Bouldering is an extreme sport that involves climbing walls, without any ropes or protection. It’s also a great way to get fit and have fun without breaking a sweat! Bouldering is a great way to get fit and have fun without breaking a sweat! Not only does it help you stay in shape, but it also helps improve your mental health, as well as your self-esteem. In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the best shoes for indoor bouldering so you can get started on your adventure today!
Best Shoes For Indoor Bouldering
The 10 Best Climbing Shoes for Gym
For Every Type of Climber
SCARPA
VELOCE
Budget-friendly and perfect for beginners looking to up their game.
SCARPA
DRAGO
One of the softest – and stickiest – shoes in Scarpa’s line-up.
LA SPORTIVA
SOLUTION
Arguably the most popular bouldering shoes since its first release in 2007.
It wasn’t long ago that climbing was an activity reserved for burly mountain dudes with rugged beards and clumsy mountain boots. These daring 20th-century alpinists were true pioneers, kick-starting a revolution that would see rock climbing transform into the mainstream sport it is today. Perhaps the biggest, and most significant, change the sport has faced in the last 100 years is that many climbers are now climbing on plastic rather than rock.
Although the rugged bears are still a common sight, thankfully, those clunky mountain boots are long gone. Shoe manufacturers churn out an endless amount of specially-constructed indoor climbing shoes, all built with the purpose of helping you crush hard at the gym.
With so many shoes available (over 500 by our count) it can be a bit of a mind field trying to work out which is the right one for you.
Fear not, we are here to help.
OUR ADVICE: Most climbers will want an indoor climbing shoe that utilizes a soft construction and a sticky rubber sole. Why? Because gym climbing is significantly more dynamic and three-dimensional than traditional rock climbing. Softer shoes will conform to those big plastic holds and smear on the sandpaper-like wall with ease.
If you are a complete beginner, you will probably want to consider something a bit stiffer, as this will help you find your feet, and build those climbing-specific muscles. Even for advanced climbers, stiffer shoes still have their benefits for gym climbing, they come in extremely useful for those vertical problems with micro edges and technical crimp sections.
That said, to help on your shoe hunt, we have shortlisted 10 of the best climbing shoes for gym I have tested.
Take a look!
OUR TOP PICK
Scarpa Drago
Scarpa has been churning out a bunch of great climbing shoes recently, but if there is one that stands above the rest as the best indoor climbing and bouldering shoe, it has to be the Drago.
The Drago is exactly what you need for sticking moves on those big volumes that are super common in modern gym climbing. The Drago’s super soft construction and sticky Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber are ideal for friction moves, whilst the aggressive downturn and large toe patch make the shoe feel at home on overhanging terrain.
The Drago has a lot of the awesome features seen in other Scarpa shoes including a 3D rubber toe box and clever Power Tension Band, which ultimately contribute to the brilliant performance and overall quality of this shoe.
The Drago uses a convenient Velcro sock-style closure, which is ideal for slipping them on and off at the gym.
We Like
Amazing sensitivity
Fast break-in
Perfect for gym climbing
Great toe patch
We Don’t Like
Because they are soft, durability isn’t great
BEST INDOOR BOULDERING SHOE
La Sportiva Solution
It’s no surprise that we have named the La Sportiva Solution as the best indoor bouldering shoe. This high-performance shoe has been at the top of its game for almost 15 years.
The Solutions have everything you need for a high-performance shoe, whether that’s on plastic or rock, you can’t go wrong with the solutions.
Stand-out features include a 3D molded heel cup that can handle every crazy heel hook you can throw at it, a ‘hook and loop closure’ system and an aggressive downturn with really forces power over your big toe, more so than many other aggressive shoes I have tested.
If you follow professional bouldering competitions, you will notice that this shoe is a regular with some of the best in the game including Adam Ondra, Jakob Schubert Daniel Woods and many more.
For Women: La Sportiva has also made a counterpart for this shoe especially for women. Built on the Women’s PD 75 last, this version of the shoe will ensure a better fit for narrower feet.
We Like
Laser precise
Master of the heel & toe hook
Great for overhangs
We Don’t Like
Not ideal for smearing
The closure strap is known to break
BEST INDOOR SPORT CLIMBING SHOE
Scarpa Instinct VS
The Instinct line has been Scarpa’s most successful line of performance climbing shoes ever due to its reliability and reputation as all-round climbing shoes. The original Instinct Lace was first released in the early 2000s, although since then, Scarpa has given the Instinct an update. They have expanded the line to also include the VS, VSR, RS. Although all these shoes are great, the one I really like is the Instinct VS.
