Sizing climbing shoes without trying them on is the hardest part about finding the right shoe. We get it and we’d like to help alleviate that process as best we can.
For our shoes, we list the men's sizing on the box and inside the shoe.
We try our best to size true to US street shoe sizing, but this general rule will not be 100% accurate for everyone. Each foot is unique and we hope this guide can give you a better starting point when trying our shoes for the first time or trying a new model in our lineup.
Using this guide, you’ll determine your fit, desired tightness, and measured size.
We have two distinct fits across most of our shoes, HV and LV. These correlate to the overall volume, or shape, of your foot.
High Volume
Caters to average to wide feet. Compared to LV, this shoe will be noticeably wider in the toe box.
Low Volume
Caters to narrow feet with smaller heels. Compared to HV, this shoe will be noticeably narrower in the toe box and shallower in the heel.
Our low volume shoes are significantly low volume. If you do not have a narrow foot, you will have a hard time wearing this fit.
You’ve probably heard that climbing shoes have to be painfully tight to be useful.
That may have been true when climbing shoes were first created, but not anymore. We’ve done our best to invest in technologies that blend comfort and performance because when you feel good, you climb good.
That being said, decide how tight you'd like your shoes.
Comfort
Comfortably tight right out of the box,
slightly loose after the break-in.
This fit allows your foot to be close to flat once the shoe is fully broken in.
A good fit for beginners just starting to climb, or climbers that prioritize comfort.
Snug
Somewhat tight right out of the box,
comfortably tight after the break-in.
This fit will feel relatively tight, but you’ll be able to curl your toes a bit once fully broken in.
A good fit for all levels, beginner to advanced, if you prefer a balance between comfort and performance.
Performance
Tight right out of the box,
tight after the break-in.
This is the “ideal” fit for climbing shoes that allows you to get the most out of your shoe.
A good fit for intermediate to advanced climbers.
Downsized
Extremely tight right out of the box,
extremely tight after the break-in.
We don’t typically recommend downsizing in our shoes, but we recognize some climbers still prefer this fit. Tightness depends on your tolerance levels. If you can handle it, who are we to stop you?
A good fit for advanced climbers who want even more than the most out of their shoe.
Now it’s time to find our size. To do so, let’s get a measurement of your foot in centimeters.
Stand on a piece of paper and hold your writing utensil perpendicular to the floor.
Consistency is key for accurate measurements!
Trace the entire outline of your foot.
Remember to keep the writing utensil straight up and down!
Measure the longest distance from heel to toe in centimeters.
Compare that measurement to our sizing chart and that will be your measured size.
After deciding your fit, desired tightness, and measured size, consult the following to determine the size you should try out:
Comfort: Measured Size + 1
Snug: Measured Size + .5
Performance: Measured Size
Downsized: Measured Size -.5 OR -1 (based on tolerance)
Reminder, these sizes are suggestions and will not be 100% accurate for every climber.
For example, if your foot measures 27cm, then your measured size is US M 9.
Depending on your desired tightness, we'd suggest:
Comfort: US M 10
Snug: US M 9.5
Performance: US M 9
Downsized: US M 8.5 or US M 8
This sizing advice holds true for most of our shoes. There are only a couple of exceptions:
The Remora (slipper) and the Drone CS.
Due to the nature of their construction and stretch, each will modify your measured size.
Remora (slipper)
Adjust your normal measured size down a half size.
From the previous example,
Comfort: US M 9.5
Snug: US M 9
Performance: US M 8.5
Downsized: US M 8 or US M 7.5
Drone CS
Adjust your normal measured size up a half size.
From the previous example,
Comfort: US M 10.5
Snug: US M 10
Performance: US M 9.5
Downsized: US M 9 or US M 8.5