To the Five Ten long term shoe test, as we climb a lot reviewing holds for Climbingholdreview.com our sister site we figured as we're always wearing climbing shoes that we should do some testing as we went along in our merry little climbing World. So we teamed up with 5.10, fitted the team with shoes and we'll review until the shoes are pretty much dead and we can't climb in them any more.
We're aiming to give you the consumer / climber / monkey have a better idea of what you're buying when you part with your hard earned cash! If you're a reader of Climbingholdreview then you know who we are, if not you can get a brief summary here
This page reads back to front, with the latest posts at the top and the older posts at the bottom. Currently we're testing: Prisms / Guides / Projects and Anasazi LV, and the Jet 7's
UPDATE 3rd August: Projects and Freerunner V2 updates
Monday, August 3, 2009
3rd August > Projects & Freerunner V2
Noodles > Projects: Sorry we've been a little lax of late, between bolting cliffs and reviewing holds we just haven't gotten around to writing what we've been doing with out shoes.
The Projects are still doing quite well, they've been outside a little more and have been abused at the gym and also on the CHR wall. Where the footwork is kind of big I find these shoes to perform amazingly, but once I go near to an edge then I start to have trouble! Why? Let me tell you why!
I'm used to slightly more support under my toes and on the edges of my shoes, these (for me) don't give that support... sure they smear really well so I've no complaints there, and the heel hooking is quite surprising!
Right now the one thing that has to be said is that if I can wear these shoes for long periods of time without screaming then they've got a pretty good fit :) But I do find my feet getting tired when I do wear these shoes for more than a few hours and that's because my feet get tired.
Freerunner V2: So after what? 3 or 4 months of wearing these shoes day in and day out what have I done to them? Apart from being a little dirty (they do get mucky when I ride to work) and some stitching that's coming out on the side of the shoe they're still going strong!!
Ok the sole of the shoes has started to wear down on the heel of both shoes, but considering how thin the soles were to start with and then take how much I've worn them they're still doing very very well. The levels of grip are still amazing, the grey color means they don't look too shabby when dirty and people are still asking where they can get a pair!
The Projects are still doing quite well, they've been outside a little more and have been abused at the gym and also on the CHR wall. Where the footwork is kind of big I find these shoes to perform amazingly, but once I go near to an edge then I start to have trouble! Why? Let me tell you why!
I'm used to slightly more support under my toes and on the edges of my shoes, these (for me) don't give that support... sure they smear really well so I've no complaints there, and the heel hooking is quite surprising!
Right now the one thing that has to be said is that if I can wear these shoes for long periods of time without screaming then they've got a pretty good fit :) But I do find my feet getting tired when I do wear these shoes for more than a few hours and that's because my feet get tired.
Freerunner V2: So after what? 3 or 4 months of wearing these shoes day in and day out what have I done to them? Apart from being a little dirty (they do get mucky when I ride to work) and some stitching that's coming out on the side of the shoe they're still going strong!!
Ok the sole of the shoes has started to wear down on the heel of both shoes, but considering how thin the soles were to start with and then take how much I've worn them they're still doing very very well. The levels of grip are still amazing, the grey color means they don't look too shabby when dirty and people are still asking where they can get a pair!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
27th June > Projects
Noodles > Projects: Will these shoes never die?Considering we climb a lot at climbingholdreview, indoors and out, I have to admit I'm surprised that these shoes are still kicking. Normally with the amount of abuse my shoes get the Project should have been looooong gone by now, the edges should be round or there should be a hole in to toe. So far they've done alright.
If I'm not on steep terrain (or indoors) I normally switch to my Anasazi's, why? Because they smear much better and hold small footholds easier on rock, they're stiffer and they let you get away with murder on small feet. I will try whichever route I'm on at the time in my Projects first to see how they feel and then if the going gets too small I just switch.
That being said on overhung terrain the ability of these shoes to allow you to stick your feet in some silly positions also allows you to get the send. For me these shoes are turning into my secret weapon, I pull them on when the going gets steep :) Impressed? Yup, I'm going to kill these shoes before long, and I'm going to have fun doing it.
Also because we're very meticulous over here, I've got a pair of Boreal Falcons that are very similar to the Projects and I'll be evaluating those shoes in parallel to the Projects over on here
Monday, June 22, 2009
22nd June > Guides
Noodles > Guides: I'm sorry I've not updated, between work and climbing plus this new crag we're bolting I've been side tracked!
The Guides there are some simple things that need to said about the shoes:
That's pretty impressive in my book :) I'm not cleaning them, I'm not even being nice to them I'm just using them for stuff that they're probably not made for / used to. OK, there is some wear on them, and it's a common problem I have with shoes, I always wear out the right hand sole of a shoe on the heel, because that's the way I walk. These are no different, it's wearing, but it's not bald yet.
Once thing is for sure, I'm surprised they don't stink yet... oh and I can't wear them to work anymore. Work has a relaxed dress code, but after this weekend there is no way these shoes are going anywhere but the gym and the crag, they're dirrrrrrrrrrrrty
The Guides there are some simple things that need to said about the shoes:
- These shoes do dry out very quickly
- The grip when I've used them is amazing
- They look good on the street... not so much anymore, my pair are covered in dirt
That's pretty impressive in my book :) I'm not cleaning them, I'm not even being nice to them I'm just using them for stuff that they're probably not made for / used to. OK, there is some wear on them, and it's a common problem I have with shoes, I always wear out the right hand sole of a shoe on the heel, because that's the way I walk. These are no different, it's wearing, but it's not bald yet.
