Socks and climbing shoes—we’re really debating this! First, consider this: What other pair of shoes do you wear without socks? You don’t hike without socks or walk around town without socks, do you?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wear socks in my climbing shoes (mostly). Yes, I said mostly – I’ll get into that. I don’t have a huge leg to stand on in this debate, but I do know the consensus.
Today, wearing socks with climbing shoes is considered taboo. Many gym climbers automatically label you a beginner. But so what?
There’s nothing wrong with being a beginner! Why else would we write all this great content to share with you? Here at boulderflash, we love beginner climbers! We’re excited that you’ve found climbing, and we want to share our extensive knowledge with you. This one-stop shop is made to be your single source for learning everything climbing-related.
Your quick answer on wearing and climbing shoes?
Wearing socks in your climbing shoes is a personal preference!
If you have a pair of comfortable-fitting shoes that can fit socks, who’s to say it’s wrong?
For reference, though, climbing manufacturers design their shoes to be worn without socks. But most of us don’t climb at a high enough level to go sockless for it make a difference. So, slip those bad boys on and stuff your feet into your comfortable shoes.
Socks and climbing shoes history
Sockless climbing is a relatively new addition. Traditional climbers, and I mean the ones who scaled mountains in hiking boots, all wore socks. They eventually switched to tennis shoes but then wore thicker socks to have a tighter fit.
Wearing socks while climbing is part of our history. We continued wearing them even after specialised climbing shoes came on the scene in the 1970s and 1980s.
The first climbing-specific shoe, the Boreal Fire, marked a milestone for the climbing community. Boreal, the Spanish shoe manufacturing company, hails from Villena, Spain. They were the first to research and test climbing shoe technology in an area known for its history of designing quality footwear. We finally had a shoe designed with a rubber compound that was durable but also offered superior friction.
Sporting the Boreal Fires, the Gallegos brothers visited Yosemite and established the first non-American route, Mediterraneo. News traveled fast, as it did in the valley with anything climbing-related! When the Gallegos descended and returned to Camp 4, every dirtbag wanted to try the new shoe invention.
Legendary John Bachar took them for a lap on Midnight Lighting, the iconic Camp 4 boulder, and was impressed. Bachar eventually teamed up with Boreal, the Spanish company, and imported 265 pairs to the Yosemite Mountain Shop. They sold out in the first two hours!
However, climbers kept wearing socks in the Boreal Fire. The shoe wasn’t designed like the tight-fighting modern ones of today. Plus, that’s what all climbers back then knew, so why would they switch what was working?
Then, sometime later, climbers just stopped. It was as if the entire community experienced this shift together, and everyone stopped wearing socks in their climbing shoes.
When to wear socks in climbing shoes
Yes, I think there are specific times when you should wear socks in climbing shoes. It’s not like we’re climbing at a level where socks will make a tremendous difference anyway, so why not be comfortable? Trust me, wearing socks or not isn’t the difference between climbing V3 or not.
Rental shoes
Have you ever gone bowling and rented shoes? Unless you’re like those who own a pair (ahem, me), you probably have. The same goes for visiting an indoor climbing gym.
Rental climbing shoes are bacteria-infected cesspools. I used to work at a climbing gym, and we would spray out each shoe after each use. But something about it never felt right. Spraying them doesn’t mean it was 100% effective at killing bacteria every time.
I recommend wearing rental climbing shoes with socks. When you get your own pair, try them without socks and see if you like it!
Overly sweaty feet
If you have excessively sweaty feet, then try climbing socks. Does removing your shoes after each burn on the boulders not help? Sometimes, you can air them out during your climbing session, but it doesn’t always do the trick.
Sticking your foot into a hot, sweaty shoe isn’t appealing, so try wearing a pair of thin socks. Some climbing shoes even dye your foot different colors when hot and sweaty enough- avoid that with some socks. (You’ll dye your socks, though).
For max comfort
It’s too common to downsize your climbing shoes until you can barely feel your toes. Listen, that myth has been debunked. We prioritise comfort now. It’s not like I can conceive of climbing V17, so until then, I’ll stick with my comfy shoes.
When you size your climbing shoes, consider if you plan to wear socks with them. They will break in, so you want to get the perfect size that allows a little stretching. Climbers often only wear socks in their shoes after they’ve stretched. If you sized incorrectly, wearing socks can help your shoes feel snug again.
Another reason to wear socks while climbing is that the stitching on the inside of shoes can cause discomfort. The abrasion of stitching rubbing into your foot can irritate your skin and pinch you.
For tips for sizing your climbing shoes correctly, check out our article here: How to fit climbing shoes and how tight should they be?
For tips for breaking in climbing shoes, check out our other article here: New climbing shoes: The best way to break them in
Personal experience with climbing shoe socks
My experience with wearing socks in climbing shoes comes from one of trusting other climbers. I was a beginner without experience; who else would I ask?
I was told, “We don’t wear socks with shoes,” so I followed suit. But don’t be like me, question why. And if you want to, then do it. We shouldn’t care what others think!
Nowadays, I only wear socks in my climbing shoes if I’m doing alpine climbing or long multi-pitches. If my feet are going to be in a pair of climbing shoes for hours, they better be comfortable! Plus, it gets cold in the mountains, and my feet are the first to feel it. I have a pair of shoes that I sized up specifically for these endeavors.
My other climbing shoes are too tight to wear with socks and be comfortable, so I go barefoot. I remove my shoes after each burn to give my feet a rest and air out my shoes.
Pros and cons of wearing socks and climbing shoes
Pros
- Less smelly: Socks absorb foot sweat before shoes do, resulting in a less stinky shoe.
- More comfort: Avoid the scratchy stitching on the inside of shoes by wearing socks. However, this method only works if you size your climbing shoes to be worn with socks.
- More hygienic: If you rent a pair at an indoor climbing gym, wear some socks to save yourself from the athlete’s foot. Plus, walking around the gym barefoot can be a recipe for disaster. Having a pair of socks already on could be the move!
- It’s warmer: Climbing outside can be cold sometimes, so keep the feeling in your feet with a pair of climbing socks!
Cons
- Reduction in sensitivity: Many climbers claim they can’t feel footholds as much when wearing socks. I’ve never had this issue, but maybe I’m just not climbing hard enough! A thin pair of socks shouldn’t make this an issue.
- Slippage: I’ve slipped out of my shoes without socks. It’s important to note that this can be more common while wearing some.
- Stretching your shoes: If you didn’t size your shoes properly to be worn with socks, then you can stretch your shoes a bit. As long as you don’t plan on climbing without socks, though, you’ll be fine.
Will you wear socks?
Like I said, I wear socks during specific climbs because I WANT to. Other times, I don’t. It’s my choice of how I want to wear my climbing shoes. This is something I should’ve realised when I first started climbing. I would’ve saved myself a super smelly gym bag.
I’ll continue to wear socks when I want to because it’s my choice. I know my climbing experience and when I want to prioritise comfort. If you decide to wear socks in your climbing shoes, I recommend grabbing an ultra-thin pair. This way, you can reduce the amount of stretch while maintaining comfort.
Don’t let anybody tell you what to do about how you look when climbing. Advice to be listened to should only prioritise safety. Spoiler: wearing socks in your climbing shoes doesn’t affect your ability to be safe!
We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment: Do you wear socks when climbing? If so, when and during what kind of climbing?
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