Free 2-Day Shipping Unrivalled when it comes to edging, the Anasazi Blanco has become one of the classics in the climbing shoe world. The Gomi, shown here, does great on pocketed climbs. As such, the shoes that perform poorly on crack climbs are often among the higher performers on pocketed terrain and vice versa. The Vapor is a great all-around shoe - from slabs to steep pockets to vertical edging. We found the Velcro model to be much more comfortable overall. EpicTV Shop Returns: EpicTV, Unit 8 Whitehall Trading Estate, Gerrish Avenue, Bristol BS5 9DF, United Kingdom. Additionally, the Solution Comp's heel cup is lower profile and more sensitive than the original Solution. Summer Clearance is good only on in stock items. Looking for a new pair of approach shoes? "Discounted items" includes items on sale or discounted via coupon code or use of MJ$. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Bear in mind that the pockets evaluation is, in many ways, the polar opposite of the crack climbing assessment. All users must accept these terms and conditions and create an account with Moosejaw to opt-in to the program and earn, accrue, retain and redeem Moosejaw Reward Dollars (MJ$). Our lead tester Jane Jackson spends a lot of her time climbing in Yosemite and the High Sierra. Others will want a shoe whose fit feels similar to that of a street shoe for all-day comfort. Their slight downturn makes them great for steep climbing, but they have a stiff enough midsole to beat some of the top performers on vertical terrain as well. We find that the more sensitive and precise, the better, because we can trust our feet as we make delicate moves. For some, the slipper-like fit and soft midsole may be too much. Despite the regular additions to the women's specific shoe market, there are still gaps in coverage, though progress is being made. Are women limited to just the "women's" models? We felt they were best suited for moderate multi-pitch climbing, especially crack climbs. Although the Miura VS has some downturn in the toe, there is not enough of a curve to be painful when jammed, and this bit of aggression helps work the toe into difficult, finger-sized cracks. The program opt-in requirement was added on August 6th, 2019. The Scarpa Arpia also fell short. As you may recall, the Comp is also the shoe we preferred for steep climbing. Read review: La Sportiva Tarantulace - Women's. What would your grandmother say about that? We really, really don't want to that to happen, so please opt-in or we'll feel terrible. In stores, provide the email address attached to your account to learn your balance and apply to your purchase. While a jack of all trades may be a master of none, we can at least make well-founded judgments on the performance of each of these shoes in a wide range of climbing styles. This hole in the sole only allows the shoe to stretch in the back half, leaving the toe where you placed it on the surface of the rock. Door to door. It should be noted that we have shoes designed for a variety of different climbing disciplines, and they've been combined into this one review. The La Sportiva Solution Comp and Scarpa Instinct VS both hug the foot entirely with no dead space, and we preferred this close fit. Evaluating the comfort of a climbing shoe is difficult, and many folks have different ideas of what makes a comfortable shoe. The XS Grip2 holding it down on a stem rest. What is the difference between a woman's climbing shoe and a man's? MJ$ expire two years after earning and are redeemed on a first-in, first out basis (in other words, we always use your oldest MJ$ that are closest to expiration). Spend $12 in Moosejaw products OR at least $35 You're welcome gift receivers. The lace-up version of the La Sportiva Miura is also impressive as an edging machine. Side-by-side testing in Indian Creek - a perfect place for such a thing. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. The shoes are not aggressively shaped like our value recommendation, so they work great for all-day multi-pitch climbs or long gym sessions. What are the advantages of a woman's shoe? Much like their close relative, the Solution, the brand new La Sportiva Solution Comp is most at home on steep sport climbs and boulders. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. Comfort and performance in a reasonably priced package what's not to like? Previously a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue, Jane has done her fair share of big wall climbing in Valley. Though not designed for performance rock climbing, we tested them on small edges and smears to see how they worked. Performs well on slabby, vertical, and overhanging routes. Once signed in, you will see your available MJ$ and maximum that can be redeemed in the payment section of the checkout process. Surprisingly, the La Sportiva Tarantulace has a fairly flat midsole, yet still seems to hug the sole of the foot comfortably. The Solution Comps are great on the steeps, but also super comfortable on more vertical terrain - the best of both worlds! The thick rubber on the Zone combined with the stiff, inflexible midsole made it hard to feel any holds beneath our feet. Enter your order number and email address below. We were also impressed by the Butora Gomi, which is a high-performance shoe comparable to the Solution, with a more affordable price tag. Full-priced items earn 10% back while discounted items earn 2.5%. If you have a narrow and/or low-volume foot, this is great news! So sorry, but only 4 items are allowed for comparison, so we're comparing the first 4. The Conservation Alliance. The pockets category is an evaluation of how well a given shoe can sink into a rock surface's cavities. The Skwama is a great all-around shoe with few performance weaknesses. Keep that in mind when considering the Solution Comp. Its stiff midsole and slight downturn help toe in on gently overhanging terrain. Got feedback? currentPageNumber:0, This predicament creates problems when trying to perform a comparative analysis. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. Both the La Sportiva Solution and the La Sportiva Solution Comp are close behind. The Skwama is confidence-inspiring on the smallest smears and the greasiest limestone footholds. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. Backcountry Advocate ProgramBreaking Trail. These shoes edged well enough for most moderate trad climbing endeavors. Our only real gripe with the Maestro is its exorbitant price tag. Each time we revamp our women's climbing shoe review, we see more choices available; in fact, the past couple of years have been marked by an increase in the number of women's specific shoes produced by manufacturers. The Five Ten Kirigami wasn't quite stiff enough to perform well in this metric. Shoes with a significant amount of downturn are especially uncomfortable when foot jamming. This aspect of climbing shoe performance requires a stiffer sole that is supportive of the whole foot when pressing down on thin edges. By continuing to browse this website, you are confirming your agreement. Get Up to 40% Off Summer Styles from Top Outdoor Brands. It is a slipper with very sticky rubber and a flat shape. attributes: "" The Miura VS is a supremely sensitive shoe. Additionally, the Unparallel Up Lace and the Scarpa Vapor V perform well in the edging category. If it's a balance between performance and comfort you're looking for then the Hiangle is the shoe for you, and if you're just starting out, the Gambit has everything you need. Unfortunately, shoes that are both incredibly stiff and downturned, like the Black Diamond Zone, don't cradle the foot at all and can make for a very uncomfortable fit. in other products and your order ships FREE! Size them tighter, and they're the perfect shoe for your steep sport project. Assessing the edging ability of the Libra on the top out of yet another 5-star granite boulder problem. So, don't feel like you are limited solely to women's specific shoes. If you are looking for a specific style, you can quickly narrow your search. Finally, there are enough options available to conduct an extensive, side-by-side analysis. All that extra padding protects the foot in hand cracks - an added bonus for this comfy shoe. The most expensive shoes in this review are the Scarpa Furia. This design also provides more room for the toes, making the Comp very comfortable. Ideally, a crack shoe will also be decent at edging and smearing since you will likely need to do all of these things on a traditional climb, even if it's just a single pitch. The Kirigamis were arguably more comfortable than our approach shoes. Toeing in on tufa blobs in Kalymnos, Greece is similar to toeing in on steep pockets. Booting up for another pitch in Southern France. the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, Comfortable, high performance, sticky rubber, easy to put on, good in cracks, versatile, Comfortable, extremely sensitive, great for smearing and steep climbing, easy to get on and off, Super sensitive, overall comfortable for aggressive design, great for pocket climbing, good for heel hooking, Good for steep climbing, break in well, conforms to foot shape, comfortable, aggressive shape, Specific shape can cause discomfort for some, expensive, Stretch out quickly, costly, lack support, Expensive, No-Edge technology could be an acquired taste, Expensive, specific, can be painful for some, A technical climbing powerhouse, perfect for crimpy limestone lines or long granite free climbs, The Skwama are impressive in many realms, combining comfort with a high performance fit, If you let them, they may revolutionize your footwork; they'll take some getting used to, but are top notch for steep climbing, This model gets our Top Pick for steep climbing and bouldering due to their aggressive shape, precision, and comfortable design, These shoes are a tried and true steep climbing masterpiece, For climbing where footwork is key, look no further than the Miura VS, These high performance slippers from La Sportiva work well in almost all arenas, from cracks to steep sport climbs, From tufas to granite boulders, these are a steep climbers dream, From toeing in on steep terrain to standing on small holds to heel hooking, this shoe does it all, For steep terrain where an aggressive shape and an asymmetrical toe box are your friend, go for the Solution, The combination of features and comfort make the Maestro a crack climbing, multi-pitch machine, This shoe will give you confidence on the smallest of holds and the thinnest of cracks, The Up Lace shines in the multi-pitch trad realm - comfort, stiffness, and crack climbing abilities are the name of the game, Though not our least favorite shoe in the pack, they are certainly not the highest performing model we tested, These shoes are great for vertical to steep sport climbing and bouldering, This downturned, stiff shoe is both sensitive and aggressive for toeing in to