Once thing is for sure, I'm surprised they don't stink yet... oh and I can't wear them to work anymore. Work has a relaxed dress code, but after this weekend there is no way these shoes are going anywhere but the gym and the crag, they're dirrrrrrrrrrrrty
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
17thJune > Anasazi LV
EVE > Anasazi LV's: Well, summer is kicking and my shoes and I are finally getting along nicely. I've broken them in, and they are now fitted but not painful. I've gotten use to performing shoes now, and I find myself expecting improbable spots to easily become footholds. There is little serious damage to the shoe to be noted other than a few spots where the movement of the shoe away from the sole is notable. Namely, where the velcros meet the rubber and where the heel's 'pull' strap meets the rubber. 
The rubber itself seems to be taking to the mistreatment quite nicely and there are no loose or damaged seams to speak of! There is some velcro damage to the tongue of the shoe though, which may seem irrelevant but maybe a velcroed shoe should not have any velcro-sensitive fabric right under the straps. In this case, its a net-like thin layer that's feeling the wrath, it might not be the best idea! Otherwise, the season is young and I will see what I can do about damaging these babies ;)
I know that the Anasazi are meant to be bouldering shoes, but I have to say that if you are an experienced boulderer, than these might not be aggressive enough for you because I find that they are absolutely wonderful route shoes. There are no very strong curves to the shape of the shoe, but the toe precision you can get is incredible and by consequence (although they are perfectly useful on boulders) the Anasazi seem like a good route-shoe choice to me! Maybe it would get tiresome on a multi pitch though... Hmmm... I'm gonna have to check on that!
The rubber itself seems to be taking to the mistreatment quite nicely and there are no loose or damaged seams to speak of! There is some velcro damage to the tongue of the shoe though, which may seem irrelevant but maybe a velcroed shoe should not have any velcro-sensitive fabric right under the straps. In this case, its a net-like thin layer that's feeling the wrath, it might not be the best idea! Otherwise, the season is young and I will see what I can do about damaging these babies ;)I know that the Anasazi are meant to be bouldering shoes, but I have to say that if you are an experienced boulderer, than these might not be aggressive enough for you because I find that they are absolutely wonderful route shoes. There are no very strong curves to the shape of the shoe, but the toe precision you can get is incredible and by consequence (although they are perfectly useful on boulders) the Anasazi seem like a good route-shoe choice to me! Maybe it would get tiresome on a multi pitch though... Hmmm... I'm gonna have to check on that!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
16th June > Prisms
Chris > Prisms: So far we are having a beautiful summer here in Montreal, the festivals have arrived, the pools are open and my Prisms are still kicking. Since my last post I've only had a chance to get into the great outdoors once (its a slow year, trying to get some much needed maintenance done on the house) and I've had the chance to get the shoes onto some 5.11 at the Montagne D'Argent. There are many routes that are ideal for these kinds of shoes, vertical climbs, cracks and next to nothing foot holds. Lets step back and take a look at how these shoes are designed. The Prisms are built around a asymmetric toe with enough rubber to get an elementary school through a year of class, they also have the new patented Faceted Edge on the outside part of the shoe that really does help the back step or drop knee. You'll find them in the Vertical Meters section of Five Tens website so they are not ideal for bouldering, although I must say that the comfortable fit ALMOST outweighs their performance on step terrain.
So now, after three months of use, the edges are starting to roll. It hasn't effected the performance of the shoe and I only really noticed it because...well...I need to write a review on them. I've spent most of the time at the local gym, did three competitions, bouldered outside a few times, a weekend at the crag and its my guess that the shoes will last me longer than most. Shoes will usually last me about four months before the edges roll out and I go from edging the footholds to trying soooo desperately to smear the smaller foot holds.
At Montagne D'Argent there is a climb that I've dubbed "the death climb" (I took a wicked fall last year with the rope caught behind my leg, my head crashing into the rock and landing only a few feet from the ground. Thanks Dan, you pulled in just enough rope). Its a mixed route, the first part is a trad climb up a crack that end on a bolted slab. Now on cracks, these shoes are awesome, no pain whatsoever. I'm still pretty new at trad climbing, I haven't found my comfort zone with cracks and I tend to torque my foot into the crack (so far sometimes I have trouble getting my foot out) and I found that the Prisms are helping increase my level of confidence. Even on the smaller cracks, where there is only enough room for the tip of the shoe, the Prisms held on and didn't let go.
So now, after three months of use, the edges are starting to roll. It hasn't effected the performance of the shoe and I only really noticed it because...well...I need to write a review on them. I've spent most of the time at the local gym, did three competitions, bouldered outside a few times, a weekend at the crag and its my guess that the shoes will last me longer than most. Shoes will usually last me about four months before the edges roll out and I go from edging the footholds to trying soooo desperately to smear the smaller foot holds.
