Gear is not everything in climbing but it is definitely a big input to performance. Therefore, if you are on the lookout, stick with us and find out which are the best bouldering shoes to buy in 2025, and why.
What is a good bouldering shoe?
A bouldering shoe must be sensitive enough, precise, and very grippy while you are trying to nail those coordination-based moves typically found in gyms but not only!
On top of that, it must feel comfortable enough on different climbing features so the focus is on the movement, and not on the pain you feel.
That being said, let’s see which are the best climbing shoes for indoor and rock climbing.
Evolv Phantom is not famous for nothing
Daniel Woods crushed some of his most challenging boulder problems while wearing them.
Crafted for steep climbing, the Phantoms are snug shoes that come with a sensitive heel (2mm outsole) so you can hook right when the going gets rough.
Plus, they stick out through a unique shape and precision, which is perfect for edging and steepness.
Evolv Shaman Pro is a high-level performance shoe
This bouldering shoe is down to optimising both performance and comfort. Similar to the Shaman Lace and Shaman Strap, the Shaman Pro is softer and sensitive, which makes it the perfect pal for indoor bouldering! In fact, it is so well done and naturally snug that you don’t need to traditionally downsize.
Thanks to a medium rigid stiffness, the Shaman Pro is good at smearing and pushing through, even on small footholds. It excels on both steep indoor climbing and weird volumes as well as on steep rock climbing.
Do you want to know more about Evolv and the other models they have available? Go ahead and read our full guide on Evolv climbing shoes: Their history and best products.
Unparallel Flagship Pro – beauty alert!
A top-tier climbing shoe designed to perform in overhangs and micro-edging, the Unparallel Flagship Pro is a high-end model that boasts efficient toe/heel hooking and an aggressive downturn, making it stand out in indoor steep terrain.
The 3.5mm sole is made of RS rubber and its durable and built-in design facilitates excellent footwork stability and precision, from volumes to tiny footholds.
Plus, the exceptional support despite the split midsole makes it perfect for indoor training, and hard bouldering – rock or plastic!
Unparallel Souped Up – go big with even softer shoes
The Souped Up was made with modern bouldering in mind. Gym climbing on modern features and dynamic moves to far volumes and holds is where they perform best. With slightly more rubber than the Flagship Pro, this model is even more smeary thanks to its RH split midsole and RS toe patch.
Soft and bendy, they’re perfect for whatever indoor climbing throws at you: steep, slab, tiny crimps, or big jugs.
I am the type of climber who loves sensitive soft shoes because this way I can feel everything under my toes. If you are anything like me you’ll probably want to test out your Souped Up as well!
Find more Unparallel climbing shoes in our Boulderflash shop.
Do you want to know more about Unparallel shoes, and their brand story? We have written a full guide for you on Unparallel’s history and best climbing shoes.
Five Ten’s Hiangle is the Addidas Terrex king bouldering shoe
But don’t believe me, believe some of the biggest crushers out there who wear them when they’re out thicking boulders or World Cups, such as Toby Roberts, Will Bosi, Janja Garnbret, Miho Nonaka, or Mejdi Schalck.
Crafted for boulder problems, this bouldering shoe performs in competition-style climbing.
Thanks to its downturned shape it keeps a solid tension in overhangs and excels in heelhooking while the Stealth C4 sticky rubber sole performs amazingly on slabs.
It is a great shoe but keep in mind that its aggressive shape is made for performing at a high end so maybe is not a shoe for everyone and there could be more comfy choices for you.
As with everything in life, you’ll have to match first.
La Sportiva Solution Comp are competitors’ favourites
It is said there is no such thing as an all-arounder. However, Solution Comp managed to stay my favourite climbing shoes for both vertical and overhang climbing, as well as indoor gym sessions – slab bouldering included.
Obviously, I would not take them out on a slab multi-pitch (I did try and I cried, 😂) but apart from that, I love the snug feeling, and how sensitive and precise they are. When there are no footholds that is when smearing is at its best because the rubber is just so sticky!
