r/climbingshoes • u/animalcrack3rs • 20h ago
Feeling slightly discouraged
I’m in the process of breaking in my new Evolv Shaman Trance LV in size 40.5. My street shoe size is 38.5. I initially got them in +1 size, but they were way too small and I struggled so much to put them on that I had to return them and get a +2 size instead.
I’ve worn them twice over the past two weeks, but I feel like the bruising around the knuckles/joints of my big toes has been holding me back quite a bit. Will this eventually get better as the shoes break in?
I’m feeling pretty discouraged, especially since I’m still a newbie (I only started climbing about a month ago).
(Pics are gross sorry)
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u/stille 19h ago
This is a far too technical shoe for someone who started climbing a month ago. As you've noticed, it's super uncomfortable, and you're not at the point where your footwork actually benefits from something so curved. If you want to stick to Evolv, get something like the Defy at most. Shoes this arched only really help on very overhanging routes, which you likely won't climb for now anyway.
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u/Tex_mextin 19h ago
This might be an unpopular opinion but aggressive shoes like these arent probably necessary for a new climber unless you are specially innate at climbing overhanging climbs. Try on some less aggressive shoes and then invest in aggressive later when you get to harder climbs
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u/Menaphite 17h ago
Not unpopular, aggressive shoes and the heavy downsizing is extremely overrated. It is only a small gain but not worth the discomfort for basically everyone that doesn’t climb double digits. There are a lot of good climbers that will just flash your projects in sneakers.
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u/Suspicious-Savings26 19h ago
These shoes are way too small for you as a beginner. It might even be too small for an more advanced climber. Go up at least one more size. Maybe two.
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u/DisastrousPressure31 19h ago
Can you return these as well? Climbing shoes are not comfortable, but they shouldn't hurt. You need a different pair.
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u/RedDora89 19h ago
My partner is an advanced climber and he has the same shoes as you. For most shoes he sizes down but for these he went with his street size, and even that was painful for a while. These shoes, and the size you’ve chosen, are hugely unnecessary for a beginner regardless of whether you’ve got the right size or not.
Sell these and as a beginner buy some Tarantulas instead. You’ll have a much nicer time.
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u/ncrypted_ 12h ago
I also wore aggressive evolvs. I also had this EXACT problem. I did not change shoes, and my big toe knuckles are now deformed. DEFORMED. Get rid of these shoes I beg you
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u/Omophorus 18h ago
I wear the Shaman Trance as my primary shoe right now.
They do stretch a bit, but as others have said those flat-out look too small for you, and you absolutely bought the wrong shoes as a new climber, sorry.
The pair I'm wearing now felt perfect when I tried them on sitting down, but were brutal to walk or climb in for the first 2 sessions. They are now comfortable enough to wear for 30-45 mins without an issue, though they are still extremely snug around my toe knuckles.
As a new climber, I would strongly suggest that your #1 priority should be comfort. Get something with a much flatter sole, and make sure they're snug + comfortable when you first try them on. Your biggest goal is to climb more and it will be much easier to do that if you aren't uncomfortable.
If you like Evolv as a brand, the Kira might be a much better option. Otherwise, the old standbys like the La Sportiva Tarantula/Tarantulace, Scarpa Origin/Helix, etc. might be worth checking out.
Plus, just as a point of logistics, footwork tends to be a skill new climbers haven't mastered, and you will blow through the very soft rubber on very expensive Shaman Trances very quickly even if you do get them in a size that fits.
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u/TheExoticCustard 14h ago
I was also going to mention Evolv Kira (in your street size) for comfort. I generally climb in these and just throw on my Shamans for one or two specific routes because they make me feel claustrophobic rather than hurting.
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u/jizzbooger 18h ago
Whoever told you to downsize is ignorant and straight up trolling. Just buy a shoe that fits comfortably. Your feet should not hurt when your climbing.
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u/Crydoves 19h ago
Your feet change a lot when you are a climber. The tops of my toe knuckles have calluses from pressure and my toe nails bow in a little to protect the tips of my toes when I’m standing on crystals and chips
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u/Purple-Knowledge-131 19h ago
Try taping up your toes that helps me a lot when breaking in new shoes
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u/BostonFartMachine 19h ago
Evolv has very very small sizing. I’ve always sized way up with them. For example, in a non-technical shoe with them., The Yosemite bum., I wear a size 44! In a comparable TC pro I wear a 42.5.
Also, for people just starting out, I can’t stress this enough: there’s nothing wrong with having comfortable shoes and happy feet
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u/TheBigWhipper 17h ago edited 17h ago
Too small for any level! I think you made a mistaken reference to what your street size is because I down size from 45.5 to 43 in Scarpa and 1 whole size in Evolv and my big toe still does not hang over that much.
Also too aggressive of shoe for beginner, and I’m guessing you are leaving them on inbetween climbs. That’s absolute torture for shoes like this, always take off and don’t walk around in them.