At Montagne D'Argent there is a climb that I've dubbed "the death climb" (I took a wicked fall last year with the rope caught behind my leg, my head crashing into the rock and landing only a few feet from the ground. Thanks Dan, you pulled in just enough rope). Its a mixed route, the first part is a trad climb up a crack that end on a bolted slab. Now on cracks, these shoes are awesome, no pain whatsoever. I'm still pretty new at trad climbing, I haven't found my comfort zone with cracks and I tend to torque my foot into the crack (so far sometimes I have trouble getting my foot out) and I found that the Prisms are helping increase my level of confidence. Even on the smaller cracks, where there is only enough room for the tip of the shoe, the Prisms held on and didn't let go.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
3rd June > Jet 7's
Jacky > Jet 7: This climbing shoe is nothing new, but it had been on my list for a while so I gladly spent a few bucks when 5.10 showed interest in a review. Considered as a high performance bouldering shoe, the Jet-7s inspire nothing but praise.Evidently, this shoe will make a bigger difference for high calibre climbers. Since I’m a V5 climber, I probably won’t be able to push this shoe to its limit but I will do my best to give you a detailed and exact account of my impressions on these shoes when I use them. Mostly because of school, my climbing schedule gets limited to a couple of sessions a week and I therefore take more time than Muckle or Noodles, like 6-8 months, to destroy shoes.
My first steps in these shoes were made at Val David, during an outdoor bouldering session. Since we were climbing at night, we had to look carefully and find footholds with our headlamps before getting on the boulder. Once the enemy identified, we were ready for attack! On the first problem, I had to heel hook the rock. I found my heel slipping out of the shoe, and I was uncomfortable with the move. I tied up the upper velcro some more and that sufficed to solve the problem. On the next problem, I was pleasantly surprised by the toe work. The toe of the shoe is very precise and natural. On my first try standing on this crimper for the feet, I was shocked by the shoe’s adherence to the rock. The cut of the shoe is such that the tip gets a good contact with a ledge of only a few millimetres and the sensitivity allows for precise work without hesitation. I must have told Muckle ten times how precise my toe work had become…well, enough times to make him want to try them! He tried them… but I took them back quickly enough! :P I also noted the rubber’s tenderness, rendering the sole a very useful tool when it comes to smearing. The only damper, is the interior of the heel of the shoe. Since we were outdoors in a damp area, I had to change between my hiking and climbing shoes quite a bit. By the end of the night, I had nice irritation marks on both feet right below my Achilles’ heels. Since they are brand new shoes, I can’t tell if it’s the fabric’s roughness or the stitching that chafes… We’ll see in time if this goes on!
My second run with the Jet-7s was on the boulder at the local gym. Since the Tour the Bloc competition just passed by our gym (Allez-Up), there were a few serious problems left to work on. That was pure delight! The most technical move in my whole session was one where I had to bring my entire weight back to a vertical position while avoiding a slip with a toe-hook. I was therefore able to use the Stealth Paint covered top for the first time. My hook was placed on a fairly slick part of the module I was climbing and I do think the textured covering helped the movement by increasing my adherence. Morover, the combination of the fabric and the rubber gives such an aggressive shoe a more comfortable feel. Note: since it was a short session, I had no irritated heel.
My first steps in these shoes were made at Val David, during an outdoor bouldering session. Since we were climbing at night, we had to look carefully and find footholds with our headlamps before getting on the boulder. Once the enemy identified, we were ready for attack! On the first problem, I had to heel hook the rock. I found my heel slipping out of the shoe, and I was uncomfortable with the move. I tied up the upper velcro some more and that sufficed to solve the problem. On the next problem, I was pleasantly surprised by the toe work. The toe of the shoe is very precise and natural. On my first try standing on this crimper for the feet, I was shocked by the shoe’s adherence to the rock. The cut of the shoe is such that the tip gets a good contact with a ledge of only a few millimetres and the sensitivity allows for precise work without hesitation. I must have told Muckle ten times how precise my toe work had become…well, enough times to make him want to try them! He tried them… but I took them back quickly enough! :P I also noted the rubber’s tenderness, rendering the sole a very useful tool when it comes to smearing. The only damper, is the interior of the heel of the shoe. Since we were outdoors in a damp area, I had to change between my hiking and climbing shoes quite a bit. By the end of the night, I had nice irritation marks on both feet right below my Achilles’ heels. Since they are brand new shoes, I can’t tell if it’s the fabric’s roughness or the stitching that chafes… We’ll see in time if this goes on!
My second run with the Jet-7s was on the boulder at the local gym. Since the Tour the Bloc competition just passed by our gym (Allez-Up), there were a few serious problems left to work on. That was pure delight! The most technical move in my whole session was one where I had to bring my entire weight back to a vertical position while avoiding a slip with a toe-hook. I was therefore able to use the Stealth Paint covered top for the first time. My hook was placed on a fairly slick part of the module I was climbing and I do think the textured covering helped the movement by increasing my adherence. Morover, the combination of the fabric and the rubber gives such an aggressive shoe a more comfortable feel. Note: since it was a short session, I had no irritated heel.
