[Willriseley]

My talons are nearly dead and Im looking to replace them with something a little softer.

I had instinct slips before and they were good but lasted 3 months so do I go for them, Speedsters or futuras? the sportivas dont have much rubber but may last longer than scarpa?

[Drew]

Bloody hell! Both my pairs of Instinct slippers lasted about a year. Improve footwork?

[Muenchener]

Speedsters & Futuras have a very distinctive fit. I found the wrap around sole over the big toe weird & painful and bought Pythons instead. Try before you buy.

[r-man]

Bloody hell! Both my pairs of Instinct slippers lasted about a year. Improve footwork?

Or use feet less...

[tomtom]

I love my Supemocc2's.. But they're hard to find nowadays..

[Gritlad]

I love my Supemocc2's.. But they're hard to find nowadays..

Second that, great shoes.

[andymarshll]

I usually climb in teams and dragons, just got a pair of Sportiva pythons to try out, flippin mint.

Though I have very narrow feet...

[Wipey Why]

My talons are nearly dead and Im looking to replace them with something a little softer.

Which Talons? The ones with the green sole or original ones?

...just got a pair of Sportiva pythons to try out, flippin mint.

Though I have very narrow feet...

I really like the pythons. Will be getting another pair when the existing ones wear out.

As always though try them on. Fit is a very personal thing

[Muenchener]

...just got a pair of Sportiva pythons to try out, flippin mint.

Though I have very narrow feet...

I really like the pythons. Will be getting another pair when the existing ones wear out.

I see no reason to buy anything for the foreseeable future either.

[Willriseley]

The talons I have are G2's which I think are the newer typer with the green trax midsole. Have tried the python but found them to narrow although solutions used to be comfy for me.

[cha1n]

Sounds like we have similar shaped feet, I also have Talons, don't get on with the Pythons and Solutions fit me OK.

The XSgrip2 rubber that the Instinct S/Python uses is going to wear down faster than the Evolv stuff, it's just a trade off you often have to make when selecting a softer shoe (yes I know much of the stiffness comes from the midsole, but still...).

I've searched high and low for a decent slipper to fit my foot shape and the only shoe I found was the 5.10 Jet 7 but they don't make them any more. The 5.10 Moc would likely fit your foot width but it's quite stiff (out of the box at least) and the heel is pretty basic. Others might be able to let you know if they soften up a bit with use.

http://www.bananafingers.co.uk/five-ten-moccasym-p-1404.html

Also, have you tried the 5.10 Team? I ditched mine because of the poor heel but they weren't too bad width wise (quite tight though) but they are quite soft, perhaps softer than you'll want.

Might be worth looking at a Velcro shoe if you don't find anything? There's not really much difference between them and a slipper, especially as many of the slippers have Velcro straps nowadays!

[tomtom]

My supermocc2 is super flexible once worn for a couple of sessions.. Nearest thing to a Ninja I've found..

[Willriseley]

Sounds like we have similar shaped feet, I also have Talons, don't get on with the Pythons and Solutions fit me OK.

The XSgrip2 rubber that the Instinct S/Python uses is going to wear down faster than the Evolv stuff, it's just a trade off you often have to make when selecting a softer shoe (yes I know much of the stiffness comes from the midsole, but still...).

I've searched high and low for a decent slipper to fit my foot shape and the only shoe I found was the 5.10 Jet 7 but they don't make them any more. The 5.10 Moc would likely fit your foot width but it's quite stiff (out of the box at least) and the heel is pretty basic. Others might be able to let you know if they soften up a bit with use.

http://www.bananafingers.co.uk/five-ten-moccasym-p-1404.html

Also, have you tried the 5.10 Team? I ditched mine because of the poor heel but they weren't too bad width wise (quite tight though) but they are quite soft, perhaps softer than you'll want.

Might be worth looking at a Velcro shoe if you don't find anything? There's not really much difference between them and a slipper, especially as many of the slippers have Velcro straps nowadays!

I found the pythons super narrom in the toe but the instincts fitted well, I guess scrapa have a wider fit? I see they do a vapour slipper which may be another possibility although they dont have a lot of top rubber.

Tried teams but couldnt get on with putting them on being so tight, the blacks have a better entry apparently? What else is a good soft shoe for smearing (font and southern sandstone) thats also got good top rubber for 45 stuff

[Willriseley]

WHat do the speedsters and futuras smear like? from previous sportiva (miura vs/katana and solutions) those havent smeared well or broken in that flexible

[cha1n]

I tried on the Futuras and I'd imagine that they would smear very well. They fit similarly to the solutions but I had to go down a full size from solutions and I found the heel a bit wide (whereas the solution heel fits me well). I think they would perform well smearing/steep stuff and when I was in Font last around 50% of the locals were wearing speedsters so I don't think you'll have a problem with them in Font, I'm just not sold on their edging capability, reckon they'll be pants for that. I'd give them a whirl if it wasn't for the money.

