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Does anyone have experience trying to resole climbing shoes using products like the Five Ten resole kits? If so, how involved was the process and how did it turn out?

I'm trying to decide whether to send it off to a professional resoler or try doing it myself.

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    I'm surprised this is possible at all?!
    – user2766
    Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 14:50
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    Actually, just looking at the thumbnail picture on the Five Ten website, part of the instructions say you need a belt sander (to remove existing rubber and create a good surface, I imagine).
    – shimizu
    Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 21:02
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    No experience, but this seems like the sort of thing on which you'd spend more in the processing of learning to do it right than you would having it done professionally, even repeatedly.
    – Mr.Wizard
    Commented Jun 15, 2014 at 2:02
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    I think this is a case of... Is it cheaper to get them resoled (or buy a new pair) than it is for you to take the time and effort to learn yourself, against will it be better in the long run to learn this yourself and will you need to do it repeatedly?
    – Aravona
    Commented Jun 30, 2014 at 13:57
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    @Aravona Maybe some climbers just want to do it by theirselves regardless of the money aspect.
    – Wills
    Commented Jul 15, 2014 at 19:21

2 Answers 2

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Where I am from it costs $60CAN to get your climbing shoes Resoled by a professional. Alternatively, you can try yourself with a KIT that costs $35CAN. However this $35 does not include a knife, sandpaper or acetone to clean the shoe/rubber and does not account for labour, in other words your time taken to repair your shoes.

Ultimately to me it seems to be about the same cost however here are two examples:

  1. What will happen when YOU do it
  2. What will happen when the Professionals do it.

Personally, I would pay the fee and pass the business on to the professional.

I have never re-soled a pair myself however one day I would like to give it a try just for fun. If you really want to give it a try why not, but remember to take your time and don't get frustrated! However, if you're hoping to have a shoe that's like new with a perfect edge and don't own any other pairs I would send this pair off to the professioanl and try next time...

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When I managed a climbing gym we got some resole kits so I thought I would give one a try. The result was not particularly good, but meant a pair of shoes that were totally trashed were at least wearable. The edges didn't bond particularly well, so there is not a very precise toe/edge. It is certainly nowhere near as good as if you get it done professionally, but if the kit is cheap you could consider it for a pair of shoes for thrashing in the gym / on easy stuff.

I ended up buying a new pair of shoes and giving the resoled pair to one of the kids in our kids club, so they did at least get a second life out of it.

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