Scarpa’s New Instinct S is More Than “Just” a Slipper

The Instinct S nails the sweet spot for slipper fans who thrive on sensitivity and feedback, but who also want a solid dash of edging support for technical face, kneebars, and longer pitches. They are not as stiff and precise as the original (all-orange) Instinct S. But to offset this, the new Instinct S are much better at grabbing, heel-hooking, toe-scumming, and heel-toes: There’s a lot of glommy rubber that deforms into weird crevices and angles—the kind of funky footwork you find in modern bouldering and gyms. The shoes will favor climbers with wide feet, more so than other shoes in the Instinct line; that said, they have stretched very little thanks to the REB tech. For me, the Instinct S has been a big step up from the Instinct SR, and in the balance are nearly as good an all-around performance slipper as the original.