Climbing

If you love the fit and sensitivity of a snug slipper, but want slightly more support for toeing in on steeps, this is your shoe. Even the narrowest-footed ladies will get excited over the well-designed fit, and the perfect heel is unbeatable.go to full review

Following Tenaya’s motto that high performance doesn’t have to mean low comfort, the Tarifa is a medium-stiff shoe that has top-notch performance on every angle and type of terrain. “It’s stiff and supportive where you need it—heel cup and forefoot, but completely flexible in one key spot—the arch/middle of the foot,” one tester said of this narrow-lasted shoe. “That means I can edge on a razor crimp as well as I can smear on a low-angle section as well as I can dig in deep on tiny nubs on a..." go to full review

“A solid, do-it-all shoe that is comfortable on everything moderate: cracks, in the gym, and on 10-pitch sufferfests.” A leather upper and laces allow you to dial in a full-comfort fit or a tighter one, with unbeatable edging power.go to full review

If you want a high level of performance, enough comfort to wear for a few hours at a time, and an all-around shoe that edges all day, the Dharma will quickly turn into your go-to pair of high-performance but wearable kicks.go to full review

One shoe to conquer them all—the Lyra’s flatter build and supportive midsole make it easy to wear all day outside or for hours in the gym, but certain features (heel cup, precise toe, power platform) give it excellent performance.go to full review

With a comfortable fit and medium-high level of performance, the Hiangle is excellent for climbers looking for their first pair of aggressive shoes or those who want a higher level of performance in the gym.go to full review

Traddies and alpinists who want full support and stability from a sticky-rubber rock shoe will love the Mantra and its old-school style that has added comfort and thoughtful features.go to full review

“These are like a decked-out Formula 1 race car—they just scream performance,” one tester said after using the Booster S on roofs in Wild Iris, Wyoming, and American Fork Canyon, Utah. “The ultra-downturned platform and perfectly chiseled toe combined with ample rubber on the top of the forefoot and a suction-cup heel make this a masterpiece of a rock shoe. It has ruined me for all other shoes.” Testers found the toe to be very sensitive (especially compared to the manufacturer’s other high-..." go to full review

Right out of the box, the Satori impressed testers with well-thought-out details, a near-perfect fit, and an aggressive feel. The forefoot is designed to scrunch your toes for precision and power, but designers lifted the roof of the toe box to give those cramped digits space, instead of smashing them down. Boreal’s proprietary Toe Flexion System also kept the forefoot very flexible. “I could wear these bouldering V6 in the alpine, and then rock them for three-hour sport sessions in the gym..." go to full review

Climbing shoes have a huge turnover rate within the gear market; every year there are at least a dozen new sticky-rubber kicks to choose from. So for a rock shoe to stick around for more than 20 years—with no major updates or changes or dropping out of the line entirely—that’s a strong testament to its tried and true performance. While we don’t have any solid statistics on this, we feel comfortable saying that the majority of climbers we know have owned at least one pair of La Sportiva..." go to full review