For starters, the Instinct VS isn’t as downturned as some of the other shoes on this list, which helps with its all-around performance. The XS Edge rubber is fairly stiffer but this pays off when you are standing on those little micro-edges. The split-sole design also helps keep the shoe flexible and willing to adapt to the demands of indoor climbing.
This velcro version of this hugely popular shoe brings increased precision, tighter fit, and more tension to the table, making it one of the best shoes for indoor sports climbing, in our option, at least.
We Like
Good for bouldering and sport climbing
Technical toe box
Durable rubber
We Don’t Like
Long break-in period
Not ideal for narrow feet
BEST FOR BUDGETS
Scarpa Veloce
Being Scarpa’s first purpose-built indoor climbing shoe, the Veloce does a good job at offering a nice balance between performance and comfort. It does this through a moderate downturn and a roomy toe box design, allowing your toes to sit in that powerful crimped position, without the discomfort of pressing your knuckles tightly against the top of the shoe.
As a result, the Veloce is a good option for beginner climbers looking for a bit more performance in their life. For the more experienced gym rats, it is also a great option for running training laps. It uses the new Scarpa rubber S-72, which is really sticky, although it’s not exactly the most durable compound I have ever used.
Wide-footed climbers will love the Veloce. The forefoot and heel cup design makes the shoe one of the widest fitting models I have tested. That said, even if you don’t have a wide pair of trotters, but still fancy a pair of Veloces, then make sure to take a look a the lower-volume model, ideal for narrower feet.
The Veloce doesn’t have the same performance as the Drago or Instinct, but for the lower price point and extra comfort, it’s a really solid indoor bouldering shoe.
We Like
The budget-friendly price
The performance and comfort balance
Perfect for wide feet
We Don’t Like
The super-soft heel
Less durable rubber
BEST ALL-ROUNDER
La Sportiva Skwama
This list wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention the Skwama. I know a lot of climbers that touted it as being one of the best all-rounders in the La Sportiva line and pretty easy to see why.
It’s one of the softer shoes in the LS line (with the expedition of the Futura and the new Theory) which makes it ideal for gym climbing. The barely-there 08. mm midsole and 3.5 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 outsole gives the Skwama brilliant smearing ability, which is also helped by the unique cutout on the ball of your foot, providing the shoe with a little extra flex.
It edges surprisingly well for such a soft shoe too. This is helped by the La Sportiva P3 technology, which provides plenty of tension, and also helps the Skwama retain its cambered profile.
I also know that the Skwama is frequently used by Ondra and Honnold for gym training, as well as comp-crusher Akiyo Noguchi for years, so you know you are in safe hands.
There is a lot more clever tech packed into this shoe, so if you want to learn more be sure to check out our full review.
We Like
Amazing all-round performance
Brilliant for toe and heel hooking
Its beautiful aesthetics
Shock-absorbing heel
We Don’t Like
slightly wider fit than other LS models
BEST OF THE REST
Five Ten Hiangle
There’s plenty of cheap climbing shoes out there but if you want a shoe that will help you climb harder, then you should probably spend more than $100.
Fortunately, the Hiangle is one of the best indoor climbing shoes that fall on the lower end of the price spectrum. If you are really looking for a bargain, you could even pick up last season’s model for an even better deal.
The Hiangle is a frequent sight on both the world cup circuit and on the feet of amateur gym rats. This shoe brings plenty of 5.10’s famous characteristics to the table which, of course, includes their super sticky Stealth rubber.
The next-generation Hiangle varies slightly from the original, most noticeably with a split sole design. The heel and toe are separated by the heel rand, which gives the shoes more flexibility and helps maintain the shoes downturned profile for longer
Five Ten have a long history of creating world-class climbing shoes and with a reasonable price tag, the Hiangle is a good competitor for one of best budget indoor climbing shoes out there.
We Like
The price tag
Stealth rubber is great on both rock and plastic
The new split sole allows for better smearing
We Don’t Like
Fit can be awkward
Not a fan of the white uppers
BEST OF THE REST
La Sportiva Kubo
The Kubo is a beginner indoor climbing shoe and a new addition to our list for 2022. Eagle-eyed shoe fanatics might notice some stinking similarities between this shoe and a classic La Sportiva model, the Katana VCS.
This is because both shoes are built on the same last, giving them similar shape profiles. That said, the Kubo certainly isn’t a carbon copy of the Katana with a refreshed design. Unlike the Katana, the Kubo is predominantly made of microfiber, with the exception of a suede insole that provides better friction underfoot, and also provides some additional moisture absorbing properties.
Another obvious difference is that the Kubo uses a ¾ sole, which provides significantly more flexibility than the Katana, allowing it to adapt better for smearing volumes. It uses XS Edge here, (or Grip 2 on the women’s version) which helps provide more support on to beginner’s feet on those little edges.
