So you're fed up of hiring shoes that hundreds of sweaty bare feet have been laced into? I don't blame ya.
I have all the info you need on buying your first pair of climbing shoes, all centred around my first pair - The Boreal Jokers.
I was recommended by several members of the climbing club that Boreal Jokers are a good starter climbing shoe. I've found it useful asking around for recommendations before going into a shop like Go Outdoors, where there may not be a super knowledgeable person on hand to help you out. By doing a bit of research pre shopping, you also may be able to get a better price. But of course, why ask anyone else when you have this all encompassing post?
Where can I buy them from, and how much for?
Currently these babies are retailing for £72 at Go Outdoors, but I would keep checking because I managed to get them cheaper on a special offer. It's worth getting a Go Outdoors discount card if you think climbing is going to be a long term hobby for you, once you want to climb outside, or even outside of club hours if you climb somewhere like Bear Rock where you can hire gear during specific hours. If you are a student you can also use NUS on top of the Go Outdoors Discount Card. AND (I promise I'm not being sponsored by Go Outdoors), Go Outdoors will price match any product if you find it cheaper and in stock in a UK retailer. Other outdoor retailers are available and if you have the money it is great to support small businesses, in the Midlands this includes Lockwoods in Leamington and The Ballroom in Coventry.
How do you know what size and style to get?
Your feet are meant to feel a bit scrunched up at the end so that you can be on your toes when you climb but you shouldn't be in a lot of pain when you first put them on. Once you've been climbing for a while, your feet will go a bit numb and you are likely to take them off when you're resting to give your feet a break. This is normal. If you have wiggle room they are too big. Mine are actually half a size bigger than my usual shoe size, but they feel half a size smaller. Sizing really varies between brands so it is best to go into a shop to try some on, rather than order the size you think you might be online - you might end up forever in and out of the post office collecting and returning.
You'll notice these are lace up ones, but you can also get velcro. Velcro shoes are a lot more convenient to take on and off, but if you have super narrow feet like me, lace up wins.