Shoe designers still find ways to tempt those of us who need
the perfect shoe for a specific climb. So, as with last year, we asked them
to send us their flagship high-performance sport/bouldering model and
then a traddie version of the same. We recruited 15 testers with as many
different foot shapes and ability levels, showing no mercy to our kicks on
rock (and plastic) from coast to coast.
All shoes reviewed — save the Acopa JB and Mammut Goblin — are
new for 2009. There were also four standout innovations: the Slide-Rail
Velcro closure on the Edelrid Tornado, hemp lining in Mad Rock’s Mugen
Tech, BOA lacing system on Millet’s Boa 1st, and the ultra-thin soles on
shoes from Five Ten and La Sportiva. As with past reviews, extraordinary
models win Climbing’s Editor’s Choice Award.
$155, acopausa.com The JB fills a niche (high-top trad) semi-ignored since the 1980s. It’s made on a straight, slip last (read: comfy and quite stiff), with padded tongue and canvas-lined upper good for all-day use. The laces extend down to the toe box, making for easy loosening (cracks) and tightening (dime edges). Testers found the shoe plenty stiff for micro-edging, sticky for smearing (4.2mm RS rubber), and suited for jamming, with a full rand and extra toe rubber. For long routes, size close to your street shoe. Ideal Uses: Crack/face. All-day or multi-pitch.
Bottom Line: Comfortable high-top. Excellent
for edging and jamming.
$159.90, acopausa.com Yosemite’s long routes dish everything from minute smears and edges, to flared foot jams, to offwidths; the Legend is built for this kind of versatility. With a symmetric, flat last, this low-top shoe sports a notably stiff midsole (giving it superior edging), canvas lining, and padded leather collar to keep feet comfortable and protected. The 4.2mm Acopa RS Rubber is both durable and very sticky. Because of the lining, the Legend won’t stretch much, so size comfortably. The Acopa Legend was designed for performance trad of all types, and it delivers. Ideal Uses: All-around trad, beginner to expert.
Bottom Line: Stiff, solid shoe for cracks/edging.
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