Sport Climbing Shoes
Rock climbing shoes come in a lot of categories, but most of us need a good pair of sport climbing shoes. They help edge on vertical faces, allow you to hook around corners and toe-in on tiny pockets. Here are some our choices for summer 2021.
Boreal
Crux $160
The Crux has gone through many upgrades over the past 15 years, with each offering more advanced and streamlined designs. The modern Crux features a slightly downturned and asymmetric shape, which places the foot into a powerful position to take advantage of small edges. The soft onepiece heel cup provides amazing security on heel-hooks and overhangs. The upper is a vegan friendly synthetic microfibre. This is one of the best climbing shoes of highend bouldering and sport climbing.
Scarpa
Instinct VS $199
Scarpa is a leader in everything footwear, from mountain and ski boots to the best technical climbing shoes available. The Instinct VS combines a number of their legendary shoe features which result in a moderately downturn asymmetric shoe for sending projects. It has a slightly softer construction and thinner sole than other Scarpa shoes, which is good for enhanced flexibility and sensitivity. It’s an all-round shoe that can handle a variety of climbing styles on all types of rock.
La Sportiva
Testarosa $240
La Sportiva is equivalent to Scarpa in the world of crafting must-have, top-notch rock climbing shoes. The Testarosa excels on hard sport routes and burly boulders. It’s constructed using natural and synthetic materials to optimize performance. They fit snug and edge so well that you’ll be hard pressed to find a feature that you can’t stand on. We love the to-the-toe lacing that is quick to untie and slip off between pitches. They have a rigid heel cup, a cambered toe box, a soft midsole and 3 mm of Vibram XS Grip2 rubber. Recommended for experienced climbers working on hard projects.
Five Ten
Anasazi VCS $140 There’s no denying that the Anasazi vcs still ranks as one of the best rock climbing shoes on the market. It’s gone through a number of revitalizations over the years, with the most recent version still providing great performance and durability. The allin-one shoe is good for your first season at the climbing gym, but also for your umpteenth day projecting a route at your limit. The vcs’s easy-on/easy-off design makes it great for gym and crag climbing. It has a medium-stiff midsole that provides comfort on long routes. It’s sensitive enough but offer you the support you’re looking for.
Tenaya
Mastia $190 The new Mastia is an aggressively curved shoe that delivers maximum power when perched on tiny holds. The sticky rubber covers the upper part of the toe-box and instep. It’s lightweight and breathable so your feet don’t overheat on those mid-summer projects. It fits snug and doesn’t take too long to break in. It weighs 330 grams and has a split sole that proves its worth on thuggish problems and big roofs. Not to mention that it’s one cool looking shoe.
Unparallel
Newtro Lace $185 The Newtro Lace has a low-volume heel paired with a slightly aggressive midsole that to make heel-hooking easy. It’s less downturned than some advanced shoes, and has less forefoot volume and a pointy toe. The lacing system lets you tighten the shoe to a max fit without it feeling restrictive, so it’s comfortable on long routes. It features a durable synthetic upper and soft liner. A bit less midfoot volume than the comparable Regulus and Regulus LV. The rubber overlaps is a little stiffer than your made-for-slabs shoes, which makes these a top choice for edging on crystals and edges. A perfect shoe for you hard projects this summer.
Evolv
Geshido $210 The Geshido uses a vegan-friendly perforated synthetic that’s has a little stretch for a close, secure fit. It has a supportive midsole, 4.2 mm of rubber for small edges and slick smears, a snug heel for over-your-head heel hooks on hard problems and is very comfortable. It’s a solid choice for climbers looking to upgrade from the wear-all-day flat shoe to something a little more aggressive. Recommended for gym and crag climbers.—gripped