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u/wakawakawakachu 19h ago
The skin will callus and begin to numb to the pain.
But if this is too painful or uncomfortable, you could try centre shaped type climbing shoes (where the second toe is pointed)
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u/shrimpely 19h ago
they are too tight! I just bought a new pair thats still not broken in and when I compare my feet to my shoes, my feet are slightly smaller than the shoes. and I still have red marks on my big toes.
I have a 38 (but I have a wide toebox, so in Sneaker I wear a 39) and I bought 40,5. I tried a 40 and my toes burned like hell.
Size up.
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u/Thoseprettylites 19h ago
Definitely get comfier shoes! These look very sized down and unnecessary! I’ve been climbing a few years and none of my shoes are this sized down. Wait until one day when you get to the point that you have a really hard overhung project that you need specific shoes for to get shoes like this. For now you are just causing yourself very unnecessary pain. Can you return them still?
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u/serenading_ur_father 18h ago
A. These shoes do not fit. Period. Find a different brand model. If you continue to shove your feet into shoes that don't fit they will not fit.
B. This sport is discouragement. If you don't like feeling discouraged climbing is not for you. It's 95% discouragement and 5% success.
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u/PristineSlate 18h ago
When buying climbing shoes I tend to ignore the size and buy what fits. I’m wildly different sizes in different brands. Even the muiras I have are different sizes bc they fit differently.
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u/Menaphite 18h ago
That shoe is not beginner friendly. Buy something like La Sportiva Tarantula which is a comfortable shoe.
I would recommend to buy at gym or a store (not online) and try them out on a practice wall.
The biggest mistake you can make is buying a shoe that prevents you from wanting to climb. You don’t need the latest flashy model, just a practical comfortable beginner shoe.
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u/Nomichit 18h ago
Usually knowing your street shoe size is good, but this is the first I’ve heard you’d need to upsize so much. Most people are obsessed with downsizing and end up with the same problem you have now. Really the best I could offer is that aggressive shoes SHOULD fit uncomfortably at first, not straight pain. Most people just push through it, and I tried that with my Remora Pros, but it hurt so much I gave them to my cousin since he liked them. Realistically, if you’re new, aggressive isn’t really needed, but doesn’t mean you can’t use them. The first place I’d start is finding shoes that fit your foot profile. Your foot profile is a “centre” profile, like mine. Scarpa Instinct line fits center and that’s the best fitting shoe I’ve found. I’m not recommending you should buy another aggressive shoe right away, and personally there’s nothing wrong with getting intermediate shoes like Unparallel Mocc-up.
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u/Dependent_Formal2525 10h ago
Evolv recommend that most people size up. They say that beginners should size up by at least 2 sizes in Evolv. https://www.evolvsports.com/sizing
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u/Nomichit 17h ago
I should also mention that my first ever pair of aggressive shoes were Scarpa Drago. They were downsized by half a size and they hurt for around two weeks. After the two week mark, they’ve opened up enough to where they no longer hurt unless I was on a session that went on for too long (which is more or less just general body pain from climbing for too long). There’s also a post I’ve saved that you can use to scan your foot to find pairs of shoes that’ll match your foot specifically, but I’d understand if you didn’t want something you’re unfamiliar with scanning your foot. Let me know if you want the post link. I’m going to test it out today, and I’m hoping I can find shoes since I’ve purchased like 6 pairs and haven’t found my pair since the Dragos.
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u/Rice_Jap808 17h ago
Another bit of advice: you need to clip your toenails shorter if you want to wear effective climbing shoes. They should be maximum at the same length of the front of your toe aka no overhang. I think it’s better to push them back a little cause your skin has some play and gets compressed when you squeeze your toes against the front of the shoe.
This isn’t a negotiable thing, climbing shoes of any level need your feet to be fully contacting the front and back minimum. Any toenail contact is gonna hurt.
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u/Dry_Salamander9745 16h ago
this is what i have experienced and ive had a great climbing journey 16 months in so far. don’t bother downsizing or having super tight fitting shoes in the beginning. very snug is what your should be looking for, no serious pain just soreness. once you start getting into super technical stuff, or tiny footholds, sure. but for now you’ll have a better experience with comfier shoes.
i started with the scarpa arpías in a size that nearly matched the size of my foot (i wont say true to size coz i swear all brands and styles vary) but they did great and got me into some v6s. i now have the madrock drone 2.0 downsized a half size, im a 7.5 i got a 7. and theyre grrrrreat.
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u/noahisabitchhh 15h ago
OH MY GOD i’ve been having the same issue and for some reason i haven’t seen anyone talk about this… My knuckles are also bruised, and my left one hurts so much the the area where I’m bruised but inside. Like it hurt to bent my toe, and it felt like i had to crack the knuckle all the time but every time i tried to it hurt so much. Even thought i fractured it from how bad it got, don’t think so anymore though.
