[Andy F]

Scarpa's are the way foreward. The Dominator Velcro's which are fabtastic on the grit, soft enough for excellent smearing but stiff enough for edging. The Lace up's are stiffer, but still smear well and rule on Limestone (plus Rock and Run have them as 20 quid a pair in my size )

Not tried the Visions but heard many good reports about them, but have seen velcro versions of them (Malcy had a pair and rated them very highly - softer than the Visions hence better for smeary bouldering).

As for the rubber, I think it's as good as 5.10, I never feel like my foot is about to pop off on a smear.

[sharkey]

Mad rocks are like clogs compared to Anasazi velcros, the next best thing are X cubes they really do the biz - sensitive/ great  for smearing.

[BoulderHog]

I like Red Chilis, the spirits are pretty good if got really tight, not just a beginner shoe. Velcro is where it's at, and you can't beat the 5:10's, they look shit and are built shit, but not had a pair that compares with them in terms of performance. The x-cubes will not fit my foot, they have a weird outside edge shape that traps the toes, really painful, I guess you need the right foot shape. Actually, the best all round shoe I've ever had was the red chili voodo, if it weren't such a pain in the arse to put on, then it would be the perfect shoe. A velcro version would be amazing.

The worst shoe I ever had was the scarpa lightening's, anyone unlucky enough to have had a pair? Brown with a crap giant velcro tab, combined with hopeless, super hard rubber. Utter shite, they were selling them cheap in Rock and Run about 5 years ago, I couldn't beieve my luck at first. I learnt my lesson the hard way.

[dave]

worst ever shoe:

scarpa paranoias. look like dogshit, feel like dogshit, with hardened dogshit for rubber A lod of marketing hype with fuckall performance. supposed to be like the boreal stingers - stingers could outclimb these whilst still in the box. The only boot i've ever resigned to a wall boot without ever haviing worn it our on real rock first. Think i've soloed harder in 5:10 guide tennies than i ever lead in paranoias. luckily they cost me nowt...

the only (and i mean only) place they come into their own is on the pinches wall at shaven-haven tor. thats cos they are pointy and stiff and boards with no sensitivity, so are good at toepoking those pollished edges when only 6inch off the floor so you don't have to worry. once soloed millwheel wall in them and nearly died.

[Bonjoy]

Worst boots I ever got were a pair of red chilli tenayas, the sole had not been glued to the midsole and was held in place by the rand glue only :shock: . Had to wear them for a week in Pembroke. Extremely unerving as they slipped and creaked on every foothold, it felt like the footholds were moving under my weight, not a good feeling on potentially loose seacliff routes I can tell thee.

[dave]

red chilli tenayas.

no such shoe.

[Bonjoy]

O eye Tenayas are those cheap lace up look-a-likes. Anyway it was the blue chillis with orange stripes, Phantoms that's the one.

[Pantontino]

I've got a pair of Scarpa visions at the moment - totally rate them. The added bonus with Scarpa is that if you can get on with them, they last forever. I had a pair of those orange velcro thingies a few years ago that lasted for 18 months! In any other brand, I go through 2 or 3 pairs a year.

I'm going to get a pair of the new slipper version of the Vision, with the toe top rubber mesh thang (saw John Dunne with a pair of these on Sunday), just so I can do the crux on my project, which involves a particularly tenuous toe hook move.

I used to be a old school Laser fanatic, probably had 15 pairs over the years. I've never worn a shoe that heelhooks as well as a Laser. I've still got a couple of totally trashed pairs which I occasionally bring out for specific heelhook problems.

I just wish somebody would make my perfect shoe (for the wide (ish) foot): Laser heel and Vision toe box - perhaps the slipper version of the Vision will do this?

Never got on with 5.10 velcros or lace ups - they just don't fit my feet.

[Jim]

5.10 velcros all the way baby. Yeah the heel is shit and does occasionaly come off, but fuck it!

[fingermouse]

Mad rocks are like clogs compared to Anasazi velcros

You think?  I really like my pair of mad rocks.  Got the Anasazi velcro ripp-off ones that don't have the dual density rubber.  I think they're pretty good.  Though, not as good as the Anasazi velcro.

