The Best Bouldering Shoes

What bouldering shoes to buy? If you are asking this question, you have come to the right place! Bouldering is an excellent hobby because you can practice on indoor rock climbing walls or outdoors in nature. You don’t need much to start except for bouldering pads, chalk, chalk bags, and bouldering shoes. However, when you’re looking at climbing shoes, it can seem overwhelming. At CampSaver, we’ve looked at our top-reviewed bouldering shoes from our customers and team members who love to climb. We’ve curated a list of the best bouldering shoes and made our recommendations. 

Best Beginner Bouldering Shoes

Men's Black Diamond Momentum Lace Climbing Shoes

• Affordable price
• Lace for adjustability
• Comfortable all day long

Built for unparalleled comfort during crags and gym climbing, the Momentum Lace blends technology with a classic flat-last design. The Momentum features a soft-flex midsole for sensitivity and lace-up adjustability, making it perfect for entry-level climbing shoes. They are designed for all-day comfort on moderate climbing routes, boulders, or gym climbing.

The beginner rock climber will start with sloppy footwork, drag their feet up the wall, and can wear through them much faster than a more experienced climber. The Black Diamond Momentum is an excellent choice because it is well made and is affordable for beginner climbers. These shoes are more comfortable on beginner’s feet and do not have as steep a downturn as other climbing shoes. 

Women's Evolv Elektra Climbing Shoes

• A great beginner rock climbing shoe
• Full-length midsole and outsole for support and comfort
• Molded VTR (Variable Thickness Rand)

The Elektra is a low-volume climbing shoe. Low-volume climbing shoes are narrower and/or have a smaller heel shape. The anatomical fit is excellent for beginners and advanced climbers, and its stylish looks make it a no-brainer for first-time or repeat buyers. The split tongue and dual velcro closure system provide easy accessibility and a secure fit.

Overhanging Bouldering Shoes

Tenaya Mastia Climbing Shoes in Men’s & Women’s

• Reviewers love the soft material inside the climbing shoe
• It fits great, but you may want to size up if you have a wider foot
• Reviewers rave over the improved toe hooking ability

The Tenaya Mastia is a split-sole shoe that combines down-turned precision and sensitivity with edging power. Along with the toe hook ability that other climbers love about this shoe, it is perfect if you are climbing overhangs. The thermally molded heel cup provides maximum accuracy in heel hooking performance. This shoe comes in sizes for men and women climbers.

Women's La Sportiva Solution Climbing Shoes

• Great for overhangs, edging, heel hooks, and toe hooks.
• Super sticky Vibram XS Grip rubber - offers a good compromise between grip, edging, and durability on many different surfaces.

The La Sportiva Solution rock climbing shoe has a sticky rubber outsole. The heel cup and patented P3 power platform help retain the shoe's downturn shape. The Lock Harness System surrounds your foot and unifies it with the upper. The highly adjustable Fast Lacing System lets you tailor the quick closing velcro closure for a personalized fit.

Edging Bouldering Shoes

Men's La Sportiva Katana Lace Climbing Shoes

• The slightly downturned toe and subtle asymmetry ensure you can hook into pockets or exploit the tiniest edges.
• Comfortable for all-day rock climbing.
• The rubber outsole improves grip for heel hooking.

The Katana Lace, despite its downturned shape, is a comfortable all-day climbing workhorse. It performs well on slabs and can easily twist into thin cracks but excels outside on steep single or multi-pitch routes. The slightly downturned toe and subtle asymmetry ensure you can hook into pockets or exploit the tiniest edges while providing unrivaled comfort for its level.

Women's La Sportiva Miura Climbing Shoes

• The heel cup and lacing system give this rock climbing shoe a customized fit.
• Slingshot rand connected to the powerhinge under the shoe to keep you on the edges.
• Great for gym climbing and outdoor climbing.

The Miura climbing shoe has been one of La Sportiva's longest-lasting climbing shoes because customers repeatedly return to it. This rock climbing shoe can be used on gently overhanging sport climbing routes, bouldering, gym climbing, and technical face climbing.

Crack Bouldering Shoes

Men's La Sportiva TC Pro Climbing Shoes

• Reviewers love this climbing shoe for edging and crack climbing. 
• All day performance
• Padded ankle protection reduces pain often felt jamming in cracks.

This game-changing, mid-height edging machine will take you out of a technical thin hand to rattley fingers crack, and onto the diciest dime edges, you can find. They provide robust, technical edging AND crack climbing prowess without compromising. Light padding in the ankle and above the toes protects you in the cracks, and the patented P3 platform delivers sensitive yet powerful edging abilities. The toes' flat fit is perfect for comfortable crack climbing. The ventilated tongue and lateral rand perforations promote airflow. La Sportiva worked with Vibram on a new rubber compound that works best for technical edging. Together they developed the XS Edge compound, which holds an edge better on sharp micro edges.

Women's Scarpa Vapor Climbing Shoes

• Dual-density toe patch for increased grip and durability;
• PAF heel system improves fit and heel hooking performance;
• Perfect for technical face climbing, trad climbing, multi-pitch climbing

These climbing shoes provide stability and plush comfort, whether jamming cracks or out on the rock face. The Bi-Tension active rand provides forefoot precision. 

Shop Bouldering Shoes at CampSaver!

If you are just getting into the world of bouldering, check out our selection of bouldering training equipment. We also have a great selection of other climbing products, such as harnesses, climbing gloves, ropes, and more!