It would be a waste to simply throw your old climbing shoes out.
Your rock climbing shoes deserve some sort of redemption or even a potential new home.
There is a multitude of ways to salvage or donate your beloved climbing shoes to their next adventure.
Let’s see what you can do with old climbing shoes.
Here are all ten ideas we have and you can use if don’t know what to do with your old climbing shoes.
- Resole Old Climbing Shoes
- Resell Old Rock Climbing Shoes
- Recycle Old Climbing Shoes
- Donate Old Climbing Shoes
- Turn the Old Rock Climbing Shoes into a Pair of Deep-Water Solo Shoes
- Keep Old Climbing Shoes as a Backup Pair
- Ask Your Climbing Gym if They Need Old Climbing Shoes
- Look for Local Clubs and Organizations That May Need Old Climbing Shoes
- Non-Profit Organization May Need Old Climbing Shoes
- Return Your Old Climbing Shoes
1. Resole Old Climbing Shoes
One option for your old favorite pair of climbing shoes is to resole them.
Not only can you realize this is a good thing to do with your shoe, but a good sign is also when they get too comfortable, and you’re thinking a hole might form before you might resole them.
This is the point at which you should probably try and keep them from falling apart.
Even if you plan to sell them, expect to get anywhere from 20 – 60% of resale value from resoling them, and that really depends on the condition of the shoe before resoling.
But regardless, this can get you many new adventures with your favorite pair before they fall apart.
This is simply one solution to what to do with old climbing shoes.
2. Resell Old Rock Climbing Shoes
Another option is reselling your old but best climbing shoes.
You can even resole them for the sake of reselling them to someone who wants a pair of shoes they know will be faithful to their future endeavors.
One way to keep the shoes interesting at this point of reselling is keeping the brand name and the quality of shoes in mind when listing the shoes for resale.
Not to mention, this helps brands with their ability to last with seasoned hikers and adventurers.
3. Recycle Old Climbing Shoes
If you’re not in the business of reselling your shoes for any personal reasons, you’re more than welcome to recycle your shoes to someone who you think will get some use of them.
At this point, they would be more beneficial to someone who is starting to climbing and needs a sturdy pair of shoes.
Or even to someone who is in the intermediate stages of climbing and needs guidance in what kind of shoes to invest in eventually, this is a good option for those people as well.
4. Donate Old Climbing Shoes
If you absolutely do not need to resell or don’t have the mind to resell them, donating your shoes to a beginning hiker or even to a shelter for someone who needs a sturdy pair of shoes might do you well.
Even if the person isn’t someone who’s going to climb great cliffs or go on grand adventures, maybe they will land a job or donate their time to a national park that could use a good pair of shoes to take them across the terrain.
Donating your climbing shoes might do them a lot of good that they didn’t expect!
There is something heartwarming to think a pair of rock climbing shoes that you invested in the areas that needed help are able to continue to help the areas that you traversed.
5. Turn the Old Rock Climbing Shoes into a Pair of Deep-Water Solo Shoes
In a strange and unexpected turn of events, you can turn these old trusty pair of shoes into a pair of shoes that take you on some water adventures like deep-water solo climbing.
It’s hard to think about how your climbing shoes can be waterproof, and repellant to water, but these shoes have already existed to any sweat-heavy experiences or maybe even got you through a few streams or rivers in their time.
The worry about your climbing shoes getting wet goes out of the window; you know they’re sturdy and reliable.
They make the perfect pair of shoes for going on an adventure that includes more water, such as waterfall rappelling.
6. Keep Old Climbing Shoes as a Backup Pair
Climbing shoes can wear fast as they are under a lot of stress.
A person balances his body on the small parts of the climbing shoes.
It can increase the damage speed.
People ask what to do with old climbing shoes as they do not want the loss of resources.
There is no reason to throw the shoes when they lose performance after a few months.
You can keep them as a backup pair.
These climbing shoes fit your feet perfectly after you use them for a long time.
These are perfect for a warmup or when your latest shoes suffer accidental damage.
7. Ask Your Climbing Gym if They Need Old Climbing Shoes
You can donate the old shoes to your gym as they have new members who do not want to buy new shoes early in their climbing career.
Your old shoes may help someone climb and become successful.
Some gyms may give you extra perks if you donate your old shoes.
8. Look for Local Clubs and Organizations That May Need Old Climbing Shoes
Some local organizations help people from poor communities.
If you donate your shoes to these organizations, a poor person can get them and enjoy climbing. Y
You can ask your gym about the local organizations.
Some of the organizations are listed below.
- Gyms and clubs in the colleges.
- Groups that support young people in their career journies.
- People from high school do not have money to buy expensive climbing shoes.
9. Non-Profit Organization May Need Old Climbing Shoes
You can list your shoes climbing shoes online.
Non-Profit organizations will contact you to collect the shoes.
There is no need to go and give them climbing shoes.
These organizations will arrange a pick-up from your location.
They might give you a receipt if you paid for the delivery fees.
You will get tax benefits by showing this receipt to the tax collectors.
10. Return Your Old Climbing Shoes
You can return your old shoes to the company and get new ones.
It may not work for most companies as they only return spotless shoes.
Some companies may offer discounts when you return the old shoes.
They will recycle the material to make new shoes. It
also better for the environment.
Do Climbing Shoes Expire?
Climbing shoes can last for three to nine months when you use them for climbing.
There is no expiry date on the climbing shoes because the company calculates the working duration from the date athlete wears them.
Climbing shoes have durable material in most parts as they will last many years with minimal use.
What to Do with Old Climbing Shoes Is Up to You
Your old rock climbing neutral shoes do not need to meet an end that means they aren’t reliable for yourself or for another person.
There are definitely answers to what to do with old climbing shoes.
Your shoes can not only begin a great adventure for another person but can continue your adventure if you take the time to look into them.
Take a good look before you throw them out!
Related Articles:
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- How to Choose Climbing Shoes: The Ultimate Buying Guide
- How to Clean Climbing Shoes? Remove Smell from Climbing Shoe
- How to Break in Climbing Shoes and How to Stretch Climbing Shoes?
- How Long Do Climbing Shoes Last? (You Will Be Surprised)
- Should You Wear Socks with Climbing Shoes? (YES, But…)
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