Rock Climbing Shoe Fitting Service and try on Climbing Wall

Buying climbing shoes is a tricky business even when you've been doing it for years, but it's even more so if you are looking for your first shoe. Here at Up and Under in Cardiff, South Wales we have been fitting rock climbing shoes to customers for over 40 years. All of our climbing shoe fitting staff are regular climbers who have been trained to get the best fit for you, some of them are trained climbing coaches as well. And you don't have to just take their word for it, as we have a bouldering wall on site for you to try the various models out on.

Climbing shoe fitting specialist

We are recognized as "the specialist rock shoe fitter" with the best range of rockshoes in South Wales, and customers come from across the UK and abroad to benefit from a fitting, our wealth of knowledge and our large selection of top brands and fits.

You can choose from our carefully selected range of rock climbing shoes from reknowned brands such as Boreal, EB, Evolv, Five Ten, La Sportiva, Ocun, Red Chili, Scarpa and Tenaya. They all offer a range from beginner to high end performance, with a variety of fits, and have shoes suited to indoor and outdoor climbing, differing angles of terrain, and hold types from micro edges to slopey volumes. Many models come in regular and low volume fit options and a number offer half European sizes, as well as the more common half UK sizes, so that we can really fine tune your fit. We have a good number of models that are Vegan climbing shoes. So we can help you achieve a really good fit, and help guide you through your climbing development from beginner, through intermediate indoor climbing, your first steps outside or take you to the heights of an elite boulderer, sport climber or trad master.

Testing rock shoe heel hooking Testing rockshoes on small edges

What we aim to achieve

For you to confidently choose as close to perfection as possbile a piece of footwear that is appropriate to your needs and your foot shape.
Helping you to make the right choice to avoid wasting money, or causing you the misery or pain that can come from buying the wrong footwear.
Helping you to get the maximum enjoyment from your climbing by achieving the right balance of comfort versus performance throughout the life of the shoe.
Helping you to achieve your goals and many years of climbing to come.

How do we carry out our Fitting Process

When you visit Up and Under in Cardiff our trained staff will discuss with you about the type of shoe you would prefer, where you tend to climb in the main (indoors - which centre, outdoors - what crags, rock types), the type of climbing you tend to do (bouldering, sport, trad), what level you tend to operate at (be honest we aren't here to judge), how regularly you climb and how long you've been climbing for. We will ask if you prefer to wear socks, if you do please bring the relevant socks along with you. If you already own shoes it can be worth bringing your old shoes along with you to give us an idea of what has worked for you in the past and what you are moving from.

Then the fun begins, its fitting time, where we get to see what works for you. We have a just off vertical wall with some very small edges and slopers on it for you to try your moves on. We also have a wall with a steep lower section to check out how hard you can pull with more downturned models and a number of holds suited to testing heal hooks and toe hooks. We can discuss with you the benefits of velcro vs laces, different upper materials, different rubber compounds, different construction methods, levels of shoe aggression at the forefoot and the heal and loads more. We will also cover whats best to help keep your rockshoes in tip top condition, see for our favoured Boot Bananas.

You may well be able to pick up some tips to improve your climbing or recommendations of routes and venues for you to go and check out at the same time.

We look forward to seeing you soon for your rock climbing shoe fitting in Cardiff.

Need a mountaineering boot fitting, crampon fitting or ice axe recommendation then follow this link.