How to Stretch out Climbing Shoes: Comfort & Convenience

Those who go climbing realize how important the right size and comfort of a climbing shoe are for this active sport.

If you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you have very uncomfortable shoes, we have incredibly good news for you: you can make them more comfortable and how to stretch out climbing shoes to your desired condition.

This article will give you information on how to break in your climbing shoes if they are suddenly too stiff and uncomfortable for you.

Are climbing shoes supposed to be tight?

Obviously, climbing shoes have a proper fit, with climbing shoes sized differently than street shoe size. If you wear shoes that make you uncomfortable for long periods of time, you can seriously injure your feet. 

In general, the right climbing shoe is likely to sit fairly tight on your foot. If you choose shoes that are too loose, the accuracy of your feet while climbing will be reduced.

The proper tightness of climbing shoes

It is important to feel the surface under your feet and to keep your balance! That is why you should choose shoes in which the front of the shoe fits snugly against your toes. But do not take a shoe that fits too tightly: leave yourself room to extend your toes slightly.

If you suddenly feel uncomfortable in the right shoe in the first few sessions of climbing, that’s okay because a stiff fit can feel unaccustomed. If this continues for a long time and the discomfort brings you pain – it is better to look for another new pair of shoes for exercise. 

You can try changing the brand that manufactures the shoes: the models of climbing shoes are very variable, so you will definitely find a more comfortable climbing shoe. 

Do not neglect to try the shoes on under any circumstances! Try them on at the outdoor store and try to see how comfortable you are. If you order shoes online, then you have a chance to send uncomfortable shoes back to the manufacturer. 

What material is better to pay attention to? 

The break-in of the shoes will definitely depend on the material of the climbing shoes. The rubber sole of climbing shoes are virtually impossible to stretch, but you can try to stretch the upper of shoes that are made of leather with padding to a comfortable state.

Natural Leather 

A leather top can be stretched to as much as one and a half size of it, especially if it has no lining. By resizing this material, you can even overdo it, which is why it’s better to follow the instructions. 

Synthetic leather

Synthetic uppers do not stretch well – at most you can add half a size, so choose your size very carefully. When picking out synthetic shoes, make sure that they fit comfortably on your foot as soon as you take them out of the storage box.

How much do climbing shoes stretch?

Three types of shoes can be distinguished according to the degree of the downturn of the shoe (if the arch of the shoe is pointed strongly downward toward the toes, the effectiveness on overhanging and difficult areas is greatly increased):

• neutral 
• intermediate
• aggressive

Aggressive shoes are unlikely to become comfortable for you even after wearing them for a long time, even though it will take a long time to get used to them.

This is because your feet often assume an unnatural position while climbing, and the shoe kind of has to maintain its shape and basic functions.

You don’t want to wear your aggressive shoes too much to keep them in shape longer, but you can try to make them more comfortable for your feet. 

So, let’s move on to possible tips for those who want to break into climbing shoes.

How to stretch out climbing shoes

The first and foremost advice is to just climb in your shoes because your sweaty feet will cause the material to deform and stretch. But it will be a very long way up to months and most likely you will earn a lot of calluses. 

So let’s move on to the simple procedures you can do at home to create the perfect climbing shoes.

Advance preparation

Before you start training, familiarize yourself with how your shoes are fabricated and what they are made of.

A lace-up climbing shoe will not have the same wearing process as a Velcro shoe. Also, keep in mind that shoes have many differences in material and construction.

Selection of shoe

You better get the right size right away, whether it’s leather or synthetic shoes. Shoes that are too small can cause injuries to your feet, especially your feet and toes. 

You should try to choose the right size for your feet and your toes, not to damage them in too tiny shoes.

Wearing shoes with a plastic wrap

First, you should put on your new shoes to let your feet get used to them. Take the shoes out of the box and stay in them for a while so that the foot starts to warm up and thereby slightly affect the material. 

It is better not to move around the house in shoes, but just sit in them for a while because active walking will be uncomfortable. Also, when walking on non-intended surfaces, you can damage the shoe or its parts.

You can immediately go to a climbing training session in your new shoes because this will allow you to adapt your shoes to the shape of your feet. However, try to take breaks between routes.

If your shoes seem too tight to you, it is better to wrap your whole foot with polyethylene. Attach it to the heel or wrap the entire foot to allow the foot to slide easily in the shoe. So, you can start the process of stretching shoes.

The plastic wrap will reduce the friction between your feet and the non-worn rigid material. Also, the film will not allow you to experience pain from friction.

Do these actions as often as possible. They should not damage your shoes too much, and the discomfort in your feet should stop soon. This is the easiest and most convenient way to change your shoes according to your requests.

Use some ice to stretch climbing shoe

Also, a very popular method to add to your shoes is about a half size of them that will be safe for your sneakers. Get some zip-lock bags and fill them with water. Next, put two zip-lock bags and your shoes in the freezer.

Water begins to expand when it freezes and deforms the material of the climbing shoes.

Leave your shoes in the freezer for a few hours (you can let them in the freezer overnight), then take them out and cut open the plastic bags with ice inside.

If you carefully pour the water in and remove the plastic bag at the end, you will see that your climbing shoes have become a little wider. When the liquid freezes, it becomes wider and creates extra space in the shoes.

However, be prepared that the water-filled bags will stretch the material in different directions, so the shoes can feel very strange.

Be patient: with the help of ice, you will stretch the shoes for a very long time. You may need to do all of these a few times to stretch your shoes enough to make your toes feel good.

