The Crux Air from Scarpa had a unique idea when they aimed to make a breathable, lightweight approach shoe. This shoe is definitely those two things, but it does other things well, too. It's great on technical terrain and has solid hiking comfort, making for a high scoring product across the board. While we did have concerns about the durability in rough alpine terrain, this shoe will likely meet all the requirements of most climbers, making it one of our favorite shoes of the year.go to full review

The TX4 is an incredibly well-rounded shoe that excelled in terms of comfort and support. Our main hang-ups with this model were due to its heavier weight and less-than-stellar climbing ability. That said, for long missions in the mountains, these burly, comfortable shoes are a great choice.go to full review

The TX Guide is La Sportiva's latest addition to the TX series and makes for an impressive addition to the fleet. These shoes are made for scrambling and traveling over mountainous terrain. They are burly enough to handle the wear and tear of big wall climbing and moving through talus fields. Their solid construction, breathable yet durable upper, and super stiff midsole make these our go-to for big missions—whether that be long alpine scrambles or big walls in Yosemite Valley. The stiffness..." go to full review

It didn't take long for our testers to recognize the awesomeness of the La Sportiva TX2, and as the weeks of testing went on, we only found more things to love. It climbs excellently, is astonishingly lightweight yet comfortable and supportive, and is suited just as well to the crag as it is to the alpine.go to full review

The Evolv Rebel is our favorite hiking approach shoe from Evolv to date. They trade the lightweight and packability found in their Cruzer line for improved hiking comfort and some urban styling. They don't climb quite as well as the Cruzers and aren't going to be your footwear of choice for running up Royal Arches, but for approaches longer than a mile, easy alpine romps, and everyday use around town, a pair of Rebels will do the trick nicely. They are not our recommendation for..." go to full review

The Scarpa Gecko is a good, versatile approach shoe. If your foot is on the narrow side, it hikes and climbs well. The Gecko has a medium-stiff sole and a great speed lacing system that lets you easily cinch everything down all the way to the toe when the terrain gets technical. Got a heavy pack? Not a problem thanks to the Gecko's supportive dual-density EVA midsole. For the narrow footed scrambler, the Gecko is a good choice for hiking all your rope, rack, shoes, harness, water, and food (..." go to full review

Our like the Evolv Cruzer Psyche for its improved durability and support from the Ultralight original Cruzer Classic and are psyched (pun intended) to wear them out to the boulder crag, or riding around town. We universally agreed that they are the most stylish shoes in the line-up.go to full review

The Five Ten Guide Tennie is the best approach shoe for climbing and scrambling that we tested. Small improvements over many generations have left us with a shoe that hikes well and is more durable than past versions. We're glad the shoe that started the approach shoe category is still going strong and a great option for wall climbers, alpine scramblers, and valley rats alike.go to full review

While the Black Diamond Mission LT doesn't snag any of our top accolades, they also don't cost as much as most of our award winners. They are still a very capable approach shoe that inhabits a versatile sweet spot between technical climbers and high mileage sloggers. If this somewhat wide-fitting shoe fits your foot, don't hesitate to take a pair of these home.go to full review

Despite the Black Diamond Technician Approach being the most climbing-specific approach shoe on the market, it still wasn't the top performer in our testing. Ultimately, the climbing performance will come down to the fit for each individual, and for some folks a wide forefoot, this shoe will be a trade-off between hiking comfort and climbing performance.go to full review