Bouldering is not a barefoot activity. Bouldering (and climbing) depend on special shoes.
The smell in a climbing or bouldering gym is because many climbers (and most climbers above a beginner/intermediate level) are probably taking OFF their shoes when not actively climbing. You do this outside, too -- the shoes are TIGHT and pretty uncomfortable to stand around in, so you only wear them when you're on the rock.
Climbing and bouldering are pretty intense, though, so you will get sweaty. And you'll sweat in your shoes. And the shoes will get stinky. Shoe stink is often somewhat contained if your foot is still IN the shoe, but if you take them off everyone gets to enjoy the aroma.
Unlined leather shoes handle the funk the best. OTOH, shoes with uppers made of textiles, especially when lined, end up being de facto bioweapons. I am not cursed with especially stinky sweat or feet, but I had a pair of fabric-lined climbing shoes that had to ride in the trunk going to and from the gym or the crag because having them inside the passenger compartment of the car was absolutely untenable.
Yoga, OTOH, is done barefoot. People often show up very minimal shoes. There's a sweat smell in many yoga spaces, especially hot yoga spaces, but it's not the funk associated with shoes.
All of the velcro katanas I've ever owned ultimately ended up pretty stank. I think its the textile lining. Meanwhile, my Muira VCS have stayed pretty clean. My Muira Lace, not so much.
My go-tos for outdoor climbing were La Sportiva Mythos, which never got too stinky because (I think) they were unlined leather so retained less moisture & funk. However, the laces made them less attractive for the shorter routes in the gym, so I branched out.
I just looked at the LS site, and it's been so long I recognize nothing aside from the current iteration of the Mythos. The biohazard shoes I had were from someone else, maybe 5.10? Maybe they were UFOs?
Nothing in 5.10's lineup looks familiar to me, but apparently they were acquired by Adidas in 2011, which probably explains it.
My stanky shoes were all black with some grey accents, and closed with velcro, which made them ideal for the gym. I wore them outside exactly ONCE, to a place near Austin. They were fine until I got above the trees, and the sun started BAKING MY FEET. They got super super hot in the sun, which was very uncomfortable and relegated them to gym-only climbing thereafter.
Bouldering is not a barefoot activity. Bouldering (and climbing) depend on special shoes.
The smell in a climbing or bouldering gym is because many climbers (and most climbers above a beginner/intermediate level) are probably taking OFF their shoes when not actively climbing. You do this outside, too -- the shoes are TIGHT and pretty uncomfortable to stand around in, so you only wear them when you're on the rock.
Climbing and bouldering are pretty intense, though, so you will get sweaty. And you'll sweat in your shoes. And the shoes will get stinky. Shoe stink is often somewhat contained if your foot is still IN the shoe, but if you take them off everyone gets to enjoy the aroma.
Unlined leather shoes handle the funk the best. OTOH, shoes with uppers made of textiles, especially when lined, end up being de facto bioweapons. I am not cursed with especially stinky sweat or feet, but I had a pair of fabric-lined climbing shoes that had to ride in the trunk going to and from the gym or the crag because having them inside the passenger compartment of the car was absolutely untenable.
Yoga, OTOH, is done barefoot. People often show up very minimal shoes. There's a sweat smell in many yoga spaces, especially hot yoga spaces, but it's not the funk associated with shoes.
Talc powder, baking soda, or NonScents Shoe Deodorizer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NYTTV4C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_shar... whenever you’re done can help substantially by removing moisture so the funk bacteria die
Must be a shoe type thing - I’ve never had any smell with La Sportiva (solution, futura, Muira or katana)
All of the velcro katanas I've ever owned ultimately ended up pretty stank. I think its the textile lining. Meanwhile, my Muira VCS have stayed pretty clean. My Muira Lace, not so much.
My go-tos for outdoor climbing were La Sportiva Mythos, which never got too stinky because (I think) they were unlined leather so retained less moisture & funk. However, the laces made them less attractive for the shorter routes in the gym, so I branched out.
I just looked at the LS site, and it's been so long I recognize nothing aside from the current iteration of the Mythos. The biohazard shoes I had were from someone else, maybe 5.10? Maybe they were UFOs?
Nothing in 5.10's lineup looks familiar to me, but apparently they were acquired by Adidas in 2011, which probably explains it.
My stanky shoes were all black with some grey accents, and closed with velcro, which made them ideal for the gym. I wore them outside exactly ONCE, to a place near Austin. They were fine until I got above the trees, and the sun started BAKING MY FEET. They got super super hot in the sun, which was very uncomfortable and relegated them to gym-only climbing thereafter.