[Muenchener]

I'm tempted by Handegg/Grimsel & Val di Mello next summer, where I suspect my Scarpa Boosters may not be the right tool for the job. But what is?

[lagerstarfish]

Adidas Anasazis

[joeisidle]

It depends what type of slabs. I'm annoyingly lacking in experience of the climbing style in the areas you've mentioned so I don't know if the slabs are largely based around edging or smearing. If it's smearing then Anasazi velcros (or LVs if you have narrow girl-feet like me) all the way, if it's edging then Adidas V2s or La Sportiva Katanas may be more what you're looking for. Hope that's helpful and not way off the mark.

[Johnny Brown]

Assuming those are multi-pitch venues, you'll want something pretty comfortable too. I'd say broken-in 5.10 Galileos for smearing, or newish Verdes for edging. I tend to go up at least half a size for long routes.

[Paul B]

I'd stay away from anything with laces if I were you, its just not as easy to take them off at a belay and then get them back on without some contortionist act (or does the sling shortening genius have another trick I'm missing?).

The suggestion of broken in Galileos seems like a good one, or broken in Anasazi velcro's. I can't really remember edging much in Val di Mello, just delicately padding up wishing there was something to hold onto.

[grumpycrumpy]

For  pure comfort I've found that Mad Rock Frenzy velcros are pretty damned fine ....... Not bad for slab work for either ......

[SA Chris]

I like broken in Evolv Defys for smeary slabs. Being black they do get hot though, and give off an impressive pen and ink after you have sweated into them a few times.

[Johnny Brown]

'd stay away from anything with laces if I were you, its just not as easy to take them off at a belay and then get them back on without some contortionist act

I used to think that too, but I've done a full u-turn since. The problem is you can't really adjust velcros very much. With a slightly over-sized pair of lace-ups, you have far more flexibility. Either slack them right off McClure style on the easy pitches, or crank them right up down to the toes for the hard pitches. On really long routes I found velcros or galileos were either too soft for the hard pitches, or too painful to wear all day. A pair of Verdes half a size bigger were the answer. Worth having a bit of stiffness in a boot for a long day too.

[clm]

Boreal ace   

[fried]

'd stay away from anything with laces if I were you, its just not as easy to take them off at a belay and then get them back on without some contortionist act

I used to think that too, but I've done a full u-turn since. The problem is you can't really adjust velcros very much. With a slightly over-sized pair of lace-ups, you have far more flexibility. Either slack them right off McClure style on the easy pitches, or crank them right up down to the toes for the hard pitches. On really long routes I found velcros or galileos were either too soft for the hard pitches, or too painful to wear all day. A pair of Verdes half a size bigger were the answer. Worth having a bit of stiffness in a boot for a long day too.

I took some convincing of this too. But, after trying on just about every pair of non-laceable shoes in the shop, the helpful salesman pushed me towards the Verdes. I really didn't want the hassle of lace-ups, but after a try it was obvious that they were the best fit. If you catch them right (before they go to soft) they'd be perfect.

I'll be going back to them after my current pair of velcros wear out. Unless Adidas have other ideas.

[Paul B]

its interesting regarding the laceups... I was cursing my choice (admittedly they were a bit tight for the heat and the glue failed me too) of Blanco's. I was certainly wishing I had something velcro for the upcoming trip... Greener grass I suppose.

[cheque]

its interesting regarding the laceups... I was cursing my choice (admittedly they were a bit tight for the heat and the glue failed me too) of Blanco's. I was certainly wishing I had something velcro for the upcoming trip... Greener grass I suppose.

I find Blanco's rubbish for full-on smearing- even after they've softened up they just seem too narrow towards the front to bend enough.

Having said that, my current pair are so big for their supposed size that I imagine they smear as well as verdes...

[Paul B]

(this wasn't Granite, it was lime and will be again)

[moose]

Another vote for slightly oversized lace-ups, now my preferred choice for both trad slabs and any grit boulder problems with smeary footholds.  Last year I did practically all my bouldering in a pair of well-worn, street-sized verdes - fantastic for just pasting maximum rubber onto nothing footholds. 

Personally, I've found it's worth packing at least one pair of shoes with plenty of give for any holiday, expecially when climbing anywhere hot or at altitude.  It was a lesson I learnt after doing trad in the Sinai where my feet (and fingers) swelled up massively - suposedly a reaction to yomping around at 2000m for weeks.  I couldn't get my normal anasazi velcros on and instead had to use a pair of massively oversized bargain bin shoes I'd bought by mistake and packed as an afterthought.  They were still far too tight, making all the smearing on low-angle friable granite very scary indeed.  Big shoes are always handy after badly stubbed toes or nail cutting injuries too, though maybe I'm the only person clumsy enough to have such things threaten an entire week's climbing!