Monday, June 1, 2009
1st June > Projects
Noodles > Projects: Ah sunshine! We spent an afternoon kicking it at Val David:
I rocked the Projects, Eve the Anasazi's and Chris his Prisms.I have to admit that on the problems that were overhanging the shoes were awesome, on anything other than that they didn't perform all that well when it came to the lack of feet that is Val David. I switched to my Anasazi lace ups, they edge better and are perform better when the feet are lacking, those of you that have eagle eyes will notice this in the video
That's not saying that the shoes are bad, they're not, I'm enjoying them alot, bouldering on steep terrain they're the best shoes that I've had and they perform well. On dime edges, we'll see soon when I get outside somemore on a place that actually has some foot holds... Val David for the afternoon was fun, the black flys sucks: the Projects got me up some steep stuff, the Anasazi's got me up the small stuff
I rocked the Projects, Eve the Anasazi's and Chris his Prisms.I have to admit that on the problems that were overhanging the shoes were awesome, on anything other than that they didn't perform all that well when it came to the lack of feet that is Val David. I switched to my Anasazi lace ups, they edge better and are perform better when the feet are lacking, those of you that have eagle eyes will notice this in the video
That's not saying that the shoes are bad, they're not, I'm enjoying them alot, bouldering on steep terrain they're the best shoes that I've had and they perform well. On dime edges, we'll see soon when I get outside somemore on a place that actually has some foot holds... Val David for the afternoon was fun, the black flys sucks: the Projects got me up some steep stuff, the Anasazi's got me up the small stuff
1st June > Anasazi Velcros
NOODLES > Introduction: I've got a pair of these somewhere, sweat stained and probably as they're in the bottom of a cupboard a little dusty as well. We've got two people wearing these shoes, Seb and Dead Seb, they'll both be running comments on these shoes and how they perform.But here's my five cents on these shoes, I had these waaaay before I grabbed some lace ups of the same name... why? Because you can get more control over the shoe with laces and I'd worn my velcros so much that they had bagged out a little and they rolled upon my feet. Since these shoes are a staple and you see more people in them than not we figured we'd get them and see what other people think. Seb and Seb should give some really interesting insight into these shoes, Seb is a big guy and Dead Seb is a small guy and they both climb at polar opposites to each other... one is fast, one is slow, one is tall and the other short.... I'm looking forward to this!!
SEB > Anasazi Velcros: I’ll try to make it short but still I feel the need to make a small introduction on the type of climber that I am before commenting these shoes.
- I consider myself a slightly above average climber
- I climb 5.10 and I’m working on some 5.11’s
- I love climbing outdoors but sadly climb most of the time in a gym Since I spend more time in a gym and usually climb one route after another I became lazy and therefore prefer Velcro to laces
- I do not believe that a climber needs to suffer when wearing climbing shoes
- I prefer top rope and sport climbing but still enjoy some bouldering
- I climb once or twice a week… but more one since my little (and totally amazing) girl is born
- My two previous pair were Boreal Zen and a similar type made by La Sportiva
I’ll be commenting the “the top selling performance shoes in Europe” (quote taken on the 5.10 website) the five ten Anasazi. So let’s see if this classic model is worth my money.
The Look
The first thing that I wanted to do as I looked at my new shoes was to bitch their look as I was wandering why somebody so badly wanted them to look like moccasins. Wikipedia, help me here! Okay says Wikiman here is your answer:
“Ancient Pueblo People or Ancestral Puebloans were an ancient Native American culture centered on the present-day Four Corners area of the Southwest United States, noted for their distinctive pottery and dwelling construction styles. The cultural group is often referred to as the Anasazi.”
Damn, they knew what they were making. So that kind of shut me down on that matter. Well not completely cause (don’t get me wrong as I’ve got nothing against native design) I still think that the visual design could be updated. I’ve look at some Anasazi art and believe that there are some way cooler stuff than the kind of cross that is on my new shoes… and that is even if there is a deep meaning behind it. But let’s face it; this is the least important factor to consider when buying climbing shoes.
After Two Sessions
I climbed a bunch of routes in top and lead that range from 5.7 to 5.11. No bouldering yet but I had to face some roofs and 45 degree walls. Most of these routes were new routes for me; nothing that I previously practiced.
The Comfort Factor
Let me start by saying kudos 5.10 for the dual pull-on loops; so simple while so efficient. Now once my foot was inside I almost cried a tear of joy as it was soooo comfortable. Maybe that’s why they look like moccasins… That aside, they really are that comfortable; even when you have stupidly been standing on an uncomfortable foothold for too long.
Regarding their asymmetrically (if that is a word), I would say that is not too intense and present enough to help you when needed. And they are not curved so no ballerina toes here.
Friction
They stick, no doubt here! For some reasons (probably my beer belly) I usually slip a lot on the smaller foothold which makes me doubt certain moves involving footholds that lost their initial color at the expense of a nice rubber black. I tend to compensate with some intense smearing and power move… I know, I know. But you know what? Full confidence came back with my pair of Anasazi. It might be a placebo case or simply that I was climbing with way too old shoes but I’ve climbed 5.11 stuff without doubting moves that would have normally kicked me off the wall. I was actually so confident that I was over-hooking just for the sake of trying.
Hum, as I think about it I didn’t smear that much… will try it more in the next sessions.
Closing Comments
It is way too soon to conclude but at the moment that I’m writing these lines I can honestly say that these shoes are the best that I’ve ever had. This might change after a couple of sessions but still, these shoes are really well made and fully deserve the title classic. They are not too hardcore but offer enough sensibility and friction to climb more advance stuff.
They basically are super good all around shoes as they manage to reach that fine line between technical shoes and slippers :)
1st June > Anasazi LV
EVE > Anasazi LV's: The joys of summer are upon us and random outdoor climbing is now a possibility and therefore, my anasazi have been seeing a nice amount of rock and mud. They remain, to my new found appreciation, uncomfortably tight, which implies that they are not slipping yet. Despite the fact that my heel is not fully in contact with the sole, there is a good responsiveness from the shoe to my footwork.
I doubt that there is much more familiarizing to be done between my Anasazi LV and I, I have confidence in them now and I can wear them long enough to tackle projects. The question now is how long till they stop cooperating?!?!?!
Only time will tell!
I doubt that there is much more familiarizing to be done between my Anasazi LV and I, I have confidence in them now and I can wear them long enough to tackle projects. The question now is how long till they stop cooperating?!?!?!
Only time will tell!