small holds on steep walls, For toe hooks, heel hooks, and other steep-climbing shenanigans, these are the ticket, This soft slipper makes for a comfortable and precise shoe for the intermediate climber, While they did moderately well in overall performance, this model is impressive because of its comfortable design, An ideal shoe for a beginner climber - these are soft, comfortable, and great for moderate terrain, The Gomi is designed to scum, hook, and smear onto all matter of footholds found in the steeps, A shoe that is great for all-day wear and is easy to take on and off, This shoe is incredibly stiff and runs small, making it challenging to break-in, The Focus has a stiff midsole that helps you stand on edges, but lacks sensitivity. We've tested tons of climbing gear over the years. They do have a slight downturn which helps them excel as an edging shoe. We've got you Best Climbing Harnesses for Women of 2022. That said, in recent years, she prefers free climbing, which allows her to put the many aggressive and colorful shoes in this review to the test. These changes in last dimensions can enhance the fit for many women, particularly those who have low-volume or very narrow feet. Size them with a bit of extra room, and they can be great for all-day comfort on hard free routes. Existing program members prior to that date must still formally opt-in and accept the terms and conditions to continue to retain, earn and redeem MJ$. Get FREE 4-6 Day Ground Shipping on all bike accessory orders over $49.00. I blame the gnomes and so should you. These shoes don't crush your toes, and they have a sock-like tongue that cradles the foot. With its range of applications, high scores across the board, and loyal following, the Miura VS is an obvious choice for overall favorite. No ads. Often a shoe with a pointed toe will excel in this particular medium. The La Sportiva Solution Comp is our favorite shoe for pocket pulling. Read review: La Sportiva Miura VS Women's. Our lead tester has wide feet and often prefers the men's version of many popular shoes on the market. On Moosejaw.com, just sign-in on any page to see your available balance. We've climbed in these shoes on technical sandstone boulders in Fontainbleau and on steep tufa lines in Southern France. The La Sportiva Skwama also hugs the foot. Women's climbing shoes might not be the oldest type of shoes in the climbing the business, but that does not make them any less innovative or high-quality than their male counterparts. Steep and techy bouldering in the Miura VS. Not ideal for edging or technical terrain. No additional delivery or customs fees will be added by the courier. Your session is about to timeout due to inactivity. If you plan to wear your synthetic Evolv shoes regularly, you will likely need to clean and dry them regularly, too. Be the first to see the latest styles, events and madness. We will also send you a monthly email that details your balance and other account activity. These shoes are edging masters. The updated toe box is a bit wider and has more rubber on top for toe hooking and scumming. The Tarantulace is first and foremost comfortable - their soft leather uppers will stretch with wear. Privacy | Cookies | Terms, We tested women's climbing shoes from La Sportiva, Five Ten, Scarpa, and others to find the best-performing models for your climbing style. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. These shoes are some of the most sensitive edging machines we've tested. } Every so often, we'll have special offers where you can earn bonus MJ$, like an additional 10%, 20% or 40% back. Delicate top outs make for great opportunities to test these shoes' ability to perform. These slipper-like shoes combine comfort and performance so well that only the original Solution and the La Sportiva Futura came close in comparison. Camp 4 provides a great testing ground. The Scarpa Maestro Mid Eco is a bit more versatile and comfortable, but still costs a pretty penny. Get FREE 2-Day on orders over $49! Point being, these Velcro slippers are ideal for beginner climbers and those concerned with comfort above all else. For super continuous cracks at a place like Indian Creek, Utah, the unisex Five Ten Moccasym reigns king. Earn 10% back on every purchase & spend them on anything. Read review: La Sportiva Skwama Women's. Five Ten are known for their rubber, and rightly so, but their shoes perform in every single area. So if we are running a 50% back special offer, and you buy a regular-priced item for $100.00, you will receive MJ$10.00 in base points, and a bonus of MJ$40. A potentially significant detail that we noticed is that Evolv's synthetic shoes eventually began to stink way more than what we'd consider "normal." With ankle protection, edging abilities, and comfort in cracks, the Maestro was our women's specific go-to for crack climbing. All the padding on the Five Ten Kirigami make them an extremely comfortable shoe. pageSize: 48, You can always save some cash by purchasing from a used gear shop or sending your old standbys to a re-sole company to extend their life. Edging and sensitivity are similar but apply to different styles of footholds. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Both shoes, though very different in shape and style, were too soft in the midsole, making it hard to hold an edge on vertical terrain. These shoes are designed for high-performance rock climbing, and the lack of versatility can be a bit limiting. Whatever your style, Five Ten will have a shoe with all the features you want! A medium-stiff midsole makes these shoes versatile they can hold an edge to cop a stem rest but are soft enough to squish into a .75 crack when necessary. