[Andy F]

Is it just me or is Scarpa's legendary build quality on the wain? The last two pair of them I've had have shown signs of a decrease in the usually very solid build quality.
VSR's - the toe patches are pealing despite very little toe hooking
Boosters - both heels have split and a toe strap has almost completely come apart after less than 10 pitches outside.
First world problems I know, but has anyone else noticed a drop in quality?

[Steve Crowe]

I find the Scarpa Instincts fit my feet perfectly and I own multiple pairs of slipper, both velcro and the lace up That's not been my experience with any Scarpa Instincts Andy. Yes the soft rubber can wear quickly but I haven't had a problem with delimitation. Since they are made to be resole friendly, I tried getting them resoled and I have now used Llanberis Resoles many times with excellent results. Some are onto their third resole. While I don't need to break in new Scapa Instincts, the resoles just feel so familiar as soon as I slip them on. If you have been unlucky perhaps you should contact them directly and let them seen the problem.

[abarro81]

I bust an eyelet on a pair of Chimeras but not had issues otherwise, but I don't use either of the models you mentioned and am largely working through stock of things they don't make/import anymore because they stopped making/importing the ones I like to use for most things (old Instinct Lace and Booster S)

[tomtom]

No probs for me (I’ve got 3-4 pairs in the bag at the moment) VS, VSR, Slipper and new Boosters.

I’ve had the toe patch get a wee bit flappy round the edges before but that’s it. And I tend to make a small hole in the leather where one of my toe knuckles protrude - but that’s prob because of my feet and wearing tiny sizes = stretching/strain etc...

[yetix]

Snapped the strap on one of my Furia airs recently, I've done similar on 2 pairs of Dragos in the past. So always assumed it was down to my very narrow feet and putting shoes on overly tight.

[Andy F]

By the sounds of it maybe I've just been unlucky with the Boosters. I've arranged for them to be returned to the shop I bought them from (Epic TV) and we'll have to see how the next pair hold up.

[tomtom]

By the sounds of it maybe I've just been unlucky with the Boosters. I've arranged for them to be returned to the shop I bought them from (Epic TV) and we'll have to see how the next pair hold up.

Rubber demanating was it Andy? I’ll keep an eye on mine. Though they’ve not been used for 3 months (they’re reserved for special projects!)

[J pratt]

I use the vsr's and I think they're great, but the last 3 pairs have all had the toe rubber peel away significantly within 10 or so uses (left and right).
 I've always just fixed them myself as the chaps at highball said they would have to be sent back to Italy (?) assessed, blah blah no shoes for 4 weeks and then I assumed after another 10 wears they'd peel away again anyway.

 I do a little casual setting there and get them for trade price, if I paid full i'd have moved to another shoe long ago.
I've spoken to several people at the wall who had the same issue. Some did send them back and got them replaced but it did take weeks.
I heard the glue got changed to be vegan friendly, don't know if that's true or not or if that would be the reason.
I did also hear something about there being an ideal weight range for those shoes so I thought maybe I'm too heavy, 12.5 stone and have shit footwork😂

[Andy F]

By the sounds of it maybe I've just been unlucky with the Boosters. I've arranged for them to be returned to the shop I bought them from (Epic TV) and we'll have to see how the next pair hold up.

Rubber demanating was it Andy? I’ll keep an eye on mine. Though they’ve not been used for 3 months (they’re reserved for special projects!)

The rubber is fine, but the stitching on the uppers split at both heels between the pull on tabs and one of the velcro closure tabs has almost come off despite never been pulled tight as the shoe is a very tight fit anyway.

[Anti]

I use the vsr's and I think they're great, but the last 3 pairs have all had the toe rubber peel away significantly within 10 or so uses (left and right).
 I've always just fixed them myself as the chaps at highball said they would have to be sent back to Italy (?) assessed, blah blah no shoes for 4 weeks and then I assumed after another 10 wears they'd peel away again anyway.

 I do a little casual setting there and get them for trade price, if I paid full i'd have moved to another shoe long ago.
I've spoken to several people at the wall who had the same issue. Some did send them back and got them replaced but it did take weeks.
I heard the glue got changed to be vegan friendly, don't know if that's true or not or if that would be the reason.
I did also hear something about there being an ideal weight range for those shoes so I thought maybe I'm too heavy, 12.5 stone and have shit footwork😂

Vegan friendly glue to go with the leather? :-s

Mine have been okay, the same toe hook patch did start to come away but was from a move that I was repeating constantly, quite often over-egged where my toes needed to be cause it was polished. I've got the Women's VSR now and they seem solid so far.

[sdm]

The rubber on top of the toe has always been the first sign of ageing on every pair of VS I've ever had. I think I'm on my fourth pair.

I use an excessive number of toe hooks and have only ever found one (the toe scum on Entity/Serenity at Impossible Roof) where the peeling affected my ability to do a move.

The first place it usually peels for me it's on the top behind the base of the big toe. There second place is on the outside, above the fourth toe.

[J pratt]

To be more precise I'm talking about the actual toe rubber coming away from the rand, not the toe hook patch. So I've been left with loose edges of rubber right at the point you would stand on a foothold