In a market ruled by softer climbing shoes, stiffness and support are hard to come by; but here's a substantial model that proudly bucks the trend. Combining a forgiving fit for all-day comfort, with surprisingly decent performance in the low-to-mid grades, this shoe is a Force to be reckoned with, says Dan Bailey.

If you've bought climbing shoes in recent years you'll have noticed the dominance of softer models. While that may be welcome if you're predominantly bouldering or climbing indoors, it does leave fewer options for those after something a bit stiffer and more supportive. For trad climbing at any grade, or more vertical sport climbs on 'edgy' rock types, or long mountain multi pitch routes, a bit of support can be welcome. Heavier climbers and old-timers, and I count myself under both headings, may err instinctively towards stiffer footwear, but you don't have to be ancient to benefit: shoes with a bit of support make ideal all-rounders, if you do most of your climbing outside, and particularly if it's trad or easier sport.

One model to buck the softer trend and attempt to meet the rather big supportive gap in the market is the Force. A longstanding staple in the Scarpa range, this model has had an upgrade for 2024.

With a flat, neutral shape and generous width the Force prioritises wearability, and is clearly aimed at the low-to-mid-grade climber. It's a luxurious and beautifully made shoe, too. But it does all this without compromising too far on performance, a difficult balancing act that I think Scarpa have judged perfectly in this case. And crucially, to my way of thinking, it offers a level of underfoot support hard to come by these days.

What's changed?

The new version of the Force has a more contoured fit than its predecessor, while the tension system has been tweaked to give increased lateral stability for better edging and support. Its padded tongue and heel have both been redesigned for a lower profile, and the thinner rubber used here - 3.5mm, down from 4mm - may wear a bit faster but should also offer more sensitivity. Overall, the materials and finish are a step up from the older incarnation.

In use

Given its combination of comfort for all-day wear and underfoot support for edging performance, the ideal use for this shoe is long sessions of trad climbing, be that a big multipitch route or a high mileage day at a single pitch crag. While it's spot on for mountain VDiffs and that ilk I've found the Force can take you a lot further than that, and with my upper limit being about E1 (on a good day) and most of my time spent around VS and below it's got all the oomph I need in a trad-oriented shoe. It's not my footwear that's holding me back, and I'm sure better climbers could take them a fair bit further still, perhaps especially if it's an edgy rock type or a crack climb. It'd make an excellent alpine rock shoe too.

While trad is the obvious application I've also found the Force great for low-end sport climbing, with plenty of precision for those - like me - who operate in the 5s and low 6s. It's best suited to vertical or off-vertical terrain rather than anything steeper, and if I was pushing my grade I'd probably opt for a higher performance shoe.

I think it's too clumpy to be much use for bouldering, indoors or out, even at my lowly level.

Weight

Thanks to its lined suede upper, padded cuff, and substantial midsole the Force is not a light shoe, weighing a hefty 780g for my pair of size 46.5 (Scarpa say 600g/pair size 41). I've got rock shoes a couple of hundred grams per pair lighter. They're right up at the heavier end for climbing footwear, which I suppose might be a consideration in a rucksack on a weight-limited trip. But if you're looking for a shoe of this quite specific sort then some weight has to be expected, and for most users I can't see it being an issue.

Materials and build quality are superb, and to me (rightly or wrongly) the Force feels hand-crafted more than mass produced. With its potential for resoling this is a shoe that should offer years of service.

Fit

The Force is available in both men's and women's (lower volume, slightly narrower) versions.

With its neutral shape, flattish last and quite rounded, forgiving profile at the toe it's a shoe very clearly erring towards a comfy fit. Scarpa describe the width as medium, but compared to every other climbing shoe I own I'd say it comes out fairly wide in the forefoot - notably broader than something like the Helix despite the fact that this alternative comfy model is classed by Scarpa as wide!

The arch support is fantastic, wrapping close around the sole of the midfoot; in fact the only point that doesn't offer a close and precise feel on me is right back at the heel, which I find a bit baggy (but not so that it concerns me, since this isn't a model you'll be pulling out the heel hooks in). Volume is midrange, and at the front there's a bias towards the middle toe. On paper perhaps this might not seem a match for my broad, fairly square-ended feet, but in fact they fit me really well. In a lifelong struggle to find climbing shoes I can wear without grimacing, yet still climb reasonably in, the Force is a bit of a revelation. I'll be buying a second pair before they change anything.

As a velcro model there's not as much nuance in fit down at the front end as a lace-up might offer, but I've not found this an issue. This may in part be because, to gain a little precision, I dropped half a size from my standard shoe size, opting for a 46.5/UK11.5. Thanks to the forgiving shape and fairly generous width I've found this doesn't compromise comfort in the way that downsizing often does for me, and in fact for a moderate shoe such as this it's turned out to be pretty much the optimum balance of performance and wearability. Even on warm days with a bit of foot spread I've happily worn the Force on multipitch routes without needing to pop my heels out at the belays.

I suspect my usual 47 might feel less precise at the front end. As always, you'll really need to try them on with a view to end use. If it's primarily long mountain Severes then you may be fine in your standard shoe size; but if you want to push a little more performance out of them then perhaps - like me - consider a modest downsize.

The added extras boost the overall comfort and feeling of luxury. You get a padded ankle cuff, and a lovely soft, cushioned and stretchy tongue. Its thick suede upper with a full lining helps give the Force its sturdy feel. There's not going to be much give over time, so you should size them with that in mind. I found them superbly comfy straight out of the box. As Scarpa say, this really is a Rolls Royce among climbing shoes. The only thing I can say on the debit side is that it's not going to be the coolest and most breathable shoe in hot weather.

Sole 

The XS Edge rubber used here is Vibram's harder and more durable compound, a bit less sticky than some but correspondingly good for edging as the name implies. You get a decent 3.5mm of it, which should last a good while before resoling is required, and after a few months of moderate use my pair is showing only very light signs of wear at the toe.

Underfoot support comes courtesy of a full length 1.4mm midsole, combined with a substantial tensioned rubber rand. Being a lot stiffer than most shoes - it's certainly the stiffest model I currently own - it's an edging machine which feels really secure and supportive on small holds. But while it provides a lovely solid platform the Force still retains a good deal of precision, and I feel I'm getting more performance out of it than I'd tend to expect in a comfy shoe.

Ethics and environment

Scarpa have gone for Eco-Suede here, which utilises a metal-free tanning process rather than suede tanned traditionally using heavy metals such as chromium, as per the previous model. The Force is made in Italy, under decent EU regulatory conditions.

Summary

One of the stiffer and more supportive rock shoes currently available, the Force fills a very definite gap in a market that's dominated by softer models. The combination of all-day comfort and decent performance is a tough balancing act, and one that Scarpa have pulled off very successfully here. For low to mid grade trad, and long mountain routes in particular, this beautifully made shoe is a Force to be reckoned with.