The best climbing shoes you can buy

Why you'll love it: The Five Ten Gambit's simple and durable design feels comfortable but delivers surprisingly high levels of performance, all at a great price.

The box for these shoes came with the instruction that climbing shoes shouldn't feel uncomfortable. I scoffed at the thought that a shoe could be both comfortable and useful on challenging routes. When I slipped on the Five Ten Gambit, I was ready to dismiss the shoe as not stiff or aggressive enough for anything but simple gym climbs designed for beginners. But, as I challenged myself outside and in, I was really impressed with what the Gambit offered, and I didn't have to take the shoes off to belay.

The flat shape and low level of asymmetry mark the Gambit out as a more comfortable shoe and one that is well suited to multi-pitch routes where climbers will keep the shoes on for an extended climb, which allows for resting periods on ledges in between difficult sections. The version I tested uses Velcro straps, but a lace-up version is also sold for people who feel they need more adjustability. Expert testers liked the semi-technical fit, with a slight bias toward the big toe and a grippy heel cup that allows for surprisingly technical climbing in a comfortable shoe.

The shoe's padded tongue felt comfortable and seemed to mitigate the pressure points and hot-spots I sometimes feel with Velcro shoes. The cotton-lined leather upper didn't stretch much, but after a few weeks, I noticed a bit of expansion. In general, I would say these shoes fit true-to-size; I ordered the same EU size that I wear in street shoes and have been happy with the fit. The stiffened midsole helps with arch pain on long climbs but makes the Gambit less sensitive than the softest slipper.

Most beginners will notice this stiffness and find it helpful as they progress to smaller footholds where the stiffer sole provides a more solid platform. I also found the Stealth C4 rubber to be both durable and grippy — again, a major upgrade compared to gym shoes that are often worn out.

The Gambit isn't the ultimate performance shoe, but it is more than adequate for any beginner or mid-level climber wanting to progress out of gym shoes without the extreme discomfort of more aggressive shoes. If you want to go from the gym to climbing outside, these are a great shoe to straddle both and, at less than $100, are extremely affordable.

Pros: Comfortable, supportive and aggressive enough for all but the most technical routes

Cons: Won't be aggressive enough for dedicated sport climbers on technical routes

Buy the Five Ten Gambit for men at Moosejaw for $82.99 Buy the Five Ten Gambit VCS for women at Moosejaw for $88.99

Why you'll love it: Many aggressive shoes can be too constraining for people with higher volume feet. Thanks to some clever design, the Solution from La Sportiva will allow even the biggest paws to stick to the tiniest edges without discomfort.

I love a good aggressive climbing shoe. I inadvertently stumbled into a pair of stiff, asymmetrical shoes when I began bouldering and since then I've always enjoyed the way a more downturned and sticky shoe lets me trust my feet in a way that I can't seem to in a more neutral slipper. However, aggressive shoes can be unbearably constrictive for climbers with high volume or wide feet. If this is you, the La Sportiva Solution is just that: a solution to your climbing shoe problem.

The Solution fits a broad range of feet in comfort, thanks to its combination of a shoelace with a hook-and-loop tab that La Sportiva calls the Fast Lacing System. This system allows the shoe to distribute tension evenly, rather than creating hot-spots.

There's no mistaking this for a neutral shoe; it looks like the talons of some kind of futuristic mutant eagle. The drastically downturned toe, stiff sole, secured heel cup. and grippy Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber make the Solution a trustworthy partner on aggressive bouldering routes and sport climbs, where tiny edges and heel hooks might make the difference between sending (a successful climb) and ending up back on the floor.

The asymmetric shape lets me stand on my toes on the smallest of footholds, something that the Solution's previous iteration was well known for. This is not a shoe for all-day sessions, but thanks to the innovative lacing system it can be easily taken on and off. In the first few sessions, I took advantage of this feature but once the shoes were broken in, I was happy climbing for an hour or so without the need to relieve pressure on my feet.

I found that my high-arch but lower-volume feet needed me to cinch really far over on the strap to get the tight fit I needed. I would consider cutting the strap down for longer sessions. I found these fit a little larger than the other similar-sized shoes I tested, but it may be because of my low-volume feet. If you find yourself between sizes, size down on these.

Backcountry buyers love the solution, with one raving, "These will get you up some things other shoes just can't." Testers at Outdoor Gear Lab loved that they could use the shoe on tiny edges and shallow pockets.

These aren't cheap shoes, but if the much-loved previous model is anything to go by, they'll resole well for years to come. I should find out, as I plan to keep them in my gear bag for those times when I need a shoe to give me a little extra boost on tough routes.

