Canyoning shoes, which ones to choose?

Canyoning is an exciting activity that combines climbing, hiking and whitewater swimming through steep and often narrow canyons. One of the most important pieces of equipment for this activity is undoubtedly canyoning footwear. These specially designed shoes offer the grip, protection and comfort needed to safely navigate these challenging environments. However, with so much choice on the market, it can be difficult to know which shoes are best suited to your needs. Here’s a guide to the different canyoning shoes to help you make an informed decision. All these shoes have been tested by our instructors and customers in the canyons of the Isère region, notably on limestone rocks in the Ecouges and Furon canyons near Grenoble, and on granitic rocks during our courses in Switzerland and Italy.

La Sportiva TX Canyon shoes
Lightweight, water-repellent shoes, with good water drainage and a Velcro fastening at the ankle to keep out gravel and small stones.
The Vibram sole offers excellent grip on all types of rock.
The logo area above the Velcro fastening is a little fragile and may come unstuck with intensive use. The thickness of the shoe’s envelope is thin, so we lose thermal comfort. It is therefore a shoe to be reserved for canyons with warm water (over 12°) such as the Versoud or Grenant canyons and for regular use (once a week).
Price approx. 180€.

Canyoning Adventure Cabrit shoes
Solid, well-thought-out semi-mounted shoe, with a narrow fit that requires the laces to be loosened, but once in place provides good ankle support.
The laces are stored inside the gaiter, and are held in place by an elastic band. The gaiter effectively prevents gravel from entering. Thermal comfort is correct, allowing you to enjoy the cool waters (over 5°) of Grenoble‘s canyoning facilities. The sole provides great grip on limestone, but the stiffness of the shoe makes it slightly more difficult to grip the smooth granite of Switzerland.
With its relatively low price, this is the shoe with the best quality/price ratio.
An ideal shoe for intensive use.
Price approx. 145€.

Bestard Canyon Guide SAR shoes

A stiff, warm shoe that’s very solid and holds the ankle very well. The gaiter is effective and the structure of the sole grips very well on all types of approach terrain, although it grips less well on granite. This shoe is ideal for canyons with long approaches, or very chaotic canyons, such as high-wind canyons, or long Italian canyons like Bodengo.
Price approx. 220€.

Adidas Terrex hydro lace shoes

The warmest, grippiest shoe we’ve tried.
Unrivalled grip, which translates into rapid wear of the sole, making the shoe slippery when worn on muddy terrain. The scratch band is fragile. The neoprene lining and the fact that it does not evacuate provide appreciable thermal insulation in glacial and cold canyons, such as the Lanchatra canyon in Isère, 1 hour from Grenoble.
Price approx. 150€.