We Like
Great for beginners
The P3 platform
The ¾ sole keeps the shoe flexible
We Don’t Like
Lack performance on overhangs
BEST OF THE REST
Tenaya Oasi
Tenaya might not be a household name like Scarpa and La Sportiva but these guys really know a thing or two about climbing shoes.
You might have spotted these Spanish shoes on the feet of Olympians like Alex Megos or Tom O’Halloran, or heard that Chris Sharma joined the Tenaya team in 2019. Perhaps you have never even heard of Tenaya before.
Either way, what you need to know is that Tenaya is that they are renowned for making performance shoes that are ridiculously comfortable. The flagship of their ‘Arial Plus’ performance line has been the Oasi since it was first let loose in 2013. It’s extremely comfortable,
Out of the box, the Oasi is ideal for narrow feet although, like most Tenaya shoes, the Oasi uses ‘SXR dynamics’ which allows the shoe to adapt to varying foot sizes. It also uses its patented closure system that allows for extremely precise control of the fit.
We Like
Extremely comfortable, yet high performance
Amazing ability to micro-adjust the fit
We Don’t Like
Finding the right size can be tricky
BEST OF THE REST
Evolv Zenist
The Zenist is purpose-built to crush hard on plastic. Unlike the Veloce, which is design with beginners and more relaxed training days in mind, this shoe really means business.
The centerpiece of the Zenist performance is its ability to smear on absolutely everything. As you know, smearing is an essential part of gym climbing, and boy can this shoe stick those 3D volumes and friction moves.
The shoe is also increasingly sensitive, thanks to its 1mm rubber insole, allowing you to really feel the perfect foot placements. This is paired with 4.2mm of Evolv’s TRAX SAS rubber, which I am a really big fan of, it’s one of my favorite compounds for gym and rock climbing. It’s also super durable!
One of the favorite things about Evolv climbing shoes is the awesome heel found on many of their performance shoes. Although the Zenist heel is more refined than that of the ‘dark heel’ of the Agro, I still love the shoe’s ability to stick heel hooks with total confidence. If I am working on a project that requires a gnarly heel, I almost always grab a pair of Evolv shoes.
Like many of Evolv’s shoes, the Zenist is really comfortable for wide feet.
We Like
Amazing for smearing and sensitively
TRAX SAS rubber is awesome
The solid heel design
We Don’t Like
That it replaced the Agro (petty, I know!)
BEST GYM CLIMBING SHOE FOR EDGING
La Sportiva Miura
If you have been doing your climbing shoe research, the chances are you have probably already heard of the La Sportiva Miura. This shoe was revolutionary when it was first released in the late ’90s and is still one of the best climbing shoes on the market.
I admit, it probably wouldn’t be my first choice of indoor climbing shoes due to its stiffer profile but this shoe still brings plenty to the table. After all, if it’s good enough for the likes of Adam Ondra or Alex Honnold to solo Half Dome, you know the Miura means business.
The Miura is a semi-aggressive shoe that works well on everything from sloping slabs to overhung roofs, not to mention their uncanny ability to edge on a dime. This shoe will undoubtedly raise your gym game and help dial in your technical footwork. The Miura uses the Vibram XS Grip 2 (or XS Edge, on the women’s version), a quality rubber compound that has a reputation for striking a good balance between friction and durability.
The Miura comes in both a Velcro and lace version. Both offer similar features, with the velcro being slightly more aggressive and better suited to wider feet. If you are an intermediate climber looking to dabble with a variety of disciplines in both the gym and on rock, this could be the shoe for you.
For Women: Sometimes it can be difficult finding women’s climbing shoes but not with the Miuras. The female version not only comes in a jazzy ‘Jade Green’ but is also designed specifically for low volume feet.
Like most La Sportiva shoes, you will probably want to wear 1/1.5 size smaller than your average street shoe.
We Like
Great for edging
Amazing durability
Solid all round performance
High and low volume options avilable
We Don’t Like
The small toe rand isn’t ideal
The heel lack performance
Important elements for gym climbing shoes
As we already mentioned, a soft shoe will usually perform better in the gym. That said, there are also few extra characteristics that make a for the perfect gym climbing shoe.
Breathabilityis a key one. If you have ever stepped foot in a climbing gym, especially in the summer, you will notice that they are usually very hot and sweaty environments. Without that cool breeze flowing through your hair like down at the crag, you are going to sweat a lot. So shoes that are designed to let some of that heat and moisture out are definitely a bonus.
The ease in which you can get your shoes on and off is also another common factor for good indoor climbing shoes. When climbing in the gym, you tend to take you shoes off a lot more than you do outside. That’s why you tend to see a lot of velcro and slipper style shoes.
