This is one of the questions we get asked most: “How many months should I get out of my climbing shoes?” And honestly, it depends entirely on how you climb. A once-a-week boulderer at The Project in Poole wears shoes down very differently from someone spending weekends wrestling gritstone in the Peak.
Generally, you want to catch a resole when the rubber is thin but before you see a hole. Once the toe punctures into the rand, the repair becomes more complex (and more expensive). Many climbers accidentally bin their shoes way too early — or way too late. With timely care, most pairs can get two, three, sometimes four resoles before they lose their shape.
One thing that definitely shortens lifespan is using your best shoes for warm-ups, training laps, and descents. Keeping a “beater pair” on hand extends the life of your favourites massively.
If your shoes feel great but the rubber’s getting tired, don’t chuck them: send them in and we’ll add years — not months — back to them.