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Rock climbers need special sticky rubber shoes on the wall, but it helps to have a technical shoe with strategically placed rubber for approaching the climb, too. If you typically hike miles with a heavy pack to approach your climbing objectives, or find yourself scrambling up rugged terrain, you understand what we mean. Approach shoes are designed to be durable enough to hike, scramble, and even do some lite climbing before you change into your rock shoes.
In this review, we compare eight of the best models on the market today in side-by-side tests. We used the shoes to ascend fixed lines, hike with heavy packs, and traverse knife-edge ridges. All the while, our experienced testers took careful notes and compared performance.
Our testers chose the La Sportiva TX Guide as the best approach shoes. They’re supportive and comfortable enough for just about any mission, although they fit those with narrow feet best.
If you’re interested in climbing ropes or looking for a new climbing harness, we’ve got you covered. We have also tested just about all the top belay devices on the market.
