In reply to UKC Gear:
As Helen mentioned the smell of the boots in the review....
Buck from Evolv in the US answered the 'stinky' question on another forum. He's forwarded the message to us in response to this review. Here's what he said:
Hi Everyone! It's Buck over here at Evolv and I wanted to get an "official" post up about the odour concerns with our shoes since it’s been raised before. The first thing we want to say about it is this won’t be necessary for every Evolv user, different bodies, different reactions…however here’s a run-down for all of y’all that have a more odour-ific experience with Evolv shoes.
Evolv shoes do NOT use heavy metals, such as aluminium sulphate and silver nitrate which is a common anti-microbial & anti-bacterial treatment. Heavy metals are not good for you and will never leave your body. Some people have allergic reactions to them and in rare cases they can be deathly allergic. Instead Evolv uses an anti-bacterial treatment in our linings that are non-toxic, but may not be as strong. Another example of a company not using heavy metals is Patagonia and their Capilene long underwear. Evolv stands behind the medical benefits of not using a heavy metal type of liner/treatment, even though the odour can become a problem.
A few tips that do help with preventative maintenance of Evolv shoes are…
*Take your shoes off when you’re not climbing. You’ll sweat in them less, preserve the rubber, and not cramp your toes.
*Do not put them directly into a bag or storage after use until they’re sufficiently dry.
*Do not use LYSOL disinfectant spray but instead Febreeze with the anti-bacterial disinfectant (just works a little better from experience)
*Use fabric softener sheets in your shoes for storage and after use (dries them out and makes them smell spring fresh!)
*Try to keep feet as clean as possible before putting them in shoes (hygiene is best preventative maintenance but pretty difficult sometimes)
Currently we are researching different treatments that will be a better and stronger anti-bacterial and odour treatment for all our shoes! (as long as they are environmentally-friendly and not harmful to the human body)
Have a good one and as always Happy Climbing!
