lots of the different fashions in our lineup.

You gained’t have the ability to “feel” footholds beneath your toes as a lot as with the Skwama, per se, however the stiffness is what makes the TC Pro so dependable at standing on tiny edges. This can also be one other costly shoe, and newbies would possibly need to begin off with a extra versatile, much less dear shoe to take them from the gymnasium to the crag.

Specs:

• Closure: Lace
• Weight: 1 lb. 1 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: ECO leather-based/microfiber
• Rubber sort: 4mm Vibram XS Edge

Pros:

• High-performance edging shoe
• All-day consolation in cracks and on lengthy routes
• Mid-height cuff protects ankles in cracks

Cons:

• Not nice for overhanging terrain
• Heavy
• Expensive

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Best Shoes for Sport Climbing and Bouldering: Scarpa Instinct VS

There are a variety of nice issues lets say concerning the Scarpa Instinct VS ($199). Firstly, they’re essentially the most snug aggressive sneakers proper out of the field one in every of our testers has ever climbed in. A really low-profile shoe, the Instincts really feel loads much less cumbersome than a few of the different La Sportiva fashions we examined. And with a barely wider toe field than the final La Sportiva design, these might be an ideal match for individuals who don’t have the narrowest of toes.

Made with XS Grip 2 rubber, which strikes a very good steadiness between stiffness and sensitivity, the Instincts are unbelievable for toeing into limestone pockets and edging into small footholds. And the place the Instincts actually shine is of their heel cup – the Scarpa design sporting a lot much less rubber than La Sportiva sneakers, becoming snugly round your heel so you possibly can actually really feel the rock beneath and energy via on these necessary strikes.

Rubber utterly encases the entrance toe field, permitting you to drag into toe hooks with confidence. These options mixed make this our high decide for a bouldering and sport climbing shoe the place the terrain is steep and precision is paramount. 

Because of the downturn form, we don’t advocate the Instincts for slabby terrain. They additionally appear to suit one of the best when they’re sized tightly, so that every one the air is sucked out of the shoe for a slipper-like match, making them not a high contender for multi-pitch or trad climbing. But for individuals who spend a variety of time pulling exhausting on small rocks or sport climbing on gently overhanging to steep terrain, these sneakers are excellent performers. 

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 14.2 oz (pair)
• Upper materials: Microsuede and leather-based
• Rubber sort: 3.5mm Vibram® XS Grip 2

Pros:

• Slipper-like match
• Moderately downturned, uneven form nice for bouldering or steep sport climbing
• Rubber toe patch for toe hooking energy and safety
• Low quantity heel hook for higher match and sensitivity

Cons:

• Wider toebox might match some higher than La Sportiva fashions
• Not an ideal all-around shoe resulting from aggressive form and match

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Best of the Rest

SCARPA Vapor V

“This is a great all-around shoe for experienced climbers that need a step up from a beginner shoe, and the breathability is excellent,” mentioned one tester who climbed in 80-degree F climate whereas avoiding sweat-soaked toes.

The heel cup of the SCARPA Vapor V ($195) is snug, and the higher may be very supportive. And we like that the rubber is delicate and high-quality, permitting for exact footwork when wanted.

“The edging and precision were tricky for small pockets because of the toebox shape, but the flexibility is amazing,” added the tester.

This is a good step up from the flatter profiled sneakers firstly of this evaluate, because the Vapor V is reasonably downturned however not aggressively so. This permits for extra versatility on various rock sorts and terrain. They might not win a selected class, however they’re a few of the greatest climbing sneakers on the market.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 14.8 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Microsuede and leather-based
• Rubber sort: Vibram XS Grip2

Pros:

• Nice middleman alternative for progressing climbers
• Excellent breathability
• Moderately downturned for versatility

Cons:

• Squarish
• Slimmer toebox isn’t super-conducive for edging energy

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So iLL Street LV

The So iLL Street LV ($139) presents a match for narrower toes, with the “LV” standing for “low volume,” however “there’s also quite a bit more volume in the forefoot compared to other narrow designs,” mentioned one tester with a large forefoot and slender heel.

If you’ve shied away from different girls’s-specific climbing sneakers since you’re afraid they’ll be too slender, the Street LV would possibly strike the steadiness between having a well-fitting heel and a forefoot that isn’t as tight as a corset.

This pair’s aggressive parrot-bill form powerfully dominated overhanging bouldering issues. More skilled climbers will respect the Street’s skill to carry out properly on steeper, harder terrain.

This shoe might show to be too slender for these with wider toes, however for these searching for a tight-fitting shoe to ship their subsequent venture in, the Street LV is an efficient alternative.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 16 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Synthetic
• Rubber sort: Dark Matter rubber

Pros:

• High-performing for angled, overhanging issues and routes
• Women’s-specific, low quantity construct

Cons:

• May be a good match for wider toes

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La Sportiva Women’s Miura VS

The La Sportiva Women’s Miura VS ($185) are pocket climbing, vertical edging machines. “The stiffness of this shoe allows for precision on technical granite face climbs in California, to the long limestone sport routes of Mexico,” mentioned one in every of our testers.

