Scarpa Maestro Women's | Climbing Shoe Review

I first wore these in the beautiful Peak District, where I thought they’d be put through their paces pretty well. I started on a slab, where I made a point of finding tiny, pebbley footholds to test the shoes’ sensitivity and precision. Their gentle downturn enabled me to put a surprising amount of power through my toes, and my feet felt secure even on barely-there holds. They also proved themselves brilliant at smearing – the midsoles are flexible enough to be pushed flat against the rock, and the Vibram rubber is fantastically sticky. On steeper climbs the Maestros’ technical design became evident – the well-moulded heel felt secure during heel hooks, and the rise of the rubber at the front lent precision and a new confidence to my historically tenuous toe hooks.