Use hot air to break in climbing shoes

You can use another rather unexpected way: try warming up and stretching the material of your shoes to give them the shape of your feet. It’s best not to overheat your shoes for long because your shoes may be damaged and become unusable when there is too much heat.

If you’re willing to take the risk, grab a hair dryer and get ready to gently expand the top layer of your shoes. It is better to use a hair dryer, and not an oven or a battery because, with it, you can control the airflow.

Before you start warming up your shoes, it is best to stuff them tightly with fabric items. When you notice that your shoes are getting hot in the areas you want, put your shoes on (preferably, try to wear socks) and let your climbing shoes cool down on your feet.

In general, you can even heat the shoes right on your feet – so the effect will be better. Just beware of burns if you choose to do so. And try to protect the rubber layer.

However, the methods listed above are better for your shoes, as they don’t strip them or ruin the materials. You may need to warm up your shoes several times to get them to perfect condition.

Stretch climbing shoes by wearing them under hot water

You can use hot water, especially if you have leather shoes. Put on your climbing shoes, take a hot shower and step into the hot water with your shoes on. Wait about five minutes for the shoes to take the shape of your feet.

Hot water will break in climbing shoe material, and it will make a pair of climbing shoes more comfortable for your feet.

After this hot shower, walk around the house for a bit in your shoes. It’s best not to climb with wet shoes, but if you have a climbing wall at home, you might want to give it a try.

When you find the shoes dry, it’s time to tuck the fabric inside so that the shape of the shoes is preserved until your workout. Be careful – try not to wet all the furniture.

Use rubbing alcohol to break in climbing shoes

Take some cotton wool, soak it in alcohol and try to soak the top layer of your climbing shoes. Put on your shoes and wait for the alcohol on the shoes to dry.

After this procedure, the circumference should expand, and it is more comfortable to sit on the leg.

The best way to stretch your climbing shoe

In general, if you urgently need to stretch your climbing shoes, all of the above methods will work for you. But, of course, it is better to buy shoes that are perfect for your foot.

Nevertheless, we advise you the first way – to use your feet and plastic bags. The plastic bag method is the safest way for both leather shoes and synthetic climbing shoes.

Thermal methods are fine if the shoes need to expand a little, and using ice will greatly deform and stretch the upper part of the shoes.

FAQs section for those who want to stretch shoes

Here you can find even more information about how to stretch climbing shoes.

How to choose the right size climbing shoes?

Don’t try to buy shoes the same size as your everyday shoes. It is better to buy climbing shoes that will be a couple of sizes smaller than your normal size.

Make sure the shoes fit snugly on your foot in all areas, but that you are comfortable moving around in them.

Match the material of the upper: it is normal for synthetic leather to be stiff and a little hard when you start using it. You should be more careful with leather uppers because leather shoes stretch more when they are worn, especially with frequent use.

Remember that trying on shoes before buying is a must. Even a half-size change will save you from painful damage to your feet.

How to speed up the break-in process?

To get the shoe slightly stretched, you need to use it for its intended purpose. That means you have to climb in it a lot.

Feel free to start climbing, but you may have to put a little more effort into overcoming your discomfort than usual.

How long does it take to stretch new rock climbing shoes?

Getting used to climbing shoes can take different amounts of time. It all depends on how often you practice and what method of stretching your shoes you prefer.

If you didn’t stretch your shoes according to the recommendations in the article, it will likely take you months to achieve a comfortable fit.

Synthetic shoes are likely to be comfortable in a few sessions, but a natural leather upper of the shoes will take much longer to adjust to your foot size. The time varies for different brands, models, and materials of climbing shoes.

How to take care of climbing shoes?

Your shoes will last you a very long time if you take good care of them. It is best to store them where they are cool and dry, as high temperatures can warp the climbing shoe rubber.

Allow your shoes to dry before putting them away so that they are not wet with sweat, and they do not get moldy from accumulated bacteria. If your shoes suddenly become dirty, hand wash them in warm water.

It’s better also not to walk around outside in climbing shoes-it will ruin them.

Is it possible to make the shoes tighter?

Yes, of course, you can do that, but it all depends on the material. Natural leather has better physical exposure, but synthetic is unlikely to shrink. You need to make the shoes wet, and then leave them to dry in direct sunlight.

This is a temporary remedy, but your shoes will become tighter. You should be careful: the sun can have a negative effect on leather shoes.

Can one buy a used pair of shoes?

A used pair of shoes can be even better than a brand-new pair, as it can be a bonus to your workouts: used shoes are already worn, so you don’t have to suffer and force your feet to get used to the rough material.

If you are uncomfortable wearing someone else’s shoes, remember that they are very easy to disinfect after the previous owner.

Also, it will save you money, especially if the climbing shoe rubber is in good condition.

Do climbing shoes have to be comfortable?

As mentioned above, this is not really the case for a new pair of climbing shoes. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t be in pain even at the beginning of wearing them.

When you get used to your climbing shoes, they will become very comfortable. However, it is not certain that this will happen if you have bought new climbing shoes with an aggressive bottom.

Last few words

We hope that now you know how you can adjust your climbing shoes to fit your foot without damaging the material of the shoes. Try not to stretch climbing shoes too much to avoid unnecessary hassle. 

Break in climbing shoes with extreme care and wear your climbing shoes with pleasure! Want to know what to wear to a rock climbing gym if you start to rock climbing, read the article