The Best Approach Shoe

Espresso Note

Read Time - 2 minutes

April 2020

…Is not an approach shoe.

At least if you’re a UK climber.

What is the point of an approach shoe though? Well it’s to get you to the crag in one piece, comfortable and ready to climb.

Globally speaking, sport and trad craggers are approaching in dry, dusty, often hot conditions involving scrambling over mildly technical terrain. The kind of ground most Americans would describe as “low 5th class”. As such most approach shoes are built on a lightweight chassis, to offer sensitivity, dexterity and to keep your feet sweat free. Meanwhile, the sole is largely flat, and covered with a sticky rubber like Vibram MegraGrip. La Sportiva’s TX series is a great example of this philosophy.

These designs climb well, and will keep your feet dry when you sweat, but won’t keep your feet dry in a downpour. Meanwhile, that flat sticky sole soon comes unstuck on steep wet grass and rocks. The kind of ground you’re likely to encounter getting to and off mountain crags and sea cliffs.

Five Ten’s dotty Stealth sole is by far the most lethal in this department. On top of this, they climb as bad as they look. As unfashionable as it might be to say, perhaps Addidas will sort this out? But, fundamentally if you climb on Grit edges, wear what you like, the gentlemen mountaineers walked-in in brogues, and there’s a lot more footpath erosion now than there was then.

Beefier models, like La Sportiva’s TX4 GTX goes someway to making good on these problems. But by this stage you’ve sacrified most of that breathability, sensitivity, and are carrying near enough 1kg extra on your rear gear loop on each climb. And, you’ll still be left wanting in the traction department on steep wet grass and mud.

Instead, aim for the running shelf at your local outdoors shop. Look for a lightweight build with a semi-rigid sole, and a Gore-Tex insert paired with a decent set of lugs on the sole. Whilst they wont climb as well some meshy-rubber coated sock with a flimsy attachment system, they’re far better suited for British hill and coastal conditions. Something like a La Sportiva Akyra GTX is an excellent choice.

Buying a shoe like this will also serve you well for continental adventures. Combined with a lightweight crampon such as a Petzl Leopard, they can serve as approach shoe for uncomplex dry glacial approaches for summer alpine rock. There’s no need to recommission your trusty Nepal Extremes to make it to the Envers refuge. If however you’re looking to fit crampons to your approach shoe regularly, a slightly more rigid design such as a La Sportiva Ultra Raptor GTX will be more appropriate.

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