Built for pushing on micro edges and small pockets, your confidence on skinny routes will certainly enhance with the Miura VS.

The downturned form of this shoe makes it excel in steep climbing as properly. This is a extremely asymmetrical mannequin, which mixed with its downturn, supplies rigidity all through the shoe and locations the toebox instantly over your huge toe for top-notch pulling and pushing energy.

“These shoes are workhorses for vertical faces as well as steep boulders and routes,” mentioned our lead tester.

To carry out their greatest, it would be best to downsize the Miuras, which may make them painful. These are additionally not our best choice for slab climbing or crack climbing, as they’re too stiff and aggressive for these varieties of terrain.

Specs:

• Closure: Velcro
• Weight: 16.5 oz. (pair)
• Upper materials: Leather
• Rubber sort: 4mm Vibram XS Grip2

Pros:

• Edging and pocket pulling machines
• Stiff shoe
• Asymmetric construct

Cons:

• Not good for slab or crack climbing
• Can be a barely painful shoe

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Women’s Climbing Shoe Comparison Chart

Why You Should Trust Us

Miya Tsudome is a former mountain climbing information for the Yosemite Mountaineering School, and has been climbing outside for the previous 8 years. She is a fan of climbing sport, trad, and alpine routes throughout the nation in addition to attempting exhausting on boulders.

She has climbed all around the granite cliffs of Yosemite and the east aspect of the Sierra Nevada, has spent months shoving her arms and toes into the sandstone cracks in southeastern Utah, and has traveled to Spain and Mexico to pattern worldwide limestone.

Years of climbing on totally different terrain and in numerous disciplines have guided her to know what she is searching for in her climbing sneakers, and he or she hopes to convey an goal view to the strengths and weaknesses of standard sneakers for ladies immediately.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Women’s Climbing Shoes

Identify Your Climbing Style

“To choose a rock climbing shoe, analyze the terrain where you’ll take the shoes and determine where you’ll be doing 70-80% of your climbing. Then dial in the right fit,” mentioned Stefanie Kamm, athlete supervisor and digital advertising coordinator for SCARPA North America.

Kamm began climbing in 2012 and climbs weekly in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. So she is aware of a factor or two.

One of our testers, Miya Tsudome, a former mountain climbing information in Yosemite National Park who has been climbing for 8 years, additionally has some recommendation to provide:

“It’s good to have a shoe that may do all of it, however most of the time us rock climbers can have many differing types in our quiver. If you wish to boulder and climb overhanging sport routes generally, it’ll profit you vastly to have a extra aggressive shoe.

“If at other times you like to do long multi-pitches or go crack climbing, you’ll want a more comfortable pair. If you’re serious about climbing, don’t be afraid to buy a few to round out your arsenal.”

We spent months testing these 10 pairs of climbing sneakers and might offer you all the knowledge that you must select your subsequent pair.

Shoe Shape & Fit

The form, or final, of a climbing shoe vastly determines its function. In basic, bouldering, overhanging, or vertical single-pitch routes want sneakers with a good, performance-type match, often known as aggressive, down-cambered, downturned, or barely downturned. The La Sportiva Skwamas, La Sportiva Solutions and Scarpa Instinct VS are good examples of aggressive sneakers.

A flatter final, like within the La Sportiva TC Pro, Scarpa Force V or Black Diamond Momentum, could be extra snug for multi-pitch and low-angle, sub-vertical climbs. Commonly, mountain climbing guides and new climbers select a flatter shoe for all-day consolation. As you progress or are drawn to tougher kinds of climbing, chances are you’ll look to improve to a extra aggressive mannequin.

Shoe softness refers back to the pliability of the rubber within the outsole, which will increase sensitivity, or a climber’s skill to really feel the rock options. The slipper-like La Sportiva Skwamas is an efficient instance of a delicate shoe.

Comparatively, tougher rubber supplies extra foot assist and could be higher when that you must stand on very small footholds on vertical terrain. The stiff La Sportiva Miura VS sneakers are the wizards of this fashion of climbing.

An excellent match is vastly decided by foot compatibility with that final form and the shoe dimension. This can also be a subjective measure, as everybody has a distinct foot form. Make certain there are not any air pockets across the foot or heel. Toes will curl underneath in a downturned shoe in comparison with a flat shoe.

Most individuals additionally dimension down from their avenue shoe dimension. If you haven’t achieved so earlier than, attempt sizing down in half-size increments and see how that feels.

Your toes ought to all the time curl barely, and sneakers ought to all the time really feel tight for one of the best efficiency. If you prioritize all-day consolation, discover a flat shoe the place your toes barely curl.