I hated the pair of Zens I had.  The rubber just slipped off everything (on polished limestone anyway...).  

Any opinions on the V10s?

[the_dom]

Any opinions on the V10s?

I like my pair, but I don't use them much because:
(a) they're quite specialised - good for steep stuff
(b) they hurt like a motherfucker when I wear them - I made the mistake of getting them in my normal 5.10 size, and not upsizing them. Thus, they take about 5 minutes to put on, and become unbearable after 15 minutes.

I think they'll be amazing once I hit up some serious rooves/pocket-y stuff.

[SA Chris]

Mad rocks are like clogs compared to Anasazi velcros, the next best thing are X cubes they really do the biz - sensitive/ great  for smearing.

I'm not sure you can compare a whole range of rock shoes to one model?

Which one are you referring to? Anasaxi velcros fit my foot like a woollen mitten whereas the flashes fit like a proverbial glove.

[SA Chris]

I just wish somebody would make my perfect shoe (for the wide (ish) foot): Laser heel and Vision toe box - perhaps the slipper version of the Vision will do this?

Or maybe you could get a dodgy backstreet cobbler to do a 'cut and shut' job for you, no questions asked?

[vivahate]

I've got a pair of Scarpa visions at the moment - totally rate them.

how much did you downsize?  Im a street size nine and I tried one a 7 in the scarpa and it felt like it was too big, the fit was perfect, just felt like i could have gone down to a 6 easily.

heel was shite though

when are the velcros out - any ideas?

[Scouse D]

I've got a pair of Scarpa visions at the moment - totally rate them. The added bonus with Scarpa is that if you can get on with them, they last forever. I had a pair of those orange velcro thingies a few years ago that lasted for 18 months! In any other brand, I go through 2 or 3 pairs a year.

them orange things were ace, I had two pairs-and two pairs of the lace up version too-fully rated them.

[fatneck]

I got a pair of Mad Rock Mugens and I can honestly say they are the only shoes I've ever been able to heel hook properly in. I have very wide feet but narrow heels so can sympathise with Bubba and Pantontino. Still not convinced by the dual thickness sole gizzmo, but they have yet to make me feel insecure!
Am considering getting another pair...

[sharkey]

SA Chris the ones that look like Anasazi rip offs, i bought them in a hurry-  had sold out of the shoes i wanted. Only used them a couple of times- probably not a dissimiliar performance to rugby boots with the studs cut off circa eastern bloc in the early 8o's.

[Jim]

did any one have the 5.10 dragons. weren't they s'possed to be like  anazazi velcros but with a decent heel?

[the_dom]

did any one have the 5.10 dragons. weren't they s'possed to be like  anazazi velcros but with a decent heel?

No, they're velcro V10s.

[Teaboy]

I too have narrow feet and have found the following to be a narrow fit

Boreal Stingma - Very comfy (hmm, showing my age and lack of hardcoreness now!) and good for smearing. Quickly went as falcid as a pensioner after a night on the pop so don't even think about edging with these.

5.10 T rock - The complete opposite, as stiff as Stan Collymore in a darkened car park. Very narrow fit (the boots, not SC)

[cofe]

the dragons were neither anasazis or v10's but featured many of the best of both. huffy has a pair and rates them in a major way: for anything the right side of vertical and steep stuff they sound bo, and the heel is the don apparently.

[dave]

Boreal Stingma - Very comfy (hmm, showing my age and lack of hardcoreness now!) and good for smearing. Quickly went as falcid as a pensioner after a night on the pop so don't even think about edging with these.

can't understand why they stopped making the Stinger. That was the best boot ever, and looked the business.

[cofe]

stingers looked like bees..............................(but will he take the bait?)

[Jim]

I used to have a few pairs of stingers. They were the shit. Didn't last long on grit tho

[Bubba]

My last pair of Stingers were just nicely broken in....then some toerag burgled my house and used my rucksack containing the boots as a swag bag   :twisted: