From decades of experience, I have found the best way to ensure a snug but comfortable fit for my difficult feet - wide with high instep - with rock shoes is to go for suede, which will give a little where needed, and lace-ups for small adjustments. Of course getting the right last shape is important and Scarpa and La Sportiva are the best bets for me as well as being very durable. But most suppliers' ranges, La Sportiva is the exception, are increasingly dominated by synthetic uppers and velcro fastenings. Why?
I understand for very high performance, any stretch is seen as undesirable and if your shoes are extremely tight, getting them on and off quickly is an advantage and vegans won't accept leather. But is it also cost? Presumably a couple of velcro fasteners is cheaper to make than lace-ups and perhaps synthetic materials are cheaper and more consistent in quality than good quality suede. Or are we being conned into buying performance features that our abilities and the type of rock we climb does not warrant?
Steve
