In reply to UKC Gear:
We're trying to ask our team members to send us through their thoughts on No-Edge/Futura and Speedsters to help answer some of the points raised.
Neil Gresham is first to reply. You can read his thoughts on use and wear over on our FB page here:
http://on.fb.me/13wIA0d or pasted in below.
Obviously Neil and our other team members are sponsored by La Sportiva but we encourage honest feedback and always include any negative points if included in the original.
We do run shoe demo's up and down the country and with a wide range of models, not just No-Edge, so keep your eyes peeled at your local wall or on the events tab of our Facebook page.
"When it comes to selecting rock shoes, it is tempting to stick to the things that we know and understand. When La Sportiva introduced the world's first down-turned rock shoe: 'The Mirage' in 1996, it is bizarre to recall that most people dismissed it as a gimmick that would never catch on!
In my opinion, 'No-Edge' technology (which features on the Speedster and Futura models) represents a similar breakthrough, and is the only real development in rock shoe design within the last decade.
No-Edge has caused me to re-assess my entire approach to climbing footwear. Initially I pigeon-holed it as purely for training, but I’ve now realised that shoes with No-Edge perform better in a surprising number of crag situations. The climbing style afforded is incredibly intuitive, allowing you to use your feet in the same way as your hands, yet with considerably more support and power. When climbing, you can feel absolutely everything, which gives you the option of re-adjusting a foot before it pops. The profile of the rubber adapts to the contours of the climbing surface, rather than 'sitting' on top, enabling the user to gain an unsurpassed contact.
When you go back to normal shoes with edges after using No-Edge, it literally feels like your toes are numb!
The key to the success of the design is the combination of the No-Edge toe profile with a highly-sprung rand and tensioned arch. This means that the shoes can offer a high level of support and don’t deform on edging moves.
I would recommend No-Edge for any bouldering situation and also for all steep sport routes; however, for long routes on slabs or vertical walls, a shoe with a stiffer and flatter sole would be preferable (I don't use them on slate!)
I can understand why people would be suspicious of No-Edge as it is so counter-intuitive to buy a pair of shoes that look like they've already been worn out! But believe me, there really is no comparison.
Not only do they perform like nothing else, but they last incredibly. I am now convinced that No-Edge shoes are more durable, simply because the wear is spread over a greater surface area and there is less shear-stress on the rubber.
No-Edge technology really does open the door to new possibilities. Try them and you will be amazed!"
Neil Gresham - La Sportiva ambassador since 1989