Wearing Socks When Indoor Rock Climbing — To Wear or Not to Wear?
Do you love indoor rock climbing? It is a fun and active way to spend quality time with your friends, family, and even by yourself. Moreover, there are many health benefits of rock climbing as well. However, you cannot just wear anything when climbing. You’ll need to wear an adequate outfit when indoor rock climbing, including your shoes. But can you wear socks when indoor rock climbing?
In this blog, we’ll mention the pros and cons of wearing socks when indoor climbing. Carry on reading to learn if this is the right choice for you.
Pros of Wearing Socks When Indoor Rock Climbing
Many think that we shouldn’t wear socks when indoor rock climbing. This is because they believed that socks would lead to slippage, damaging your performance. Nonetheless, this changes if you wear good-fitting climbing shoes.
So if your climbing shoes fit well, here are some reasons to consider wearing socks with them:
- Comfort
Socks can add comfort by providing slight padding between the seams of the shoe and your foot. This way, you might be able to climb for longer due to the comfort. Although comfort isn’t the word fit to describe climbing shoes, the bit of added comfort from socks can help. - No Odor
Shoe odor is one of the most common reasons to replace shoes. Fortunately, there are many ways to eliminate shoe odor — and wearing socks is one of them. How it works is that socks prevent the moisture that makes your climbing shoes smell bad. - Tighter Fit
Many climbers think that wearing socks causes slippage when they do the opposite. Yes, wearing socks could make your shoes fit tighter. Hence, you can wear socks if your shoes have stretched out and don’t fit like before. Furthermore, thick socks make the shoes tighter — so consider this when buying new climbing shoes. - Prevents Blisters
You might have to stop climbing if you get blisters. Sweating and lose shoes can result in blisters. However, the location of blisters will also determine if smaller shoes can help. Wearing socks can help reduce the friction between your toes and shoes. Moreover, they also prevent the moisture that causes blisters. - Feet Stay Warm
Your feet can become cold due to a lack of circulation and other reasons. This can make it difficult to climb, as you’ll be unable to put any weight on your toe. In this case, socks help keep your feet warm. - No Slippage from Sweat
You may sweat through your feet when climbing, which can lead to shoe slippage. This is especially true if your shoe doesn’t fit perfectly. Among the many ways to tackle this issue, wearing socks is a common one.
Cons of Wearing Socks with Climbing Shoes
As good as wearing socks with your climbing shoes is, it has its cons. Here are a few:
- They add space between your feet and the wall. This way, you can have decreased foot sensitivity.
- They decrease the friction between your foot and shoe.
- Wearing socks might interfere with the fitting of your shoe.
What Now?
If you’re looking for some indoor rock climbing fun, visit Flip N Fun Trampoline Park. Wearing socks or ditching them is up to you, but having a fun activity with friends is a must! Dial (832) 602-5400 for more information. YOu can visit our trampoline park at 5379 W. Richey Rd Houston, TX 77066, next to Champions Pavilion.