Evening Sends

If the sight of a down-turned shoe intimidates you and instills you with visions of soaking painful bunions after a day of cragging, you may want to give the Evolv Shaman a try. The shape and design of this shoe provide a lot of performance features for a climbing shoe that is wickedly comfortable. The Shaman is not only a great way to break into the category of down-turned, asymmetrical, high-performance climbing shoes, but it will also work on the hardest climbs in the world, as evinced by..." go to full review

The La Sportiva Pythons are indoor bouldering and route-climbing slippers that also have a place outdoors on steep pockets and edging climbs. They are one of the better slippers on the market—a new take on a classic design. The Python features some modern upgrades such as rubber on top of the toe for toe hooks, and a little out-of-the way Velcro strap to help keep the slipper on the foot. While it performs well on edges, smears, heel hooks and toe hooks, the Python is a bit baggy in the..." go to full review

The Five Ten Pink Anasazi Lace-up (MSRP $150) is a comfortable, flat-lasted shoe for all types of face climbing. The original classic pink Anasazi from the 1990s returns better than ever with a lower-volume heel and C4 rubber. A synthetic-lined, lace-up shoe built for standing on the tiniest dime edges.go to full review

The La Sportiva Jeckyl VS (MSRP $120) is comfortable, high-quality Velcro slipper that excels at crack climbing. What I love about this shoe is that it’s a fantastic crack climbing slipper, especially for desert routes. It’s a great value. And it has a suction cup fit with no dead space, and thanks to the Velcro, it’s easy on, easy off at hanging belays.go to full review

The Feroce just isn’t designed for high-end crack climbing. That said, it’s mid-stiff last, and ability to flex for smears make it a surprisingly great crack-climbing shoe on granite. Velcro straps deteriorate in the desert, however, so it’s not suited for Indian Creek crack-climbing.

The break-in period is relatively quick. If you have a medium to wide foot, and want performance without pain, this shoe might definitely exceed your expectations for comfort. It certainly did for me...." go to full review

The Five Ten Rogue VCS (MSRP $99) is a budget-priced super-soft Velcro slipper for all-around comfort. What I like about this slipper is that it’s extremely comfortable, fits well and the Velcro does a good job of cinching the shoe around my foot. However, its split-grain leather upper is not durable, and the shoe’s tongue slides around and bunches up.go to full review

The La Sportiva TC Pro is an incredible edging shoe, even by high-end sport climbing standards. But it also performs well as a crack-climbing shoe, which makes it unique in this category. This lace-up boot is an absolute go-to shoe for Yosemite, Squamish and any type of varied trad-climbing destination such as Eldo or City of Rocks. For areas with straight-in jamming, such as Indian Creek, the TC Pro comes up short on all cracks under 1 inch (i.e., green Camalots and smaller).go to full review

The Scarpa Boostic is a serious contender for my most favorite rock-climbing shoe. Comfortable yet high-performing, the Boostic is an edging titan on everything from low-angle rock to extreme overhangs. After more than a year’s worth of constant climbing in the Scarpa Boostics, during which I happily went through two pairs and climbed routes up to 5.14a, it’s hard not to gush over this shoe, the latest creation from climbing’s best-known cobbler, Heinz Mariacher. Based on my own impressions..." go to full review

Overall, the Spirit Express has become my favorite quickdraw for both sport and trad climbing. If I had to make a recommendation in terms of choosing sizes, I’d opt for a 50/50 split between 12cm and 17cm lengths.

While you can order individual 12cm slings for $4.95, it would also be great for Petzl to offer Spirit Express in a 21cm or even 30cm size for steep or traversing sport climbs when you need extended slings.go to full review

I’d highly recommend the Finesse to anyone who is looking for a durable, high-performance sport climbing rope in a thin, lightweight package. I’d especially recommend the rope if you’re a larger fellow looking for a thin rope. And, finally, if you also do a lot of top-roping. All in all, it’s a great all-around rope. Well priced. Durable. And most important, it’s pretty.go to full review