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Shoes for face climbing? (Read 28323 times)

Stu Littlefair

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#50 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 10:49:35 am
One thing I've never understood about scarpas is how so many people can wear them without their achilles tendon dying. I really like the feel of the toe box but can't even try them on in the shop without my achilles aching for several hours afterwards.

ghisino

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#51 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 10:54:46 am
Itīs not you. No one i know ever said that whites fit well. Maybe they are great for edging and stuff but everyone iīve ever talked to says the heel is ass and the fit is awful.

i quite like the white heel.
i agree the fit is quite odd but for some mysterious reason on the average font heelhook it seems to work better than any other shoe i own (including several better-fitting models).

Doylo

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#52 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 11:06:16 am
Itīs not you. No one i know ever said that whites fit well. Maybe they are great for edging and stuff but everyone iīve ever talked to says the heel is ass and the fit is awful.

i quite like the white heel.
i agree the fit is quite odd but for some mysterious reason on the average font heelhook it seems to work better than any other shoe i own (including several better-fitting models).

It's shit loads better than the Dragon/Team heels!

tomtom

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#53 Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 11:25:54 am

One thing I've never understood about scarpas is how so many people can wear them without their achilles tendon dying. I really like the feel of the toe box but can't even try them on in the shop without my achilles aching for several hours afterwards.

Different feet etc.. Fine for me..

Stu Littlefair

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#54 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 12:29:00 pm
True dat, but the wife is the same as me. Jon at Outside reckons about half of their customers reject scarpa shoes out of hand because of this. Seems like crazy boot design.

Nibile

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#55 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 01:34:21 pm
True dat, but the wife is the same as me.
Similis cum similibus.  :hug: :kiss2:

Paul B

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#56 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 01:43:07 pm
True dat, but the wife is the same as me. Jon at Outside reckons about half of their customers reject scarpa shoes out of hand because of this. Seems like crazy boot design.

TomTom is on the money, different feet etc. Plenty of people have real trouble with the blancos and their achilles. Plenty of people rave about the Magos but they won't fit me. Muiras are meant to be amazing but I can't get a good fit etc.

Interestingly Nat had a pair of Vapour V Velcro (Womens) and those nipped her Achilles quite a lot initially. However, there's a little bit of material above the rubber on the heel and she spent a while bending it back and forth, it stretched and the pain was gone. I then never heard the last of how much better they were than her 5.10 shoes and why did I make her buy a pair of whites instead of a second pair of Scarpa shoes.

You also can't argue with build quality. Don't get me wrong, I love my 5.10s but with everything from approach shoes (used for that and aid) to climbing shoes, Nats scarpa or sportiva versions of whatever I had outlasted my 5.10s noticeably, the low point was a pair of guide tennies that started breaking after a mere 6 miles.

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#57 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 02:19:01 pm
I think you just kind of get lucky with build quality on a lot of outdoor brands. I've never had toe rubber peel off a pair of teams but I regularly see people walking around with scarpas, toe rubber flapping in the breeze. I've also had guide tennies, they lasted about 4 years and I've bought a second pair which are going strong. I've never had a pair of blancos start peeling on me but every pair of dragons I've had have eventually split in the heel.

When I used to work as a returns body in an outdoor shop I'd see all manner of stuff coming in from various different brands. People rave about sportiva build quality, but we had loads of solutions come back with the velcro laces snapping. I'm sure a different returns guy from a different shop would tell you a totally different tale.

tomtom

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#58 Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 04:41:54 pm
Solutions and the strap snapping is mega common...

I've not had a pair of any rock shoe 'fail' in several years.. I wore through a bit of the 'leather' on my supermoccs - but the soles were approaching destruction anyway - and it was due to me continually working the footlock (and hence wear on the knuckle) on the Keel.

Last pair that broke were a pair of Boreal velcro things, where the velcro bust on the pulley/ring thing after some excessive toe hooking/footlocking/scrabbling on some scrittle based traverse or other..

