{"id":3311,"count":4,"description":"Why does a climber need a different shoe just to get to the base of the route instead of just using a hiking boot or shoe? Climbers access cliffs and boulders through steep terrain that includes scree slopes, slabs and fourth class scrambling with occasional fifth class moves. Running shoes or hiking shoes may suffice right out of the parking lot, but having an approach shoe with rock climbing prowess lends confidence and peace of mind as the steepness of slope and amount of stone increases on the way to the objective. Sticky rubber soles, a tight fit (with to-the-toe lacing), and toe rands are some of the climbing specific features that may adorn approach shoes.\r\n\r\nOur research involved 10 approach shoes from varying manufacturers; some are longtime climbing shoe producers, some make alpine or hiking footwear, some come from the outdoor apparel segment, and some are athletic shoe giants. Each manufacturer exercised different design angles; their shoes displayed strengths and weaknesses which became apparent with varied terrain, loads, and speed pursued. We chose these six models as they represented a wide swath of design philosophies and styles by manufacturers from diverse segments of the outdoor industry.\r\n\r\nWe tested the six varying styles of approach shoes over the course of two months during personal and guiding trips in sport climbing areas across the US and during a mountaineering trip to Central Mexico. Temperatures ranged from the mid-40s to the mid-80s, and terrain ran the gamut from deserts to alpine, both dry and wet. Seiji Ishii did all the testing; he is an AMGA certified rock climbing guide who has been pursuing all types of vertical ascent since the 1990\u2019s.","link":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/climbing\/climbing-shoes\/approach-shoes\/","name":"Approach Shoes","slug":"approach-shoes","taxonomy":"category","parent":3189,"meta":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Best Approach Shoes | Reviews and Buying Advice | Gear Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our experts extensively field-tested the best Approach Shoes of the year and rated the best based on transparent, objective criteria. 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