Stepping into a Momentum Lace may be your first step toward a lifetime of climbing. Built with a combination of recycled materials—a knit tongue, micro suede upper, and a remarkably sticky Black Label rubber sole, the Momentum Lace is comfortable, thoughtfully designed, and performs great out of the box.
Made with premium materials and engineered with performance climbing in mind, the shoe’s flat last makes it ideal for the nuanced footwork required on vertical terrain and slabs. That said, the Momentum Lace is versatile enough to be sized down for gym climbing and steeper climbing styles.
Sizing notes: The sizing of these climbing shoes is based on the actual dimensions of the last, unlike street shoes that often have space built in for comfort. Your size will be smaller than your street shoe size; snug- to tight-fitting climbing shoes will allow you to get the best connection between your feet and the rock.
From clean climbing, to conservation, Black Diamond is committed to protecting the people and places we love.
We trust what we make because we use what we make. All Black Diamond products are covered by a two year warranty policy.
Your first step into a lifetime of climbing. Featuring an engineered knit tongue and micro suede upper, our Momentum climbing shoes provide stretch where you need it, support where it matters and all-around exceptional breathability. Built for everything from long gym sessions or all-day multi-pitch endeavors, the neutral last blends comfort and performance for a wide range of climbing styles, making the Momentum a great one-shoe-quiver.
At BD, our passion for innovation is only matched by our desire to use our equipment and experience the success it was designed for. From the world’s first wire-gate carabiner to our cornerstone Camalots, we have always designed gear that enables climbers to push the limits of our sport.
Overall rating: 4.0 / 5 from 17 reviews.
Review topics: ["fit","size","performance","shoes","quality","design","feel","momentum","rubber","feet","option","laces","change","toe","socks"].
"I will start with I did not keep these rock shoes. It wasn't the quality; I entered the wrong size when I ordered them. Working with the return department was awesome. Everyone was friendly and courteous and helped me resolve my mistake. I do own other BD shoes and love them."
"The new Momentums definitely seem like an upgrade over the old model. Just better construction all around and better rubber. The sizing however, is much different. My old model was a US 11. 5 and eventually stretched enough to feel a little loose. On the new model I ordered a size 11 expecting a slightly snugger fit, but was surprised with how loose the shoe felt. not just in length, but in volume. Honestly, it felt like a casual shoe. I'm worried that even if I size down more the volume is just going to be too much (weird fabric folds when lacing them down)."
"This is my second pair of momentum’s. I decided to go with the laces instead of the Velcro this time and I think they are better because I can dial in the tightness a bit better than I could with the Velcro ones. Would definitely recommend for those who are beginner to intermediate. I sized down a half size from my exact foot measurement (not street shoe size. I measured my foot at REI) and after they broke in (like, a month of climbing consistently) they feel great. My only complaint is the stitching near the heel for the pull straps is very noticeable without socks, so keep that in mind when choosing your size. I (controversially) wear thin socks when I climb so it hasn’t bothered me yet."
"Got these shoes and was surprised how far off the sizing was. They are a full size to size in a half bigger than your typical shoe. If you wear a U. S. men’s size 10, start with a 9 or maybe 8. 5. The performance is mediocre on everything except maybe slabs. It’s a decent slab shoe and comfortable for all day use on big routes. But don’t expect to be sending your hardest routes in these things. The quality is standard for what you’d expect on a climbing shoe these days. You probably won’t be re-soling them for sure. Definitely made to be discarded and replaced. For the price, it’s a great option for the gym or days of casual cragging where optimum performance isn't required and you’ll be burning through a bit of rubber."
"Great beginner shoes fits to size"
"I’m typically a huge fan of pretty much everything BD and have been for 20 years. But these shoes missed the mark in so many areas. Fit; I wear a 42. 5 (9. 5 US) in the Aspect shoe, so I ordered a 42. 5 in these. I feel I could go down to a 41. 5 or even 40 for a tight fit with the Momentum shoe. The heal cup is ok, but the toebox feels like I could fit a whole nother set of toes in there with some wiggle room. Rubber and edging; The rubber is fine, but with the fit in the toebox, I couldn’t stand on a brick. I can climb 5. 11 anything, even on a bad day. But I was reduced to skating around on 5. 9 and popping off of just about everything. It actually was so bad it made climbing dangerous and I had to stop climbing 15 minutes into my day. Another note, the amount of rubber around the toe had my feet instantly sweating with nowhere for the moisture to go. Like wearing Saran Wrap socks. Now, this is just for me. You may have a different opinion. I think if you sized them way down and used them for the gym, or days of climbing moderate routes in cool temps, they’d probably be an okay shoe for those with really wide feet. Which is why I give them 2 stars and not one. But for me personally, these are going straight in the trash."