Pros: Comfortable and wide-ranging fit, aggressive and trustworthy shape

Cons: Not great on long days, expensive

Buy the La Sportiva Solution at REI for $180 Buy the La Sportiva Solution for women on Backcountry for $180

Why you'll love it: The Black Diamond Momentum is comfortable enough that you won't feel like you're binding your feet, but unlike many beginner-friendly shoes, it offers enough grip and durability to stay in your gear bag as your climbing improves.

Black Diamond is to climbing what Coca-Cola is to soft drinks. For years climbers have relied on the company's clothing, helmets, and headlamps, from the Himalayas to the local bouldering gym. Despite this, it wasn't until 2017 that it released its first climbing shoe. Thankfully, the Momentum shoe lives up to expectations and delivers a great fit, beginner-friendly pricing, and excellent performance.

The Momentum really shines for its ability to combine comfort and performance. In large part, this is due to the use of an innovative knitted material that expert testers at REI loved, saying that "the knit is tight where you need support, and loose where your feet need to breathe."

The relatively flat and symmetrical shape of the shoe means it'll be comfortable when belaying or trad climbing longer routes outside, as well as on short boulder problems (routes) or gym climbs. The synthetic material should maintain its shape and deal well with sweat, chalk, and weather. The shoe looks basic, but the Momentum offers a comfortable fit and surprisingly capable design, despite costing $100 less than other shoes we tested.

This comfort does not come at the price of performance thanks to a well-engineered rubber sole and toe box. One buyer said, "I felt secure and confident while smearing [pushing the shoe against the rock face for grip], and I had no trouble hanging on to tiny nubbins while edging [using only the edge of the shoe to push off a very slim foothold]."

The shoe's double tongues don't tend to fold up and create pressure points on the foot as much as single-tongue designs. When combined with the Velcro closure, one expert tester found the Momentum "comfortable to wear all day whether climbing or belaying."

If you're looking to get out of gym shoes, this is a great upgrade. If you stick with climbing you'll no doubt find your shoe quiver growing, but this should remain a staple. I have several pairs of climbing shoes, and there are certainly times when I reach for the super downturned and aggressive shoes to help me send a particularly challenging route with a tiny edge.

However, it's the Momentum shoes that live in my truck and that I know I can pull out for an evening at the gym or a full day of climbing outside. That is what these shoes a fantastic choice for any climber, no matter what their experience or climbing preference.

Pros: Great fit for a range of feet, affordable, durable, comfortable

Cons: Not as technically capable as other shoes

Buy the Black Diamond Momentum for men at REI for $94.95 Buy the Black Diamond Momentum for women at REI for $94.95

Why you'll love it: The La Sportiva Tarantulace offers flexibility and comfort for unique foot shapes.

One of the biggest challenges for climbers is finding a shoe that fits their foot shape, which is why lace-up variants have maintained popularity despite the advent of more high-tech adjustment systems. Lace-up climbing shoes allow users to set the tension across different parts of the foot, making the shoe fit their feet and the other way around.

The La Sportiva Tarantulace offers a synthetic overlay lacing harness that lets you customize the tension throughout the entire foot. If you have bumps and bunions, you'll love this feature. The low asymmetry makes this a relatively unaggressive shoe, but the comfortable fit means you aren't distracted in the middle of a crux move by the pain in your battered toes.

One Backcountry buyer raved that the Tarantulace was "comfy enough that I don't even feel the need to put approach shoes back on to belay." The synthetic overlay provides support for the laces and reduces stretch over the lifetime of the shoe.

My wife, a former ballet dancer and whose feet have been reshaped by years of dancing, has had difficulty finding climbing shoes that fit. The Tarantulace has become her go-to for gym or crag (outdoor climb) because she says she can focus on climbing, and not on pressure or hot spots caused by ill-fitting climbing shoes.

The surprisingly aggressive heel is reinforced enough for heel hooks on technical routes, while a FriXion RS rubber sole gives you the sticky confidence to trust your feet on that smear. The shoes can also be resoled, which is great if they become your go-to favorites.

With a retail price of just $80, these are some of the best-value shoes around. One REI buyer called them "the best deal for the price." If you're struggling to find a shoe that fits your feet, these are a great option. It's not just because the lacing lets you make minute adjustments as your feet swell or shrink from the temperature that makes these shoes a great fit, but it's also the range of sizes.

A lot of outdoor brands don't cater to smaller or larger people, which is why the Tarantulace deserves praise.

Pros: Price, customizable fit, accommodates small sizes and weird shapes

Cons: Aggressive heel may cause hot spots on lower volume feet

Buy the La Sportiva Tarantulace for men at REI for $80 Buy the La Sportiva Tarantulace for women on Backcountry for $80