So far I really like 'approach shoes' from the outdoor world. They are kinda in between a rock climbing shoe and a hiking shoe.
I got a deal on Five Ten Guide series of shoes, and definitely recommend them--
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/approach-shoes/five-ten-guide-tennie
(note the related shoes listed at the bottom)
Pros
-I always know exactly whats going on under my feet, and never slipped unexpectedly all over the place like I have with boots. They are very tactile.
-With a lot of shoes I've had, the tread is biased for forward traction, and do poorly when walking sideways up a limb. The pattern on these is kinda omni-directional and suprisingly effective for just being a bunch of circles.
-The sole compound is very soft Its soft enough to pick up small gravel when walking across asphalt. I'm not completely sure if its the best thing bark, which is relatively soft versus the rock its designed for.
Caveats
-I have cut the leather stepping on my chainsaw bar, I wonder if the'nubuck' leather might be less durable than suede.
-Low cut types dont protect your ankle from your foot ascender, although its not an issue for me. Some approach shoes come in a boot cut. I like the extra flexibility though.
-Not sure how long the softer sole compound lasts in daily wear. I think I met a roofer years ago that was very happy with them as a daily wear work boot (different Five Ten boot but same "Stealth" compound), they lasted two years. Maybe he was a supervisor type though lol.
I'm unsure about longevity but I'll update this with my own experience in this application.
I also have some of the old style Salewa GTX boots that everyone was recommending on here in the past, they honestly still look too nice to work in lol. But I'll climb in them soon for comparison.
I got a deal on Five Ten Guide series of shoes, and definitely recommend them--
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/approach-shoes/five-ten-guide-tennie
(note the related shoes listed at the bottom)
Pros
-I always know exactly whats going on under my feet, and never slipped unexpectedly all over the place like I have with boots. They are very tactile.
-With a lot of shoes I've had, the tread is biased for forward traction, and do poorly when walking sideways up a limb. The pattern on these is kinda omni-directional and suprisingly effective for just being a bunch of circles.
-The sole compound is very soft Its soft enough to pick up small gravel when walking across asphalt. I'm not completely sure if its the best thing bark, which is relatively soft versus the rock its designed for.
Caveats
-I have cut the leather stepping on my chainsaw bar, I wonder if the'nubuck' leather might be less durable than suede.
-Low cut types dont protect your ankle from your foot ascender, although its not an issue for me. Some approach shoes come in a boot cut. I like the extra flexibility though.
-Not sure how long the softer sole compound lasts in daily wear. I think I met a roofer years ago that was very happy with them as a daily wear work boot (different Five Ten boot but same "Stealth" compound), they lasted two years. Maybe he was a supervisor type though lol.
I'm unsure about longevity but I'll update this with my own experience in this application.
I also have some of the old style Salewa GTX boots that everyone was recommending on here in the past, they honestly still look too nice to work in lol. But I'll climb in them soon for comparison.