I think its important to draw the distinction between failures on shoes (straps failing, rubber flapping) under general use - and those probably linked to excessive use of the particular part that failed (ie rubbing a strap into destruction on a certain problem).

I dunno - maybe I've just been lucky... anyone who's climbed with me will know its not down to angelic footwork!

andy popp

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#59 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 18, 2013, 05:38:26 pm
Everyone can stop panicking now. I've just taken delivery of a pair of Arrowheads. I bought online but having tried on velcros and other 5.10s. The sizing on the arrowheads is definitely more aggressive than the regular velcros isn't it. I presume they're going to give a little?  I was a bit dismayed at first but they felt better at second attempt.

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#60 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
October 21, 2013, 09:31:04 am
Quote
No one i know ever said that whites fit well

Except for Steve McClure, who does 9a without bothering to lace them up.

Read again. i donīt think i know Steve McClure. Does he live somewhere near Vienna? ::)

Paul B

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#61 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 11:50:40 am
I'm currently fondling a pair of the new Pinks. They look really good.

I was cursing my Velcros the other day as they just seem a little too soft now I'm home (for anything other than very smeary stuff) especially in front of the last strap, obviously laces fix this problem.

Wood FT

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#62 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 11:54:37 am
can you compare them in stiffness to any of the other 5.10s on the shelves?

moose

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#63 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 12:06:44 pm
Just back from a trip to Siurana where I wore a new pair of Miura velcros - absolutely brilliant on the tiny polished foot-jibs of the mildly steep and crimpy stuff.

 I hadn't intended to wear them much - I generally find new shoes too clunky feeling - but they were a godsend when my worn-in Anasazi velcros felt disquietingly baggy and imprecise on the small footholds. 

So, very impressed with the Miuras as an all-round precision shoe.  Admittedly, I haven't yet tried them much on off-vertical / slabby stuff - but they were fine on vertical and bulgy terrain (shame they are so expensive and the rubber is already looking a bit battered - so possible doubts re durability).

Johnny Brown

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#64 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 12:25:27 pm
Everyone can stop panicking now. I've just taken delivery of a pair of Arrowheads. I bought online but having tried on velcros and other 5.10s. The sizing on the arrowheads is definitely more aggressive than the regular velcros isn't it. I presume they're going to give a little?  I was a bit dismayed at first but they felt better at second attempt.

Good choice! I'll check mine but I think they are at least half a size bigger than my Velcros, maybe a full size. Should have warned you sorry! They do soften up and stretch quite a bit if you persevere.

Paul B

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#65 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 12:27:31 pm
can you compare them in stiffness to any of the other 5.10s on the shelves?

which in particular? I was going to sneak a climb in them later if I get chance.

Edit:
As you'd expect really. In order of stiffness:

Blancos
Pinks (they feel similar to the VCS)
VCS LV (felt slightly softer)
Verdes

I'm certainly intrigued. I can't see them being as good for Peak-lime as the Blancos but they'll be better for other stuff.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2013, 12:42:45 pm by Paul B »

Wood FT

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#66 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 01:43:48 pm
cheers for testing, i'll continue my blanco hoarding campaign

fried

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#67 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 01:58:01 pm
I'm currently fondling a pair of the new Pinks. They look really good.

Is the fit closer to the verdes/whites or the VCS? If it's the first I might just have my perfect shoe.

SA Chris

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#68 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 02:56:20 pm
your solemate :)

tomtom

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#69 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 04:26:06 pm
your solemate :)

That was on the tip of my tongue...

Paul B

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#70 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 05:44:32 pm
Is the fit closer to the verdes/whites or the VCS? If it's the first I might just have my perfect shoe.

Somewhere between the Verde and the whites I'd say. The toe box looked a little wider to me, the heel also looked less aggressive on the Achilles which can only be a good thing!

They are now gone.

fried

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#71 Re: Shoes for face climbing?
November 14, 2013, 06:15:15 pm
Cheers Paul. Better than the info from those pair of heels.

 

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