Butora is a Korean climbing products company that is mostly know for their affordable, but still quality climbing shoes. We have done reviews on several Butora climbing shoes and this article compiles a lot of that information. Butora also makes climbing holds and chalk bags, but this article we will focus on the shoes and the company itself.
Here is a list of the Butora climbing shoes reviewed in this article:
- Butora Acro and Acro comp
- Butora Gomi
- Butora Endeavor
- Butora Altura
- Butora Narsha
- Butora Sensa and Sensa Pro
- Butora Mantra
- Butora Advance
- Butora Brava
- Butora Icarus
The Butora Acros are designed for bouldering and tough sports climbs. The shoes really shine when climbing steeper routes. They work great on small edges and pocket holds.
The wider versions of the Butora Acros are pretty good on cracks as they can be jammed into quite small fingercracks. They also have a thick and durable rubber that protects the feet and toes nicely. That being said, you might want to consider other shoes if you are climbing really long routes. You can read more about the Butora Acros here!
Original Butora Acro ( Blue/Narrow and Orange/Wide)
- Neo Fuse rubber: Sticky rubber suitable for bouldering and sport climbing on steeper routes.
- Agressive down turn with ABS-injected mid sole.
- Triple fork velcro closure for quick on and off.
- High tension heel rand for a nice fit and to make sure your feet are secured nicely in the shoes from toes to heels.
- Weight: 1 lb. 1.6 oz. / 550 grams
Butora Acro Comp (Pink/Narrow And Black/Wide)
What has been changed in the comp versions:
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- Softer rubber for sticker feet and for more sensitivity.
- Improved heel cup with 3D-molding.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing
- Really good climbing shoe for wide feet
- Versatile
- Great for edging
- Good for pockets
- Good for cracks
- Sensitive shoe
- Not the most comfortable in a tight size
- The heel cup can be too large for some people
- Not the best breathability
Butora Gomi climbing shoes
Butora Gomis like the acros are a great shoe for bouldering or sport climbing. If you climb more slab then the Gomis are probably a better option for you. If you climb more overhanging routes then Acros should work better. You can read more about the Butora Gomis here!
- Weight: 454 grams / 16.0 oz
- Rubber midsole
- Very large toe rubber area for toe hooking
- Materials: Neo fuse sticky rubber (4mm outsole)
- 3D-molded cup for the heel
- One velcro closure
- Available in narrow and wide size
Pros:
- A good value choice
- works for both slab and overhanging routes
- designed for modern comp style climbing
- Sticky rubber and softer mid sole for smearing
- Great climbing gym shoe
- Breathability: Can get really hot especially when used in the sun, because of all the rubber
- Not the most sensitive shoes
- Not the best for small edges and nubbins
- Not great for cracks
Butora Endeavor climbing shoes
Butora endeavor is usually Butoras greatest option for beginner climbers. Endeavors are avaible in seven different versions and you should make sure that you get the right fit for your foot type. You can read more about the Butora Endeavors in our in-depth article here.
- Weight: 19.2 oz. / 545 grams
- Materials: Neo Fuse rubber, Organic hemp lining, Leather
- ABS injected midsole
- Velcro closure
Butora Endeavor Women’s models
What is different in the women’s versions:-
- Lower cut heel and ankle area
- Different color options
- Really affordable pricing
- Great for beginners
- Great for warm-ups or easier & longer routes
- Good edging
- Some people have had trouble finding the right size
- Not really good for tougher routes
Butora alturas are mainly a crack and trad climbing shoe, but they are also great for any climbers with ankle issues. The alturas are a good alternative for the TC Pros. You can read more about the Butora alturas here!
- Mid-height ankle protection
- Padding for toes and ankle
- Organic Hemp lining
- Weight: 1,63 lb/ 740 grams
- Materials: German hydrovelour split leather, Organic hemp lining, Neo Fuse rubber
- Moisture-wicking split-leather foot bed
- Lace up closure
Butora Altura- Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Comfortable for multi-pitch routes
- Great for cracks
- Good for smearing
- Great padding and hemp liner offers protection to the toes and ankle
- Durable
- Takes time to break-in
- Won’t fit the most thinnest cracks
- Not the most sensitive shoes
The Butora Narshas are an aggressive climbing shoe for those overhanging sport and boulder routes. They are great for hooks and for small edges. You can read more about the Butora Narshas here!
- Durable outersole
- Weight: 19 Oz/ 548 grams
- Materials: German leather, Nylon 66 stitching, Neo friction rubber
- Injection molded full length mid-sole
- Velcro closure
- Available in narrow and wide size
Pros:
- Great for overhanging routes
- Good for edges
- Good for cracks
- Good for heel hooks
- Durable materials
- Easier to find comfortable fit because of tight and wide options
- Breathability: Can get really hot when used in the sun
- Not the most sensitive shoes
- Not the best for smearing
- Takes time to break-in
Butora Sensa and sensa pro climbing shoes
Butora Sensa is a slipper style climbing shoe for sport and boulder climbing. It works great on overhanging routes as there are some added rubber patches for toe hooks. Despite being a slipper this shoe has very good stability because of the several innovations from Butora to make the shoes more sturdy. A problem with the Sensas is that it is really hard to find them anymore and we recommend getting either the Butora Acros or Acro comps instead.
