Authors Jack Cramer and Matt Bento analyzed the data from all this testing and used it to select the award-winning models highlighted above. Both of these guys are veterans of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team and possess more than a decade of experience on the stone. They also share an affection for a wide variety of climbing disciplines, ranging from low-boulders to massive big walls and everything in between. They ensured that each shoe in this review faced the torque of numerous crack jams along with micro edges, smears, and pockets on an array of rock types. In the end, we concluded that no rock climbing shoe can do it all. But hopefully with the aid of our insights, you can find the shoe that's best suited for your goals and preferences.
[Extra Quality] Solid Edge V20 Crack Mega Full
As the grades rise, some climbers swear by low volume, slipper-style shoes like the Five Ten Moccasym, especially for thin cracks. If you size them up from their normal sizing to allow your toes to lay flat, you can create an extremely narrow toe profile that will let you cram extra rubber into the slimmest openings. Our testers agree that the hard cracks of the future will likely be climbed in shoes that can squeeze into thinner (sub-0.75-inch) cracks, but argue over whether slipper designs can supply enough edging performance for all rock types. Difficult granite cracks, for example, often involve bouldery cruxes where shoes also need to be able to utilize micro edges and face holds. The La Sportiva Katana is perfectly equipped for this kind of test piece. The Katana is more supportive than a soft slipper in cracks, while the lace closure locks your foot in place.
The La Sportiva Skwama is another of our favorite crack climbing shoes because it's shaped perfectly for fitting in all sizes of cracks. The thin layer of rubber on the upper also offers a little extra grip and protection for sore feet, and the single velcro closure remains mostly out of the way while jamming your feet into cracks hand-sized and up. This shoe is ideal for Indian Creek or Zion, where the thin cracks on cutting-edge free climbs are often too small to accept higher volume shoes like the La Sportiva TC Pro. 2ff7e9595c
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