We spend so much time wondering if it's the right time to resole our best climbing shoes that, when we finally make the decision, it's unfortunately too late. Shoes, no matter how snug fitting and high-performing they may be, tend to wear out on the front part of the sole much faster than anywhere else.
The signs which indicate that the shoes must be resoled
As the glue line between the sole and the shoe withdraws, you will see another layer of rubber appearing, but this is no meant to supports us during our climbs. This is the limit segnal within which we can try to resole the shoes. It's possible to try to resole them even if there are cuts or cracks on the tip, but not when we have already pierced the upper or the shoe's rubber, damaging its structure and support characteristics.
Resoling generally involves the half-front sole of the shoe, and only in some cases the entire sole. The compound used is always the original brand one, generally with a thickness of 4 mm, more rarely 5 mm. Obviously, the original shape of the shoe is also restored, with the same curvature and asymmetry. This leads to having shoes almost like the original pair, especially if we talk about synthetic models that don't stretch much, although the shape and elasticity may have undergone some small variation.
To have satisfactory results, we must rely on official resolers who can mount the shoe on the original mold for its model and size; in addition, we will be sure that they have the original compound of our model available, preserving the grip and performance characteristics we were used to.
An eco-friendly choice
Resoling climbing shoes is an increasingly eco-friendly choice! The environmental impact of recovering a shoe that can still provide us with high performance compared to buying a new pair is certainly high, especially considering that we can resole the same pair of shoes multiple times. However, their life is not infinite: with about three resoles, we can have the guarantee that our shoes are always at their best, after which other wear factors come into play, decreasing their efficiency.
All images credits to SCARPA