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support. This item has been successfully added to your list. Banana Fingers and the Banana Fingers logo are trademarks of Banana Fingers Ltd. We use cookie on this site to enhance your user experience. In general, the Kirigami did pretty well except for the fact that the soles are very floppy, meaning these shoes completely lack the stiffness of many of our top performers in edging. We've climbed cracks, pulled on pockets, fallen off our projects, and tip-toed up delicate slabs all in the name of testing. Once the angle gets steeper, or the holds become more like smears, the Tarantualces start to become a bit more challenging to trust. Fresh out of the box, the Miura have a lot of rubber on the soles, which can be a bit unnerving, but, over time these soles wear in to be technical wizards on the rock! This feature may not matter to many women because laces afford a customizable fit throughout the upper portion and the toe box, depending on how far the laces go down the upper. EPICTV, the EPICTV logo and all other EPICTV marks are trademarks of Elisa Oyj. EU fuss-free delivery! The Scarpa Maestro Mid Eco is one of the softest, most comfortable shoes we've ever worn. A well-loved, much worn pair of Skwamas that look like they've almost reached retirement, based on the amount of rubber left on the toe. Women's specific shoes are relatively new to the market, and before that, ladies had to go with men's or unisex models. Come How to Choose the Perfect Pair of Women's Rock Climbing Shoes. All trademarks property of their respective owners Surprisingly a few of the most aggressively downturned shoes that we tested, such as the La Sportiva Solution Comp , also turned out to be some of the most comfortable. Preparing to throw down as much as a few Benjamins for a new pair of shoes, of which the performance and lasting fit are yet unknown, can make the selection process a bit overwhelming. We found them to work best on vertical terrain with decently sized footholds. { searchResult: { That's like getting 10% back in Rewards! The female last will be similar to that of the male version but usually a little narrower, especially in the heel. Here you can see that the curved toe of the Women's Solution helps the climber keep herself pulled into the wall. Slip on a pair of these bad boys and you can stand on just about anything. Climbing shoes never smell particularly sweet, but we had a lot of other shoes to compare them with, and the leather models are slower to develop an off-putting odor. The La Sportiva Miura VS is one of the most sensitive shoes we've reviewed. Surprisingly, the La Sportiva Skwama does fairly well in cracks, especially finger and tight-hands cracks, although it is designed as more of a steep, sporty shoe. The velcro model is slightly more downturned than its lace-up counterpart, making it great for steep, technical terrain. These are great options when the anxiety of spending a lot of money on a new pair of kicks washes over you! If you leave the rewards program, any unused MJ$ will be voided upon completion of your request. searchTerms: '', Durability could be an issue if you tend to be hard on your shoes. One of the reasons that climbers fork over one to two hundred of their hard-earned dollars for climbing shoes versus sneakers or boots is that the prior gives a climber's toes the ability to feel the rock and use minuscule features on the wall. Hundreds of pitches and boulder problems have been climbed to get the most accurate results. Shoes with Velcro straps are the easiest to get on and off, while lace-ups take a little longer. totalPageNumber: 0, At the same time, its shape allows for precision edging on vertical terrain and even slabs. Get FREE 4-6 Day Ground Shipping on all orders over $49.00. Find models such as the Anasazi, Hiangle, Dragon, Asym, Gambit and Aleon here! And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. These are expensive, and for a seemingly delicate shoe that's bound to get beat up in wide cracks and long days on the wall, it can be hard to wrap one's head around paying so much. Read review: Scarpa Maestro Mid Eco Women's. We also noticed that some shoes hug the whole foot, leaving no air pockets or dead space inside. A good edging shoe makes the problems on the Camp 4 circuit way easier! At these prices, we want to make sure that we are getting the right tool for the job! Sensitivity allows you to smear on and toe into tiny footholds with confidence. Typically, we like to use the La Sportiva TC Pro for crack climbing, though this is not a women's specific shoe. When sized a bit big, it can be comfortable in cracks of any width, and the lack of laces keeps the shoe from shredding. Slipper design combines comfort and performance. We based our evaluation on how closely the shoes hugged our feet, how crammed our toes felt, and on the extra features that make a shoe bearable to wear. The La Sportiva Miura VS has bonus comfort features like a padded heel and a padded tongue that tightens the fit for women and makes it very pleasant to wear. Ends Tomorrow! You earn MJ$10 for every $100 you spend on Moosejaw.com or at our shops (MJ$2.50 for discounted items). We also found that the Evolv Shakra fit comfortably