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the shizzle => equipment => Topic started by: andy popp on October 05, 2013, 01:56:53 pm

Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: andy popp on October 05, 2013, 01:56:53 pm
The velcro closure on my one decentish pair of shoes (Anasazis) has snapped. As most regulars probably know I do the vast majority of climbing on Cheshire sandstone: face climbing on walls somewhere around the vertical; its rarely all out edging but almost never proper smearing - lots of semi-positive bumps, ripples, creases and thin pockets. What do I need?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: fried on October 05, 2013, 04:03:05 pm
If the anasazis fit your feet I'd go with the 'verdes' or maybe the whites if you fancy something stiffer.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on October 05, 2013, 04:08:29 pm
I've found a well broken-in pair of Blancos to work quite well like that. I'd imagine Verdes will soon feel too sloppy.

Recently I purchased a pair of VCS Petroglyphs (purples) which are the ones with C4 and they've been brilliant on everything. However, typically the build quality will be their undoing!

When are the pinks released? Surely they must be aimed at the middle ground between the Verdes and Blancos?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: fried on October 05, 2013, 04:26:24 pm
At the moment the middle ground is new Verdes.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on October 05, 2013, 04:41:57 pm
I give a new pair of Verdes around 2 weeks before the rubber splits from the upper and at that point, any stiffness they once had disappears.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: andy popp on October 05, 2013, 05:37:35 pm
Thanks both, sounds like Blancos probably - I'm so behind the times I wouldn't have had a clue.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: fried on October 05, 2013, 06:08:28 pm
Be careful with them, they're special. I bought a pair that felt fine in the shop, but when I wear them outside they kill  the underside of my heel. I only put them on, on special occasions.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: mrjonathanr on October 05, 2013, 07:21:50 pm
Try on Instinct VS and LU
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Jim on October 05, 2013, 08:27:32 pm
having worn velcros and verdes most of my climbing life, I tried a pair of whites on a while ago, didn't fit my feet at all
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Doylo on October 05, 2013, 08:29:38 pm
 Whites have changed my life but that's on limestone
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on October 05, 2013, 08:35:21 pm
Whites have changed my life but that's on limestone

get 'em stockpiled!
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Doylo on October 05, 2013, 08:36:36 pm
What's supposed to be replacing them?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on October 05, 2013, 08:55:28 pm
Whites have changed my life but that's on limestone

get 'em stockpiled!

You're joking, right?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on October 05, 2013, 09:29:36 pm
Whites have changed my life but that's on limestone

get 'em stockpiled!

You're joking, right?

nope, they're getting discontinued aren't they?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on October 05, 2013, 10:03:51 pm
It wouldn't surprise me but having been away and thus not working in the shop I haven't a clue. Scarpa here I come if that's the case though.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on October 05, 2013, 10:06:35 pm
yeah sorry, they're cutting us off  :furious: but the pinks will be swell I'm sure, the heel looks good on them but I need planks dammit.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Drew on October 10, 2013, 11:46:51 pm
I'm led to believe that the Verde and Blanco (replacements for the old pink), are soon to be replaced by the new pink. Who would've thunk?

In other news, I used to wear the Ansazi Velcros all the time (had 5 or 6 pairs), and now mostly wear Instinct Slippers. On a related note, the Instinct Lace Up which was mentioned earlier is discontinued, so don't even try it unless you want to love a shoe which is disappearing, whereas the Instinct Velcro is super stiff. I thought it was going to be the perfect shoe for me as the heel shouldn't pull off, but the toe is totally different to the Slipper.

Personally I would suggest looking at the Anasazi Arrowhead. Like a broken in pair of Anasazi Velros.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: HaeMeS on October 11, 2013, 07:07:03 am
I tried the new Pinkys this week. Was pleasantly surprised by the fit - as I dislike the Verde and the White. Compared to the old Pinky the heel has a better fit (duh), the last is a bit narrower  :dance1: , but the toe isn't as pointy. Overall feeling: might be weapon of choice for vertical limestone again!

Said to be available round Jan/Feb '14.   
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: groovedog on October 11, 2013, 07:41:37 am
Seems odd with 5.10 to drop the blanco, they bring out all those gimmicky looking hornets, black wing, purple ones etc, the whites seem the staple product along with velcros.

to OP what about Sportiva Katanas? I remember them being v good on smeary grit stuff. Not sure why I stopped getting them, I think Sportiva's were the first to put prices up when everything else was still Ģ60-70
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: galpinos on October 11, 2013, 07:49:23 am
In other news, I used to wear the Ansazi Velcros all the time (had 5 or 6 pairs), and now mostly wear Instinct Slippers.

