[coolboy]

Found myself failing on a problem at the wall the other day on a heelhooking lip traverse with a very thin hook. Using anasazi velcro 5 10's, which were almost falling off my feet, then tried old original 5 10's which weren't much better!

Anyone any recommendations as to what the best boot is?

Cheers

tom

[GCW]

I'm sure it depends on what your feet are like and how the boots fit?
I use Pinks, which have a rubbish heel fit and are therefore shit for heel hooks (as Nik at work will testify).  Or maybe it's just another excuse 

[SA Chris]

I really like the Mad Rock Flash with th "ribbed" heel (for added pleasure). Completely changed the way I climbed from the old pink 5.10s. Velcro doesn't seem as good as the older ones though.

[dave]

the heel on dragons is very good (don't buy em too small or the heel will be less secure), plus pretty much any sportivas. all depends on foot shape, thickness of your heel, how much your heel sticks out on etc. some people can never get a good heel fit.

[SA Chris]

Found myself failing on a problem at the wall the other day on a heelhooking lip traverse with a very thin hook.

Is that Stu's fluoro orange prob on the 45 deg wall btw? That last move is high up and feels very comitting.

[coolboy]

Managed the flo orange, it was Stu's old pink route on the the 'barrel' feature. Couldn't manage the link up.

Have to say Stuart's done a good job with setting, sure he set a couple of hard lines on the 45deg wall which I've yet to try, pink and tan maybe?

tom

[coolboy]

I really like the Mad Rock Flash with th "ribbed" heel (for added pleasure). Completely changed the way I climbed from the old pink 5.10s.

like it! Mad rocks do have a good heel and cheap as too..

[jed]

I recommend Scarpa Spectro's.

I used to wear 5.10 velcro's till I got sick of the shit heel

[dave]

the best thing about dragons compared to scarpa is they also throw in a perfectly good front-end on the boot too for the money.

[GCW]

What are Dragons like on the Grit, Dave?  I was half tempted by them but (wrongly?) thought they were best for steep stuff.

[superfurrymonkey]

Scarpa visions something that shape anyway and a nice snug fit for your heel.

[dave]

What are Dragons like on the Grit, Dave?  I was half tempted by them but (wrongly?) thought they were best for steep stuff.

well i did the terrace in them the other day so they can't be that bad! (look at me) although granted on that problem you hardly touch the rock with your toes at all. To be honest my pair aren't worn-in and softened enough for any serious smearing duty so can't comment - except that unlike velcros you won't be smearing right to of the box because of the toe-downness, so don't buy a new pair and head straight for velvet silence or piece of mind. however i have a pair of V10s that are about 12months older (same last and rubber as the dragon) and have softened, rounded off and relaxed the toe-down bit, and these are great on grit, i even used them on peg heart boy (a slab) cos it wasn't happening in velcros. basically for grit bouldering they'll be fine, but for mega smeary routes where you need to drop your heel a lot to get surface area in contact you may struggle.

[coolboy]

arae dragons better than the verde with it's magic fingers then?

[Doylo]

I reckon it depends on the problem, Dragons are my standard heel hooking boot, they're pretty good. However some heel moves require a bit of 'bag' to push into the hold (like the one on bus stop in the pass). I use a baggy Anazasi for this. I also have a mad rock in my armoury for a bit more hook.

[GCW]

Thanks guys.  (Terrace, eh?  Look at you).  I may get some anyway, they seemed a good fit.
The other option is the 5.10 Verdes, so I'll have to go and have a try.  After years of Pinks I may finally have to move on 

[r-man]

some people can never get a good heel fit.

I am one of these people. Consequently I try to avoid using my heels as much as possible, and groan in dismay when I realise the problem demands it. Gritstone often frustrates me mightily - to do nearly anything good at Stanage it seems you need a left heel. Only in the last year have I overcome the bastard HEEL PEEL through purchasing Boreal Mutants. Average front shoe, but the best heel I've ever found. Other shoes that people say have great heels just peel away when I try to use them. The Mutants make a little airlock psssh noise when I put them on, and they stay on. Yes!

some heel moves require a bit of 'bag' to push into the hold (like the one on bus stop in the pass).

