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cornstateclimber
Apr 13, 2011, 6:13 AM
Post #26 of 45
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they have their place in the climbing world! inside a friggin pack! no one designed em for climbing. if they were, they would be in all the ads and the huber brothers would be the poster boys for em! but they werent, and the brothers arent! so leave them goofy trail shoes at the base! as said, climbing shoes are designed with a purpose. to focus the strength of the foot as whole. alot more power can be put on youre big toe when the rest of foot is tied in with it. as with the pinky toe! i dont see anyone climbing with just their pinky toes. and if they are they are really bad ass! and as far monkeys are concerned, they swing by their feet, and are way stronger than humans, so there is no comparison. but go ahead and drop your shoes and pick up vff's so you can look like a monkey! or a clown, or both, whichever. I'll stick with my shoes
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gbmaz
Apr 13, 2011, 1:50 PM
Post #27 of 45
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While I definitely thinking climbing in them would be stupid, they have potential as a good light approach/descent shoe. Check out Jim Donini's post about them on Super Topo: http://www.supertopo.com/...Shoes-for-approaches If you don't know who Donini is do a little research, but suffice it to say he is one badass m'fo. Climbs harder in his 60's than 99.9% of 20 year olds.
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ENARE
Apr 13, 2011, 3:06 PM
Post #28 of 45
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Registered: Feb 8, 2011
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The difference between climbing in shoes and climbing in 5 fingers is huge. However, there is also a considerable difference between climbing in shoes and climbing barefoot as well. While I personally have never tried climbing barefoot, I know that there are enough people out there who can to justify the op's point. For example: "Andreas Proft barefoot free solos the 25 meter Excess Power, a 8a+ or 5.13c ex-trad route, that's now a fully bolted sport route, in Costa Blanca's Echo Valley, Spain": http://www.climbing.com/..._barefoot_free_solo/ While there is less protection on your feet when someone is climbing barefoot vs climbing with five finger, barefoot climbing is still being done, so why should someone not feel like they should try using the five fingers: "Andreas started climbing barefoot to spare his shoes on warm-ups while Djamila climbed easier routes. Over time he got used to it and developed a style to climbing barefoot. "It still hurts to take a fall, but apart from some minor cuts on my feet I have never been injured climbing barefoot," Andreas says. As his feet became more resistant to the pain he was eventually able to redpoint as-hard-as 8b/5.13d without any shoes." http://www.climbing.com/...oose_and_fancy_free/ To the op- You will definitely notice a huge difference if you were to start climbing in a good shoe. However, if as you say - you are happy with them - then keep going with it.
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garythenuke
Apr 14, 2011, 2:57 AM
Post #29 of 45
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Registered: Jul 27, 2010
Posts: 50
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VFFs are great approach and running shoes. I've been part of the barefoot running "movement" for almost a decade. I thought about climbing in the VFFs but they are just too clunky. If I want to go for "feel" and "organicness" (whatever the heck that is), I'll climb barefoot. Which, by the way, is just plain bad assed.
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ENARE
Apr 14, 2011, 3:34 PM
Post #30 of 45
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That makes sense. And yeah, climbing barefoot is bad assed and even more so when the dude is climbing 5.13.
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cracklover
Apr 14, 2011, 4:56 PM
Post #31 of 45
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ENARE wrote: That makes sense. And yeah, climbing barefoot is bad assed and even more so when the dude is climbing 5.13. I consistently do a little moderate climbing barefoot. Believe it or not, there are many moves where bare feet are superior to shoes. But there are enough moves where bare feet are waaaay worse than being in shoes, that overall, for a whole climb, you're almost always better off in shoes. There are exceptions, though. For example, Swedin Ringle (5.12-) in the Creek was easier for me barefoot (taped my feet like I would my hands) than in shoes. This is because the crux, by far, is the last ten feet of the climb (pardon the pun). The trouble is that unless you've got tiny little feet, you just can't get much with your feet (in shoes) from the crack as it tapers down to an inch width. However, this is a fine size for a foot. No comment regarding climbing in VFFs. I would rather wear those horrible Crocs. GO
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styndall
Apr 14, 2011, 4:56 PM
Post #32 of 45
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I will say that they'd make great descent shoes - less volume than a pair of flip flops, and a lot more functional.
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tready
Apr 14, 2011, 5:29 PM
Post #33 of 45
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styndall wrote: I will say that they'd make great descent shoes - less volume than a pair of flip flops, and a lot more functional. I actually bought a pair for that specific purpose, but I was not impressed. I have kind of goofy shaped feet, and while running or normal everyday use isn't an issue, extended periods of downhill scrambling has proven to be very uncomfortable.
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Lbrombach
Apr 14, 2011, 6:42 PM
Post #34 of 45
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Registered: May 20, 2010
Posts: 149
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I'd just like to point out that Vibram does in fact market them as useful for climbing. Although I've heard from several who have tried that the rubber isn't sticky enough> I recall one friend who tried them at the gym...for ONE climb. Didn't finish, came down, and rented rock shoes.
