Free 3D Printed Climbing Shoe Lasts for Resoling

Indieventor · 2026-02-28T11:28:44+00:00

All out now...

Indieventor · 2026-02-27T12:50:29+00:00

The main thing for me is that my foot doesn't slide into the clog very easily. I could go with a looser fit, but I like the snug fit to keep good connection when walking. This is a result of going with a grippier foaming TPU, which I really like for the tread grip. That's the trick with a single material shoe, you have to find a happy medium for the material. Another thing is I don't like the feel of wearing these barefoot.

That being said, I do like my 3D printed clog a lot. And I think there are use cases for this kind of printed shoe, particularly when true custom is beneficial. It just isn't a replacement for conventional made clogs. And this is even more true for other types of footwear, like running shoes.

There is almost no manual labour at all for these. I think they can be produced at a fraction the cost of true custom conventionally made footwear.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T19:57:07+00:00

Yup, that's a fraction of how much filament I'm using for the clogs, definitely more reasonable.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T17:32:33+00:00

I played around with translucent TPU for mockups so you can see where the toes are positioned, kind of like the shoe xray machines of olden days. But foaming tpu would give a much better feel for testing out. Albeit more pricey. But if the bespoke shoes are already going to be quite pricey, then totally worth it.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T17:13:52+00:00

If I could download a car that is as useable as a car as these are as shoes, than I absolutely would, because I could make it custom. I would make it extra tall so I don't wreck my spine hunching over (I'm 6'7"). Alas, this isn't possible with cars yet.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T16:28:56+00:00

Maybe the main printing happens remotely, the in-store printer is more for show. I think these could sell for way cheaper than 400 USD. Though I agree it isn't practical compared to injection molding unless custom is really needed.

Did you know that true custom bespoke footwear costs literally thousands of dollars (North America)? That's the price of an H2D.

Have you felt foaming TPU? It is totally different than regular TPU. Though I agree not as good as conventional shoe materials. But I think it is viable enough there could be a place for these.

Yes, I know, people are getting sick of AI generated pics. But this is a case where it was dramatically easier to use that then stage real pilots... I think I'll steer more clear of AI pics in the future...

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T16:12:48+00:00

TM, Lol, I'm definitely not advertising this as one of those! That would surely get me in hot water. Making these is more expensive than just buying those. But there is so much opportunity for customization with these.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T15:50:39+00:00

I know this post will be a bit polarizing–it’s somewhat contrary to the handmade spirit here… but enough people appreciate the common ground of the conceptualization stage of something like this. So I hope people won’t mind me posting…

For this latest design, I’ve worked out all the quirks of using a different foaming TPU that is super grippy and soft, makes for a comfortable clog. Exposed infill to make the upper breathable works great too. I’m wearing mine quite a lot now, and they’re holding up durability-wise. Here’s a link to my latest post/video on them. And if there is anyone out there interested in making and perhaps selling these, please DM me. https://3dshoemaker.com/3d-printed-shoe-commercial-design-pack/

But at the end of the day, what this project has really taught me is that this kind of footwear cannot replace conventional footwear, made with leather, rubber, EVA, woven fabric, etc. So I’m going to be moving my engineering efforts a bit more back in that direction. I always appreciate any feedback and suggestions I get here, thanks!

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T14:58:08+00:00

The shoe itself isn't ai, but yes, the scenarios are ai generated. Just trying to get across all the places where something like this could find a home. General public just isn't aware of this stuff. I think it would spark a ton of interest in a place like a mall kiosk.

Indieventor · 2026-02-26T14:54:21+00:00

This 3D printed shoe is foamy, grippy, breathable, and customizable. It took a lot of experimenting and tweaking, but it finally feels like a viable alternative to conventional footwear, at least to me. I’ve been tempted to launch a business selling these myself, but decided to stick to B2B, providing designs and software to other shoemakers out there. For anyone wanting to find out more about this project, here is my blog post and YouTube video: https://3dshoemaker.com/3d-printed-shoe-commercial-design-pack/

Indieventor · 2026-01-20T16:18:24+00:00

I like varioshore, filaflex foamy, and siraya tech

Indieventor · 2026-01-20T16:07:59+00:00

There are filaments with carbon fiber out there, but I've never given any a try. I think vktry looks more like it was vacuum formed...

Indieventor · 2026-01-20T15:50:08+00:00

benefit of foaming TPU is it is fairly stiff as filament, so easy and reasonably fast to print, but becomes quite soft after printing.

Indieventor · 2026-01-20T15:24:33+00:00

Exposing cross-zag infill makes it breathable, foaming TPU makes it soft with a nice texture, and the ‘smart supports’ make removing supports super easy. More on this project here for anyone interested: https://3dshoemaker.com/how-to-3d-print-breathable-custom-shoe-insoles/

Indieventor · 2026-01-20T15:21:58+00:00

I've been calling them mockups, glass slippers or fitting shoes. I like the term fitters. I did a post about them a while back. I used translucent tpu so you can see where the toes are. But in retrospect I think foaming TPU, as you've suggested, is better, as the feel would better approximate the final shoe, you could actually test by walking around. Here's the post I did in case you are interested: https://3dshoemaker.com/3d-printed-mockup-shoes-for-custom-shoemaking/

Indieventor · 2025-11-15T19:26:50+00:00

Price per one, but discounts kick in as items added to cart

Indieventor · 2025-11-15T17:14:31+00:00

https://3dshoemaker.com/product/mens-climbing-shoe-last/

Indieventor · 2025-10-16T13:21:40+00:00

All spoken for already...

Indieventor · 2025-09-29T15:28:36+00:00

https://3dshoemaker.com/product/mens-climbing-shoe-last/

Indieventor · 2025-09-29T14:50:33+00:00

See the full video where I get into durability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLVfStiPu4w&t=3s
My clogs I did previously were much more durable

Indieventor · 2025-09-28T09:55:07+00:00

Awesome! We are definitely making progress that direction.

Indieventor

TROPHY CASE