UKC

The Ribelle Run 2.0 is a massive improvement over the original, says Rob Greenwood. Whilst marketed primarily as a running shoe, its solid and supportive credentials as an approach shoe can't be overstated, giving it equal appeal to climbers and scramblers.

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In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

As non runner, is there a difference between "mountain and sky running"?  I know there are various Sky Races (e.g. Glencoe Sky Race IIRC?) - so do sky races follow skylines or something?

Rob - have you found Scarpa sizes consistent across models? I just last week bought myself some well discounted Mescalitos, and after literally decades of getting Scarpas in 42 and sometimes finding them just right and sometimes find a touch to big, I took a chance and got the Mescalitos in 41.5 and so far they seem just perfect. So now I'm hoping to take all the stress out of online footwear buying and just get whatever Scarpas I can find on sale in 41.5!  Cheers.

In reply to TobyA:

I should probably just have narrowed it down to mountain running, because that's a fairly catch-all term. Sky Running tends to feature more technical terrain, usually in the form of scrambling or climbing. Often there's a really blurry line between these sorts of things, which is why I'm not a huge fan of the terms themselves. For instance, if I were to go for a run up Striding Edge, for example, I'd probably just describe it as a fell run 🤷‍♂️

More so recently, although in the case of the Ribelle Run 2 I did go down half a size from what I am in the Mescalito - so 43.5 as opposed to 44. I've updated the text within the review to make this more clear. I did mention that they were big for their size, but didn't include any further context as to what they meant in real life.

FWIW, I've used my Mescalitos a lot less since receiving the Ribelle Run, and anticipate the latter becoming my standard approach shoe in the future. They offer such a good level of support, but are so much lighter - plus you just feel that bit more springy in them. The Mescalito, in comparison, feel light a mountaineering boot!!

In reply to UKC/UKH Gear: Is it stiffer than the original?  I didn't think that was so stiff, though I agree the toebox was so large I didn't like it for scrambling.

For reference my mark ones lasted a lot , lot longer than most any other trail shoe I've used before I wore out the sole.  The mid and upper were still near perfect

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Cheers Rob. I did go back to the pictures and note on the Ribelle run it looks like you can hook them to a krab to carry up routes either on the heel or tongue - which hints that the designers at Scarpa might have had approach to climb in mind? I guess it definitely makes them easy to pull on anyway! Would you take them over the Mescalito, on scrambles do you think? I guess the Cullin Ridge or Tower Ridge being ultimate UK examples, but Bristly or Striding down this way also?

In reply to TobyA:

Given the choice between the two, I would choose the Ribelle Run over the Mescalito for each of those outings. This isn't to say the Mescalito is bad - far from it, it was (up until recently) my favourite approach shoe; however, I just think that the Ribelle Run offers the same benefits, but with a load of others thrown into the mix too. 

In reply to wbo2:

I'd say so, yes. If you do manage to get your hands on a pair, even if it's just to try them on, I think it's something you'll notice straight away. 

That's great. I suspect these will be the same - they feel incredibly well made.

In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

You've intrigued me here. I have a mortal fear of scrambling in running shoes. Probably due to some years of misplaced Salomon loyalty when contragrip was in reality, like climbing with bars of soap strapped to your feet. However I really like the Continental rubber on Adidas Terrex, and these sound ace, so maybe I need to investigate further/again. Good article Rob. 

In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

Thanks for the review!

I found the original Ribelle run to be very poor durability wise. With the rand cracking in multiple places after just 80k of fairly gentle use. This has happened twice. 

Scarpa customer services however were brilliant and have replaced the shoe on warranty, now for a second time with the Ribelle run 2. Looking forward to seeing if these hold up any better.

In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

If anyone is looking at shoes of a similar spec, I would recommend checking out the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. I haven't had a La Sportiva shoe since I had 2 pairs of their Anakondas back in 2016.

The Prodigio Pro is very light (304gms in my size 46). 4mm lugs, but sticky LS rubber (not used them in the wet yet).

The midsole feels cutting edge (soft, but not too soft with loads of responsiveness) and whilst the stack height is advertised as 34mm/28mm (i.e. 6mm drop), they are really stable and somehow seem to compress enough to absorb the ground and give really good 'ground feel'. They don't feel at all 'tippy' on rough/technical ground like some of the plated super trail shoes do, but still feel really cushioned (not used them on anything long yet, but that's the plan..). I have a very dodgy ankle and I've been surprised how grounded they feel. The ankle collar is designed to keep out dust/dirt/stones, but it almost feels like it gives a little bit of support. 

I've found the upper really comfortable. It's a bit of a 'sock-like' fit. They're not as wide in the forefoot as e.g. the VJ Sport Ultra 3 (which is also quite a new shoe, getting good reviews).

They are £170, but to be honest, if you're going to spend £130-£140 for a bog standard trail all-rounder, you may as well spend £170 for something that feels super-shoe ish.

The downside is they're difficult to get hold of as all the reviews are gushing.