This article will explain how to fix holes in your rock climbing shoes. It’s a common problem among climbers, and it’s frustrating when you’re about to start your climb, and you see that there are holes in your shoes. So first, there will be a brief explanation of preventing holes in your shoes and then a short tutorial on how to fix them.
How To Prevent Holes In Your Rock Climbing Shoes
It’s a good idea to take care of your shoes so that the holes don’t show up in the first place. Tips for caring for your climbing shoes and make it last longer:
- Make sure to pump your shoe regularly. It’s essential to ensure the inside is adequately pumped so that you can get a better fit and avoid having any problems with sore toes or blisters.
- If you have Velcro straps on your shoes, make sure they’re not tight and that they don’t interfere with your foot movement when you climb.
- It would be best to try not to sleep in your climbing shoes because it will make creases and cause material fatigue.
- When racking your climbing shoes, please don’t throw them around or pile them on top of each other, as this can damage the upper material causing them to wear quicker.
- Finally, always dry out any water that builds up inside the shoe after a session. For an all-leather shoe, this is especially important since wet leather will warp, making the shoe fit once it has dried.
Vans are an effective tool with the correct gear for rock climbing and Converse are ideal for recreational climbing.
Is Shoe Goo Better Than Barge Cement?
- Shoe Goo is better than Barge Cement because it’s a stronger adhesive and lasts up to six times longer. Take advantage of yours by following these tips.
- Shoe Goo has a “Breather Patch” that allows air to escape from the inside of the shoe, which will allow you to pump your shoes easier, and this also makes sure that there are no bubbles in your shoes.
How To Fix Holes In Your Climbing Shoes
If you have small holes on both pairs of shoes, you can fix them by coating both sides of the hole with Shoe Goo, then letting it dry and peel off the extra material that has come off while drying.
Diy Rock Climbing Shoe Repair
Climbing shoes often have holes that need to be repaired.
These holes are usually filled with glue, and when you need to put your foot in the shoe, it’s not the most comfortable place. Most of these holes are made by sharp rocks or choss; however, they can be dangerous if your climbing on them or walking on them.
- Things you will need are a pair of climbing shoes, sandpaper, water, and a shoe repair kit.
- First, start by cleaning the hole out with water so that there is no dirt.
- If the holes are on the outside of the shoe, sandpaper them down till they are flat again. (if you’re re-soling them, you will want to leave these rough, or else they will not stick very well.)
- Now, if your holes lie on the inside of your shoe, you will want to get a little piece of shoe rubber and put it over the hole and carefully glue it over itself, so when you pull it off, it is still one layer of rubber and not pieces glued together.
- If your holes are small, you will need to use a shoe repair kit because it only has glue that is way too strong for small holes.
- Now that your holes are covered with glue take a putty knife and gently push in the edges of the hole and carefully smooth out any mistakes you may have made.
- You have to let the glue dry for about 30 minutes before putting your shoe back on, so be patient and don’t force them on till they’re clean enough to move around in but not dry enough where you can’t take them off anymore.
- Now that the glue is dry and your holes are covered with putty, you can put your shoe back on and start climbing.
- If you have a small hole, try not to climb on it because it will probably rip the glue off and cause more holes.
- These steps will make a pair of shoes last for quite a while rather than having to buy new ones often, so it’s worth doing.
Different Types Of Glue For Rock Climbing Shoe Repairs
Various types of glue can be used, and they can vary in how much strength they have, the quality of the product, and how easy it is to use. When using one type of glue for rock climbing shoe repairs, you will want to ensure that it has some strength to handle getting worn down by repeated use.
Super Glue: The superglue has powerful adhesives that can be used to patch holes for rock climbing shoe repairs. However, the problem with these adhesives is that they take a long time to dry and may not be fully hardened before you start climbing on them.
BandQ Rubber Glue: This type of glue has a rubber base that helps to make the shoe stronger and helps to hold the rubber in place better when climbing. The problem with this type of glue is that it can dry out and be useless if you do not use it quickly enough, just like super glue.
Contact Cement: Contact cement is made for rubber products and will stick to materials such as rubber or plastic very well. This product can be used for shoe repairs because it specializes in sticking to smooth materials rather than rough ones, which would cause problems with your seam grip while climbing.