enough to wear them for hours at the gym without taking them off. Read review: La Sportiva Solution Comp - Women's. Moosejaw Rewards From slabs to overhanging boulders, we put each pair through the wringer. Be the first one to hear about our weekly deals on climbing gear. Sorry gift givers. No sponsored content. Other top contenders include the La Sportiva Kataki and the Scarpa Instinct VS. Not surprisingly, the flatter soled shoes in this review, such as the Unparallel Up Lace do not perform at a high level when toeing into pockets. Both the Velcro model and the lace-up model have these features. This aside, the Tarantulaces are still great shoes for most introductory climbing. Aside from the superficial (like color schemes), the defining difference between men's and women's shoes is that they are usually constructed around different lasts (the form matching the foot's anatomy off which a shoe is patterned). Our testers spend more time climbing than they probably ought to. The La Sportiva Tarantulace is our top recommendation for new climbers who are ready to commit to buying their own pair of shoes. We can climb splitter cracks like this all day in the Miura VS. The soft midsole and rubber-coated toe make them easy to squeeze into thin, techy jams. The Unparallel Up Lace is comfortable enough to be worn all day. The Shakra did okay in the gym and on less technical climbing but was not the shoe of choice for precision footwork. Let us know! The La Sportiva Miura VS is a classic shoe that is ubiquitous in most climbing areas around the world. Edging, as we define it, is the ability to place a toe on a small edge and have it feel like a much larger feature. For those with oddly proportioned feet, a lace-up like the Scarpa Vapor, La Sportiva Miura, or Scarpa Maestro Mid Eco will let you loosen the fit in key areas and cinch them down in others. This commonality shouldn't be too surprising, considering the similarities in ankle and toe movement across the two techniques. GearLab is reader-supported. This is a transactional email that you will receive even if you are not subscribed to our marketing emails. Enjoy special offers available only to our account holders. We also appreciated the sensitivity of the Skwama and the Butora Acro, as they gave us the confidence to still trust our feet on the smallest holds out there. When the toe is weighted on an edge, the weight of the climber stretches forward from the heel towards the front of the shoe. The rubber compound is not the stickiest we've tested, and the stiffness of the sole makes them a bit hard to smear with, especially on footless granite slabs. Over the past decade, our team has tested over 45 of the best women's climbing shoes, recently purchasing 19 of today's best models for our latest round of side-by-side testing. }, { searchResult: { Shoes like the La Sportiva Miura and the Unparallel Up Lace are also good lace-up crack climbing shoes. Designed with a different last, higher arch, lower instep and narrower toe box, these rock climbing shoes make an immediate impact on your climbing as they were designed for a woman's foot. Access all of the Moosejaw Reward Dollars you earn on every purchase. From the sweeping and imposing limestone walls of France's Verdon Gorge to the perfectly parallel cracks found in the desert Southwest closer to home, and finally (and somewhat begrudgingly) to the hallowed boulders of the Buttermilks, our testers have put these shoes through a smattering of different climbing styles. From the rubber to the performance to the design, Five Ten climbing shoes excel. Regardless, we loved the Maestro for crack and multi-pitch climbing. Models like the La Sportiva Solution and Butora Acro are best reserved for steep face moves. Once you get into climbing, it can be hard to choose one pair that suits every type of climbing. totalResultCount: 56, All information collected and used to facilitate the Moosejaw Rewards program is directly related to the program's ability to provide value to the customer. The Libras surprised us as a great all-around shoe. We've put in a significant amount of time and effort scanning online retailers and perusing local gear shops in order to bring the best products to you. Extra 20% Off Select Backcountry Exclusives .css-1081t4c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Shop This Deal, Our All Around Duffel, Now In More Colors Shop Packs & Travel, Basecamp Under The Stars Shop Coolers, Camp Furniture & More, Sort By :.css-17f9qbw{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-base);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-normal);color:var(--chakra-colors-txt-primary);}, The Seasons Best Gear, Apparel, & Footwear. The Five Ten Kirigami impressed us in both comfort and price, with great performance in most of our testing metrics as well. Click OK to extend your time for an additional 0 minutes. Some find the toe box to be a bit too asymmetrical on the Miura, but over time these shoes break in to be great for finger cracks and technical face climbs. A comfortable shoe is crucial for a good warm-up. Testing out the Tarantulace on the Buttermilks circuit. This is what it looks like when you climb foot-intensive multi-pitch routes in shoes not designed for edgingOuch! } These shoes are designed for a particular use (steep face climbs) and are typically purchased by experienced climbers who want to up their technical climbing game. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products.