For every new climber, there'll come a time when you'll ask yourself whether you should ditch the rentals and splurge on your very own pair of climbing shoes.

On average, the price of climbing shoes in Singapore can range between $70 - $260. Of course, the shoe's performance, quality, form factor, and brand are some of the various factors that will affect its price. Depending on the frequency and intensity of your climbs, as well as how you care for them, you can expect your shoes to last an average of 3-9 months before the rubber begins to wear thin and you'll be due for a new pair or a resole. It's apparent that climbing shoes are not cheap especially given their supposed lifespan, so is it worth getting yourself a pair? 

Our answer for you is YES, especially if you're at a point where you foresee yourself climbing regularly moving forward, and here are some reasons why. 

1. Rentals can only help you perform and improve at a bare minimum

Almost every gym will offer rental shoes. And while rental shoes are a wonderful gateway for newbies to dip their toe into the sport, they're often designed cheaply in order for them to remain low cost for gyms to buy in large quantities. 

Rental shoes are often made with thick outsole rubbers making them highly durable, but as a result, give you little sensitivity to learn optimal foot positioning for climbing.

As you can imagine, the frequency of its use is also much higher than a personal pair, so more often than not, the outsole rubber of the rental shoes you use will have lost its grip, compromising the shoe's ability to edge on smaller holds. 

Ultimately, they allow you to do so much less than a personal pair would! 

2. Comfort, familiarity and performance

One of the greatest advantages to getting your own pair of climbing shoes is that they'll eventually mould into the shape of your feet leaving you with custom-fitted shoes.

The snug fit you can achieve with your own personal shoes doesn't only mean greater comfort and familiarity over time, but it also reduces dead space within the shoe ensuring maximum sensitivity and minimal movement within the shoes while you climb. 

3. Spend more to spend less 

Although the upfront cost of buying a new pair of climbing shoes may seem steep now, investing in your own pair of shoes could actually save you some money over time. 

Below is a compilation of the cost of rental shoes at some of Singapore's popular climbing gyms. 

The average cost to rent climbing shoes for a day at most gyms typically lands at about SGD $5 to $6. That's not to mention that most gyms will require you to wear socks with your rental shoes - meaning if you forget a pair from home, you'll need to chip in another $2 or so to buy a pair at the gym. 

With a decent pair of beginner climbing shoes setting you back around $100, you can start saving money from your own personal pair of climbing shoes after about 16 sessions! 

So what's the final verdict? 

Splurging in your own personal pair of climbing shoes is absolutely worth it if you intend on keeping up with a regular climbing routine. Not only does it allow you to save on shoe rental costs over time, but you'll be able to improve faster, perform better and climb in comfort after the break-in process.