climbing shoes

While generally you can go climbing without climbing shoes, it is highly recommended to wear climbing shoes. Some indoor gyms also require the use of climbing shoes and forbid climbing in anything other than them.

You don't need to wear socks with rock climbing shoes, most people don't, but many people do for different reasons.

If you have blisters, wounds, or want to prevent blisters, a thin pair of socks can help quite a bit with that.
If your shoes are a little bit too loose, socks could help tighten them up.
Some people also just like climbing with socks.

Climbing shoes are generally designed to be very snug around your feet, with no socks in between them and your feet, but in the end it's up to you if to wear socks or not.

Even beginners can benefit from climbing shoes, this is especially true for outdoor rock climbing, where climbing shoes can be considered a necessity.

Some indoor climbing gyms also require all climbers to climb in climbing shoes, even beginners and first-timers, so climbing shoes would be a must in that situation.

To make a point about climbing shoes and getting used to them – it's better to start earlier than later. Climbing shoes are very different from your everyday shoes. They are tight and uncomfortable, at least in the beginning until you get used to them. That's why it's better to just get it out of the way and start wearing them. The sooner you get used to them, the better.

Most climbers prefer not to wear socks with climbing shoes, though, there is no rule against it.

Many climbers do in fact wear socks with climbing shoes for different reasons. Their shoes may be slightly too loose, and wearing socks could give them that extra layer that tightens things up.

Wearing socks could also help prevent blisters, or reduce pain if there are already blisters or other wounds on your feet as well.

So just because most climbers don't wear socks with climbing shoes, it doesn't mean there are no cases where it can be very helpful. Some people also just prefer sock in climbing shoes. It's up to you in the end.

Climbers wear small sized shoes because climbing shoes are meant to be very minimal and snug. When climbers wear climbing shoes that are slightly smaller than their actual shoe size, these attributes are slightly enhanced, as is the performance a climber can gain from wearing smaller climbing shoes.

This can be a double-edged sword, though. If a climber wears climbing shoes that are too small, they may not gain any of the benefits climbing shoes provide, and may actually worsen their performance, not to mention injure or damage their feet.

Finding the right climbing shoes and the right size are not as simple as some may think. It takes going through a few shoes and trying new ones out until you find the right pair for you.