What size are your slippers compared to your velcros? I've got the same and are worrying I've gone too small in the slippers.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Johnny Brown on October 11, 2013, 10:13:39 am
Always found Anasazi lace-upa to be too narrow, though if I buy the greens too big and break them in well they make a good trad boot.

I would recommend checking out the Arrowheads - basically a slightly more aggressive Velcro with a better heel. These are the best boots I've ever worn for standing on small footholds. They're pretty soft so you need strong feet for pure edging, but they make the footholds feel bigger.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: T_B on October 11, 2013, 10:26:00 am
On a related note, the Instinct Lace Up which was mentioned earlier is discontinued, so don't even try it unless you want to love a shoe which is disappearing

You've got to be kidding!  :no: I'm on my fourth pair - best shoe ever for me.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Steve R on October 11, 2013, 12:49:36 pm
If you want velcros, it might be worth trying Tenaya.  Especially if, like me, you find 5.10 velcros slightly too wide so bag out after a while and not perform so well on edges.    Ra's are pretty stiff and stay that way for their lifespan, Inti's are a bit softer.  Both have better heels than 5.10 and a rubber strap over the toe so they don't bag so much over time.  Same vibram rubber as sportiva shoes so you don't have that 'skiddy' break in period you get with 5.10.  And they're more comfortable (for me) too.  They're not perfect but that's all the positives.  Oh, and they're cheaper.  And they wear pretty well. And, the inti's especially don't look offensive.  Whites I find slighly too stiff with not enough feedback for the type of ground and holds you're talking about and, personally, pretty painful for most of their life.  By the time they're broken in, they're past their best.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: r-man on October 11, 2013, 01:50:32 pm
Shoes for face climbing? You want something with some grip.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5vd8pvZ_mA/T7xEgLHMbRI/AAAAAAAAGzA/1Jok_tkZJA8/s1600/boot+stomping+a+man%27s+face.jpg)

Unless you have good balance...
(http://th01.deviantart.net/fs70/300W/i/2010/289/d/5/getting_over_you_by_lj_24-d2luxoa.jpg)
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Muenchener on October 11, 2013, 02:57:39 pm
Ra's are pretty stiff and stay that way for their lifespan

I bought some sized a bit up from normal to fill the "comfy shoe for mulipitch" niche, based on good reviews and the fact that Frau M has some other Tenayas - the ones that look like blue Pinks - that seem pretty good and have lasted her forever.

The Ras are indeed reasonably comfortable and seemed to stick ok to multipitch granite slabs in Ailefroide, but they are so stiff and insensitive I have no idea what they are actually doing at any given moment. I wouldn't buy them again. Lots of people do seem to like them though.

Miuras.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on October 11, 2013, 04:15:16 pm
Try on Instinct VS

+1
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: cheque on October 15, 2013, 01:43:18 am
Got my hands (but not my feet) on a pair of new pinks this weekend and heard it from the horses mouth that they will be replacing both the whites and greens from early next year.

They are indeed less pointy than whites or greens but I was surprised by the lateral stiffness of the toe area- obviously I was only trying to bend it with my hands but it felt stiffer than whites. The Five Ten rep told me that for the first time the rands are going to be the same rubber as the sole (C4) so they'll feel less stiff around the top of the toe, a feature I've always liked about the whites and I know at least one other UKB users likes as well...
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: ghisino on October 15, 2013, 10:54:58 am
they'll feel less stiff around the top of the toe, a feature I've always liked about the whites and I know at least one other UKB users likes as well...

does this mean that white lovers should buy extra pairs of them before they get discontinued?

can you predict how the rand change will affect the feel of the shoe?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: moose on October 15, 2013, 11:03:13 am
The day the whites are officially discontinued, I predict a howl of despair will echo from Malham catwalk, be redoubled by the curving cove, and form a sonic tsunami that levels the village.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: John Gillott on October 15, 2013, 11:23:44 am
Got my hands (but not my feet) on a pair of new pinks this weekend and heard it from the horses mouth that they will be replacing both the whites and greens from early next year.

They are indeed less pointy than whites or greens but I was surprised by the lateral stiffness of the toe area- obviously I was only trying to bend it with my hands but it felt stiffer than whites. The Five Ten rep told me that for the first time the rands are going to be the same rubber as the sole (C4) so they'll feel less stiff around the top of the toe, a feature I've always liked about the whites and I know at least one other UKB users likes as well...

Any idea from memory if the heel cups were similar / same as the Whites or whether they have gone for a lower volume model, similar to say the Quantums?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Stubbs on October 15, 2013, 11:37:24 am
The Five Ten rep told me that for the first time the rands are going to be the same rubber as the sole (C4) so they'll feel less stiff around the top of the toe, a feature I've always liked about the whites and I know at least one other UKB users likes as well...

