Climbing shoe illustration

Understand your climbing shoes

The sole is the most important contact surface between a climbing shoe and the rock – the durable rubber on the bottom of the shoe. The sole’s durability depends on several factors: how often you climb, the type of rock you climb on, the thickness of the sole, and the type of rubber.

Around the toe area, you’ll find the rand – which is a thinner layer of rubber that wraps around the front of the shoe and shields the upper from wear and tear. The rand is glued to the sole and the underside of the shoe’s upper and plays an important role in both fit and durability.

  • Resoling

    ⭐ Recommended

    If you discover that the sole is so worn that you start to climb on the edge rubber, you should immediately put the shoes on the shelf and send them to us. A quick resole at this stage is both the most gentle and the cheapest solution.

  • Resoling + rand rubber

    If you climb too long on worn soles, you can quickly wear a hole in the rand rubber. If the damage has occurred, stop immediately and send your shoes to us for resoling with a (toecap). It’s a bit more expensive, but your shoes can still be saved.

  • Your climbing shoes are too broken

    If the shoe has holes all the way through, they are unfortunately so worn out that we can't save them with a resole. We love giving shoes new life – but sometimes the best choice is simply a new pair of shoes.
Book resoling

Quality in every climbing grip


At Resole we always strive to use original rubber. In cases where this is not possible, we use an equivalent or higher quality to ensure the best possible performance and durability. Below you can read about the rubber types we offer, so you can choose the one that suits you the best.

Although this rubber type has been succeeded by XS Grip 2, it combines excellent friction with solid edge precision – a reliable choice for climbers seeking both grip and stability.

XS Grip 2 is Vibram’s most friction-resistant rubber. It is the standard choice for technical climbing and ideal for bouldering and short, demanding rock routes.

With excellent edge support and high wear resistance, Vibram XS Edge is the ideal rubber for long trad routes with small footholds.
    See our selection