Outdoor Gear Lab
The Force X is a solid climbing shoe that won't disappoint if you don't expect too much from it. Its limitations become apparent when the climbing starts to get steep and techie, keep yourself happy with them by sticking to more moderate terrain with it. The Force X is durable and would be a great beginner shoe or a relatively inexpensive addition to a quiver of shoes...." go to full review
The Team thrives on granite (plentiful in Five Ten's home state of California), and steep to overhanging bouldering and climbing where the super sticky rubber will enable spidermanesque smearing. Though Five Ten is headed in the right direction with the concept, they haven't developed the rubber to match it yet. With the introduction of technology such as La Sportiva's P3-Permanent Power Platform, which enables the shoes to hold their down turned shape, Five Ten will be ready..." go to full review
The Five Ten Moccasym is one of the most comfortable and convenient shoes we tested. Chris Mac has probably logged 600+ days of climbing in about six different pairs. They are just so comfortable and easy to get on and off.
These soft and sticky shoes fit well in cracks of all sizes and are the go-to shoe for many Indian Creek climbers. They feel fairly precise when new, but soften over time and work best for people with strong feet. When new, they also tend to leach dye onto your..." go to full review
The bottom line is that the highly innovative folks at Mad Rock have come up with a solid shoe that doesn't require multiple trips to the blood bank to afford. They are a great shoe for cruising through the lower grades in comfort, putting in an all-day effort at the gym, or pulling on some moderate boulder problems. The price point and comfort level also makes them a great option for beginners who are not wanting to invest a ton of money in a hobby that they are unsure they will really..." go to full review
For your average mid-high level climber/boulderer, a slight amount of added weight is not a big deal and can be totally worth it for the ease of use of the Velcro closure systems. For the elite, highest level athlete having the lightest possible shoe could make a difference. In addition to being lighter weight, the Dragon outperforms the Shaman, Team and Solution at all-around technical footwork. It performs better and better the steeper the rock gets.go to full review
The Mythos are one of the oldest climbing shoes out there and still one of the best selling. They stand out for just how soft and comfortable they are. The soft unlined leather is cozy the first day you put it on and stretches as the temps increase and your feet swell. The unique lacing system helps keep this snug but overall this is not to be confused with a high performance edging shoe like the La Sportiva Miura or Five Ten Anasazi VCS. It is much better as an all day cragging shoe or just..." go to full review
The Shaman has won the heart of many climbers, and a fair few awards along the way. However, when comparing these shoes to the Scarpa Instinct or Butora Acro, we couldn't get past the softness of the rubber as a key factor in assessment. It lacks the edging ability of the La Sportiva shoes, and with a lot of rubber underfoot it doesn't compensate for that by being more sensitive. The toe also feels blunt when compared to the Tenaya Tarifa, so it's harder to fit into small spaces or to place..." go to full review
Though the Miura VS is a great shoe, we'd look at the Solution, Futura or Shaman for performance and comfort if we were going to buy a shoe specifically for hard sport or bouldering. Like all things climbing, and in particular things that go on your feet, it has to work for you. In the pursuit for the perfect-for-you-fit, this pair is worthy of consideration...." go to full review
The Evolv Pontas 2 is a revised version of the first Pontas designed by Chris Sharma. The main additions are a third Velcro strap and a thicker rand in the toe. The sole is the same 4.2mm Trax rubber with a pointy toe tip similar to the popular Five Ten Anasazi VCS and Mad Rock Flash 2.0. This new version also has a slightly improved fit in the heel for better heel hooking. All in all, the Pontas 2 is a comfortable and versatile shoe in the middle price range that offers above average..." go to full review
This is one of the most expensive climbing shoes you can buy. It is worth it if it fits you well and you want to boulder at your absolute limit. While it performs great in the gym, we wouldn't use such an expensive shoe indoors. Instead we would go with the Mad Rock Flash which is half the cost. Also check out the first shoe to flash 5.15 the Tenaya Oasi that are very similar in both price and function...." go to full review