La Sportiva Oxygym

This is an excellent versatile climbing shoe for a beginner. Comfortable and as good outside the gym as it is in the gym. Excellent fit.

I tried on various hiking shoes that were beginner shoes and they were all extremely uncomfortable. All the salespeople were telling me that the shoe had to fit small or tight in order to climb properly and that the shoes would break in and stretch and eventually stretch and fit my foot like a glove. I thought that was nonsense.

Finally a salesperson told me that the belief that smaller was better was now fiction especially since I was a beginner and not going to be doing overhangs or technical climbing. So he recommended several shoes including the Oxygyms for me to try on. All of the shoes were comfortable but the Oxygym felt the best for my feet. I knew they were supposedly gym shoes but the salesperson told me they could easily be used outdoors without any problem.

I am so glad I bought a pair. They are comfortable to the point that I can wear them all day without having to remove them for a break for my feet. I bought a pair true to size and have had no problem with slippage or stretching since they are synthetic. Good rubber for smearing. A big bonus is that they are washable to get rid of the stench from multiple uses.

I have used them for crack climbing in the gym and while not designed for that purpose, they have held up reasonably well to the challenge.