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boothbyl
Jul 8, 2008, 8:23 PM
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Hello! I am a beginner (obviously) and I live in Boulder. I am starting with indoors but will move outdoors, and I need some shoes! I have been told/am looking at:
La Sportiva - Mythos
&
La Sportiva - Miura
Have any of you all used these shoes or know anyone that has? What type of shoes do you have? I would love suggestions! Thanks so much!
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tigerlilly
Jul 8, 2008, 8:54 PM
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In all honesty, I wouldn't necessarily recommend either for a beginner. If your feet are already quite strong (if you run or hike a lot), you might be ok with the Mythos. If not, you could hurt your feet. They aren't very supportive, and if you're climbing correctly, you'll have a lot of weight on your feet in unfamiliar positions.
The Miuras are a bit agressive for a beginner, and you may not find them comfortable. Asymetric shoes are an aquired taste, so to speak. It's hard to focus on what you're doing if your feet hurt.
Both shoes are also a bit pricey, and beginners often, but not always, tear up their first shoes with poor footwork until they learn good form. Plus, it's hard to gauge how much a shoe will stretch and how much too tight to start with. Better to experiment with cheaper shoes. I suggest going with suportive and comfy to start with, and focusing on fit, rather than any specific model. I'd go with a medium to stiff straighter-lasted shoe that fits well and isn't too expensive. LaSportiva Cliffs, 5-10 Spires or Coyotes, Mad Rock Phoenix or Banshees, Boreal Lunas (good if you have narrow feet) are all good beginner shoes, though I'm sure there are others.
Have fun.
Kathy
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shockabuku
Jul 8, 2008, 9:04 PM
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boothbyl wrote: Hello! I am a beginner (obviously) and I live in Boulder.
Whoaa! Wait a minute. I didn't think beginners were allowed to live in Boulder. WTF?
Get the cheapest thing you can find that fits snugly and comfortably.
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navis
Jul 8, 2008, 9:19 PM
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boothbyl wrote: Hello! I am a beginner (obviously) and I live in Boulder. I am starting with indoors but will move outdoors, and I need some shoes! I have been told/am looking at: La Sportiva - Mythos & La Sportiva - Miura Have any of you all used these shoes or know anyone that has? What type of shoes do you have? I would love suggestions! Thanks so much!
I'm probably going to get hung up to dry for saying this, but I just got and started using my first shoes which are Mad Rock Flash and I really like them, they are not too horribly tight like some of the other models. Now I cannot attest to long lasting since I haven't had them that long but I've been on them for 4 or 5 full day sessions and have no complaints yet other than my feet aren't used to this :P
My fiance'(which may be more important to you(female to female)) wears some Boreal shoes that look a lot like the Mad Rock Phoenix.
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motomagik
Jul 8, 2008, 9:41 PM
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I would have to agree about the Miuras, they are an aggressive shoe and I don't think they would be good for a beginner. Not too mention that as a beginner you wouldn't really benefit from the expensive bells and whistles of these shoes.
Can't comment on the Mythos, I have never worn them but they would definitely be a better choice then Miuras i would think. The basic 5.10's were my first shoes and i had them forever... Just get something cheap and comfortable, you don't need anything fancy.
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gblauer
Moderator
Jul 9, 2008, 2:52 AM
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Look into Evolv Rockstars, a great all around shoe designed for a woman's foot.
I use them for trad and sport.
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macherry
Jul 9, 2008, 2:54 PM
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between the two i would choose the mythos. a basic all around shoe with a good fit
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zan
Jul 10, 2008, 5:25 PM
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I use Madrock Mugens for bouldering and la sportiva mythos for routes.
I love 'em both but they do totally different things for me. You probably don't need two pairs of shoes, I'd recommend an all-around shoe to start out with. The madrock hottie is pretty popular where I'm from. |
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steady_climbing
Jul 10, 2008, 6:33 PM
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Check out the "Red Chilli Lady Spirits"
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theclimbergirl
Jul 10, 2008, 6:51 PM
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If La Sportivas fit you, try the Nago, also. I just bought a pair before my recent trip and climbed in them all day, for days, right out of the box. One of my climbing partners had a pair and she loves them, also. They're a bit higher performance (better fit, for me) than the Mythos. I've been climbing in Mad Rock Frenzy Velcros for some time now... but the Nagos are my new favorites.
The most important thing, as other folks have said, is to find the fit that works for you. It may take you a few tries... but once you find your fit preference, it's just about finding the best fitting shoes you can.
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Climbing_Pink
Jul 10, 2008, 7:44 PM
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I wouldn't go with a la sportiva for a beginner shoe. They're uber expensive and you just need a good all around shoe.
I bought the la sportiva vipers when I first started out.. and hated them, just starting to use them again..... three years later!
I would go with the Evolv Elecktras (I think that's how you spell it) They're really slim and fit women's feet well, and they're really reasonabley priced and purple!
I personally hate mad rocks, I find they stretch too much, but that's probably just a personal preference.