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mojomonkey
Apr 14, 2011, 6:57 PM
Post #35 of 45
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tready wrote: styndall wrote: I will say that they'd make great descent shoes - less volume than a pair of flip flops, and a lot more functional. I actually bought a pair for that specific purpose, but I was not impressed. I have kind of goofy shaped feet, and while running or normal everyday use isn't an issue, extended periods of downhill scrambling has proven to be very uncomfortable. I picked up a pair of these to use as low weight/volume shoes to bring for walkoffs. I've been building up on them - it seems like my feet need a little warming up to them. I had some foot cramping relaxing at home after wearing them for a day in the Gunks walking in/out and scrambling with a pack. I jogged on a treadmill in them for a while last night, too. I'm hoping their weight/packability makes them great for some Red Rocks descents. I think they should be sturdy enough - I've been alright scrambling up talus so far. I'll try them again some more this weekend.
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GarettFraser
Oct 9, 2014, 9:07 PM
Post #36 of 45
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Registered: Sep 25, 2014
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I had been exercising in VFFs for a few years before I started to climb in them so I was already adapt to the kind of calf stabilization that they require. That being the case, VFFs seemed like an obvious choice when I considered what kind of shoe to climb in. IMHO they are a fantastic climbing shoe however it's true that they don't offer the same kind of support that a solid soul climbing shoe would offer. Climbing in VFFs requires more articulated and constant flexion of the tendons across the tarsals and metatarsals, as if you were barefoot. Regular climbing shoes offer a solid soul which acts as support allowing these tendons to relax. Climbing in VFFs causes fatigue swifter because of the lack of soul support. I'm a free climber in the Los Angeles area so my climbs are usually pretty brief. But for brief climbs, VFFs are great. The only complaint I have is that I tend to tear through them pretty quickly. Usually the toes rip at the soul. But that amount of toe flexibility, in the same token, is what allows me to get into some pretty awesome problems. |
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skelldify
Oct 9, 2014, 11:28 PM
Post #37 of 45
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Registered: Jan 20, 2013
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No they aren't they're terrible for climbing. They might be good for really really easy stuff, but if you're climbing for real, they will seriously limit you.
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amarius
Oct 10, 2014, 1:41 PM
Post #38 of 45
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Registered: Feb 23, 2012
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skelldify wrote: No they aren't they're terrible for climbing. They might be good for really really easy stuff, but if you're climbing for real, they will seriously limit you. That is a really good point! This gent is sending Excess Power, a 8a+ or 5.13c barefoot, imagine what he could climb with some shoes on, even VFFs
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sbaclimber
Oct 10, 2014, 6:31 PM
Post #39 of 45
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Registered: Jan 22, 2004
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amarius wrote: skelldify wrote: No they aren't they're terrible for climbing. They might be good for really really easy stuff, but if you're climbing for real, they will seriously limit you. That is a really good point! ...imagine what he could climb with some shoes on, even VFFs yes and no... VFFs wouldn't be doing this guy any favors. When climbing barefoot, your toes essentially work as fingers. ...and there are obvious reasons why we don't climb with gloves.
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GarettFraser
Oct 11, 2014, 3:38 AM
Post #41 of 45
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Registered: Sep 25, 2014
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Let's just climb barefoot. Then our souls and our soles will truly be free.
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6pacfershur
Oct 11, 2014, 5:15 PM
Post #42 of 45
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Registered: Jun 23, 2010
Posts: 254
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GarettFraser wrote: Let's just climb barefoot. Then our souls and our soles will truly be free. Buck-naked free solo. THAT'S truly free!
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jb2100
Oct 14, 2014, 7:56 PM
Post #43 of 45
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Registered: Oct 10, 2010
Posts: 20
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You'll realize how stupid this is if you really get into climbing. I always use the analogy of doing ballet in clown shoes. Or trying to play football with a salami. Sure, you can do it, and if you're Tom Brady you might be better with that salami than a regular dude is with a football. But Tom Brady with a salami can't hold a candle to Tom Brady with a football. Also the visual of a bunch of 300 pound dudes throwing a salami around always puts a smile on my face.
(This post was edited by jb2100 on Oct 14, 2014, 7:58 PM)
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lena_chita
Moderator
Oct 14, 2014, 8:25 PM
Post #44 of 45
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Registered: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 6087
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amarius wrote: skelldify wrote: No they aren't they're terrible for climbing. They might be good for really really easy stuff, but if you're climbing for real, they will seriously limit you. That is a really good point! This gent is sending Excess Power, a 8a+ or 5.13c barefoot, imagine what he could climb with some shoes on, even VFFs That's faulty logic. It's like saying, this guy is so good at playing guitar with his bare hands, imagine what he would do it he was wearing gardening gloves. Gardening gloves won't do him any good. But maybe a guitar pick would help for a really long gig to keep his fingers from going bloody. Barefoot climbing is painful, especially if you are not used to going barefoot everywhere, and requires a lot of foot/toe strength that most people lack. But if your toes are callused enough, and your feet and toes are strong, barefoot allows you unparalleled sensitivity. Now put on those 5-finger shoes-- and you have loose sliding rubber caps on each toe. So you lost your sensitivity, and you haven't gained the power that the tight climbing shoes give you.
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