1st June > Prism
Chris > Prisim: Its been a few weeks since my last post (sorry nuds, I've been slacking) and the Prisms and myself have seen quite a bit of rock time since. The past few weeks I've done some bouldering at Val David and sport/trad at Montagne D'argent.
We worked on problems at Val David ranging from V2 to V6 and Ive been finding it hard to get the heel onto some of the smaller holds. That's coming the air pocket behind my heel. There is one problem in particular (I don't know the name since I don't have access to a full topo) that starts sitting down with a high heel. The heel doesn't feel stable and I found it hard to keep my heel on the starting holds. On some of the problems there was a serious lack of footholds and the ones that were there are all small edges and the Prisms stuck onto every one.
The shoe is designed with an asymmetrical last. Usually shoes with an offset toe can be painfull to wear but the Prisms go on snug with no pain and all the performance on sport climbs and trad. We spent this past weekend at the crag and there were times when I forgot to take my shoes off becuase they're so comfortable I didn't realize I was still wearing them! I ended my weekend on a trad/sport mixed climb. The first two thirds of the climb was a 5.10c crack and I could cam my foot into the crack without any kind of pain. Even with the smaller cracks where you can just get the tip of the toe in, the shoes never failed.
We worked on problems at Val David ranging from V2 to V6 and Ive been finding it hard to get the heel onto some of the smaller holds. That's coming the air pocket behind my heel. There is one problem in particular (I don't know the name since I don't have access to a full topo) that starts sitting down with a high heel. The heel doesn't feel stable and I found it hard to keep my heel on the starting holds. On some of the problems there was a serious lack of footholds and the ones that were there are all small edges and the Prisms stuck onto every one.
The shoe is designed with an asymmetrical last. Usually shoes with an offset toe can be painfull to wear but the Prisms go on snug with no pain and all the performance on sport climbs and trad. We spent this past weekend at the crag and there were times when I forgot to take my shoes off becuase they're so comfortable I didn't realize I was still wearing them! I ended my weekend on a trad/sport mixed climb. The first two thirds of the climb was a 5.10c crack and I could cam my foot into the crack without any kind of pain. Even with the smaller cracks where you can just get the tip of the toe in, the shoes never failed.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
19th May > Anasazi LV
EVE > Anasazi LV's: So the Anasazi's being performance bouldering shoes, I took 'em out bouldering... The usual long-term wear discomfort is still present but at least I can send a problem before wanting to cry now. This said, I should note that they are therefore not slack yet although my heel still doesn't quite fit at the bottom of the shoe.
As for the actual climbing performance, I can say that the most obvious consequence of the shoes being tight is that you can feel your feet, you can trust them and therefore it makes things easier on the mental aspect of being above a pad. The rubber gives a good friction, they do let you down, but this is very rarely. Their main strength is in their pointy tip which allows for precision work and versatility (there are more foothold options when you need less rock to stand on). Another point I'd like to bring up is the fact that the Anasazi LV are nothing special when it comes to heal-hooking. They work (duh!) but especially since I don't fully feel the shoe with my heel, they provide a very weak sensitivity causing me to wonder how solid the hook is. The season is young, and as my hands get more chipped and callused will see how my shoes hold out.
As for the actual climbing performance, I can say that the most obvious consequence of the shoes being tight is that you can feel your feet, you can trust them and therefore it makes things easier on the mental aspect of being above a pad. The rubber gives a good friction, they do let you down, but this is very rarely. Their main strength is in their pointy tip which allows for precision work and versatility (there are more foothold options when you need less rock to stand on). Another point I'd like to bring up is the fact that the Anasazi LV are nothing special when it comes to heal-hooking. They work (duh!) but especially since I don't fully feel the shoe with my heel, they provide a very weak sensitivity causing me to wonder how solid the hook is. The season is young, and as my hands get more chipped and callused will see how my shoes hold out.
19th May > Freerunner V2
Jeremy > Freerunner V2: I'm a fan of the Guides, I've worn them so much I'm starting to walk through the heel in less than three months... yup I wear them that damn much!! I'm also a fan of a good pair of kicks, my wardrobe is full of mint sneakers from over the years...Take the Freerunner V2's in Alien Green; not only are they comfortable as hell (I wore them all weekend at the Tour De Bloc where I ended up running up and down the backs of walls all day) but they look pretty damn sweet as well. Add to the fact that they grip like monkey hands and you're onto a sure fire winner!!
Hell they're so nice looking people were asking me where I'd got them from, I informed them of who and where they came from and I'm sure that there will be some people kicking around Montreal in these soon.
The shoes seem to be far more breathable than the Guides, which when the weather gets hot is going to to great, I'll inform you all more of my findings in a few weeks :)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
12th May > Jet 7's
Mike > Jet 7's: The Jet 7's are Five Tens high end sport and bouldering offering. They are based on the Dragon last refined to a slipper with a single Velcro closure. The synthetic split tongue makes them nice and easy to get on and off and the stealth C4 does a good job in the traction department. Any in case you haven't been paying attention, these are Fred Nicole's weapon of choice.I picked up a pair of the 7's in my street shoe size and found them a bit snug for my wide feet. The all 'green' rubber toe box took a bit of time to warm up and loosen to a comfortable fit however the second Velcro fore foot position did a good job relieving some of the pressure.
I initially bought these for outdoor use since they are built like tanks and basically 75% rubber but after some gym work I found they excelled on plastic, especially textured features. After a few scales up some dead verticals I found the tension and stiffness good however I preferred more horizontal applications. The traction is quite good, holding on when ample pressure was applied. It didn't take me long to gain confidence which technical foot work was required. I typically don't like my shoes tight and found that I had to take them off every 20 mins or so to regain some lost circulation, I'm hoping a few weeks of some hard sessions will break them in to a more tolerable point.