Whether you select a Velcro or lace closure system will alter the texture and match, so check out each. Lace closure techniques are usually extra adjustable, whereas Velcro techniques make it simpler to take your sneakers on and off. Also, a shoe’s supplies have an effect on the match over time, as sneakers with a leather-based higher will stretch whereas artificial uppers is not going to.

Leather vs. Synthetic

Leather uppers are usually extra sturdy than artificial uppers. If you’re largely trad climbing or spend a variety of time together with your toes jammed in cracks, leather-based is the best way to go, although sizing could be tough, as leather-based uppers stretch over time. Synthetic uppers stretch a lot much less, and the fit your needs get out of the field is just about the match you possibly can anticipate for the lifetime of the shoe.

Vegan footwear addresses leather-based uppers and footbeds. Some manufacturers, like Evolv, are identified for his or her vegan merchandise.

When attempting on sneakers with leather-based uppers, they will stretch over time, generally as much as a half-size bigger. This is necessary when contemplating what dimension to purchase, and generally it’ll profit you to purchase a dimension that feels a bit too tight understanding they are going to stretch sooner or later.

Women’s-Specific Shoes

Overall, girls’s-specific fashions have a lower-volume heel, narrower final, and softer or thinner rubber for simpler flex and extra sensitivity. We encourage you to attempt on a ton of sneakers to search out the foot mildew that matches your foot one of the best.

Be open to carrying any shoe no matter gender. Men with a lower-volume heel usually desire the ladies’s model. Women’s sneakers additionally are likely to have thinner or totally different sort of rubber in order that they’re extra delicate for lighter climbers. The girls’s Scarpa Instinct VS, for instance, makes use of XS Grip 2 rubber which is softer and stickier, whereas the lads’s model makes use of XS Edge rubber to accommodate the usually increased weight of the male climber with somewhat further stiffness.

Velcro vs. Lace-Ups

Climbing sneakers with Velcro straps are simple to tackle and off, making them a good selection for bouldering, gymnasium climbing, and single-pitch climbing. Some fashions, just like the La Sportiva Solution, have one built-in Velcro strap that zig-zags over the tongue of the shoe and could be simply pulled tight and connected by way of its Velcro tab. This ensures a pleasant, comfortable match.

Other fashions just like the Evolv Kira, have two Velcro straps throughout the highest so you possibly can dial within the match over two elements of your foot.

Shoes with laces, however, could be cinched tight, and those that are very involved with having their sneakers match as completely as doable for prime efficiency will go for fashions with laces akin to our high decide, the La Sportiva Katana.

While both sort could be and is utilized in all totally different kinds of climbing, every will nonetheless have sure limitations. Velcro straps can work high quality for a lot of varieties of cracks, however might make it tougher to suit into hand cracks and bigger. Modern sneakers with Velcro straps permit room for rubber on high of the toe field, which can vastly assist in toe hook maneuvers.

Lace-ups can have a slimmer profile total and could also be extra applicable for crack climbing. While lace-ups make sure you’re in a position to fine-tune your match, they is probably not one of the best for steep bouldering the place the laces can get in the best way of toe-hooking.

Soft vs. Stiff

Soft versus stiff sneakers come into play once you’re getting severe about discovering a shoe to match the terrain you’ll be climbing on — and pushing your self to attempt tougher grades, making this extra relevant to intermediate climbers.

Our greatest advice for newbies is the Scarpa Force V for its snug, flat profile and softer really feel. Having a softer shoe is sweet in the event you’re simply beginning out as a result of it’ll will let you really feel footholds extra and be taught higher method.

If you’re graduating out of your newbie sneakers, you’ll surprise what path that you must go in on your subsequent pair. The Scarpa Vapor V strikes an ideal steadiness between stiffness and sensitivity, with a average downturn that makes it a very good all-around, non-specialized shoe. The La Sportiva Katana might be the subsequent improve after this, for its high-performance score throughout quite a lot of terrain and stiffer building, which lets you be taught to face on small edges.

Soft sneakers just like the La Sportiva Skwama one are nice for steep or off-vertical terrain as a result of paired with their aggressive downturn, they will let you pull in on small footholds and smear on dangerous toes and small cracks.

Stiff sneakers, just like the La Sportiva Miura VS or the La Sportiva TC Pro are made extra so for edging and climbing on small pockets. With a lot stiffness all through the shoe, you’ll be able to extra simply stand on dime-size edges than with a versatile shoe just like the Skwama. This is as a result of your entire foot is supported.

In abstract, if you end up climbing on steeper routes or, conversely, slabby routes and cracks, a softer shoe just like the Skwama can be a very good match. If you’re extra into vertical routes with pockets or tiny edges, a stiffer mannequin just like the Miura VS can be the shoe for you.

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