You've finally made it to the base of a massive cliff in the Akkala Highlands. You look up. It's a vertical nightmare. You start the ascent, Link’s fingers digging into the stone, and then it happens. The stamina wheel turns red. You're halfway up, out of food, and your palms are sweating because you know one slip means a long tumble back to the bottom. Honestly, we've all been there. It’s the universal Breath of the Wild experience. But there is one specific item—the Zelda Breath of the Wild climbing boots—that fundamentally changes how you interact with that entire world.
Most people prioritize the Master Sword or the Hylian Shield. They want the big damage or the unbreakable defense. That’s fine, I guess. But if you actually want to explore Hyrule without losing your mind, you need the Climbing Gear set, and the boots are arguably the most annoying (yet rewarding) piece to track down. They aren't just a stat boost. They represent freedom.
Finding the Zelda Breath of the Wild Climbing Boots
Getting these boots isn't as simple as walking into a shop in Kakariko Village and tossing some Rupees at a merchant. No, Nintendo wants you to earn them. You have to head over to the Tahno O'ah Shrine. It’s tucked away on the eastern skirts of Mount Lanayru.
Finding it is its own little mini-adventure. You’re looking for a breakable stone wall. It’s hidden behind some cedar trees in the Pinecone Archipelago area. If you aren't paying attention, you’ll walk right past it. Once you blast your way in, it’s a "Rauru’s Blessing" type deal—well, the BotW equivalent. No puzzles inside. The challenge was just getting there through the freezing cold. You open the chest, and there they are: the Climbing Boots.
They look sorta rugged. Dark leather, metal spikes on the soles for grip. The description says they use "ancient technology" to help you stick to surfaces. It sounds like flavor text, but the mechanical difference is immediate. You move faster. Your jumps cover more ground. It’s a game-changer.
Why the Speed Increase Actually Matters
Let’s talk numbers for a second, but not in a boring way.
Each piece of the Climbing Set—the bandana, the gear (shirt), and the boots—increases your climbing speed by about 20%. When you have the Zelda Breath of the Wild climbing boots equipped alongside the rest of the set, you’re moving 60% faster than Link does in his underwear.
Think about that.
A cliff that used to take you a full minute to scale now takes maybe 35 seconds. That isn't just about saving time; it’s about stamina management. Because you’re moving faster, you’re spending less time on the wall consuming stamina per foot of vertical gain. You can reach ledges that were previously impossible without eating five stamina-restoring elixirs.
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The Hidden Power of the Set Bonus
The boots are great on their own, but they really shine when you upgrade them. You need to visit the Great Fairy Fountains.
To get the "Climb Jump Stamina Up" bonus, you need to upgrade every piece of the set—including those boots—to at least two stars. This is where the boots become truly elite. Normally, when you hit the "jump" button while climbing, Link lunges upward but loses a massive chunk of his stamina bar. It’s a desperate move.
With the set bonus? That stamina cost is slashed. It’s cut in half.
You can literally leapfrog your way up a mountain. It turns Link from a slow, methodical climber into a mountain goat. You’ll find yourself jumping intentionally because it’s actually more efficient than just crawling. But getting those upgrades isn't cheap. You’re going to need a lot of materials. We’re talking:
- Keese Wings (Standard, Fire, Ice, and Electric variations).
- High-altitude flora like Violetals.
- Ancient materials for the higher tiers.
Specifically, for the boots to hit that second level, you'll need three Electric Keese Wings and five Hightail Lizards. It’s a bit of a grind, especially hunting those lizards in the grass near Hateno, but it's the best investment you can make in the mid-game.
Dealing with the Rain
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Rain.
The Zelda Breath of the Wild climbing boots do not stop you from slipping. I know, it’s frustrating. You’re wearing high-tech spiked boots and the moment a light drizzle starts, Link acts like he’s trying to climb a wall made of butter.
There is a common misconception that the Climbing Set helps in the rain. It doesn’t. Not directly. However, because the boots make you faster, you can sometimes "outrun" the slip. If you count Link’s steps—usually four or five—and then jump right before the slip occurs, you can maintain your height. The speed boost from the boots makes that jump cover more distance, which is often the only way to conquer a cliff during a thunderstorm in the Faron region.
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Comparing the Boots to Other Gear
People often ask if the Zora Greaves or the Sand Boots are better. It’s a "niche vs. universal" debate.
The Zora Greaves are incredible if you’re in Lanayru. Swimming up waterfalls is a blast. The Sand Boots are a godsend in the Gerudo Desert because they stop you from sinking. But how much of Hyrule is water or sand compared to how much of it is vertical rock?
Maybe 10%? 15%?
The rest of the world is mountains. The Zelda Breath of the Wild climbing boots are useful in almost every single quadrant of the map. Whether you're scaling the pillars around Hyrule Castle or trying to get a better vantage point in the Hebra Mountains, these boots are likely staying in your active inventory 90% of the time. Honestly, I rarely take them off unless I’m going into a high-level combat encounter where I need the Soldier’s Armor for the raw defense stats.
Where Most Players Go Wrong
The biggest mistake is waiting too long to get them.
I’ve seen players reach the Divine Beasts without ever touching the Climbing Set. They struggle. They complain about the climbing being slow. They waste dozens of hours slowly crawling up hills.
Don't do that.
Make a beeline for the Tahno O'ah Shrine as soon as you have enough warm clothes or food to survive the walk. Even if you don't have the rest of the set, having just the boots provides a noticeable "zip" to your movement that makes the early game feel much less like a slog.
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Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re looking to optimize your climbing experience right now, follow this sequence.
First, get to the Hateno Research Lab. It’s a natural stopping point early on. From there, look east toward the mountains. You’ll want to cook up some spicy peppers—at least four or five "Spicy Sautéed Peppers"—to handle the cold. Head toward the Tahno O'ah Shrine. Use your Sheikah Sensor if you’ve upgraded it to track shrines; it helps a lot with the hidden wall.
Once you have the boots, don't just let them sit at level one.
Go to the woods near Kakariko or the marshes. Farm those Hightail Lizards. You need them. If you’re struggling to catch them, crouch. Walk slowly. Or just use a stealth potion. Once you get those boots to level two along with the Bandana and Gear, the game's verticality opens up in a way that feels like cheating.
Lastly, remember that these boots are about momentum. Don't just hold "up" on the joystick. Learn the rhythm of the jump. Use the boots to reach the heights that the developers tucked away for the most curious players. Hyrule is a big place, but it's much smaller when you're moving at 1.6x speed.
Stop treating your gear like a secondary thought. Put the boots on. Find a mountain. Start climbing. You’ll see exactly what I mean the moment you hit that first peak and look down at how much ground you covered in half the time.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Mark the Tahno O'ah Shrine on your map immediately; it's located at the eastern base of Mount Lanayru, specifically in the Cedar-lined pass of the Pinecone Archipelago.
- Stockpile Stamella Mushrooms and Staminoka Bass to supplement your new climbing speed, allowing for massive vertical leaps without exhaustion.
- Visit a Great Fairy specifically to prioritize the Climbing Set's level-two upgrade; the "Climbing Jump Stamina Up" bonus is the single most important utility buff in the game.