Overall the first impressions have been positive. The colour scheme is less than desirable, but that's just personal taste. Looking forward to a weekend on some real rock.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
May 7 > Prisms
Chris > Prisms: Still can't smear, I'm comfortable with the heel hook though. The last time I was whining a bit about the air pocket under my heel while wearing Five Ten shoes and how I didn't like heel hooking with them. With the new design, there is less of a pocket in the heel cup and you can get a better feel of the rock (or hold). If I ever get another pair, I'll go up to a full size smaller and I'm willing to bet that I could get my heel snug into the heel cup. Now on to my first statement: I still can't smear. That might be a little harsh, but the shoes really aren't doing well with my advantage as a climber, the high step. I'll high step every chance I get and I just can't seem to get my foot to stick on those little round footholds. The other thing that I'm not comfortable with (in these shoes anyways) is running your feet up the wall. I figure that the shoes would loosen up a bit and would make the shoe better in time but right now its not the case. They still feel like they did when I first stepped into them. Five Ten has been working on a new rubber compound, Stealth Onyxx, and it seems to be a stiffer more durable rubber but I think it effects the grip of the shoe.
Monday, May 4, 2009
5th May > Anasazi LV's
EVE > Anasazi LV: Inside, outside, hot cold, wet and dry, I have now been in all kinds of conditions with the Anasazi from 5.10 and finally, they fit nicely enough to commit to climbs for more than 30 seconds! Of course, the problem with that is that it means that the buggers have stretched and are therefore at risk of more stretching and then they might become loose but I will tackle that when/if we get to it. In the mean time, I am finally appreciating the shoes I got for their worth.
Lately, I've been outdoors and in Quebec this time of year things are still fairly wet (If not the climb itself then at least its surroundings) and I found that even after some mossy spotting and with wet rubber, the grip offered by the Stealth rubber is not bad at all! I mean it's no crazy glue but if the rock is fairly dry, a muddy sole still gives you a fairly confident stickiness. The sole underneath where my big toe usually is is starting to show some wear but on the rest of the foot you can still see the original vertical marks and the "stealth C4" is still readable. Despite my pulling on them so hard because they were tight, none of the stitching has gave out yet. The inside stitching also hasn't come undone leaving no unusual marks on my feet. Even the velcro straps, which I admittedly haven't been all that nice with, have yet to show weak points!
All and all these are satisfying all around shoes. Not the most aggressive shoe for bouldering but the toe is pointy enough for precision placement of your feet. For cracks on the other hand, its gold! ...and the quest for more on the Anasazi rocks on....
Lately, I've been outdoors and in Quebec this time of year things are still fairly wet (If not the climb itself then at least its surroundings) and I found that even after some mossy spotting and with wet rubber, the grip offered by the Stealth rubber is not bad at all! I mean it's no crazy glue but if the rock is fairly dry, a muddy sole still gives you a fairly confident stickiness. The sole underneath where my big toe usually is is starting to show some wear but on the rest of the foot you can still see the original vertical marks and the "stealth C4" is still readable. Despite my pulling on them so hard because they were tight, none of the stitching has gave out yet. The inside stitching also hasn't come undone leaving no unusual marks on my feet. Even the velcro straps, which I admittedly haven't been all that nice with, have yet to show weak points!
All and all these are satisfying all around shoes. Not the most aggressive shoe for bouldering but the toe is pointy enough for precision placement of your feet. For cracks on the other hand, its gold! ...and the quest for more on the Anasazi rocks on....
4th May > Projects
Noodles > Projects / Guides: I've been back in town for less than an hour and i'm already locked to the PC again.
Myself and Eve headed off to the country for the weekend, usual stuff, being at one with mother nature and drinking some beer... just chilling... little did we know what would happen, and what we would find.
The details are sketchy because that's the way we're going to keep them for a while but we found rock, lots of rock. Virgin rock, unbolted and unclimbed, and no we won't tell you where until we bolt it and then get some FA's (First assents) on the stuff!
Guidewise, I was worried that because of the lack of ventilation and the weather getting hotter that the shoes were causing a dry skin problem between my toes. So I didn't wear them for a bit and then took them away this weekend... no problems, some of the rock was wet / mossy / covered in crap or all three and the Guides never slipped once, and we were climbing some pretty sketchy stuff. Impressed? I continue to be, the shoes are covered in mud but are still performing well.
Projects: Well the Pojects got me a FA or a route called CHR (yeah... Climbing Hold review), it's only a V3 and took less than a total of two hours to get up (not including the cleaning).
If the shoes had been stiffer and less sensitive I don't think I could have felt the small footholds that I was standing on!! Here's the route and my smiley face going for the slap to the top out:
Overall the sensitive nature of these shoes helped me, from being able to smear on NOTHING for the start to being able to tell me my foot was on something that I couldn't see when my feet were under the bulge of the rock. I nabbed a FA of something that is likely V3, so my weekend is pretty well complete! All the CHR team has to do now is go and bolt the other three crags that have never been climbed upon... I think there will be a lot of updates once we head on up there again.
(Oh yeah, the top our is on the left of the picture, I took the harder way out, rather than a mantle onto the moss covered face :P)
Myself and Eve headed off to the country for the weekend, usual stuff, being at one with mother nature and drinking some beer... just chilling... little did we know what would happen, and what we would find.