Butora Mantra climbing shoes
The Butora mantra is in Butora’s own words an old school climbing shoe. The shoes are made for crack climbing, off-widths and slabs. The shoes are stiff, but quit comfortable on the legs and you can wear them comfortably on those long routes if you have the right fit. The shoes are unisex and they come in tight fit and wide fit options.
Butora Mantra Specs:
- NEO Fuse sticky rubber outer sole
- Leather upper and hemp lining inside
- Lace closure
- Injection molded midsole
Pros:
- Good for slab
- Good for cracks
- Good for offwidths
- Durable materials
- Easy to find comfortable fit because of tight and wide options
- Not the most sensitive shoes
- Not really good for heel or toe hooks
Butora Mantra Orange Tight fit
Butora Mantra Green Wide fit
Butora Advance climbing shoes
Butora wanted to make a all-round climbing shoe for long training sessions and for even longer multipitch routes. What is the most remarkable thing with the Advance climbing shoes for us is the really affordable price. Unlike many of Butoras other climbing shoes the advances are not available in tight and wide fit.
Butora Advance Specs:
- Butora’s own NEO Fuse 4mm sticky rubber
- Knit upper for breathability and durability
- Microfiber inner lining
- Lace closure
- Injection molded midsole
Pros:
- Really affordable
- Comfortable
- Durable materials
- Asymmetrical shape to better fit the foot
- not really good for overhanging routes
- not the most reliable on tight edges
Butora Brava climbing shoes
Butora Brava is a great climbing shoe for kids. As kids grown very fast its often hard to get the right size and if you do it wont fit them in a few months anymore anyway. Butora has made the bravas with an adjustable strap and back strap to accommodate the child’s foot for a longer time. The recommendation is to get up to 2 sizes larger shoe at the beginning and you can adjust with the straps to fit for a longer time. The shoe is available in four colors: pink, black, blue and violet
Butora Brava Specs:
- Adjustable straps in the back and the front
- Suede upper
- Comfortable
- Easy to put on and take off
- Butora Neo outsole
Pros:
- Really affordable
- Comfortable
- Durable materials
- adjustable front and back straps to make the shoe last longer in a growing foot.
- Not the best kids shoe for harder climbs
Butora Icarus approach shoes
Butora Icarus is Butora’s take on approach shoes. If you would take only one pair of shoes on a climbing trip you could try the Icaruses’. Obvilously we do recommend taking climbing shoes for the actual climbing, but these shoes will work for both the approach and the after-climb parts of the day. Also don’t forget what is often the most dangerous part of the climb, the ascent. When you are wearing the Icarus approach shoes you can rely on the stickiness and the rand of the shoe to keep you safer on those descents. The shoes have the same Neo fuse rubber that the climbing shoes have and there is also rubber on the toes and heel parts of the shoe for the approach scrambles, descents and even some easy climbing.
Butora Icarus Specs:
- Neo Fuse Rubber soles
- Suede upper with rubber heel and toe
- Comfortable
- Available in two colors
- Size up 1/2 size from usual street shoe size
Pros:
- Affordable
- Comfortable
- Durable materials
- Works for the approach, easy climbs and for a walk in the city.
- Not the most breathable shoes
Butora as a company
Butora is a south korean company and the name of the company means determination, persistence or grit. Besides climbing and approach shoes Butora also makes some climbing apparel such as chalk bags. They offer a return and exchange policy and free shipping for orders above 49$. Butora has a pro deal program for professional climbers, oudoor industry partners and members of the US military. You can apply here.Questions about Butora climbing shoes
We wanted to answer some of the most common questions about the Butoras.
Are Butora climbing shoes good? The simple answer is yes! Butora offers good value for the price of the climbing shoes and they have really talented designers who get feedback from their pro climbers to make continuous improvement on the shoes.
How to size Butora climbing shoes to find the right fit? You should choose the same size or up to half size smaller depending on the climbing shoe and your presonal preference.
Do butora climbing shoes stretch? The Butoras like any climbing shoe will stretch a little bit when in use. The amount of stretch will depend on the the materials and design of the model and also how it is being used. The amount of stretching will likely be something from a quarter size to one size larger.
What rubber is in Butora climbing shoes? Butora mostly uses their own rubber. They have two different rubbers the Neo fuse and Neo force. An important thing to note when selecting shoes is also to note how much rubber there is in different parts of the shoes and how thick the rubber is.
How to clean Butora shoes? If your shoes are dirty Butora recommend soaking them in warm water with some mild soap. If there is more stains of if the shoes smell, you could brush them gently. The important thing is to make sure they dry nicely! This wash should only be done occasionally as washing and soaking could affect the materials and stitching, especially if the water is too hot or the detergent too strong.
