2009 Shoe Review - August 2009

La Sportiva TC Pro

$170, sportiva.com
The asymmetric, flat last and leather midtop upper of La Sportiva’s new trad shoe offer incredible crack and edging/frontpointing prowess. The TC Pro sports 4mm Vibram XS Edge rubber, a new compound designed to stick to micro-edges, while the P3 midsole ensures a stiff platform to prevent foot fatigue. All our testers considered it the best, most durable shoe for granite. The only drawback was the tongue, which rolled somewhat toward the toe box during foot entry. The TC Pro is designed for high-end, all-day trad, and no shoe out there is both as stiff and precise.
Ideal Uses: Granite and trad of all kinds.
Bottom Line: High-performance trad shoe that excels at edging and cracks.

Mad Rock Con-Cept

$99.95, madrockclimbing.com
Mad Rock is known for inventive shoes, but the lace-up Con-Cept is their best yet. Testers reported that the 4mm Science Friction 2.2 rubber (on its unique concave sole) was the stickiest they’d used. Other praise included “Does everything well” and “Excels at edging.” The only drawback noted was the toe rubber’s forward (not flush or backward) bevel, which tended to deform on micro-edges. (One tester filed it down.) Like most high-performance shoes, the Con-Cept is built on an asymmetric, downturned last with a leather upper. It earned high marks for comfort, edging, and heel hooking, and kudos for price. Size tightly for best results; they’ll stretch up to a half-size.
Ideal Uses: Technical faces, steep routes, boulders, plastic — nearly everything.
Bottom Line: Comfortable, high-performance shoe at a great price.

Mad Rock Mugen Tech

$89.95, madrockclimbing.com
As with Mad Rock’s other 2009 entry, testers touted the Mugen Tech’s 4mm Science Friction 2.2 rubber as extremely sticky, though some noted it wore more quickly than expected. With its stiff midsole and slightly asymmetric, slightly downturned last, the Mugen Tech is geared toward edging and tech face. This two-strap Velcro retained shape with its synthetic upper and new, eco-friendly hemp lining. The ribbed heel’s fit also made it one of the review’s best heelhookers, and testers praised edging ability. Also, the price is appealing compared to most high-end shoes. It won’t stretch much, so size comfortably.
Ideal Uses: Technical face, edging, steeps.
Bottom Line: Precise on small footholds, excellent heel cup, inexpensive.