[Bradders]

Is it a good tactic though? Surely scarpa would make more money if they produced eg 2000 pairs? Do they think they wouldn't be able to sell them all at that price?

It is a bit odd, as why would they not be able to sell them given they're the same price as the standard Instinct slipper?

When I saw them advertised I figured they'd be on some sort of silly mark up, and was therefore amazed to find that they weren't.

[edshakey]

Right?? If it proves to be a good shoe, they could sell loads - after all, isn't that a pretty solid way to make money, by making a shoe that people like, and therefore want to buy?

Kinda odd to bother making an improved shoe and not capitalise on it with increase markup, and limit themselves to only selling a small number.

Only thing I can think is that maybe Bananafingers/Epictv have paid scarpa and scarpa just don't care, but that doesn't make loads of sense either tbh.

[remus]

Right?? If it proves to be a good shoe, they could sell loads - after all, isn't that a pretty solid way to make money, by making a shoe that people like, and therefore want to buy?

Kinda odd to bother making an improved shoe and not capitalise on it with increase markup, and limit themselves to only selling a small number.

Only thing I can think is that maybe Bananafingers/Epictv have paid scarpa and scarpa just don't care, but that doesn't make loads of sense either tbh.

Worth remembering that UKB is a bit of a bubble. I don't go to the wall and see loads of people in scarpa slippers, despite the fact they get good reviews here. From scarpa's point of view maybe it's a pretty specialist show that they don't think will sell that well compared to their mainstays.

[erm, sam]

They might well be doing a special for the first season or what ever before a proper launch..

[Duma]

Worth remembering that UKB is a bit of a bubble. I don't go to the wall and see loads of people in scarpa slippers, despite the fact they get good reviews here. From scarpa's point of view maybe it's a pretty specialist show that they don't think will sell that well compared to their mainstays.

How many times have you been to the wall this year Remus? (Your garage doesn't count)
;-)

[remus]

I'm a changed man Duma, I've been to 3 real climbing walls in the last 3 weeks for a total of 6 sessions. Just lining up an attempt on the depot challenge.

[Wellsy]

Moonboard - Kilter - Motherboard - Moonboard - Kilter - Motherboard

[Andy F]

Now, if BF could get Scarpa to do a limited run of the OG Stix in, oh, I dunno, all black, then count me in for all of them in a 38.5

[Moo]

Now we're talking.

[abarro81]

I'd also take all 1000 pairs in a limited run of the Booster S and at least 100 of the old red instinct laces 

[SA Chris]

all black

"How much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black"

[Nutty]

I'm down to my last pair of the original orange Instinct S, so I am quite tempted to get some of these as I love the originals. My worry is how much have they changed it?

[Greg C]

I'm down to my last pair of the original orange Instinct S, so I am quite tempted to get some of these as I love the originals. My worry is how much have they changed it?

If you mean the orange version that looked very much like the LE, it's principally the same shoe, bar a new microfibre  upper (due to the original fabric supplier going out of business) and the toe patch being upgraded to the stickier M50 rubber (as per Instinct VSR) over Vibram.

It's significantly different to the predecessor of the current Instinct S (which was orange and blue).

The LE is simply a limited run remake of a good climbing shoe a lot of people liked. It came about in part off the back of requests for it from climbers at shoe demos and athletes lamenting its loss.

[teestub]

Well everyone is talking about it so Mountain Boot must be happy eh Greg!

[mrjonathanr]

I'm down to my last pair of the original orange Instinct S, so I am quite tempted to get some of these as I love the originals. My worry is how much have they changed it?

If you mean the orange version that looked very much like the LE, it's principally the same shoe, bar a new microfibre  upper (due to the original fabric supplier going out of business) and the toe patch being upgraded to the stickier M50 rubber (as per Instinct VSR) over Vibram.

It's significantly different to the predecessor of the current Instinct S (which was orange and blue).

I can't see what all the hoo-ha aimed at this shoe is about. It's simply a limited run remake of a good climbing shoe a lot of people liked. It came about in part off the back of requests for it from climbers at shoe demos and athletes lamenting its loss.

