Climbing shoes are designed for high performance, but like all footwear, their soles naturally wear down over time. Regular resoling extends their lifespan and restores optimal grip, precision, and support, allowing you to keep performing at your best.

Resoling at the right time is critical: resole too early and you’ll waste rubber; wait too long and you risk damaging the rand, upper, or even losing the shoe’s shape. The guide below explains the five stages of shoe wear — Too Soon, Just Right, Slightly Past, Too Late, and All Other Repairs — so you can easily determine when it’s time to resole and keep your shoes performing at their peak.

Close-up of a worn-out black shoe sole with visible cracks.

1. Too Soon to Resole

Some wear is normal with use, such as slight rounding of the sole rubber edges. The rand and sole rubber should still be in good condition with no significant wear or thinning.

What to Look For:

  • Slight rounding of the sole rubber, particularly around the toe and heel areas.
  • The rand and sole rubber are still intact, with no visible wear, holes, or thinning.
  • No significant damage to the upper part of the shoe.
Close-up of a black shoe sole with a blurred background

2. Just Right: Time to Resole (Sole Repair)

At this stage, the sole rubber shows slight wear, with a gentle dip or "smiley face" pattern, especially around the toe area. The rand shows no signs of holes or significant damage. This is the ideal time to resole before performance and fit begin to decline.

What to Look For:

  • Slight dip or "smiley face" pattern in the rubber along the toe.
  • Rand shows no signs of holes or significant damage.
Close-up of a worn-out black shoe sole with visible scuff marks.

3. Slightly Past (Rand Repair + Resole)

At this stage, the sole rubber shows uneven wear, often forming a "smiley face" shape, particularly along the edges. The rand may also show signs of wear-through, exposing the leather beneath. Both a rand repair and resole are recommended now to prevent permanent damage.

What to Look For:

  • Wavy or uneven wear creating a "smiley face" shape along the sole.
  • Wear-through in the rand, exposing the leather underneath.
Close-up of a worn-out black and yellow shoe sole with a hole.

4. Too Late for Resole or Rand Repair

At this stage, the sole, rand, and even the leather have completely worn through — often exposing the climber’s toe. The shoe has lost all structure and cannot be repaired or resoled safely.

What to Look For:

  • Sole, rand, and leather fully worn through, with the climber’s toe visible.
  • Shoe feels soft, misshapen, and offers no support.
Close-up of a shoe sole with a red tool on a blurred background

5. All Other Repairs

Minor issues such as lace puller damage, small areas of rand delamination, or toe patch lifting can usually be repaired without a full resole. These optional repairs can be added when purchasing a resole to ensure a complete and lasting restoration.

What to Look For:

  • Loose or torn lace pullers.
  • Minor rand delamination or small toe patch lifting.

Other Repairs: Delams & Webbing

While the sole and rand repairs are the most common, other repairs may be needed depending on the condition of the shoe

Key Areas to Watch for Other Repairs:

  • Rand Delamination (Delam): The rand may start peeling away from the upper or midsole. This is common, especially on heavily used shoes. We can repair rand delamination’s, but early intervention is key to ensuring it doesn't get worse.
  • Toe Patch Delam: The rubber toe patch can also delaminate, especially on shoes with heavy toe work. If you notice any separation in the rubber, it’s time for a patch repair before it causes further damage.
  • Velcro Webbing Repairs: For shoes with Velcro straps, the webbing or stitching can wear out over time. If the Velcro starts to lose its grip or the fabric starts to tear, this is another area where repair can restore function to your shoe.

Key Focus:

  • If you notice delamination or fabric damage, it’s important to address these issues early. Minor repairs like these can be addressed alongside a resole or rand repair.

If you are are still unsure whether your shoes can be resoled, please contact us.

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