The 10 Best Climbing Shoes for Wide Feet - Tried and Tested (2024)

• Edging - 8/10

  8/10

• Smearing - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 9/10

  9/10

• Comfort - 8/10

  8/10

• Sensitivity - 9/10

  9/10

• Value For Money - 9/10

  9/10

After we reviewed the La Sportiva Skwama last year, it’s been quite the challenge to pray them off our tester’s grubby feet.

The wide toe box, combined with the elasticated tongue and soft construction of the Skwama should make this shoe a top pick for wide-footed climbers. The upper is also made of unlined leather, which will stretch out and mold to your wide feet once broken in.

Although I don’t believe there to be a single shoe that excels at everything, the Skwama does come pretty damn close.

I really like the versatility and sensitivity that the Skwama brings to the table. Its soft construction is designed with overhung bouldering and climbing in mind, but really, it’s one of thebest all-around performance shoesyou can get your hands on right now. Indoors or outdoors, smearing, edging, or bat hanging from your tippy-toes, the Skwama can do it all.

The Skwama is built on the same last as many of La Sportiva’s popular models like the Solution, Futura, and Miura, so expect a similar fit/size to these shoes.

• Edging - 6/10

  6/10

• Smearing - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

• Comfort - 10/10

  10/10

• Sensitivity - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Value For Money - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

Best For: Beginners and intermediates in the gym

The Veloce is Scarpa’s first gym-specific training shoe; it’s super-soft, super-breathable, and ridiculously comfortable. It’s a solid choice for new climbers looking to move away from the entry-level models, or advanced climbers who are looking for a workhorse for those long gym sessions.

After decades of cramming my feet into climbing shoes, I have never worn a shoe with a wide-toe box like the Veloce’s. It uses, what Scarpa calls, a ‘relaxed performance fit last’ to deliver a boatload of comfort.

Unlike virtually every other climbing shoe out there, the Veloce has forsaken its pointed toe and instead has a blunt, rounded curve. This design widens the toe box and allows for more space around your pinky toes, removing that toe-cramming sensation synonymous with climbing shoes.

Comfort aside, this shoe also has some other great features. Because they are really soft, they also have great sensitivity, you can really feel every foot placement. The tongue is also made of a barely-there breathable mesh, which is a welcomed feature as you sweat your way through a hot gym sesh.

For a reasonable price and solid performance, it’s hard to argue with the Veloce.

• Edging - 8/10

  8/10

• Smearing - 9/10

  9/10

• Steep Terrain - 9/10

  9/10

• Comfort - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

• Sensitivity - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Value For Money - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

If you walk into the gym on any given night you will probably spot at least a few climbers rocking these bad boys. There’s a good reason for why this shoe it so popular: The Scarpa Instinct VS is one of the best bouldering shoes for wide feet, both in the gym and on the rock.

Specifically designed for hard bouldering, the Scarpa Instinct VSS addresses all the needs of the modern boulderer, while offering a snug and comfortable fit for the wide-footed pebble wrestler.

It has a wide toe box, thanks to the FV last, one of the widest and highest volume lasts in the Scarpa arsenal. The Instinct VSR also has an elasticated tongue, which covers a lot of real estate on the shoe’s uppers, allowing for plenty of stretch.

Unlike a lot of performance shoes, the Instinct VSR is only moderately downturned, which gives it the versatility to perform on both steep and slabby terrain.

Like many of Scarpa’s shoes, the Instinct line comes equipped with some clever technology. The tensioned band (also known as aslingshot rand) directs power to the toe box, while the bi-tension band works in reverse, helping to keep this shoe rigid and laser-precise on your foot. No unwanted rolling of the edges or heel slips here. All this technical wizardry ultimately combines to offer unparalleled confidence when cranking hard.

SIDE NOTE:I personally find Scarpa to be a really good brand for wide climbing shoes. Because they use over 12 different last shapes, and you will probably find at least one of their shoes will suit the shape of your foot.

• Edging - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

• Smearing - 8/10

  8/10

• Steep Terrain - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Comfort - 8/10

  8/10

• Sensitivity - 8/10

  8/10

• Value For Money - 9/10

  9/10

From my experience, Evolv generally has some of the widest-fitting shoes of any climbing shoe brand and lucky for us, they have an awesome selection of models to choose from.

I’ve tested a few of Evolv’s climbing shoes, but the Shaman is the model I’m really enjoying right now. It terms of performance, it’s pretty similar to the Skwama and Instinct VSR, with a few important differences.

The Shaman is noticeably more downturned than the other shoes I have mentioned. The “Love Bump” midsole sits under your toes and exaggerates the spoon-dip shape of the forefoot, which makes the shoe awesome for hooking and pulling holds on steeper terrain.

The third-generation version of the Shaman offers a little extra support in the toes, which makes lasering in on those small jobs a little easier, although it’s certainly not an edging specialist shoe (the Shaman Lace is better at that).

I also frickin’ love the Evolv Dark Spine heel, it’s sensitive but still rigid enough to crank on even the sketchiest heel. I feel like an unstoppable heel-hooking machine in these.

If you are looking for a shoe that can help you crush hard in the boulder bay, you can go wrong with the Shaman.

• Edging - 6.5/10

  6.5/10

• Smearing - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 5/10

  5/10

• Comfort - 10/10

  10/10

• Sensitivity - 6/10

  6/10

• Value For Money - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

Here’s another Evolv shoe for you; the Defy. Unlike the Shaman, the Defy isn’t about sending hard, it’s got two very different objectives in mind; comfort and confidence.

