Choosing climbing shoes

Coach's take: The standard the rest should be measured against -- specific, honest, no hype.

Coach's take: Shows you the actual mechanism on the wall instead of just telling you -- excellent teaching.

Coach's take: One of the better beginner-shoe explainers out there — specific and myth-busting.

Coach's take: Really solid — a sponsored video that still gives you honest, specific advice.

Coach's take: Genuinely useful breakdown, explained well enough that you don't need prior vocabulary.

Coach's take: Clear, comprehensive, and correct -- this is how you'd want it explained.

Coach's take: Context-first and honest about the loaner shoes - just don't expect the fit basics, they're in the other video.

Coach's take: Every trade-off given both ways, no brand pushing - about as clean as a shoe primer gets.

Coach's take: Thorough, well-organised buyer's guide -- covers all the bases with real specifics.

Coach's take: Thorough, accurate, and opinionated in a useful way -- no product pitch attached.

Coach's take: Clear and accurate throughout -- a little brand-specific at the end, but the principles transfer.

Coach's take: Solid, honest advice a shop clerk should be giving you but often doesn't.

Coach's take: Best minute-for-minute of the bunch; mild retail plug at the end, teaching itself is clean.

Coach's take: Short, correct, and to the point -- good first-timer primer.

Coach's take: Accurate but brisk -- hits the right points without dwelling on any of them.

Coach's take: Good concept, well reasoned, just a bit choppy to follow and clearly only part of the story.

Coach's take: Genuinely useful brand-specific sizing advice from people who've actually worn the shoes.

Coach's take: Kills the downsizing myth properly; the science talk is hand-wavy and it repeats itself.

Coach's take: The inside-out inspection tip alone is worth it - shame it's buried in a rambling chat.

Coach's take: Solid specifics, just wrapped in a store's shopping-trip vlog with a promo code.

Coach's take: Two or three real nuggets buried in a lot of chat - fine, but thin for the runtime.

Coach's take: Honest, specific, and not just a sales pitch -- useful if you know the shoe's on your shortlist.

Coach's take: Reasons behind each pick are sound, but it's a shopping list with a shelf life - your foot shape decides, not a top six.