UK strongest man, Terry Hollands, has been wearing Garra climbing shoes since his debut on the World circuit in 2005. Specially made in UK size 17 for him, the same style Garra Non Stop is available as standard in sizes up to UK15 and are rapidly becoming a more and more regular sight on the strongman circuit.
After pulling a 20 tonne truck 25 meters in the London (Dartford) leg of the World Strongman Cup in a winning 30.47 seconds he gave me a knowing smile at and said 'its the shoes!' While I know that is only part of the story it was nevertheless very good to hear.
So what makes the Non-Stop so great for strength competitions ? ...
1. Slick rubber
Many competitors have discovered that the ultimate grip comes from a slick rubber sole made from a soft compound similar to F1 racing car tyres. On a dry stone, tarmac or concrete surface this compound moulds to the tiny imperfections in the surface and creates a massive coefficient of friction.
2. Wide front sole section
Climbing shoes are generally narrow fit with pointed toes sections to allow rock climbers to use even very small indentations in natural rock. The Garra Non-Stop though has a front profile much more akin to a trainer meaning that far more rubber is in contact with the ground while in the familiar 'leaning forward' stance needed when pulling heavy weights.
3. Low profile heel
The Garra Non-Stop features a low heel which reduces strain on the achilles tendon by creating a more natural foot position while still enabling the all-important sole rubber to be absolutely flat for maximum contact area with the floor. This also means that events where walking is involved have a significantly reduced risk of lower leg injury.
4. Support lacing
Although a little more fiddly than velcro closure, a lace up shoe has many advantages in strength sports: it supports the foot more accurately along its length and will not pop-open under extreme pressure or when flexed in to an acute angle during use. The low-stretch laces used also allow for micro adjustments and replacement is easy should it ever be necessary.
5. Manufacturers guarantee ( even for strength competition use!)
The additional physical weight of many strength competitors helps deform the rubber even further and achieve higher grip levels than climbers would normally experience. Unfortunately this leads to the stitching and manmade materials in many regular climbing shoes 'exploding' under the tremendous pressures involved in pulling a 20 ton truck; train or aircraft or whatever else the organisers have arranged. Real leather construction and handmade Spanish craftsmanship ensure that every pair of Garra Non-Stop are up to the task which is amply backed up with a 100 day no-quibble guarantee against manufacturing defects.
