Climbing

Mad Rock’s women’s-specific shoe is built on a straight last and is unlined for a highly malleable fit. This soft shoe lends itself to high sensitivity, for bouldering and sport climbing. Testers found the Onsight’s fit to be wider in both the heel and toe than most (typically narrower) women’s shoes. The Onsight handled smearing, steep rock, and plastic very well, due to its Fx-5 rubber and soft, flexible feel. Size snugly.go to full review

Designed for women (i.e., narrow, low-volume feet), the Luna is built on a straight, flat last and has special mid-shoe lacing eyelets that really allowed testers to tighten down the arch (nice for narrow feet or high arches). The sole is made of Boreal’s FS-QUATTRO rubber and varies from 4 to 4.6mm, depending on shoe size. As with most all-arounders, the Luna held its own across the board, but didn’t stand out in any one category. The Luna also fared well on cracks, due to its comfort and..." go to full review

We give the Royale a thumbs-up as the review’s most affordable shoe. It’s a sturdy, well-built novice boot, designed with a hefty 5mm TRAX XT-5 sole and double toe rand. For toe-dragging beginners, these features will translate to durability, though more advanced climbers might find the fit a tad clunky. That said, the Royale is very comfortable: it has a leather upper (lined in front, not in back), a 2mm, stiff, full-length midsole, and a flat, symmetric last.go to full review

The Sol is designed as a comfortable women’s (narrow, lowvolume) shoe. It sports a flat, asymmetric last, leather upper, 4 to 4.6mm FS QUATTRO, and stiff midsole. The upper’s PU Air Net lining ventilates ably, and the padded heel is the final brushstroke of comfort. Testers found the Sol best at edging, cracks, and multi-pitch, but one made it her primary bouldering shoe, citing the cushioned heel and easy Velcro (two straps) entry. Rather than super- high performance, you can expect the Sol..." go to full review

The asymmetric, downturned Instinct grabs holds on the steeps better than any shoe in this review. The substantial and semi-stiff midsole also enables precise edging—a quality you don’t normally find in a slipper. Generous rubber atop the toe box provides excellent toe hooking, jamming, and scumming. Fit them tight and you’ll also get superior heel hooking—another quality normally reserved for lace-ups or Velcros. Made with 3mm Vibram XS Grip2 rubber and a Lorica upper, the Instinct is..." go to full review

Red Chili’s new lace-up version of the Matador sports more rubber—on the toebox, the heel, and the rand—than any shoe in the review. They’re asymmetric, heavily downturned, and extremely sensitive, making them an outstanding shoe for jessery on the steeps. The 4mm RX2 Red Chili rubber is too soft for super-tech edging, but no matter—they’ll stick to anything overhung. A trade-off for the rubber-coated toe box is that the laces don’t reach all the way to the toe, but the Matador has a low-..." go to full review

If you value price tag as much as performance, then look no further. The Rock Master is by far the least expensive shoe in the review, and it climbs quite well. A flat, symmetric last, unlined leather uppers, and mid-volume design make this a comfortable kick for all-day use. The laces extend to the toe and effectively tweak the fit to eliminate bagginess and pressure points. The 4.2mm X-Factor rubber feels hard but sticky. The blunt toe and solid edging platform feel clunky on many small..." go to full review

As one tester put it, this shoe “crushes every angle of rock.” The Arrowhead is a moderately downturned version of the best-selling Anasazi VCS—stiff enough for extreme edging, yet sensitive enough to grab holds on steeper rock. The tensioned heel is rubber-coated, and a high rand of Stealth Mystique rubber surrounds the shoe, offering superior hooking and scumming. The arch is higher than in previous Anasazi models, which eliminates bagginess underfoot. Two hook-and-loop closures secure its..." go to full review

Boreal’s latest model in its popular Joker series has a flat, symmetric last designed for all-day wear. The leather upper, synthetic mesh lining, and generous padding throughout make this the most comfortable shoe in the review. It sports the same 4.5mm FS-Quattro rubber that’s on Boreal’s high-performance shoes. One tester called these “unusually sensitive” for an all-day model. The toe is semi-stiff and slightly pointed for accuracy on edges and pockets, yet it’s soft enough to grab on..." go to full review

The symmetric, flat-last of this shoe makes it one of the most comfortable shoes on the market today. Its lined leather uppers, generous padding on the tongue and ankle, and EVA heel wedge provide a cushioned fit unmatched by other rock shoes. It’s not a top performer on any terrain, but it handles edges, slabs, and cracks thanks to a semi-stiff midsole, high rubber rand, and the same FS-QUATTRO rubber that’s on all of Boreal’s rock shoes. Available as a lace-up or Velcro.go to full review