Evening Sends
Because the Volta gives such a soft catch, I might recommend it as a good option for lightweight (female) sport climbers who are used to getting harder catches from their heavier belayers. Or, if you prefer a soft/supple handle, this could be a great rope for you. But if you’re a heavier sport climber and like a stiffer rope, look elsewhere for your next 9.2mm redpoint rope.go to full review
The Aquila has adjustable leg loops, which can come in handy on multi-pitch routes and in the mountains. Although I primarily sport climbed in the Aquila, I found the buckles on the leg loops to loosen up on me quite easily, which was annoying. I ended up tying knots in the webbing to keep the leg loops at one length. If you’re just planning on sport climbing or gym climbing, I’d recommend checking out the Hirundos before the Aquila.
But if you’re a mixed medium master looking for one..." go to full review
As climbing shoes creep toward the $200 mark each and every year, the Mad Rock M5 is a refreshingly great do-it-all shoe that won’t break the bank. It has a high arch, medium-wide fit and a low-volume heel that leaves little dead space in the shoe, but remains comfortable throughout the day if sized properly. It’s slightly downturned toe will handle sport climbs, gym routes and boulder problems, but its stiffness lands it as an all-day, all-purpose shoe.go to full review
The Evolv Nexxo is the newest addition to Evolv’s Chris Sharma Signature Series, designed by the maestro himself, is the Nexxo: a semi-stiff downturned slipper for high-end bouldering and sport climbing. It is an easy on, easy off performance slipper with a suction-cup fit and an asymmetrical last. A Velcro strap provides arch support under foot, while a comfortable micro-fiber lining keeps the shoe comfortable during a long pitch. However, the heel was too high-volume for my wide foot.go to full review
The Evolv Addict (MSRP $99) is a soft, flat-lasted slipper that does great for gym climbing, sport climbing and bouldering, but really shines as a crack climbing shoe. Really, you can think about it as Evolv’s answer to the perennial classic Five Ten Moccasym. What I like about the Addict is that it’s easy on, easy off; and it’s suitable to a wide range of climbing applications and climbers.go to full review
The Five Ten Anasazi Guide is a super-stiff, supportive flat-lasted lace-up for all-day moderate routes, particularly trad climbing in the mountains. This is a great all-day edging boot for chugging tons of moderate terrain. It performs well on hand and fist cracks, but struggles on finger cracks. And while it is comfortable for medium-width feet, it could be improved by better arch support. Size big (street shoe or larger).go to full review
This is the softest, lightest shoe I’ve ever worn, and when I picked it up and could crunch the whole shoe up into my hand, I was skeptical that I’d ever be able to climb in it. But the Team VXi not only surpassed my performance expectations, it’s also changed the way I climb and made me rethink just how much support you really need in a performance climbing shoe. Aside from a couple of quibbles in terms of fit, blown out pull-tabs, and an uncomfortable spot on the inner arch, this is my..." go to full review
The Scarpa Mago is one of the best shoes I’ve ever worn for sport climbing, and after years of using them to make brilliant ascents of the Rifle warm-ups, I cannot say that this opinion has changed. The Mago, designed by genius cobbler Heinz Mariacher, manages to perform well in every type of face-climbing situation—granite slabs, limestone drips and tufas and anything that requires advanced edging and heel or toe hooking.go to full review
The Scarpa Techno X is a flat-lasted and comfortable edging shoe that packs in a lot of performance features for all-day high-end routes. Sporting a medium- if low-volume fit, this shoe will be a great option for 5.9 to 5.11 climbers looking for all-day comfort on tons of edging or crack climbing. However, it’s too stiff to really work well on smeary slabs. I’d recommend it for crack climbing in both the desert and Yosemite.go to full review
The Booster S is best for really steep climbs. As the angle gets less steep on walls with lots of edging, the hyper sensitivity of the Booster S becomes more of a negative. In those situations, my feet would get really tired, nearly to the point of cramping, by the time I was done with a pitch. If you climb at areas with lots of edging, you might want to stick with the Boostic, or even consider something more robust like the Instinct lace up.
In terms of fit, I found the Booster S to..." go to full review