The details are sketchy because that's the way we're going to keep them for a while but we found rock, lots of rock. Virgin rock, unbolted and unclimbed, and no we won't tell you where until we bolt it and then get some FA's (First assents) on the stuff!
Guidewise, I was worried that because of the lack of ventilation and the weather getting hotter that the shoes were causing a dry skin problem between my toes. So I didn't wear them for a bit and then took them away this weekend... no problems, some of the rock was wet / mossy / covered in crap or all three and the Guides never slipped once, and we were climbing some pretty sketchy stuff. Impressed? I continue to be, the shoes are covered in mud but are still performing well.
Projects: Well the Pojects got me a FA or a route called CHR (yeah... Climbing Hold review), it's only a V3 and took less than a total of two hours to get up (not including the cleaning).
If the shoes had been stiffer and less sensitive I don't think I could have felt the small footholds that I was standing on!! Here's the route and my smiley face going for the slap to the top out:
(Oh yeah, the top our is on the left of the picture, I took the harder way out, rather than a mantle onto the moss covered face :P)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
26 April > Prisms
Chris > Prisims: My initiation to the climbing season was spent down at Mackenzie Pond. Its a boulder field in the forest near Lake Placid (for those of you who don't know, Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980 winter Olympics) and I had the chance to try out the Prisms on some real rock. So the granite boulders at Mackenzie Pond are littered with crimps and small edges, not much in the jug variety and you need to trust your feet when climbing there. I'll have to admit that I'm still using my old shoes from time to time, especially when it come to bouldering on steeper terrain. When I was in Ottawa for the last leg of the Tour de Bloc, the gym there was geared towards bouldering and most of their walls are steep and I found myself using my old shoes. Mackenzie Pond is another story. With all those crimps and tiny non existent foot holds, the Prisms made it more comfortable to climb the problems. I'm getting used to the thicker, stiffer rand and it helps when climbing on featureless vertical rock. It gives you the support and confidence to keep on going. There were some problems where the foot holds were so small that it took me some time to find which one to use but once on them I had no doubts that my shoes would hold.
So we don't live in a perfect world, and the same goes for the shoes. I'm still finding it difficult to smear, I find that if I put too much power into the smear my shoes won't stick to the wall. I find this happens a lot at the gym. Granted an indoor wall won't give you the same friction as real rock but still the shoes just don't want to stick. I don't think it has to do with the rubber but more to do with the design. I've owned many of Five Tens shoes and I've compared them side by side. The Prisms just don't smear as well as other shoes I've owned. I also have a gap between my heel and the inside of the heel cup. I've experience this with other shoes, mainly the old Anasazis, and it only becomes a real issue if I need to heel hook. I've owned a couple of Anasazis and I was delighted to see that Five Ten redesigned the shoe with a new heel cup. The Prisms look very similar to the re designed Anasazis and the heel cup is more comfortable than the old design.
So we don't live in a perfect world, and the same goes for the shoes. I'm still finding it difficult to smear, I find that if I put too much power into the smear my shoes won't stick to the wall. I find this happens a lot at the gym. Granted an indoor wall won't give you the same friction as real rock but still the shoes just don't want to stick. I don't think it has to do with the rubber but more to do with the design. I've owned many of Five Tens shoes and I've compared them side by side. The Prisms just don't smear as well as other shoes I've owned. I also have a gap between my heel and the inside of the heel cup. I've experience this with other shoes, mainly the old Anasazis, and it only becomes a real issue if I need to heel hook. I've owned a couple of Anasazis and I was delighted to see that Five Ten redesigned the shoe with a new heel cup. The Prisms look very similar to the re designed Anasazis and the heel cup is more comfortable than the old design.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
23rd April > Guides
Noodles > Guides: Ah, just over three month of wearing these, with socks.. and they're beginning to hum as the weather gets warmer. I wear them every day... ev-ery-day, to and from work and when I'm out. The ventilation on the shoes could be better, but it's not that bad; if you've got guests you may want to leave them outside the door is all :)
The uppers are holding up well to all the riding and walking that they're put through... the only noticable wear is on the sole at the heel end of the shoes, mainly on the right hand shoe. This is a problem I have with all of my shoes as it's the way I walk and it's the area of the shoes that take the most hits!!
Other than that I should have a pair of Freerunners on the way, so I can see if the Mystic rubber is better on marble surfaces... there's going to be a slide test, hopefully I won't smash my face in doing it :)
The uppers are holding up well to all the riding and walking that they're put through... the only noticable wear is on the sole at the heel end of the shoes, mainly on the right hand shoe. This is a problem I have with all of my shoes as it's the way I walk and it's the area of the shoes that take the most hits!!
Other than that I should have a pair of Freerunners on the way, so I can see if the Mystic rubber is better on marble surfaces... there's going to be a slide test, hopefully I won't smash my face in doing it :)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
21st April > Projects
Noodles > Projects: So I've not been outside, but I've been climbing a fair bit on the wall during reviews. The Projects are standing up pretty well to the kicking that they get, Arayane came over and she always wants to work on heel hooks and nasty toe scums and the Projects perform really well when you're pulling both moves... I have to admit that as the shoes are so flexible sometimes I don't hook I just grab holds with my toes and just pull, but if I do hook the heel cup is nice enough that I don't need to worry; it's one of the best heel cups I've had on a pair of shoes as the "dead space" is little, compared to other shoes where it's been quite a large area.