They seem to have messed around with the rands on a lot of shoes; new dragons seem to have a thinner rand which means your toes poke out above the sole,  This causes the rand to get worn faster which exacerbates the problem. I can only assume they are trying to save money on rubber or something!
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: John Gillott on October 15, 2013, 03:56:02 pm
Sort of answering my own question:

http://www.splitterchoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/five-ten-anasazi-pink.jpg (http://www.splitterchoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/five-ten-anasazi-pink.jpg)

They look kinda basic really. Not sure if that's good or bad.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on October 15, 2013, 03:56:17 pm
Any idea from memory if the heel cups were similar / same as the Whites or whether they have gone for a lower volume model, similar to say the Quantums?


low volume, don't look anything like the whites' arse end, they look like the same heel as on a tenaya masai
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on October 15, 2013, 07:03:01 pm
This means that the pinks will simply end up too soft (FiveTen in overly soft-shoe-shocker, what a surprise)?

Interestingly I just talked to someone who pointed out that there aren't many places (outside of the UK) where really stiff shoes are preferable (I wasn't totally sure I agreed with this). One of the places where I (first) thought blancos are a common choice is Squamish, non?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Doylo on October 15, 2013, 07:09:48 pm
Fuck it I'm getting some more whites
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: weakdave on October 15, 2013, 10:13:39 pm
Any ideas on pricing for the new pinks?

Bargain whites here:-

http://www.tauntonleisure.com/five-ten-men-039-s-anasazi-lace-up-climbing-shoe-larger-size/p6223 (http://www.tauntonleisure.com/five-ten-men-039-s-anasazi-lace-up-climbing-shoe-larger-size/p6223)

Stock up!
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: cheque on October 16, 2013, 01:38:24 am
Any idea from memory if the heel cups were similar / same as the Whites or whether they have gone for a lower volume model, similar to say the Quantums?


low volume, don't look anything like the whites' arse end, they look like the same heel as on a tenaya masai

They do indeed look like Masai heels (which is actually what I went for instead of whites last time I bought a pair of limestone shoes) but a bit more tensioned.

Habrich has a point about the stiffness of whites when new vs when broken in- quite a while since I had a new pair of whites.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: thrashhard on October 16, 2013, 07:03:03 am
On a related note, the Instinct Lace Up which was mentioned earlier is discontinued, so don't even try it unless you want to love a shoe which is disappearing

You've got to be kidding!  :no: I'm on my fourth pair - best shoe ever for me.

I think it will be a UK embargo like the situation with the boosters which are still available in europe.
Instinct Lace Ups are in stock here and there is no sign that they are discontinued.



i donīt get people who mention that anasazis are stiff shoes.
After breaking all of them in they arenīt stiff shoes at all. If i would be looking for a a stiff shoe i would go for something like a Katana Lace Up, Scarpa Vapour, Instinct LU or maybe Miura VS but none of the 5.10 shoes. Even a La Sportiva Solution is stiffer after 3 months of climbing in them.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: mrjonathanr on October 16, 2013, 07:30:03 am
Where's 'here'? Some online European stores do Scarpas mail order, Barabbas is one I think.

For a stiff limestone shoe the Mago is great...but Andy wanted something for sandstone, and a little flexion would be better I think (as someone who grew up climbing at in Pex hill
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on October 16, 2013, 09:21:42 am
Where's 'here'? Some online European stores do Scarpas mail order, Barabbas is one I think.

For a stiff limestone shoe the Mago is great...but Andy wanted something for sandstone, and a little flexion would be better I think (as someone who grew up climbing at in Pex hill

Having climbed with Andy a fair bit over the Summer on the Sandstone - from the outside I would have thought the the Anasazi's were doing great.. after all (Andy) you've had a good summer (non?) in terms of new problems - mostly involving the crimp and small edge smear that the Anasazi's work well on?

I have a non broken in pair of Instinct VCS's that I have used a couple of times at Harmers - and they do seem to hold the small edges slightly better (than my A-Velcro's) but are (at the moment) very stiff and give me little/no feeling on the toes - breaking in may help this....

It seems to me that the main factor deciding what BRAND of shoe is how they fit your feet... people definately seem to have 5:10, Scarapa, Sportiva etc.. shape feet..
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: ghisino on October 16, 2013, 11:20:34 am
They are indeed less pointy than whites or greens but I was surprised by the lateral stiffness of the toe area- obviously I was only trying to bend it with my hands but it felt stiffer than whites.
Worth noting that new whites are much stiffer than well-worn whites. I compared my old whites to the new pink prototypes ... both fairly bendy. The new whites I then obtained were far stiffer.

good point but a tight pair of well worn whites still behaves like a pair of stiff shoes when my feet are inside them - it's probably a combination of heel tension and rands???

