2009 Shoe Review - August 2009

A bumper crop of sport, trad, and approach rigs

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.

Acopa JB

$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.

Acopa Legend

$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.