No bag in mine, they stick to that move fine. I know what you mean though. I sometimes swap to shit baggy heels when all they need to do is push down, not pull. But I finish quite a few problems with my shoes coming off.

[richdraws]

I had the dragons and the lady boosters/ rockettes on the go on the Terrace, I found the Rockettes to be slightly better. With the rockettes I could feel when I had the heel hooks, whereas with the dragons though they stuck well I could not feel that I had the hooks in.

So... I felt more confident in the rockettes.

[Nibile]

i really like dragons, but having not the latest model i sometimes prefer the anasazi velcros heelcup (the new one i mean). and then sportiva solution

[Nibile]

sorry for being pedantic,
but also remember that heel hooking is a very subtle technique, and often the right feeling depends more on the toes positioning (where they are pointed) that on the heel. to me it makes a big difference whether i heel hook with my toes facing outwards or just upwards.

[meatball]

was having a similar proiblem with 5.10. In the end i bought a pair of Scarpa Stix. Not the biggest fan of the front end of the shoe, but the heel is great. Could be worth a try

[jed]

Out of interest meatball what size are your stix's in comparison to the 5 10's, or scarpa spectro's

I would like some stix's but can't find anywhere near me that stocks them

[Kingy]

I can't fault Sportiva's, Barracudas or Muiras for all types of heel work, although I must be fortunate to have big heels that fit snugly into most boots. I think although the boot can be crucial, power and technique also have a huge role to play and it can be easy to get paranoid about not doing a problem due to not wearing the right shoes. I have not come across a problem yet that I could not do in my normal climbing shoes and that required specialist 'heel' shoes.

Take care out there folks on those heelhooks, I have strained my left hamstring quite badly and it has gone really tight. It was on the reverse of Kudos Traverse at Rubicon where you use your left heel massively to drop down on quite a few moves...a pretty silly problem! Been to the physio and have to rest it for a week or so and do lots of stretching.   

[r-man]

it can be easy to get paranoid about not doing a problem due to not wearing the right shoes.

Pretty much every shoe I wear, if I try to use a heel, the shoe comes off. Is it just me that has this problem?

Take care out there folks on those heelhooks, I have strained my left hamstring quite badly and it has gone really tight.

I did this last year on a crap easy problem at White Edge. It took a long time to fix. Give your heel a holiday for at least a month, it's easily pulled again.

[steven82]

I am one of these people. Consequently I try to avoid using my heels as much as possible, and groan in dismay when I realise the problem demands it. Gritstone often frustrates me mightily - to do nearly anything good at Stanage it seems you need a left heel. Only in the last year have I overcome the bastard HEEL PEEL through purchasing Boreal Mutants. Average front shoe, but the best heel I've ever found. Other shoes that people say have great heels just peel away when I try to use them. The Mutants make a little airlock psssh noise when I put them on, and they stay on. Yes!

some heel moves require a bit of 'bag' to push into the hold (like the one on bus stop in the pass).

No bag in mine, they stick to that move fine. I know what you mean though. I sometimes swap to shit baggy heels when all they need to do is push down, not pull. But I finish quite a few problems with my shoes coming off.

I have to aggree i have tried on nearly every pair of shoes on the market and the only pair that have actually got me heel hooking are the mutants the front end is awful but they are class for heels, i think the falcons have got the same heel but a better front end, also i have found the stingmas to be a good heel hooking shoe, its just a shame its got rubbish boreal rubber on them otherwise they would be perfect

[Moo]

take the close fit of the new velcro "magic fingers" add the tension through the heel of the old pink and you have the new white lace up best heel hooking shoe I've tried coming your way soon.