I’ve got a request. Take the Boostic and make it as stiff as the Instinct VS or LU so they don’t have to be ridiculously small to be stiff. You’d have a good trad shoe then.

[MischaHY]

It came about in part off the back of requests for it from climbers at shoe demos and athletes lamenting its loss.

...

Rhineland-Palatinate, 2022. The Scarpa Germany athletes are gathered amongst the red sandstone towers, supping ice-cold Tannenzäpfler around a roaring fire. Tim gazes fondly over his mighty hoard, assembled from comp climbers and teenage tradheads he'd been on the piss with at the Pfalzfest last year. Soon the tradsters would tempt the others away from the path of plastic, and sales of the upcoming Generator would go through the roof.

It was all going to plan. Or rather, it should have been. Something was off. Tim elbowed Timm, who was engaged in a deep move-by-move description of his latest crack project with a green eared comp climber whose eyes had long since glazed over.

"Und wenn du schafts diese Zug, muss du sofort die schwarze Totem legen, sonnst... Ja?"

Tim gestured towards the gathered athletes, speaking english for the sake of the narrative.

"They're all so quiet. Do you know what's going on?"

Hopefully they hadn't lost another alpinist. It was getting more and more expensive to keep paying all the paternity leave.

Timm ran his fingers through his long blonde hair, a light dusting of sand and pine needles falling to his shoulders.

"I think they've been talking with that weird Englander. You know, the one that's good on crimps. They keep going on about an old shoe... Some kind of Instinct Slipper?

He shrugged and turned back to his companion, who was tugging perplexedly at the triggers of a ballnut. Tim gazed a moment longer at the group of huddled athletes, conversing in hushed tones, then shook his head and pressed himself awkwardly out of his 270€ Helinox swinging camp chair that he'd managed to blag from the cute sales rep at ISPO. The chair was made for absorbing into the nylon folds and never getting up again, but he extracted himself after a few moments of struggle and wandered across to the hushed group, who quickly fell silent and regarded him with hawkish eyes.

"Everything alright, guys? Enjoying the party?"

The athletes gazed back cautiously, then glanced towards one boulderer, his red mohican a sharp contrast to the baby-blue scarpa hoody wrapped around his shoulders. He raised his head pensively, and spoke.

"It must return."

Tim blinked, perplexed.

"Return? What must return?"

The group spoke as one, their voices echoing amongst the pine trees and across the high towers, carrying an odd resonance that lingered in the air.

"Instinct Black, Instinct Black, Instinct BLACK!"

They turned away once more, huddling closer in hushed yet frantic discussion. A wind rustled the branches above their heads, carrying a scent of sheep shit and wet moss on rock. For a moment, Tim was certain the muttering athletes were all bald, shaven skin glowing brightly in the 3am firelight. He shook his head once more and headed back into his camp chair, rocking comfortably back and forth. He glanced over at Timm and his comp-panion, who seemed to have fallen quiet.

"Weird evening, man."

Timm nodded fervently.

"The G will provide."

Tim frowned.

"What did you say?"

"I'm feeling pretty tired. Think I'll head to bed."

Tim nodded distractedly as the blonde tradster wandered away towards his battered yellow van, hand in hand with the comp climber. He glanced at the ground where they'd been sitting, and furrowed his brow. Microwires and cams were arranged artfully across the forest floor, suggesting the shape of a climbing shoe. It looked familiar...

The next day Tim cruised at a relaxed 300kph towards the Swiss border, the memories of the night half-forgotten. He focused on the design team meeting later that day, to feedback the wishes of the athlete team. He shivered, and pulled a wool beanie over his head, feeling an odd chill on his scalp. His hair must be getting thinner. What was it the team wanted again? Some kind of slipper?

Yes, that was it. A slipper. All in black.

[sherlock]

 

[MischaHY]

When truth is as strange as fiction; the marketing lead from Scarpa really is called Tim and my mate Timm did indeed get a Scarpa sponsorship after accidentally bumping into him (physically) whilst six pints deep at a Pfalzfest. As for the rest, feel free to sort the truth from the fiction 

[tall_not_strong]

Kinda odd to bother making an improved shoe and not capitalise on it with increase markup, and limit themselves to only selling a small number.

