Among the many types of outdoor shoes designed specifically for niche activities, climbing shoes may require the greatest attention to detail. Historically, the climbing shoe market has been dominated by old European labels with roots in the Alps. More recently, however, St. Louis, Missouri-based So iLL has done well to capture an impressive share of the climbing shoe market, with an emphasis on indoor climbing, monochromatic color combinations, minimal graphics, and technical performance via Vibram XS Grip rubber lies. Partnerships with climbing king Fred Nicole and Hollywood star Jason Momoa have certainly also helped increase the brand’s awareness. The new climbing shoe lines Roam Soft and Roam Rigid embody what attracts so many to the brand – elegant design, technical performance for different experience levels and of course celebrity endorsement.

But the path here was neither short, nor straight, nor easy. So iLL (a portmanteau of their original home in southern Illinois) traces its humble origins to 2002, when founder Dan Chancellor launched the brand with unique and often irreverent touches in the kitchen of a college rental house. His goal was “to create an indoor playground.”

The freedom from rules and instructions made the then-burgeoning indoor climbing scene ripe for innovation, allowing Chancellor to create designs that would never be found outside – including the infamous baby head holds. The unconventional holds made indoor climbing more exciting, and this is where So iLL found its footing.