UKH

Why does the toe of my right shoe invariably wear through before the left? Presumably poor technique - but which foot?

In reply to Robert Durran:

It's the right foot. Only having one toe on that foot is putting a lot of pressure on the shoe.

In reply to aln:

I have all ten toes!?? I maybe should have made clear it's the vertical bit on the inside of the foot that always wears through.

In reply to Robert Durran:

At a guess, you are right handed, so your right arm is stronger. So when you high step with one foot, lock off with the opposing hand and scuff/bump the other foot up the wall for a long reach, you choose preferentially to lock with the right hand, high step with the left foot and scuff/kick up the wall with the right foot.

But it's only a guess.

In reply to henwardian:

I’m right handed and my left shoe always wears asymetrically faster... 

In reply to JR:

I'm a lefty and my right shoe gets worn faster.

When I have a choice I'll tend to go left foot/hand first on moves and my right foot gets dragged behind me. Usually the left shoe won't be much behind in terms of wear but the right always goes first. 

In reply to Robert Durran:

Slightly larger right hoof? 

In reply to Fiona Reid:

I'm both right footed and right handed and it is my right shoe which gets worn more quickly. I am really talking about the shoes I train indoors in, And I had always assumed that it is because I place the boot "tighter" onto holds against the wall (rather than dragging). But maybe I'm wrong!

I don't think I climb preferentially with either hand (is that actually possible?) though I think my right arm is a bit stronger from playing squash when I was a lot younger (though there is little difference now.)

In reply to Robert Durran:

I doubt it’s poor technique- it’s more likely that it’s your style and you use one foot more than the other to make moves which wear through the rubber

In reply to henwardian:

Or it's possible he's left-handed, and does a little 'twist' when smearing/smedging on crucial holds with his high foot (to increase friction) and this damages the underside tip of the sole.

This is my explanation for why my left shoe is the one with the hole (I'm right-handed).

In reply to Robert Durran:

Yes, definitely. My right arm is twice as strong as my left and much more manoeuvrable. Also, I can rock-over on a match edge on my right foot but never on the left. I think my left side climbs two grades lower than the right.

Saying that, I have never experienced asymmetrical shoe wear that you describe. Maybe you are "grabbier" with your right, for want of a better term.

In reply to Robert Durran:

No idea but i’m the same, right handed and right foot wear.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Hi Robert,

I experienced the same wear on my right shoe. In my case it’s not bad technique as such (although I’ve got plenty of that) it was a basic part of my climbing. I’ve always dragged my toes on hard rock overs etc. but found I dragged ‘more heavily’ with my right. Basic imbalance, which disappeared when I started using a fingerboard and doing some circuits on a system board. Sheer luck I discovered it, after reading an article about George Best forcing himself to be equally good with both feet, then reading various training books describing the inherent asymmetry which develops if you stick to the ‘the best training for climbing is climbing’ mantra.

i think it probably manifests itself on placements and rotation as well as dragging. If you’re already working a symmetrical board at the wall then ignore all the above

In reply to SenzuBean:

No because he is right handed.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Another possibility is that your right foot is very slightly larger than your left.  It is highly unlikely that your feet are exactly the same size.  If the toes on your right foot are slightly tighter against the toe of the shoe, that might explain it.

In reply to alan moore:

Maybe.  But is that a good or a bad thing? Am I placing my right foot clumsily to cause the wear or more or precisely hard against the back of the hold? ie is it good or poor technique?

 

In reply to kathrync:

That is a possibility - I have a bony lump on the heel of my right foot which always makes it harder and tighter to put new shoes onto it until they stretch and mould a bit.

In reply to SenzuBean:

No, I'm right handed, and I don't see why handedness would cause this "twist" anyway?

 

In reply to Robert Durran:

If it is from placing the feet, then bad technique (lack of precission).

But as you say that this happens mostly on your indoor climbing shoe, I think it is the case of dragging, smearing on intermediate wall on long moves... in which case (at least the intermediate smearing) is considered and advanced tactic/skill.

Try to assest if you do a lot of high steps on the left foot with the right (stronger) arm on the hold. For these, quite often people try to get additional momentum by smearing the right foot on the wall with intermediate increments (good technique, but on coarse wall, will lead to excess wear on the inner tip  of the big toe). If this is the case, then the bad thing is the imbalance that you're not doing them highsteps on the right feet (left hand), and this is because your left arm is too weak (bad), or that the routes in the gym don't have as many such sequences (not a problem).

The wear could also occur, you you do lots of high reaching with the left arm from a diagonal position (on left left), meaning that you flank a lot with the right foot. This will also create considerable amount of wear on the inner edge of the right shoe. As with above, cause can be the routes or strenght/flexibility imbalance.

In reply to Robert Durran:

It's the foot you have less control over, it doesn't place as accurately so rubs as you slide it down onto a hold or drag it up onto one. I have countless totally knackered left shoes with that pattern matched to worn but not worn out rights. Our favoured hand and foot aren't always the same side.

jk

In reply to jkarran:

I'd agree if I wasn't right footed!

 

In reply to Robert Durran:

Do you flag the right foot for balance in preference when either would do?

jk

In reply to jkarran:

I don't think so. I find it hard to imagine positions where flagging is a good idea it where it isn't clear which foot to use!

In reply to Robert Durran:

Well my hypothesis was (based on henwardian's hypothesis and my own asymmetrical wearing) that you high-stepped a lot with your opposite foot to your dominant hand. And at least in my case, when I step onto marginal footholds I've noticed I 'grind' my toe while pushing my ankle out, for what I think is a subjective feeling of more friction (possibly because this high-force grinding releases fresh rubber or increases contact somehow, or maybe it's bollocks and the friction doesn't change).

In reply to SenzuBean:

Unless the Ratho routes setting forces more high steps on one foot than the other (which would be bizarre), then this cannot be the case. Anyway, if anything , my right hand is dominant, and it is my right shoe which wears, so, as I understand you, this is the wrong way round!