Why everyone is wearing climbing-inspired shoes | Canada Voices

In March, I paid a visit to Canadian men’s wear store Haven to inspect the new 1.30PM sneakers by Village PM, a skate shoe brand from Paris.

Since launching last March at Paris Fashion Week, Village PM has been picked up by influential retailers such as Haven – a mecca for rare Japanese and European men’s wear with locations in Toronto and Vancouver – and skate shops alike. The climbing-inspired shoe received emphatic endorsements in the fashion press and elsewhere, including a subreddit devoted to gorpcore, an aesthetic that elevates technical gear to fashion garb.

Like its predecessor, the 1PM, the sneaker features a low-profile anatomical silhouette adapted from an approach shoe, which is a cross between a hiking and climbing shoe designed to follow the curve of the foot, with laces that wind down to the toes and a super-grippy sole made from climbing rubber.

As the latest mutation of the gorpcore trend, climbing-inspired footwear is earning prime real estate on our shoe racks, even if the only thing we’re approaching in them is the grocery store.

In its first season with Haven, Village PM is selling “incredibly well,” according to brand manager Nick Roethel. Customers want performance shoes that can withstand the elements and traverse any terrain – or at least look like it. Similar to how chunky trail runners from Salomon and Hoka have become fashionable streetwear, shoppers are exploring new options on the silhouette spectrum – from bulbous to barefoot, thick to thin – such as Arc’teryx’s Konseal, the North Face’s Verto and Keen’s Jasper (a bestseller at Toronto’s Lost & Found).

On the mass-market side, Zara recently released a climbing shoe in collaboration with men’s wear designer Aaron Levine. And for those who summer in the Alps but don’t necessarily scale them, Prada and Loewe have put out luxury options, too.

But the appeal of climbing shoes runs deeper than the trend cycle. “Community is key here,” said Marc-Antoine Bédard, a climbing merchant at Mountain Equipment Company. After sport climbing debuted at the 2020 Olympics, interest in the activity exploded. Climbing became cool, and its footwear turned into fashion. As a result, Bédard said, MEC has seen a bump in approach shoe sales, particularly the La Sportiva TX4 EVO and Scarpa Crux. In 2026 alone, he predicts the outdoor retailer will see 10-per-cent growth in the segment.

The onset of spring also brings the arrival of an adjacent category of outdoor shoes: adventure sandals. Dan Opalacz estimates that Bedrock Sandals, the Missoula, Mont.-based brand he co-founded in 2011, could see 60-per-cent growth this year, driven by a demand for minimalist, lightweight shoes designed for outdoor performance. Bedrock’s adjustable, barefoot sandals (like a more premium, durable version of Chaco or Teva) are comfortable enough for walking the dog and stylish enough to wear to dinner, but also won’t slip while trudging through rivers or hiking up mountains.

The Cairn Evo C sandal, which has an adjustable Y-strap and extra-cushioned sole, is one of the brand’s bestselling styles. Climbers praise it as a durable, comfortable outdoor shoe – an alternative to the conventional closed-toe options. Bedrock is set to release its first hiking shoe this fall, and, accordingly, change its name to Bedrock Footwear.

Back at Haven, I contemplated my purchase while fingering through racks of four-figure, vintage-inspired sweatshirts and Italian-made denim. I’m likely not approaching the granite crags of B.C.’s Murrin Park any time soon. Would wearing climbing shoes make me look like a poser? What about skate shoes designed to look like climbing shoes? Would those announce me as a fashion victim?

I’m not sure it matters these days. I bought the Village PM shoes, and I’ve already gotten my money’s worth in compliments.