UKH

Hi All!

I've recently got back into indoor bouldering again and soon want to venture to outdoors asap. I've taken the jump to buy my first pair of rock shoes and the Evolv Shaman have caught my eye.

I wanted to know how the fit comes up with these, in high street shoes I take an 11 but my feet are about an 11.25 when measured. I tried on the 11 and they felt extremely snug, almost to the point where the knuckles on my toes hurt from the toe box on these. The 11.5s however are a little looser but don't hurt as much, although I can move my toes slightly in the end of the shoe and when unvelcroed the heel slips off rather easy.
What would you suggest would be the best pair?
Would the 11s stretch a little or should I go for the next size up?

Cheers!

In reply to AdTheViking:

First shoes, I wouldn't buy silly tight. It's not the shoes holding you back early on. Comfort will be king when you wear them for hours on end, wandering around boulders and landing when dropping off.
If they are looser as time goes on, you can wear socks to pad them out. Though I doubt you'll need to.
Most people find they wear out shoes quickly when starting out, so you're not likely to have them ages either. My experience of evolve is they do wear out quickly too. But not a bad shoe.
Try before you buy, don't get sucked into really technical shoes just 'cos. Plenty of hard routes are done in intermediate and comfy shoes.

In reply to AdTheViking:

Oh, forgot to say.regulars shoe size has nearly no bearing on rock shoe size.
Shoe size also doesn't have any consistency between makes of rock shoe.
Try before you buy!

In reply to AdTheViking:

I would recommend you try on a few other pairs of shoes with a flatter, less aysmettric last and a bit more rubber under the sole.

Nobody can tell you which shoe you must or mustn't buy, but you will be wasting your money buying a performance shoe if you aren't able to size it appropriately.

In reply to Kevster:

Cheers Kev, I'll go for the 11.5 I think, I did originally buy the 11s but trying them on again tonight they're painfully uncomfortable. It was a toss up between these the La Sportiva Katanas VS or La Sportiva Miura VS

In reply to AdTheViking:

I used to work in a gear shop and my advice would be that the best shoe for you at the moment is the one that fits and is comfortable.

You can worry about super-duper asymmetric lasts, pointy toes, stickyness of the rubber and all the other guff when you've got more experience, better footwork and the strength to use them on harder problems.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Cheers,

I feel i'm at a decent level of bouldering now, depending on what you determine as decent and I do think the 11.5 are a lot comfier if I'm honest, I'm just a little unsure on the toe box of them.

Would you suggest something more along the lines of the Scarpa Vapour VS or 5.10 anasazi?

I know a lot of people rave about the versatility of the la sportiva katana, but I they just dont seem to feel all that comfy on the achilles

In reply to AdTheViking:

I'm sorry, I'm a bit out of touch with the current ranges.

All you can really do it keep trying until you find a make/model/size that fit YOUR feet, as all they are based on slightly different lasts.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

No worries thanks for your reply!

Hopefully find a pair soon, I wondering how aggressive I actually need the shoe to be for bouldering. Whether to go mildly aggressive or super aggressive

In reply to AdTheViking:

Try a few different models and brands, get some that fit your feet.

In reply to AdTheViking: go and try som more shoes on and figure out what fits, and yes, include other brands as lasts, shaping vary company to company. I have both the shaman and the vapor v - they are both excellent shoes but might not fit you.

I don't like super tight shoes - I don't like my feet hurting all day/night, and juice your feet get really hurt by jumping off into tight shoes 2 hours of bouldering will be pretty miserable.