As with many Evolv shoes, the Defy has a nice wide toe box, and has all the features you would expect to see on a beginner shoe; a neutral shape, a stiff full-length sole, and a comfortable forefoot with a padded tongue.

In my opinion, the Defy has the edge on many performance shoes thanks to its sticky TRAX SAS rubber sole – the same rubber used on the Shaman and all other Evolv shoes – and a better-designed heel, which offers better tension an heel hooking capability of many of its counterparts.

• Edging - 7/10

  7/10

• Smearing - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 8/10

  8/10

• Comfort - 7/10

  7/10

• Sensitivity - 6.5/10

  6.5/10

• Value For Money - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

The Butora Acro is without a doubt a top pick as a budget, wide climbing shoe. Its edging prowess, sensitivity, and solid all-around performance on a variety of terrains also make this shoe a real contender for one of thebest bouldering shoescurrently available.

The Acro is a slipper-style shoe designed with a single velco strap for added support. It has a medium-stiff sole and features the ultra-sticky Neo Fuse rubber. The shoe should be sized tightly to get a glove-like fit and make the most of the shoe’s performance capabilities. Throw in a high-tensioned rand, downturned profile, and a huge toe patch, and you’ve got the making of a thoughtfully designedaggressive climbing shoe.

The shoe is offered in a wide and narrow model, as opposed to the traditionalwomen’sandmen’slabels. Those with wider feet have found this shoe to fit exceptionally well. If you can find them in-store, don’t pass up the opportunity to give these guys a go.

• Edging - 8.5/10

  8.5/10

• Smearing - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 7.5/10

  7.5/10

• Comfort - 8/10

  8/10

• Sensitivity - 7/10

  7/10

• Value For Money - 9/10

  9/10

If you have seen any of our other top 10 lists, then there’s a good chance you have already heard me bang on about the Miuras. This is a shoe that La Sportiva first introduced in the ‘90s and has barely changed since, and for good reason. These shoes are frickin’ amazing!

The original Miura was the lace version, although it’s the slightly new velcro variation that I want to tell you about. The lace and velcro share the same downturn and asymmetrical profile (they both use the PD75 last) the VS offers a wider and higher volume fit. This is because the velcro uses a partially lined upper, unlike the lace version which is fully lined.

The Miura VS is great for both sport climbing and bouldering, although it is on rock (as opposed to plastic) where they really excel. They use Vibram XS Edge (or XS Grip 2 for the women’s version) which contributes to their laser-precise toe box.

This is a shoe that has stood the test of time and has been used by big-name crushers like Alex Honnold and Adam Ondra. If you are planning on doing a lot of sport climbing outdoors, then the Miura is worth a look.

One of the newest additions to the Mad Rock performance line is theDrone, with its latest rendition coming in a badass, blacked-out design. Mad Rock offers both a high and low-volume variation of this shoe with the high-volume model offering a wider toe box and heel cup.

What makes the Drone worthy of a spot on our list is its ability to adapt to a range of foot shapes. The 3D molded heel is designed to be expandable, perfect for wide heels, and both the Syn Flex upper and stretchy tongue allow for plenty of room in the toe box.

In terms of performance, it’s currently the most downturned shoe in the Mad Rock range, which of course pays dividends on steep terrain, but also makes the toe box really precise for technical face climbing. It has a massive toe rand, perfect for sticking gnarly toe hooks, and Mad Rock’s Science Friction rubber is seriously sticky stuff.

This is another vegan shoe and is a favorite of Olympic athletes including the Mawem brothers and Russian-crusher, Alexey Rubtsov.

• Edging - 7/10

  7/10

• Smearing - 6.5/10

  6.5/10

• Steep Terrain - 5/10

  5/10

• Comfort - 9.5/10

  9.5/10

• Sensitivity - 6/10

  6/10

• Value For Money - 8/10

  8/10

TheLa Sportiva Tarantulashave become ubiquitous in the climbing gym as the go-to beginner shoe. If the salesperson at your local gear shop recommends these puppies as your first shoe, you’re in good hands.

They embody the tricky balance of comfort, support and performance a beginner shoe should offer. As you hone your technique, the Tarantulas will take on the beating a beginner imparts onto their shoes like a champ, all without breaking the bank.

The Tarantulas are neutrally shaped shoes with a flat last. The midsole is rather stiff, providing a good amount of support, and consequently, comfort. An experienced climber will find the shoe falls flat on anything remotely overhung or technical, but that’s not really this shoe’s focus. The Tarantula is tailored to the climber who has just graduated from the rental shoe and is looking for a better fit and slightly better precision.

The Tarantulas are offered in both a Velcro andlace up version, so try on both to see what fits best. Keep in mind laces usually offer more adjustability. The leather construction will stretch at least a half to full size, so it’s best to size these snuggly from the get-go.

Another entry from the Butora line: the Alturas is a great pick for the tradsters and adventurers out there. Comparable to the La Sportiva favorite, theTC Pros, the Alturas will support you in wide cracks and long days on the wall.

The Alturas have an ultra-stiff profile andflat-lasted profile. They may feel clunky and insensitive at first, however, with a bit of trust, they’ll keep you happily on your toes pitch after pitch. These shoes utilize the same rubber as the Acros (Butora’s Neo Fuse), so you know they are sticky. Additionally, the Alturas features a protective high-top ankle and plush padded tongue, which are a real must for jamming.

These shoes do struggle in smaller cracks, for the same reason they excel in wider features. If you’re looking for a softer, more sensitive trad shoe, consider the Scarpa Vapor V. They perform well in narrow, thin cracks and offer a lot better sensitivity on small holds, while maintaining the wide fit of the Scarpa line.