Worn by competitors at every IFSC bouldering and lead comp, this shoe is everywhere you look, and for good reasons!
Born from the original solution, the Solution Comp is softer and slightly more expensive but it comes with even stickier rubber, a narrower heel, and even more precision.
Plus, after testing it, the Outdoorgearlab concluded that Solution Comp is the best indoor bouldering shoe available today.
Some of the many strong climbers and indoor boulderers that climb with Solution Comp are Adam Ondra, Anna Liina Laitinen, and Brooke Raboutou.
La Sportiva Solution is still out there to provide solutions for modern rock bouldering
When my climbing levelled up these were the first ones to try. Why? Everyone talked so highly of them – and they were not wrong!
This is definitely a soft shoe; however, it is slightly stiffer than the little brother (Solution Comp) therefore climbers such as Brooke Raboutou, Lary Arce, Jakob Schubert, and Margo Hayes sometimes choose these bouldering weapons over Comp for rock climbing.
Good at smearing, and precise on tiny crimps, Solution has a 3D heel cup with slightly more space than the Comp version.
One thing I love about both the Solution Comp and Solution is how well they maintain their shape even after being resoled; I would suspect this is thanks to their P3 system.
La Sportiva Skwama is Brooke Raboutou’s favourite shoe for indoor bouldering
Skwama is a favourite amongst IFSC competitors, Olympians, and indoor boulderers. It comes with a P3 system that allows wrapping around your foot while giving support to the midfoot.
Their rounder tip covers more surface and excels when your feet don’t have to be so precise but rather fast when topping out. Their S-Heel technology contributes to efficient heel hooks.
For those interested, now there is also a vegan option available.
Scarpa Drago and Drago LV are a tie with Skwama when it comes to bouldering skills
Inspired by and designed for high-level bouldering, the Drago is definitely one of the best choices when indoor climbing. Both Drago and Drago LV are at their best when smearing and edging.
After all, the only difference between them is Drago is wider than the LV version.
A soft model in the Scarpa high-performance bouldering range which will give you more confidence when climbing without really worrying about footslips.
Thanks to a PAF (Pressure Absorbing Fit) heel, your heel hooks are steady and the shoe’s downturn gives it an aggressive profile.
It is no wonder top boulderers such as Oriane Bertone (olympian), Alex Puccio, Shawn Raboutou, and Jenya Kazbekova (olympian) are just a few of the climbers who represent this brand and choose the Drago for bouldering.
Because they are soft, they wear down quite fast. Therefore improving your footwork could be part of your skill-improving plan, considering they can be pricey.
However, if they are within your budget, this aspect shouldn’t stand in your way when you are focused on performing.
Scarpa offers pretty good resoling options – make sure you check with your local seller.
Scarpa Instinct VS-R comfortably sends
Part of the Scarpa line for more than 6 years it’s no surprise we keep seeing them perform in bouldering scene.
Slightly more supportive than Drago (very soft), the Scarpa Instinct VS-R is ideal for climbers with wider feet who love smearing on plastic.
However, it still leaves room for sensitivity so you can feel the holds and it doesn’t hold back when it comes to edging and volumes.
Secure your foot placements and go big!
Tenaya Indalo – popular in Spain, first spotted at Bern WC in 2023
Climbing legends such as Chris Sharma, Alex Megos, and Jimmy Webb chose it, and is time to find out why.
On their website, Tenaya says “Indalo is an aggressively shaped shoe providing superb responsiveness, that gives you maximum control over micro-edges and small holds while providing full sensitivity and precision in friction and smearing movements”
With such a description who am I to disagree?
No, seriously, I think I tried almost all shoes from Tenaya and I can honestly say Indalo exceeded my expectations. It has the comfort of the Tenaya Iati (maybe even more) while being super technical.
Maybe their most technical bouldering shoe, the Indalo has a glove-like fit that makes me think Tenaya put all their know-how in one shoe.