"I was fortunate to get to test the shoe at my local crag. The smooth basalt is pretty slick but I was glad to find good grip with these. The toe box is very wide, and fit snug around my heel well. The toe is very built up, I would wager these will be a durable and lasting pair. Also good for edging, fairly stiff. Can hold up in a foot jam alright as well. Not aggressive so good for beginner or comfort."
"I’ve been climbing for 8 years and worn multiple brands of climbing shoes both indoors and outdoors. The Black Diamond Momentum shoes are fine for what they are designed for, with two caveats. -the sizing is incredibly off, I typically wear a 39. 5, but wear a 37. 5 in these. -even with the correct sizing, the fit of the heel feels too wide for me personally Other than that, I like the heel tabs for easy on and off. The rubber seems like a step up from rental shoes. The aggressiveness is perfect for a beginner level. The overall look of the shoe is nice as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to get these as your first pair of climbing shoes, just make sure you size down quite a bit. For example, I typically wear women’s 9, but I wear the equivalent of a women’s 6. 5."
"This update of Black Diamond’s daily driver is an all around improve in my opinion. Thank you Black Diamond for sending me this pair to try for free! The previous generation is the climbing shoe I’m most familiar with so I was excited to compare them. The change you’ll notice first is an enlarged section of rubber guarding your upper toes. This feature that is standard on many shows now n’ days was missing from the last model. It’s extremely helpful for both giving you extra purchase on a bat hang and reducing the pain a little. The next big change is tongue is now sewn into the interior side of the shoe. I’m not sure what the benefit of this. It seems to get folded over instead laying flat when you’re synching down your laces. I felt the previous shoe looked clean but a bit bland. This model does a nice job of adding in some new designs and textures but keeps with the signature black/ grey look. This will be my go to shoe for every setting except difficult roof settings."
"The shoe is great for what it is in terms of performance and durability, though there is still room for improvement in its sizing and fit."
| EU | US Men's | US Women's | Mondo | Foot Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 221 | 21.72 |
| 35.5 | 4 | 5 | 224 | 22.05 |
| 36 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 227 | 22.38 |
| 36.5 | 4.5+ | 5.5+ | 230 | 22.71 |
| 37 | 5 | 6 | 234 | 23.04 |
| 37.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 237 | 23.37 |
| 38 | 6 | 7 | 240 | 23.7 |
| 38.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 244 | 24.03 |
| 39 | 6.5+ | 7.5+ | 247 | 24.36 |
| 39.5 | 7 | 8 | 250 | 24.69 |
| 40 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 254 | 25.02 |
| 40.5 | 8 | 9 | 257 | 25.35 |
| 41 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 260 | 25.68 |
| 41.5 | 8.5+ | 9.5+ | 263 | 26.01 |
| 42 | 9 | 10 | 267 | 26.34 |
| 42.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 270 | 26.67 |
| 43 | 10 | 11 | 273 | 27 |
| 43.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 277 | 27.33 |
| 44 | 10.5+ | 11.5+ | 280 | 27.66 |
| 44.5 | 11 | 12 | 283 | 27.99 |
| 45 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 287 | 28.32 |
| 45.5 | 12 | 13 | 290 | 28.65 |
| 46 | 12.5 | 13.5 | 293 | 28.98 |
| 46.5 | 12.5+ | 13.5+ | 296 | 29.31 |
| 47 | 13 | 14 | 299 | 29.64 |
The sizing of Black Diamond climbing shoes is based on the actual dimensions of the last, unlike street shoes that often have space built in for comfort. That’s why you’ll find your size in Black Diamond climbing shoes will be smaller than your street shoe size. Snug fitting climbing shoes will allow you to get the best connection between your feet and the rock.
Highest Performance Fit: subtract 2 EU sizes from Brannock measure
All Day Performance Fit: subtract 1 EU size from Brannock measure
All Day Comfort Fit: subtract 0 to .5 EU size from Brannock measure