Vulcanizing Rubber Glue: This is the most popular method for making shoes, and it is made by mixing sticky rubber compounds with a specific type of adhesive. This type creates a solid bond that can hold a load of about 15 pounds. In addition, this glue contains no solvent, so it will not dry out or lose its stickiness with time.
Keeping Your Climbing Shoes In Excellent Condition
Taking good care of your climbing shoes will go a long way in having happy feet in the field and while indoors. The following tips can help you keep them in excellent condition on both fronts.
- While out climbing, avoid stepping on sharp rocks whenever possible. The rubber on the soles of your shoes can be cut and worn thin by walking or standing on sharp edges or protrusions, especially when you’re on granite slabs or near sandstone cliffs.
- If you are forced to step on sharp rocks, especially to get down from a climb or to cross a small stream, be very careful where you step. Step with the heel and not the toe for maximum rubber contact and distribution of the force over the most excellent area.
- Avoid walking across wet rock surfaces as much as possible. When water seeps into your shoes through cracks in the leather or synthetic upper, it can weaken them and break down the materials over time.
- If you do walk across wet rock, try to do so only on large flat areas and avoid walking on any cracks or fractured areas of exposed rock that would force water into your shoes more quickly by increasing contact between your shoes and these surfaces.
- Avoid wearing your shoes in damp locations for extended periods. For example, if you’re climbing outdoors, try to keep your shoes dry during breaks and after a climb to keep the leather and rubber soft and pliable. Rinse your shoes as soon as you can after a climb.
Choosing The Best Rock Climbing Shoes
There are many types of rock climbing shoes available to meet the needs of different rock climbing disciplines. These include shoes designed for technical sport climbs, steep sport climbs, trad climbs, bouldering, and alpine climbing. Some believe that Chacos are perfect for rock climbing because they provide excellent traction on all kinds of trails.
Technical Shoes:
Depending on your intended discipline of climbing, there is sometimes a great deal of variation in the design and function of specialized shoes. For example, technical shoes are designed to make foot placement on small holds more precise than it would be in regular running or hiking footwear.
Bouldering:
Some shoes are designed for use specifically in bouldering, which is a style of climbing that almost exclusively focuses on climbing routes under high but relatively short heights.
Sport Climbing:
Sport or vertical climbing is a type of rock climbing that focuses on routes with higher and steeper angles, where the climber gains momentum by jumping off the rock. This discipline requires specialized footwork and precise foot placement.
Alpine and Multi-Pitch:
Multi-pitch and alpine climbing is a style of climbing that involves two or more climbers ascending the same cliff, with one climber leading the route, while other climbers follow on belay from below.
What Is Belays?
The belay is the anchor point for protecting the climber during climbing. While rock shoes are usually placed on a chalked or smeary rock, many belay shoes utilize synthetic rubber soles, depending on the style of climbing.
Belay Loop:
A belay loop is a piece of cord attached to the belay point and fixed around a climber’s waist, perfectly positioned to allow for placing their foot on the rope while also having a fixed belay point within reach.
Sport Belay:
While sport climbing requires the climber to quickly place their feet on holds while jumping from one hold to another, they still require good toe and heel support. A sport belay can be used when leading climbs or setting up the rope for protection. It has extra rubber in the toe and heel areas.
Belay Device:
A belay device is a device that provides an anchor point for a climber to clip their rope to while climbing. For all types of climbing, simple devices (Solo or Grigri) can be used, as can double-rope devices (rigging and placement of devices) and the more complex ones.
Belay Harness:
A belay harness is a type of harness that is specially designed for belaying. A climbing belt supports the climber’s entire upper body and places the arms at a reasonable distance apart.
Belay Rope:
A belay rope is a rope with a belayer end (the end that clips to the climber’s harness) and a braking end (the part attached to the belay device). Belaying is the act of guiding a climber, usually by holding onto their rope and letting go of them when they are close to stopping.
Summary
Fixing holes in climbing shoes is simple to do with adhesive patches from an online retailer. The adhesive patch works best when it is kept dry. A patch adheres better to the outer layer of a shoe or boot when it is coated in these substances. Using the correct adhesive type is crucial because it allows the patch to adhere well to the shoe.