How to Choose the Right Size Indoor Rock Climbing Shoes
You've probably heard it countless times at the gym: "Climbing shoes should hurt if they fit right." This advice has led countless climbers down a painful path that actually damages their climbing progression . When you're starting with indoor rock climbing shoes , the pressure to downsize aggressively can create serious problems that take months to undo. The truth? Pain isn't a badge of honor - it's your body telling you something's wrong. What Actually Happens When You Downsize Too Much? Downsizing forces your toes into unnatural positions that completely change how your foot functions. Your big toe gets pushed sideways, creating what climbers call "toe overlap." Meanwhile, your smaller toes curl under or press against each other. Here's what really occurs inside that cramped shoe: Toe Position Changes: Your big toe bends laterally instead of staying straight Smaller toes stack on top of each other Your foot's natural arch collapses P...
