Outdoor Gear Lab

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

The La Sportiva Boulder X is one of the best go-everywhere and do-everything approach shoe we tested. If you seek an affordable shoe that does everything well, but places more emphasis on hiking comfort and traction rather than top-notch climbing ability and lightweight, look no further.go to full review

If keeping your feet comfortable is your primary concern, the Scarpa Mescalito may be in a league of its own. If your approach is from Buttermilk road to the Grandpa Peabody, then this shoe is overkill. For those humping big loads to far off objectives, or those with a sizable commute to their favorite crag who aren't willing to sacrifice comfort, there are few contenders to this shoe.go to full review

The Scarpa Crux is a great all-rounder. If you want to save space in your crowded closet, they're a great choice, especially if you have a narrower foot. While it doesn't take home any awards, we highly recommend giving these kicks a try.go to full review

With so many quality manufacturers out there, sometimes we find ourselves splitting hairs to choose the best. Not so when it comes to the La Sportiva TX4, which is why we awarded it our Top Pick for Heavy Loads. We feel this shoe easily stands with the best, most versatile approach shoe of the bunch. Friends and acquaintances alike would always comment on their own positive experiences with the La Sportiva Traverse Line.go to full review

In our miles of experience with the La Sportiva TX line, we've concluded that the TX Guide is the most balanced shoe in the bunch. We appreciate the stiffness and durability that harkens back to the Ganda combined with trail running shoe features for an all-around smoother ride. Anecdotally, we can say they are a perfect approach shoe for climbs like the Rainbow Wall or other long multi-pitch routes in Red Rocks. The TX Guides allowed for confident boulder hoping and kept us feeling secure..." go to full review

A good approach shoe can turn a long slog to the cliff into an enjoyable walk in the woods. In the past, our lead tester guided for an entire summer in a blown-out pair of approach shoes, shouldering heavy packs and putting lots of miles over four months, leaving him hobbling for most of the fall. Don't fool around with your feet! Even these lightweight shoes have plenty of support, so even the most weight-conscious climbers have no excuse not to treat their feet nice. Call us short-sighted..." go to full review

This excels at wall routes where there is 90% free climbing with a couple aid pitches. For example, I would take this on the Regular Route on half dome because I want to travel light on the big approach and there are really only a few hundred feet of aid.go to full review

Overall, they are a specialty item only suitable for experienced wall climbers who climb walls fast (and even those climbers may not want them). The main competitors are the Yates Speed Stirrup, which is much heavier but more comfortable, and the Metolius Easy Aider, which is a little heavier and more bulky but also more comfortable and a hair cheaper. Overall, I lean toward the Petzl because the whole point of an aider like this is to be as light and streamlined as possible.go to full review