In reply to Tallie:
> Could you expand a little bit on their climbing characteristics? I suspect that their lugged sole means that they're not quite as positive as tennies? How stiff is the sole - can you edge with them?
Hi Tallie, yes you can edge with them but they don't have a 'climbing zone' like some approach shoes do under the big toe and inside edge. I've uploaded a pic of the sole here: pic.twitter.com/teCHsaxm (let me know if the link doesn't work), you should be able to click on it for a bigger version. I haven't done any 'proper' climbing in them, but have bouldered a fair amount to test these things. I found I can edge well with them, as long as its not a stupidly small hold (matchbox rather than matchstick) and there is plenty of stiffness there to stand on them.
But I guess overall they are more at the hiking end of the hiking-climbing range that approach shoes fall on. I would definitely wear them for scrambling routes in the UK though as long as I wasn't expecting loads of deep water/mud when just an old fashioned walking boot would be better.
hope that helps.