Squamish Climbing Magazine

Overall, the Scarpa Instinct VS and Lace up can both be described as all around high performance downturned climbing shoes. With the ability to handle a variety of terrains, the Scarpa Instinct can act as an everyday base shoe for anyone serious about climbing. With a similar look and feel, both models feature power and precision in the toe box and one of the best heels on the market. If we had to make the distinction between the two models, the VS version is much better suited for..." go to full review

Overall, the Luchador proved to be a pretty decent all-around shoe. The toe box really harnessed the power of the big toe when pushing on small edges and supported the big toe joint well. The heel cup seemed to stay in place on every move and could be snugged tighter with the top velcro strap. As a first impression, the colour scheme didn’t jump out at me as something I would want to be looking down at all the time, but after two sessions, I noticed myself not caring too much. Finally, the..." go to full review

When I first tried them, I was a bit skeptical. I really wondered if a shoe so soft could perform on Squamish granite. Well, they can, and really well at that, but they do take a little getting used to. The VXI isn’t a shoe you very specifically place on a foothold, but rather one you throw at the wall and let stick. Once you get into the groove of using them this way, they are amazing. In fact, for certain things, they are hands down the best shoe the market and a tool I’m excited to have..." go to full review

Overall, the Petzl Djinn Axess Quickdraw is a great new addition to Petzl’s line of quickdraws. With safety at the forefront of its design, the Petzl Djinn gives you that extra comfort when thinking about wear patterns and prolonged-use. The mid-range dogbone sling is just the right size to reduce bulk but still function well for grabbing a draw and during a few situations, made it easier to clip far away bolts. For those concerned about weight, the Djinn does weigh more than its counterpart..." go to full review

Overall, the Scarpa Booster S is an impressive shoe that excels when climbing both overhanging and vertical terrain. The sensitivity of the rubber combined with strong design features in the toebox create a shoe that is very precise. The downturned shape of the shoe is perfect for creating power on small holds and provided a strong foundation for toe-hooking. Although relatively comfortable, the shoe does have some hot spots on the top buckle and the top of toes after climbing, however, the..." go to full review

Overall, the Team 5.10 is an excellent shoe for steep rock. For the purpose of pulling in with one’s feet, they perform exceptionally well. I’d recommend them as primary shoe for sport climber and boulder who want to climb a variety of steep terrain. I believe them to be the best all-around steep rock shoe on the market. Because of their versatility, the Team 5.10 does lack in some specialized areas. I don’t recommend this shoe for climbing terrain less than vertical. This shoe is also not..." go to full review

Overall, we really enjoyed the Hirundos harness throughout the testing process and would highly recommend this harness for the purpose of single route sport climbing.The Hirundos delivers when finding the balance between comfort and freedom of movement. It’s clean and lightweight design reduced a noticeable amount of bulk from previous models and made a huge difference when moving on the rock. It was also the first harness that was light enough to wear all day long despite moving from crag..." go to full review

Overall, the Scarpa Furia is a welcomed addition to Scarpa’s long line of technical climbing shoes. Its sensitive nature makes it a top choice for technical bouldering, climbing overhanging terrain and especially when climbing indoors. Although the Furia does well when edging despite the lack of a mid-sole, we would not recommend this shoe for vertical or slightly vertical climbing. Although we would recommend this shoe for the advanced climber as an addition to your climbing shoe inventory..." go to full review

Overall, the Petzl Arial 9.5 is one of the most durable ropes on the market. Whether you are projecting or roping up for a few pitches with some friend, this rope should last longer than most ropes. Over a six month period, the Arial was able to absorb substantial amount of abuse from single pitch climbing. It took us six months before we had to chop either end of the rope despite climbing on multiple projects. Out of the coil, the Arial is pretty slick and runs through the gri gri rather..." go to full review

Overall, the Shaman is a great step forward for the Evolve team towards creating a more technical rock climbing shoe. The Shaman excels when climbing on overhanging terrain and the aggressive shape of the Shaman feels much more comfortable than its counterpart. At the forefront of its strength is its comfort. Out of the box, the Shaman feels comfortable and that comfort last all the way to that long day out, whether your multi-pitch climbing or just trying to fit a 100..." go to full review