2009 Shoe Review - August 2009

2009 Approach Shoes

Acopa Scrambler, $110 The best pure climber in the review, the Scrambler comes with a flat sole, little cushioning or support, and a retro look. Great for short trails and miles of rock. Think Flatirons, J-Tree, Red Rocks, etc.

Boreal Flyers, $109 The latest Flyers have an aggressive hiking tread under most of the shoe, and a smoother sole near the forefoot for scrambling. Testers found the Flyer stable and supportive while approaching, average for easy climbing, and great for cruising downtown. There’s also a narrower women’s version.

Evolv Reactor, $95 This attractive, well-built shoe is supportive and comfy while hiking, rock-hopping, or strolling. Climbing isn’t the Reactor’s best bag, but its sticky sole/rand takes you where mere walking shoes won’t.

Evolv Serpico, $99 The Serpico is a perfect mix of stable, sturdy hiker and confident climber. It’s on the bulky side for harness- clipping, but excels at comfort.

Five Ten Women’s Guide Tennie, $104.95 Good news: Five Ten has produced the super-popular Guide Tennie in a women’s version (narrow, lower-volume fit). It’s stiff and supportive for approaches. Plus, the lightly textured Stealth sole puts this among the review’s best climbers.

La Sportiva Exum Pro, $95 La Sportiva combined a running-shoe’s cushion with sticky rubber, creating a versatile shoe flexible for solid smearing and comfortable for rough trails. This was a fave for all but the longest approaches.

Mammut Borah DLX, $119 With aggressive tread and a stiff, supportive Vibram sole, the Borah DLX is the perfect choice for long, rough approaches. It’s more of a hiker than a climber, but edges and jams ably.

Mammut Mt. Nebo GTX, $139 This shoe is similar to the Borah DLX but more heavy duty and built with a Gore-Tex membrane. It’s great for tough terrain in all conditions, including soggy weather. Although not designed specifically for climbing, this is a solid edging shoe.

Millet Radikal Speed, $145 This is a well-built, attractive hiker designed for tech approaches, via ferratas, and moderates. It utilizes the BOA tightening system with two settings: one for foot-top tightening, the other for toe cinching. It’s one of the stiffest approach shoes reviewed and comes with an aggressive Vibram tread.

Scarpa Expresso, $99 Built on a modified rock-shoe last and with a narrow toe profile, the Expresso excels at smearing, edging, and jamming. It’s also stiff and supportive enough for all but the most grueling approaches. With solid construction and few bells and whistles, the Expresso was a tester fave. —CW