It is precise on micro-edges and small holds and extremely sticky when toe-hooking thanks to the upper part of the toe-box and instep.
How to choose between beginner, progressing, and performance shoes
Since now you know which are the most popular shoes used by indoor boulderers this year (and not only) we thought a guide for beginners and progressing climbers could be useful as well.
After all, not everybody is competing in the World Cups. Although attractive, the best heel and downturned shape are features you’ll not be using as someone who is just starting out.
So because we want to make sure you don’t pay extra for something that doesn’t serve you yet we have a few suggestions in what are the best bouldering shoes for beginners.
Which are the best bouldering shoes for beginners?
Unparallel Up Mocc
As a beginner, you’ll spend more time discovering and learning new climbing skills than performing. Therefore an all-around shoe is the best choice when it comes to bouldering shoes.
The Unparallel Up Mocc is a comfortable, and affordable climbing shoe that will feel right for someone who is only starting.
Tenaya Tanta
Maybe one of the most affordable climbing shoes for bouldering newbies. The medium stiff Tanta borrows some features from the Tenaya pro models only to adapt them to those who are still trying to figure out bouldering.
Thanks to their moderately downturned toe box and closure system they adapt to different footshapes so being super comfy will give you time to become confident on different climbing features.
La Sportiva Tarantula
Together with Tenaya Tanta, Tarantula is the go-to medium stiff shoe for rental in climbing gyms.
And from my memory, while I was working at a climbing outdoor shop it also used to be the first choice for beginners or those who climb occasionally and value comfort over technical features.
They are quite cheap compared to other high-end models, and durable thanks to an extra tick FriXion Black 4 mm sole.
For more info on what details to pay attention to when choosing your climbing weapon as a beginner, have a look at this Suck at Slab video and get 5 extra tips!
Which are the best bouldering shoes for intermediate climbers?
Evolv V6 – medium stiff 4.2 mm, perfect for progressing beyond a V6
Designed with progression in mind, the Evolv V6 is easy to wear and adapts to versatile terrain while also including some features (such as the downturned toe) that will help you progress. Their full-length outsole makes smearing easy while also giving maximum efficiency when edging.
As for grip, Evolv uses the Trax SAS rubber to make sure you are going to enjoy your best life while bouldering.
Waste no time for getting in and out of the shoe: thanks to its quite handy split tongue your bouldering day will improve significantly.
- 3-point adjustable strap for an optimal fit and performance
- Best for Egyptian, or Roman foot shape
- Super sticky rubber for better grip and smearing
- Slightly curved so they perform well on vertical walls slightly overhang
- They give good support on small edges without killing your feet
- Comfortable out of the box
Scarpa Vapor V – maybe the best your money can buy?
Ten years ago I won a pair of Scarpa Vapor V at a climbing competition. That was the first time I ever tried Scarpa. I remember I loved them on the first try and I think they’re perfect for a climber who is looking for comfort while chill bouldering.
They’re so comfy and versatile that you can wear them all day long at the climbing gym or when climbing a multi-pitch.
Slightly downturned, and slightly asymmetrical, the Vapour V gives you instant comfort and confidence in edging and secure heel hold.
What to look for when looking for bouldering shoes to buy?
Are your climbing shoes comfortable?
Make sure they’re well-fitting – snug and tight but not painful. A bouldering shoe that fits well will keep your foot precise, stable and your mind focused.
How much do they stretch?
Keep in mind climbing shoes stretch a bit but not magically so if you can barely handle the pain in the shop you probably need either a bigger size or a shoe that fits your foot form.
Read our guide on how to fit climbing shoes and how tight they should be for more info!
Did you get yourself a new pair of bouldering shoes? Find out the best way to break them in faster.
Which one is your favourite anyway?
Did not find what you were looking for or don’t see the point of climbing shoes? Then read our Climbing barefoot guide and find out how you to climb a V17 without bouldering shoes!
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