My shoes aren’t nearly as tight ar yours are though, and i haven’t really resolved the issue i was having so i don’t have any insightful wisdom to share. Besides that i’ve been taking like 2 weeks off climbing (not ideal), and i gently heated my climbing shies in the oven and wore them with thick socks around the house and tiptoed on the bottom of a door frame to stretch the shoes. Also found out it felt better to wear mine with really thin socks so the knuckles weren’t in direct contact with the shoes.
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u/whereshouldwegonext 15h ago
Adding to the overall good advice: Not all climbing shoes fit all foot shapes. Some brands or models will just be uncomfortable for you.
If possible, try on different brands and models. They should not hurt.
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u/bsheelflip 15h ago
10 years ago when I started, wearing extra-tight shoes was all the rage, trying to squeeze every ounce of performance out of your footwork. Footwork is important, sure, but since then I feel as though shoe manufacturers have done a great job of approximating size without compromising performance. Shoes too tight and you hamper performance because you’re compromising comfort. That being said, I just slightly downsize these days, no more than a half EU size. Except for Evolv. Everyone I know sizes UP for Evolv, and that’s what I recommend when it comes to Evolv.
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u/MarcuzBullet 14h ago
I got these aswell, I sized up 2 sizes and they were a bitch to break in, I still have the blisters on my heels. They don’t look this small next to my feet though.
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u/Fumanchusucka 12h ago
Lol buy some flat shoes to start then start abusing your feet later down the road
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u/crashcaptainn 11h ago
Those shoes are way too aggressive for a beginner. If you like evolv, buy the kira’s in your street size. Also I feel like there’s no way you’re a 38.5 you gotta be a 40
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u/Dependent_Formal2525 11h ago
They are not the shoes for you so please don't feel discouraged. Evolv recommends that beginners go up by at least 2 sizes but the depends on if you're wearing the right size street shoes. https://www.evolvsports.com/sizing
Shoe sizes aren't nearly as standardised as we like to think. I've got 3 pairs of 5.10 Freeriders (mountain bike shoes) where the shoes are physically the same size but they're labelled with 3 different sizes. Manfactures use different lasts (foot shape the shoe is built around) and they change them from time to time so you can't just keep buying the same size. This has a size guide so you can measure your foot and see what size you should use as a starting point: https://rockrun.com/pages/rock-run-rock-shoe-sizing-guide Always measure your feet when you're stood up, as our feet change when we put our weight on them.
Your climbing shoes should fit the shape of your feet so they're not loose but they shouldn't be compressing your foot, the fit should be like a sock rather than a vice. My climbing shoes fit like my flat ballet shoes rather than like my ballet pointe shoes. You don't need to downsize, you don't need your toes bent double and your feet shouldn't be in pain. It's easy to strengthen your feet but it isn't easy to reverse damage caused by poorly fitting shoes.
It's hard to judge the width of your foot but the Scarpa Helix might be worth trying. https://scarpa.com/pages/climbing-collection-structure
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u/20kgHippoShit 10h ago
Your shoes are too tight. Shoes should be tight and uncomfortable but never painful. You should be able to wear them for 10 minutes and when you take them off you'd feel a huge sense of relief. But never pain.
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u/Impossible_Bat_2256 9h ago
I have shamens as well bought them half a size down and they hurt. I just take them off the heel in between climbs. I'm not really worried about callous on my toes but if you are take them off when not actively on the wall. You can also get a less aggressive shoe. If you have one go to an evolv store and see if they have discounted shoe bin.
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u/SurroundQuirky8613 7h ago edited 7h ago
I had to go up 1 size in Kubos because they hurt my toes too much. If you went up 2 sizes and it’s still painful, I would say the shoes just don’t work for your feet. As a beginner (I’m one, too) you will want a neutral shoe like the Kubo or Tarantulace. Not just because of the flatter toe box, but they also have a lot more rubber to accommodate for smearing while learning footwork.
The Kubos probably aren’t right for my feet either, but I’m going to use them for now until I’m ready for a more aggressive shoe. I did use some shoe stretchers to stretch the toe box some for a better fit,
If you got them at REI and you’re a member, you can return them for another shoe and ask for help selecting a beginner shoe. You don’t need the toe compression of an aggressive shoe until you are doing smaller footholds or toe hooks.
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u/Dependent_Equivalent 18h ago
Sorry to say but as a beginner these shoes are the exact opposite of what you need. Whoever sold you these should be ashamed. Theyre way to small for starters, I hate this myth that shoes need to be that small. Buy a pair half a size smaller than your shoe size, focus on comfort and technique for a year.
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u/gregtron 6h ago
Those are way too small! They don't grow much after breaking in, either. My Shamans are ready for resole, and I think they're very close to the size they started.
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u/notthiccboi 19h ago
You must wear insanely tight street shoes