It's always nice to review a new version of a product you've reviewed previously, if any issues you had with the original have been resolved. In the Ribelle Run 2 Scarpa have dialled down each and every aspect of the shoe's performance, most notably the sizing and fit. What they've come up with is a brilliant shoe, but a stiff one, which blurs the line between a running shoe and an approach shoe - so much so that it's hard to choose which category it best sits within, as it's equally good at both.

In Use

The first thing you notice when putting on the Ribelle Run 2 is how stiff the midsole is. This is an incredibly supportive shoe - in fact on first acquaintance I'd go so far as to say it feels a little overwhelming. It's definitely worth bearing with, because they do soften up, but it does take a while - both for the midsole and the uppers. This is NOT a shoe I'd like to race in out of the box with no breaking in period, as I suspect you'd end up with all sorts of issues. Whilst it does soften up with use, its still very far from soft, and if you like soft shoes then look elsewhere.

When it comes to running, these shoes are best suited towards mountain and sky running, where you're likely to experience lots of technical and rocky terrain. They feel incredibly precise as a result of their level of support and are brilliant to climb in because of the edging performance. The midsole also offers enough cushioning to compensate for the hard pack terrain you're likely to experience in that environment, although it's definitely got a firm feel to it relative to some alternative models. 

In the latest version Scarpa have increased the tread depth to 6mm, which is a great move from a UK perspective, as we tend to benefit from deeper lugs as a result of our varied and often wetter terrain (rock, mud, bogs, grass, heather, alternating with every other step). This extra bite makes it a much better all-rounder, although it's definitely not an all-out mud specialist - for that you'd be far better off with the Spin ST. The Ribelle Run 2 is without doubt at its best on rocky and loose terrain, such as scree.

Whilst it's being marketed as a running shoe, we think this rather under-sells its versatility. First and foremost, the Ribelle Run makes for a truly incredible approach shoe. It is lightweight, technical and designed specifically for rough and rocky terrain, which is everything that a climber or scrambler could want. The fact it's also impressively hardwearing is another major benefit. Whilst I absolutely love the Scarpa Mescalito I reviewed in last year's approach shoe Group Test, the Ribelle Run 2 gives them a run for their money (pun intended…).

• Drop: 4mm
• Weight: 711g size 44; 603g size 41 (per pair)

Fit

One of the issues with the original Ribelle Run was that its sizing was a little out, being quite big for its size; and to make matters worse - half sizes weren't available. That's all changed within the Ribelle Run 2, which is no much more accurately sized, and comes in whole and half sizes, so you can get a much more precise fit. I actually went down half a European size from what I would usually go for, as the size I'd usually take felt proportionately large for their size compared to other models and makes.

Though the Ribelle Run 2 still sits at the wider end of the spectrum across the forefoot, the volume has been reduced to a much more manageable level, so your foot feels much more secure than it did previously. 

The shoe is supplied with Scapa's self locking fast lacing system. Without wishing to sound like a broken record, I wasn't a fan of this in the original. But on the Ribelle Run 2 it's much improved, and has been my preferred method of lacing. If you're still not keen then Scarpa also supply some nice chunky laces for you to use instead.

Features

The uppers feature a sock fit, which not only gives the shoe a nice, snug feel, but which also very effectively helps to keep out debris. If you're bouldering, or moving between routes, this is enough to keep your foot in place without doing up the laces, although be warned - one of our reviewers rolled their ankle doing this. Ultimately, we would always recommend doing the laces up so that they're safe and secure.

Scarpa have integrated reinforcement throughout high wear areas around the heel/ankle, which is exactly what you want with a shoe that's designed to take on such rough, rocky terrain. The build quality feels exceptional, potentially Scarpa's best yet as far as the running category is concerned, and we've had no issues with wear in spite of significant use to date.

The outsole on the Ribelle Run 2 uses Scarpa's Presa TRN-04 compound, which sits at the stickier end of the spectrum. When it comes to how sticky, it's not VJ levels of stickiness, but it's still sticky (and much more durable). In short, you probably won't notice any slippage on rougher rock types like granite or gritstone, but on wet volcanic rock you probably will. 

Summary

The Ribelle Run 2.0 is a massive improvement over the original in pretty much every way possible. Whilst marketed primarily as a running shoe, its credentials as an approach shoe can't be overstated, giving it equal appeal to climbers and scramblers as well as runners. In short, it performs fantastically on steep, rocky and technical ground at whatever pace you're going. If there's one thing to watch out for it's how stiff they are out of the box, because they do take a while to wear in.