Tenaya Masai

Testers found they excelled on difficult vertical routes, like on seven pitches of miniscule sandstone edges on the dead-vertical Prince of Darkness (5.10c), Red Rock, Nevada. Testers have had them for eight months, and each one has gotten consistent performance on every single pitch, from right out of the box to thousands of vertical feet later. “My favorite aspect of these shoes is their predictability,” said one long-term tester. “I put them on and know exactly what I’m getting every time.” That’s thanks to the super-sticky and durable Vibram XS Grip rubber, as well as the synthetic upper that doesn’t stretch. Plus, the laces let you fine-tune the fit, so you can go tight when you need to crank out some moves, or loose for warming up or cruising moderates.