(This post was edited by Climbing_Pink on Jul 10, 2008, 7:46 PM)
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pandora208
Jul 10, 2008, 8:56 PM
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As a newer climber myself i would also suggest a less technical shoe to start with and also a rather inexpensive one. i started climbing about 5 months ago and bought some mad rocks that were for sale at the pro shop of my gym, which saved me lots of money because gym members get a 20% discount (which rocks!!) you should see if your gym does the same.
Another little suggestion would be to get EZ shoes, with vevlcro instead of laceups because as a new climber you may want to free your feet ocassionally while you rest and tying and untying gets very tedious;)
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sween345
Jul 10, 2008, 10:41 PM
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booth,
First you want shoes that fit. I checked on evolv's website http://www.evolvesports.com/dealers.htm#co and saw three stores(non-REI) that deal evolv shoes. Go try some on. Be aware that most(or maybe all) of evolv's shoes are synthetic and won't stretch any appreciable amount. Leather shoes will stretch. I suggest evolv because they have several women specific shoes, but again try shoes on and go with what fits and is comfortable.(They also have at this time some very cheap closeouts on their website, if you feel lucky enough to get a good fit through the mail!)
One other thing to take into consideration is that climbing shoes are made asymmetrical(big toe is longest) or symmetrical(second toe is longest, known as Morton's foot). This will help you eliminate some shoes that just won't fit you properly.
Hope this helps.
PS I own a pair of Mythos and I knew as soon as I put them on they were for me.
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lemonade
Jul 11, 2008, 8:04 PM
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I am not the world's greatest climber by any stretch of the imagination but I have been climbing for a long time.
I would agree that while your just starting out, try and get something cheap that you can just beat the snot out of.
But between the two shoes...for me the mythos felt like they were made for my feet. I wouldn't suggest spending the money though until you have a good idea of how small you need to buy them...only becuase that shoe shines with how perfectly the right size molds to your individual foot.
Anyways, I will stop giving glory to my shoes! 
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IBarrett
Jul 11, 2008, 8:29 PM
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I'm pretty new to climbing (2 months) and bought one pair of shoes only to end up buying another. Make sure you try on lots of brands and styles before settling for a pair. I bought the Mad Rock Onsights (women's shoes) and they ended up hurting my feet just too much so I bought a pair of used Mad Rock Banshees; I love them. I eventually want to get a more aggressive shoe but while still learning technique and whatnot, I would say that an all around snug, yet slightly comfortable shoe would be the best. There's plenty of time to torture your feet later. I got to the point of hating to put on my shoes - I would tie in before putting those painful shoes on my feet. I am basing this purely on experience, but my advice is to make sure they fit your feet well and there are no real pressure points b/c they only get worse, not better.
Good luck!
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winglessangel
Jul 11, 2008, 11:59 PM
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About the "WOMEN"
Have in mind that "women's" shoes generally means "slim" fit.
Yes, women usually have smaller feet, but imo it is completaly BS to assume that they are slim in proportion to the lengh.
That just to say that you shouldn't narrow your possibilities to women's specifically shoes, this is climbing not fashion. Try everything.
About the "MODEL"
I regret ever buying just any shoe cause I was just a beginner, the shoe was terrible, the rubber was awful and the shape was pathetic. Two months later I had to spend another couple hundred bucks to get a decent pair.
I do agree that up to some level the shoe doesn't make much of a difference, and I do agree that if you are not used to climbing shoes you may find them very uncomfortable.
That is a way to say "don''t go to very extreme things like 5.10's jet7 or la sportiva's solution"
but is not a way to say "go with any crap you won't know the difference" cause you will.
So, in resume, as said before, look for "all around" shoes that fit exactly on your feet, not tight but also not loose at all.
I know plenty of people who consider mythos to be one of those, and plenty who find miura more on the agressive line, but I personally haven't tryied either.
(This post was edited by winglessangel on Jul 12, 2008, 12:01 AM)
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newbierockstar
Jul 21, 2008, 1:12 AM
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gblauer wrote: Look into Evolv Rockstars, a great all around shoe designed for a woman's foot.
Rockstars were my first pair of climbing shoes (hence the username!), and now, ironically enough, I wear Muiras.
While I did love my Rockstars, I was happy to move on to a more technical shoe as my abilities progressed. Be advised, too, as someone else mentioned, that Evolv shoes are vegan (read: synthetic) and thusly do NOT stretch.
Unless they've changed drastically, I have to give Evolv much love for their superior customer service, too. I was brand new to climbing when I got my first pair, and even though they tried to warn me to get a larger pair, I went with the size I *thought* I needed. Well, lo and behold, my feet were screaming after just one gym session, and despite the fact that the soles were already scratched up, Brian told me to send them back for a larger pair...and all I had to do was pay the return shipping. Of course, that was back when they were a fledging company, but I hope they haven't lost that small-town feel...
Have you checked out the Gear section of this site? There are a lot of shoe/gear reviews there for you to check out....
Good luck! 
(This post was edited by newbierockstar on Jul 21, 2008, 1:17 AM)
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