Knowing when to use softer shoes and stiffer shoes (especially if you're shorter in stature)

Knowing when to use stiff shoes and when to use soft shoes, as well as how to size them, can sometimes feel like quite the dilemma. As climbing shoe technology and our understanding of performance evolve, the growing trend has been to no longer downsize your climbing shoes to the smallest possible size. On technical, vertical and gently overhanging climbs using a stiff, comfortable shoe will often boost your foot endurance and help you stave off foot-fatigue, while also giving you a few extra cm of reach. Not a bad thing if you're a diminutive climber or find yourself shrinking a little with age (the author falls into both of these categories). That being said, strong toes still have their place. Using a soft shoe for training sessions, steeper climbs and warming up won't do your climbing any harm! Feel free to add any thoughts you have or any climbing shoe hacks you've discovered over the years.