New teams are meant to have easier entry but I didn't notice much different from the blue ones. I just put them on with the shoe rotated 90 degrees, then spin them back when the forefoot's in and the heel slipped on easily for me. Like I say, there's not many options, especially if you want toe rubber. The Vapor S didn't suit my foot, the Instinct S is far better apart from the crap heel. Actually, I quite liked the Vapor S but it wasn't really a soft slipper, had quite a lot of support and the heel was better than the instinct, I just didn't get on with the fit in the toebox but I know people with wide feet that do get on with them.

Good luck with the search.

[slackline]

WHat do the speedsters and futuras smear like?

See James Pearsons blog for some thoughts on the Futuras and the whole thought/design behind them (I've linked to it elsewhere in these forums too lazy to do it again I'm afraid).

[Wipey Why]

Sounds like we have similar shaped feet, I also have Talons, don't get on with the Pythons and Solutions fit me OK.

I couldn't get on with the newer talons, but as always with shoes fit is key.

[standard]

WHat do the speedsters and futuras smear like?

See James Pearsons blog for some thoughts on the Futuras and the whole thought/design behind them (I've linked to it elsewhere in these forums too lazy to do it again I'm afraid).

It reads half like a press release and half like he was told to write something good about his new free shoes.
Pinch of salt, I think.

Ok, back in the room.

I also have a pair of Pythons. I think they're well good.

[thrashhard]

Bloody hell! Both my pairs of Instinct slippers lasted about a year. Improve footwork?

Maybe you should go climbing more often?
Hard to imagine a shoe with only 3mm instead of 4 mm Rubber would last longer than 3 weeks.
Since all the manufacturers started usinge those crappy edge and xs grip2 rubber i never had any pair of sportivas or scarpas where the original sole lasted more than 1 1/2 month and i´m not a foot scratcher. the rubber is crap that´s it.
for example stealth soles always last about 6 months.

WHat do the speedsters and futuras smear like? from previous sportiva (miura vs/katana and solutions) those havent smeared well or broken in that flexible

i get it that miuras and solution are crap for smearing but katanas?
straight, soft shoe. built for smearing.
never heard anyone complaining about katanas to suck at smearing.
At everthing else they are not the best like small footholds etc. but smearing is what they are made for.

[cha1n]

The Instinct VS has landed; http://www.climbnewcastle.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=32_34&products_id=562

Only climb newcastle seem to have stock atm but have word that BananaFingers are getting them in next week. They're using the stiffer and more durable XS edge rubber. I don't love that rubber tbh but I'll probably be giving these slippers a whirl anyway. Something else to consider.

[Gritlad]

V12 outdoor have them in and the climbing works do too.
Look good!

[galpinos]

V12 at Awesome Stockport has had these in for a week or two if you want to try some on

[erm, sam]

My god! Scarpa seem to have hired who ever designs the fucking ugly Boreal boots to do that new Instinct Slipper. Minging.

[thrashhard]

My god! Scarpa seem to have hired who ever designs the fucking ugly Boreal boots to do that new Instinct Slipper. Minging.

 

Yeah also the Boostic looks like some authistic kid sorted some "matching colors" together

[Willriseley]

the vs look indeed 'special' and the boostics dont look much better but were not all about aesthetics are we!

[thrashhard]

if i´m going to pay € 135 for a pair of shoes which is the price of the boostic (and nearly every other shoe nowadays)
i wouldn´t buy something that ugly.
i mean a spider web?
i´m not a 7 year old that i wan´t a spider web on the velcro of my shoe.
i know it´s not really important but i wonder who has such "special" ideas.

[ghisino]

I tried on the Futuras and I'd imagine that they would smear very well.

I'm just not sold on their edging capability, reckon they'll be pants for that. I'd give them a whirl if it wasn't for the money.

i have the futuras. have had the speedsters.
the futura is narrower, more supportive and a much better allrounder, but they do have a similar character.

the best word for the edging capabilities of both shoes is "weird".

first of all whenever i want to "edge" anything small in futuras, i'll frontpoint it. The sides of the shoe are for "smedging" only.

second, it really has an odd feeling... as if you were smearing the foothold with that tiny part of the sole that wraps around the toe

third, despite feeling a lot less powerful than a real edging shoe like, say, a blanco, it feels more tolerant. you can be a bit less precise or move your heel around a bit more than usual. In this regards lasportiva's advertising on the "noedge" concept has an element of truth...
...good shoes for sloppy footwork


where does this all work well, edgingwise?
On slabby to slightly overhanging angles, with a strong foot inside it.

were does it fail?
on steeper ground when you want to toe-in a small incut feature. The round profile of the sole makes it hard to "bite" into the foothold, any traditional edged downturned shoe (ie solution) will do a lot better.
In this compartment the futura is less crap than the speedster, but still quite crap.


overall:
good shoes for font, tufa limestone, delicate slabs, roof weirdness, onsights and flashes.
not good for anything that is steep and crimpy at the same time, small pockets, redpoints that benefit from a supportive/powerful shoe.