Millet Hybrid

Comfort is king for shoes on alpine rock routes, especially if the climbing involves multiple standing belays, jamming wet cracks, or even some unroped scrambling. The new Hybrid (not to be confused with Millet’s old Hybrid shoe) is designed for comfort without sacrificing performance, with a padded tongue and collar and a cushioned heel that offers extra protection (it looks like the heel of a sneaker from the outside) on gravelly belay ledges or walk-offs in your climbing shoes. These have a stiff sole in the forefoot, generous rubber on the rand, and Velcro straps set high on the foot, which combined to make them stars for jamming in cracks from thin-hands to wide in Indian Creek and Zion, Utah. They also edged well thanks to the rigid rubber from heel to toe. Look elsewhere for high-end performance kicks, though; one tester said they felt too boxy and lacked sensitivity for delicate smearing and small holds.