...are you complaining about them not rinsing us with a mega markup?

[edshakey]

Kinda odd to bother making an improved shoe and not capitalise on it with increase markup, and limit themselves to only selling a small number.

...are you complaining about them not rinsing us with a mega markup?

Not exactly... just trying to understand the business decision behind it (as someone who doesn't know much about these kinds of thing). It seems like they've gone for low stock - which might not be great if it's a good shoe and lots of people like it - but also not crazy price - so they aren't earning as much from it as they could. Kinda lose lose? I suppose that's a negative spin, whereas you could argue it's win win - at least they actually did make them rather than not, and aren't charging a fortune. That's kinda what I was hoping to understand

[SA Chris]

Scarpa do make some interesting decisions.

Given the minor variances available, i always though they had a huge range of ski touring boots (ye I know a few are teli but still). Most people just get Maestrales. https://www.scarpa.co.uk/ski-boots/?pp=all-1&by=price-asc&attribute[0]=172-Men%2527s

[remus]

No inside info here so just speculating, but I'd guess they're testing how popular limited runs are (given they're hot shit in sneakers. There's a whole sub-culture of people who build automated tools for scalpers who buy up limited runs of nikes etc. and then resell them for a profit. Wild.) If they sell out super quick then great, loads of demand, they can try something similar again and try a higher price. Also good for them because it'll drive some order volume, and I assume they've priced it so they're not selling at a loss so volume = revenue = profit. Doesn't seem much risk of competing with other shoes in their lineup because they've only got one other shoe that's a little similar.

[jwi]

Limited run climbing shoes is the worst and most disgusting idea ever. Shame on La Sportiva and Scarpa for pulling such a disgusting trainee-with-a-middling-marketing-major idea.

1. They are in the business of making climbing shoes, not fashion items

2. Resolers will not get used to the model before it vanish from the market, making it even more disposable than a climbing shoe already is

3. Buying a climbing shoe is an expensive commitment to a model that will be used for a long time. I would never buy a shoe from a brand that I do not trust to put out the same model for a long time, with enough production capacity to provide me with shoes when I need them, where I need them

4. That they even consider such a asshole idea makes me less likely to commit to their models in the future. The same buisness-school-major with a minor in asshattery might get the brilliant idea of lowering cost while increasing marketing cost and price and milk unsuspecting buyers to buy a few more shoes until we discover that we pay for crap, by which time the increased profit margins has made this a great racketering scheme for the company and shit for everybody else.

[remus]

Fucking hell jwi, point on the doll where the instinct LE touched you.

1. They are in the business of making climbing shoes, not fashion items

Maybe they want to try something out without committing to making it forever?

2. Resolers will not get used to the model before it vanish from the market, making it even more disposable than a climbing shoe already is

Really? I'm sure resolers can use their brain and do a decent job. These shoes are hardly a radical departure from footware as we know it.

3. Buying a climbing shoe is an expensive commitment to a model that will be used for a long time. I would never buy a shoe from a brand that I do not trust to put out the same model for a long time, with enough production capacity to provide me with shoes when I need them, where I need them

A model of shoe doesn't have to be a lifetime commitment. Maybe there's people out there who want to try something new and aren't too bothered if it's not going to be produced indefinitely.

[Bradders]

Early review; they're really rather good. The Instinct series always fit my feet very well anyway which obviously helps, but from a quick board session today they feel great, powerful through the big toe, sticky rubber, minimal dead space.

They feel like a slightly more aggressive and stiffer version of the VSRs, but with stickier rubber than the VSs, which I reckon is a perfect combo. Even did well on a couple of heel hooks (I know, on a board... sacrilege). Went for my normal size in VSRs, which seems good so far. Comfortable out of the box despite being tight etc.

Oh and I did my board project which I've been trying for 3 months, clearly all down to the shoes. I've already bought a second pair