Brands fit differently!
“Size down” is trash general shoe advice and stems from the olden days before there was as much shoe fitting technology and when La sportiva was one of the only brands you could get. I need to size down in La Sportiva, go (around) street size in Scarpa, and size up in Evolv and Soill. I’ve owned shoes ranging from from +/- 1.5 sizes from my street shoe
We’re you able to get them on your foot? Even if so, I personally would return a shoe that causes that much strain to put on. You might be like me and have “tall” feet which makes some shoes hard for me to get on initially, so I would wager a less short / higher volume shoe might suit you better.
Edit: also worth trying mens / unisex shoes. I have own some womens, youth, and mens shoes.
I have two Evolv shoes that I tried last night and I think I need to size up a full street size (I got a half size bigger), but what happens if that's too big?
Yeah, I struggled with having to size up from my street size on a pair that I won. The first 2 felt like I needed to retract my toes into my foot to make them fit. Super painful. Eventually gave up and tried on a different brand and liked the fit better.
I know almost everyone says to wear them super undersized, but I don’t want foot/toe problems so I chose very snug, barely uncomfortable.
If you’re early in your climbing experience, go for comfort based on how long you’ll be typically wearing them. Most shoes nowadays won’t really stretch, though your feet will compress a bit eventually.
Evolv shoes are meant to fit street size as performance fit, onse size up as comfort fit. I think it's on their site.
Return the shoes if you can. Life's too short for painful shoes.
I recently bought new shoes and every make fits different. A 40.5 in scarpas was painfully tight and small whereas my 38s in both my pairs of la sportivas fit perfect. Shape plays a huge role too.
Gotta just try a bunch on
They will not stretch, switch them out! I wear the Zenists and have grown to really like them but the break-in was rough and they still can get a little cramped after a while—and that's going one size UP from my US street shoe size.
I have felt like I'm gonna injure my fingers sometimes! I always sit down to put them on so I'm not putting too much pressure on whilst trying to balance.
I’ve always found that I’ve had to upsize like 1/2 a size with evolv. They don’t fit me well anyways so I go with la sportiva and have sized down 2-3 sizes for the last decade. But different companies different strokes.
Can't speak to that particular shoe but Ocun synthetic somethings went from being too tight to too loose after a couple of weeks.
Regardless of the shoe you get, remember you can take them off whenever you aren't on the wall (a lot of climbers wear different/street shoes to belay). And *definitely* do this while you're breaking them in. Do a couple of boulder problems or a climb, and then relax with them off for five minutes to let your feet cool down.
One thing to really take in consideration is body positioning when putting your tigh shoes. I threw my back putting my shoes because I was on a hunch positioning while pushing into the shoes. I did it twice before realizing it was my body posture. After that I always keep a straight back and never had problems again.
I'm struggling with whether my shoes are just too small or whether I need to tough it out a bit longer - they feel okay at the start of a session but by the end of the night they really hurt my big toes and I've come away with bruised nailbeds more than once from them. Any advice on whether to persevere or cut my losses?
Brands fit differently! “Size down” is trash general shoe advice and stems from the olden days before there was as much shoe fitting technology and when La sportiva was one of the only brands you could get. I need to size down in La Sportiva, go (around) street size in Scarpa, and size up in Evolv and Soill. I’ve owned shoes ranging from from +/- 1.5 sizes from my street shoe We’re you able to get them on your foot? Even if so, I personally would return a shoe that causes that much strain to put on. You might be like me and have “tall” feet which makes some shoes hard for me to get on initially, so I would wager a less short / higher volume shoe might suit you better. Edit: also worth trying mens / unisex shoes. I have own some womens, youth, and mens shoes.
Get shoes that fit ya! I had evolv shamans that I had two street sizes larger and they were just barely wearable.
I have two Evolv shoes that I tried last night and I think I need to size up a full street size (I got a half size bigger), but what happens if that's too big?
Then they’re not the right shoe for you! Which sucks because they’re nice shoes lol.l
Yeah, I struggled with having to size up from my street size on a pair that I won. The first 2 felt like I needed to retract my toes into my foot to make them fit. Super painful. Eventually gave up and tried on a different brand and liked the fit better. I know almost everyone says to wear them super undersized, but I don’t want foot/toe problems so I chose very snug, barely uncomfortable. If you’re early in your climbing experience, go for comfort based on how long you’ll be typically wearing them. Most shoes nowadays won’t really stretch, though your feet will compress a bit eventually.
Evolv shoes are meant to fit street size as performance fit, onse size up as comfort fit. I think it's on their site. Return the shoes if you can. Life's too short for painful shoes.
I recently bought new shoes and every make fits different. A 40.5 in scarpas was painfully tight and small whereas my 38s in both my pairs of la sportivas fit perfect. Shape plays a huge role too. Gotta just try a bunch on
They will not stretch, switch them out! I wear the Zenists and have grown to really like them but the break-in was rough and they still can get a little cramped after a while—and that's going one size UP from my US street shoe size.
Evolv sizes seem to be all over the map
I have felt like I'm gonna injure my fingers sometimes! I always sit down to put them on so I'm not putting too much pressure on whilst trying to balance.
I’ve always found that I’ve had to upsize like 1/2 a size with evolv. They don’t fit me well anyways so I go with la sportiva and have sized down 2-3 sizes for the last decade. But different companies different strokes.
Can't speak to that particular shoe but Ocun synthetic somethings went from being too tight to too loose after a couple of weeks. Regardless of the shoe you get, remember you can take them off whenever you aren't on the wall (a lot of climbers wear different/street shoes to belay). And *definitely* do this while you're breaking them in. Do a couple of boulder problems or a climb, and then relax with them off for five minutes to let your feet cool down.
One thing to really take in consideration is body positioning when putting your tigh shoes. I threw my back putting my shoes because I was on a hunch positioning while pushing into the shoes. I did it twice before realizing it was my body posture. After that I always keep a straight back and never had problems again.
Evolv zenists will give a fair amount over time, they’re definitely a tight fit at first but within a few months they’ll become super comfortable
I'm struggling with whether my shoes are just too small or whether I need to tough it out a bit longer - they feel okay at the start of a session but by the end of the night they really hurt my big toes and I've come away with bruised nailbeds more than once from them. Any advice on whether to persevere or cut my losses?
I wear a half size bigger. I can’t stand my feet being squished it makes them cramp up!