Splitter Choss

The Addict is Evolv’s offering to the desert aficionados out there, and the blingy yellow offers a stylish alternative to the trusty Mocs. It fits more snug in the heel, which means more toe curl than the Mocs. Unlike most Evolv shoes, the all leather construction means it will break in and conform to the shape of your foot. The low profile of the toe allows you to get as much purchase as possible in thin cracks, though as with most Evolv shoes, the rubber just doesn’t do it for me.go to full review

Overall, however, I loved using the Astromans for multi-pitch routes and I will be grabbing them for again for an upcoming trip to climb some desert towers. If you are looking for a high end trad shoe at a reasonable price, these are certainly worth checking out.go to full review

I’d give these shoes three out of five stars. I like them for warming up and climbing on stuff that’s not very steep with smaller footholds. Generally I want something softer and more aggressive when the going gets intense. That being said, for its stated purpose of helping people transition from more supportive shoes into a downturned slipper for steeper climbing, I think it delivers.go to full review

The only drawback I’ve found with these shoes is that they don’t edge particularly well once the holds get small. The shoe is soft enough that it tends to roll off of edges, meaning you have to “smedge” more than edge, which I typically find to feel less secure than a shoe that has more of a bite.

Regardless, this is a great shoe that excels at a wide variety of climbing. If you are primarily climbing steep edges you might want to check out the Masai instead, but for everything else,..." go to full review

I would recommend these shoes without reservation, and have jokingly told friends they would climb a few letter grades harder with these shoes. And while that might be a stretch, for me, the Boostics have become my go-to shoe for hard redpoints, and are now my favorite shoe in my sport climbing quiver.go to full review

I have to admit, I have never really been a fan of Scarpa shoes. I’d had a chance to try a few when I was working at Climbing Magazine for their shoe reviews, and they always seemed a little clunky to me. I mean, why would I wear those when I had my trusty Sportiva’s instead? After test driving the Scarpa Instincts, however, I have to say they have made some serious progress, and now offer shoes that can compete with the best of them.go to full review

The latest shoe from mastermind Heinz Mariacher, the Scarpa Booster S is a steep climbing weapon. My initial impression when putting them on was that I got them too big. Even though it took a little effort to squeeze my foot in, they weren’t uncomfortable at all, and the longer my foot was in them, the more they seemed to stretch and conform. Many shoes don’t feel great at first, especially when you are sizing for performance, but this was different. I actually hesitated climbing in them for..." go to full review

So far, I’ve been really pleased with this shoe. It does sort of feel like I’m in a relationship, though, having to really put my time in to get something out of it. They retail for $170, a hefty price no doubt, but I would say up to this point they are the best dedicated trad shoe I’ve ever used. We’ll see how they hold up over the coming months.go to full review

I think Sportiva has hit a home run with these shoes, as they offer the perfect blend of comfort and performance. They have become my favorite shoes for warming up, as well as climbing on any terrain that isn’t steep. It’s also worth noting that while I have no experience with the Katana Velcro, the word on the street is that the two shoes have very little (if anything) in common.go to full review

I have a new secret weapon in the fight against gravity: a pair of orange La Sportiva slippers called the Pythons. A year and a half ago, I had an epiphany that I had no idea how to use my feet. Sure, I stood on foot holds, but I became acutely aware of the fact that my upper body was mostly trying to drag my lower along. I immediately set to work on changing this, though it’s no short task to correct more than a decade worth of bad technique. Still, with perseverance, I’ve now gotten to the..." go to full review