Known for its sleek looks and premium performance, the La Sportiva Testarossa is essentially the Maserati of climbing kicks. Don’t be fooled by the laces: this is a wildly aggressive sport climbing shoe, designed for precision edging on vertical to overhanging terrain. It wraps wide and narrow feet alike in a very snug fit, and the leather and synthetic upper quickly molds to your foot without stretching out prematurely. Tack on a supple build, soft Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber that bites into..." go to full review

The Scarpa Vapor V is a textbook all-rounder, designed to balance both comfort and performance on a variety of terrain. Whether you’re looking for a step up from your beginner shoes or are on the hunt for a versatile design that can handle the variability of multi-pitch climbing, the Vapor V could be your answer. Similar to the La Sportiva Katana Lace above, the Scarpa features a moderately downturned last, soft suede upper and mesh-gusseted tongue, and edging platform that excels on techy,..." go to full review

The Otaki is a relatively recent innovation from La Sportiva, combining an approachable fit with a high level of performance for both sport and trad climbing. We’ve worn this shoe on everything from vertical dime edges and steep pocketed limestone to hard finger cracks (it was our shoe of choice for free climbing Moonlight Buttress) and have been super impressed with its performance. In many ways, it’s a velcro alternative to the Katana Lace above, but with a more aggressive downturn (a PD..." go to full review

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you know who Tommy Caldwell is. He climbed this little thing called the Dawn Wall in Yosemite in 2015, and this is the shoe that TC designed for the job. As a result, the TC Pro is an absolute climbing machine for vertical to less-than-vertical terrain, and specifically granite. While we often correlate a flat shoe with a beginner shoe, this is a notable exception: The stiff makeup and sticky XS Edge rubber make it an ultra-high-performance edger..." go to full review

The Instinct VS is a relatively new shoe from Scarpa that quickly has grown in popularity. It established itself as a versatile choice for sport climbing and bouldering, but it’s also a common pick for indoor and competition climbing (most notably, 11-time American Bouldering Series champion Alex Puccio cites the Instinct VS as her favorite shoe). The rubber-shrouded toe and heel are excellent on steep rock, and the medium-stiff rand offers more edging power than we’re used to seeing in a..." go to full review

Whether you’re a new climber or looking for an inexpensive shoe to thrash in the gym, it doesn’t get any better than the La Sportiva Tarantulace. We won’t beat around the bush—our favorite thing about this shoe is price: In an era when climbing shoes have risen to over $200 a pop, the Tarantulace has kept costs low with its $89 MSRP. But it still checks all the boxes for most casual climbers, with an unlined leather upper that will conform to your feet over time, a flat last and roomy toe..." go to full review

Of all the shoes in our quiver, the Katana Lace is the one we reach for most, whether we’re sport climbing at Smith Rock, multi-pitch climbing in Red Rock’s canyons, or ascending finger cracks at the Creek. What stands out most about the Katana is its ability to do almost everything well—crack climbing, smearing, technical face, slab, pockets, you name it. Sized up and worn in, you get a comfortable all-day shoe with much more precision than a flat design like the TC Pro (a liner at both the..." go to full review

I’m very happy with the Alpinist Techs. They’re lighter than my Blade Runners. They climb very well on steep (and not so steep!) ice. I can easily and securely adjust them to fit multiple boots depending on what I’m wearing and who I’m climbing with. At the tail end of a disappointing ice season, I’m already looking forward towards taking them out on next year’s waterfalls!go to full review

I. Love. This. Rope. The high-vis color and bi-pattern is incredibly helpful for climbing and rappelling. The weight is perfect for sending your hard projects and longer approaches. The UIAA triple rating allows it to be extremely versatile as a single, half, or twin rope. Finally, the Xeros dry treatment will hopefully allow me to enjoy this rope for many more climbing days in all conditions.go to full review

Perhaps the most versatile shoe in the Scarpa range, the Vapour S is the first climbing shoe I've ever worn that can truly transform. Like Bumblebee, the Transformers character with whom the Vapour shares a very similar colourway, the Vapour S has the underpinnings of a Chevy Camaro-style performance weapon with that unique, Autobot ability to metamorphose to any climbing scenario, terrain or discipline at the tightening of a strap.go to full review