To make an example...i never made the direct comparison but i bet well worn whites feel stiffer than similarly sized brand new verdes?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Fultonius on October 16, 2013, 11:55:38 am
I used to think I fitted whites quite well, but all 3 pairs I had went as floppy as an monks cock in about 2 months. Plenty of rubber, just soft and bendy.

Maybe I had just never sized them correctly? I know the last pair were definitely bigger than the first 2 pairs (despite being the same "size").

They were the best shoes I've tried on mildly overhanging micro edge climbing on basalt (very specific, I know) but they became instantly useless for everything as soon as they went soft.

In contrast, I've had 3 pairs of Scarpa Vapour VCS in a row and each one has felt great right up until I wore a whole through the toe. No real softening to speak of. They are also the best fitting shoes I've ever owned. Maybe there's a link  :smartass:
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Fultonius on October 16, 2013, 04:09:53 pm
Good luck with that.  ;)

The other thing about the whites that I got annoyed with (even with older, tighter pairs) was that on small edges or smears (especially on granite) my feet used to start walking off the holds. Not a slip, just a gradual oooze. Had to downclimb the second dihedral pitch on freeway once, right back to the belay, in order to get my shoes off, dry out my feet and chalk up my toes. The strenuous stemming was making my feet squirm inside my shoes!
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Fultonius on October 16, 2013, 06:33:52 pm
Quite possibly/probably. It does seem that I have a more scarpa shaped foot and loads of folk love the whites so it's probably just me...
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Muenchener on October 16, 2013, 06:42:03 pm
The strenuous stemming was making my feet squirm inside my shoes!
Is that not primarily a tightness/ "fit" issue?

Sounds like precisely the issue I have with Katana Laces. My feet just don't feel secure in them, whereas they do in Miuras. And sure enough, when I measure them the Katana Laces are 5mm wider than the same size Miuras.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: andy popp on October 17, 2013, 07:58:04 am
I'm beginning to wonder what I've started. Hope to report back v soon.
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on October 17, 2013, 08:11:35 am
I'm beginning to wonder what I've started.

:) Shoe wars!!
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: thrashhard on October 18, 2013, 08:48:35 am
The strenuous stemming was making my feet squirm inside my shoes!
Is that not primarily a tightness/ "fit" issue?

Sounds like precisely the issue I have with Katana Laces. My feet just don't feel secure in them, whereas they do in Miuras. And sure enough, when I measure them the Katana Laces are 5mm wider than the same size Miuras.

Funny iīm wearing both of them and they both fit me perfect. Beside the fact that the Katana LU is stiffer i hardly notice any difference between them. But on the other hand iīm not a shoe guy. I wear whats cheap in the store and nearly every decent shoe iīve ever had worked for me.

Quite possibly/probably. It does seem that I have a more scarpa shaped foot and loads of folk love the whites so it's probably just me...

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. Itīs only the US and the UK where the Whites are so common you barely see anyone wear anasazis in austria especially not the whites. But every second guy you see is wearing vapours.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on October 18, 2013, 08:57:05 am
I ran a comparison yesterday on West Side Story.

My 30% worn Anasazi Velcro's were OK - but feet were squirming off the wee edges..

My 5% worn Instinct VCS's were noticably better on the edges/nubbins..

It was a bit warm mind, and I wonder if the 5:10 rubber comes back at the scarpa's vibram when it gets cooler...

I failed whatever I wore by the way. :)
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Johnny Brown on October 18, 2013, 09:32:20 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Stu Littlefair on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: ghisino on 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).
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Doylo on 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!
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on 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..
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Stu Littlefair on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Nibile on October 18, 2013, 01:34:21 pm
True dat, but the wife is the same as me.
Similis cum similibus.  :hug: :kiss2:
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Moo on 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.
Title: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on 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!
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: andy popp on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: thrashhard on 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? ::)
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on November 14, 2013, 11:54:37 am
can you compare them in stiffness to any of the other 5.10s on the shelves?
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: moose on 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).
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Johnny Brown on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Wood FT on November 14, 2013, 01:43:48 pm
cheers for testing, i'll continue my blanco hoarding campaign
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: fried on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: SA Chris on November 14, 2013, 02:56:20 pm
your solemate :)
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: tomtom on November 14, 2013, 04:26:06 pm
your solemate :)

That was on the tip of my tongue...
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: Paul B on 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.
Title: Re: Shoes for face climbing?
Post by: fried on November 14, 2013, 06:15:15 pm
Cheers Paul. Better than the info from those pair of heels.
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