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Best approach-climbing hybrid shoe

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 ericinbristol 12 Sep 2012
I'm thinking ahead to a couple of weeks of 10-20 pitch routes in the Ariege next year, and looking for a shoe for walk in/out and technical enough for seconding easier blocks of pitches F5-6a when my toes get sore from my rock shoes or climbing easier semi-scrambling finishes. Any candidate shoes out there? I appreciate that fit is in the end personal, but the basic technical characteristics of the shoe will be a good starting point.
 AlanLittle 12 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol:

Saw lots of people in the Dolomites this summer, including guides, wearing La Sportiva Gandas. Expensive though.
 ryan_d 12 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol: La Sportiva Xplorer's are great.

ryan
 Styx 12 Sep 2012
La Sportiva Ganda's climb exceptionally well, worth a look.
OP ericinbristol 12 Sep 2012
Some v helpful input, many thanks
 Elrond 12 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol:

What about the new Evolv Cruzer's? They're super lightweight and are supposed to be not too bad for climbing in too.
OP ericinbristol 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol:

cheeky nudge for the daytime crew.
 alooker 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol: I like my pair of scarpa crux. Tried a few different pairs on and they felt the best to me, comfy enough to walk/scramble all day in and responsive enough for easier climbing
In reply to ericinbristol: Mammut Redburn? Have precise fit/lacing and a climbing zone. Mammut say "optimally suitable for Walking, Biking, Approach" and "Suitable for Travel, Urban Climbing". Dont know what that urban climbing thingy is, as not ever likely to try it myself!
Maybe suitable for your purpose though if you read a couple of users UKC thoughts:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=499465&v=1#x6811022 & http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=512864&v=1#x6947004.
 Blue Straggler 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol:

I haven't personally tried them actually climbing apart from a borrowed pair at the wall, but have been eyeing up La Sportiva Boulder X. I just don't do enough of what you describe, to justify them! When out in Cham and killing time in Snell Sports, I saw the Garmont Dragontail which look more durable but chunkier and maybe less technical (they only caught my eye due to being in natty Blue Straggler colours, i.e. red). I don't like the look of Scarpa Crux, YMMV
OP ericinbristol 13 Sep 2012
In reply to Blue Straggler (and others):

Thanks for the info. Definitely looking for ones with a leaning towards the more rather than less technical for climbing.
 alasdair19 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol: scarpa do I think the crux.

informed review here

http://adriannelhams.blogspot.co.uk/

if you turn the shoe over you need a flat bit of sticky rubber underneath your big toe. Laces down as fas as possible. most of the quality italian manufactures do good ones eg garmont, sportiva, kayland etc

outsie in hathersage have a few different ones or joe brown, V12 in llanberis.

getting light ones is tricky i love the i think discontinued Scarpa zens but they are probably 500g plus a pair

personally I've used very comfy sportiva mythos on all my big routes though it is a bit hard on your feet.
Removed User 13 Sep 2012
In reply to Blue Straggler: I'd recommend Boulder X especially with narrow feet (La Sportiva in general is good for this). They are more approach shoes than climbing shoes but are stiffish, edgy and close fitting with reasonable sticky rubber.

Good compromise between beingn comfy and hard wearing yet they still climb OK. As a HVS/E1 leader I am at ease seconding VS in them.
 jezb1 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol: I find boulder x shoes to be pretty bulky for climbing in. I really like my scarpa crux shoes and was happily seconding 5c sport in the alps last week.

The gandas look the business though but at a price...
 CharlieMack 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol:

Five Ten Daesents are awesome for climbing in, good for short walk-ins as long as they are pretty pathy. Not particularly rugged, but i use them as my primary climbing shoe for most things until it starts to get hard for me.

They really are a great multipitch shoe, super sticky!!
 Mark Eddy 13 Sep 2012
In reply to ericinbristol: 5.10 Camp Four are an excellent shoe for approach & climb. Super sticky rubber for the climbing, plenty ankle support for the approach / descent.
Mark
 Mike Hammill 15 Sep 2012
In reply to Styx:
Gandas are great but for the price I would not have expected the soles to peel off the heel: the dotty layer catches on rocks as you come downhill and gets pulled off. I got a pair for the Skye Ridge - I will stick with my old Scarpa Chamonix to be on the safe side!
I had some 5.10 Guide Almighty that I resoled a couple of times before the mid-sole foam disintegrated into a fine power and my foot poked through the front!Fortunatly it was near the end of a scrambling day on Tryfan and Osian Rees had some tape to lash round the shoe.
Cheers,
Mike

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