Secure the right fit

When selecting the best rock climbing shoe for your use, most people seem to agree that finding a pair that has a good fit is an obvious starting point.

The fastening system (laces, Velcro, etc) is designed to secure the fit, not make the fit. Sure you may use it to take up a bit of sag in one place and there is definitely a point where it can make the heel feel nicely locked in.

If you find yourself pulling on every lace hole up the shoe: that is using the laces to make the shoe fit. A good fitting climbing should feel great before you approach the fastening system.

Yanking on the fastening system is dumb. Doing this just accelerates the stretching process and deforms the shoes. Your shoes will stretch and mould to your foot over time and pulling in hard on the laces is a sign of a poor model choice for your foot shape.

Women’s rockshoe models typically have a lower internal volume that suits more slender feet. There are plenty of unisex models that also have this fitting. If you your foot that is slender or thin in profile search out these models. There are plenty out there. 

Remember -

 

ATLAS - one of this seasons hot projects.

Sam Edwards on ATLAS V14, maybe harder. 

As yet unclimbed. 

Sam in our shop with a one very special shoe, 

with one very special addition for

one very special move. 

The very special addition. 

Will the 5.10 Stealth Rubber addition help Sam ascend ATLAS?

Review and Win

Terms and Conditions of the REVIEW & WIN Competition

Post your reviews and rate the gear on our website bigjohn.com.au

• Every review gives you an entry into the lucky dip draw, for 3 seperate prizes.
• Valid entries must be from Australian residents only.
• If you "like"on Facebook you will get an extra entry in the draw. 
• Entries/reviews must be posted by July 31 2012 and after Jan 01 2012. 

As the number of reviews increases, so will the value of the prize. BJR Climbing Equipment will kick the competition off by offering: 

PRIZES TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

Encourage your friends to review gear - the more reviews we receive from different people, the more quickly the prize will jackpot in value. The chalk bags could be jackpotting to bouldering buckets, then onto training boards, clothing, quickdraw sets, pads, etc.

Reviews are not posted instantly, as they must first be approved by the site administrator – this is a practical security step which prevents viruses, spam, offensive material, etc. Only genuine product reviews will be approved. If your review is not approved please email bigjohn@bigjohn.com.au with your concerns and they will be addressed - it may simply be a technical problem.

Updates on the jackpotting prize will be posted here and our facebook page facebook.com/bigjohnsretreads

                                        

If you own or have used a product on our website, have had your rockshoes repaired  by us or just want to spray to other climbers, here’s your chance - review and win. 

Go to bigjohn.com.au or facebook.com/bigjohnsretreads

Good luck.

Picking the Best Curve

When you start to compare rockshoes there are many models of rock shoes to choose from (even within brands). Whether it is your first purchase or not, deciding on where to start can be confusing.

The following images are from a manufacturer’s website and give you an idea of the range in fittings across their various models. 

 

Shoes are made around a shape, called a last. The shape and volume of this last will have a great impact on the fitting and the intended use of the shoe. The more basic and flatter the last, the more general purpose the application. A flat lasted shoe is not necessarily for beginners - for many climbing angles, a flat lasted shoe will be a great choice.

Here is a photo of the lasts in action at La Sportiva.

One consideration in assessing the shape for your use, is knowing which curve to pick. More radically down-turned shoes are designed for more radically steep climbs. The theory is the shoe will act more like a claw on the holds - the more overhanging the climb, the greater the claw of the shoe. This claw shape helps hook and pull in on holds, when the body position is overhung.

Buying down turned shoes for all-round use does not make sense. In fact, buying down-turned shoes for use on vertical climbs, will dramatically increase the wear on the thinner rand rubber (the outside wall rubber).  Wearing rock shoes that are radically or even mildly down-tuned on a vertical routes means the climber must drop the heel to get optimal purchase on the foothold (thus loosing reach and strength) . If you are getting away with what you think is good wear, it is only because you have shoes that have non sticky rand rubber.

The following 2 images illustrate that the more radically down turned the shoe, the more suitable the shoe may be for steeper climbs and vice versa.

  

The next picture shows what happens when the radically down turned shoe is place on a hold when the heel is level with the wall. Clearly it just doesn’t work and will not grip a small edge.

At first glance, some shoes on the market appear very down-turned but at closer inspection will reveal that it is only the arch that is curved. When the shoe is placed on a flat surface, the front sole area sits flat on the ground. Product images on manufacturers websites can often be misleading and shoes are often not that down-turned, at all. 

There are some radically down-turned shoes on the market, with other features that over come the need to drop the heel for the best hold purchase. The fit of the shoes can also affect the scenario, as do the different rubbers. 

See this link for the more detail associated with rockshoe pictures at the top of the page. http://www.rockpillars.cz/en/catalogue/last-types.html

The freshen up.

BJR Climbing Equipment GRAND OPENING competition
Go to:www.bigjohn.com.au

• Find the text "Big John" hidden in the descriptions (not the product name) of 6 product items in the on-line store.
• You must find all six locations.
  
• Email the six locations of the text "Big John" to bigjohn@bigjohn.com.au
• Prizes will be awarded from the most expensive RRP, downwards - that is, the Sterling VR10 rope will be awarded as first prize, followed by the Black Diamond prize, the Petzl prize and so on.
• Emails are received by us in time order. Awards will be allocated, based on the order of correct entries received.
  
• You can only enter once. You cannot win more than one prize. There are six prizes for six winners.
• Winners will be announced here and on our Facebook page.
• Prizes will be shipped/delivered free of charge. Include your contact details with your entry.
• Good luck

WINNERS at 3.10pm (est) 17th Aug
Sterling VR10 rope - Jacquie Tinkler
Black Diamond Hotwire quickdraw set of 6 - Dave Tomlinson
Petzl Meteor 111A71 Orange - John Thirlwell
Mad Rock Conflicts - Phil Ward
Revolution Commando Pad 2009 - Rob Williams
Nicros V10 - David Chiew

Pictured below Dave and Ned - keen as, picking up BD quickdraws moments after winning.

Mudhead's Slippers

Remember if you lend someone your shoes their different foot shape might distort yours.