The Projects have a nice band of toe rubber on the top of the show that allows you to get some good friction when you're hooking your toe under a hold, and it does help when you've got no choice (or a specific move has been called on a route) but to hook your toe under something and then pull on it.
I'm still impressed, this weekend I'll probably be outside (After dealing with some PC / Mac problems last weekend) so we'll see how these soft shoes are on rock and how long my feet last in them.... oh saying that even thou I did have a good bitch about the vents in the shoes giving me some trouble a few weeks ago I have to admit that I've not noticed it that much, despite my shoes being cranked up super tight the other night, maybe my feet are getting used to the shoes, but I have been kciking my heels out of the shoes when I'm not climbing, thankfully they're nice and easy to pull on and off thanks to the wide foot opening when you've got the velcro undone
The Projects have a nice band of toe rubber on the top of the show that allows you to get some good friction when you're hooking your toe under a hold, and it does help when you've got no choice (or a specific move has been called on a route) but to hook your toe under something and then pull on it.
I'm still impressed, this weekend I'll probably be outside (After dealing with some PC / Mac problems last weekend) so we'll see how these soft shoes are on rock and how long my feet last in them.... oh saying that even thou I did have a good bitch about the vents in the shoes giving me some trouble a few weeks ago I have to admit that I've not noticed it that much, despite my shoes being cranked up super tight the other night, maybe my feet are getting used to the shoes, but I have been kciking my heels out of the shoes when I'm not climbing, thankfully they're nice and easy to pull on and off thanks to the wide foot opening when you've got the velcro undone
Monday, April 20, 2009
20th April: Anasazi LV
EVE > Anasazi LV: It's outdoor season people!!!! Well, at least for those of us who believe it is totally worth it to camp despite the snow in order to touch some rock. The first consequence of climbing near 0*C (32*F) is that you have to deal with seriously cold shoes. This makes them a little more fitted then usual (which in my case is highly unnecessary) and about 40 feet up my first climb with them I had to take a serious break... But what they lack in comfort, they give in confidence.The Anasazi's tip is pointy enough to make them absolute gold for use in cracks, there is enough rubber going up the top and side of the shoe to avoid serious damage and give me the protection layer needed to shove my foot in there without hesitation.
My major disappointment for this trip was that I expected flawless smearing and although the Anasazi are sticky, the extra friction provided by the rock didn't seem to have any effect. It was like smearing at the gym: sometimes it stuck and sometimes it didn't! Maybe with a little more beating, the rubber will get stickier?!?!
On the other hand, this lack in smearing capability did make me realize that the sensitivity provided by these shoes, although they don't have the thinnest rubber on the market, does allow for a more elevated confidence in my footwork. Why? Well.... I was trying to smear and my foot slipped down onto... well... nothing! But I could feel the crystal of rock under my toe that was sticking out slightly from the mountain and I was able to use it as an ACTUAL foothold since I could feel EXACTLY where it was and how solid I was on it. But despite my 20/20 vision... I was never able to actually see what my foot was clearly telling me to trust! Impressive? Yea, when you're not use to it... Useful? Darn right! :D
So I did climb at Noodles lately and I did do routes at the gym and as usual enjoyed the experience with my 5.10s, which are slowly becoming more and more fitting (causing me to worry about them becoming loose - you just can't satisfy a lady). However, since I hit the outdoors before any of the guys, I just had to rant about it! ;)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
April 9th: Anasazi LV
EVE Sorry I'm late folks, but I'm done school now so I can concentrate on climbing again!
So it was 4 am but I got my first gym route in on the Anasazi. It was a route full of long stretches and balance moves. I conclude that smearing on these shoes is a breeze. The rubber is very sticky and I felt confident putting my weight on.... Well nothing! I had to stop on the way up because my toes were getting numb though.
About the fit: I have been mentioning that these shoes were incredibly tight when I got them. Well, this lack of flexibility has forced me to fit my foot in the shoe with a twist the such that my big toe is nicely wedged at the tip. This does allow me to climb for a little longer despite the discomfort and it also gives rise to a very careful footwork with a sensitivity I'm getting used to and appreciating. These shoes are so responsive to the climber's demand that I was almost insulted by my first foot slip!
Despite the tightness in length, I find that my heel doesn't always stay at the bottom of the shoe unless I tie the velcro up super tight.
An interesting feature of the shoes that is worth mentioning are the distinct angles found on the inner side of the toe. The two distinct position you can comfortably put your weight on allows for more trusty options.
Soon, we're going outdoors. :D Lets see the rubber holds its own against reel rock!
So it was 4 am but I got my first gym route in on the Anasazi. It was a route full of long stretches and balance moves. I conclude that smearing on these shoes is a breeze. The rubber is very sticky and I felt confident putting my weight on.... Well nothing! I had to stop on the way up because my toes were getting numb though.
About the fit: I have been mentioning that these shoes were incredibly tight when I got them. Well, this lack of flexibility has forced me to fit my foot in the shoe with a twist the such that my big toe is nicely wedged at the tip. This does allow me to climb for a little longer despite the discomfort and it also gives rise to a very careful footwork with a sensitivity I'm getting used to and appreciating. These shoes are so responsive to the climber's demand that I was almost insulted by my first foot slip!
Despite the tightness in length, I find that my heel doesn't always stay at the bottom of the shoe unless I tie the velcro up super tight.
An interesting feature of the shoes that is worth mentioning are the distinct angles found on the inner side of the toe. The two distinct position you can comfortably put your weight on allows for more trusty options.
Soon, we're going outdoors. :D Lets see the rubber holds its own against reel rock!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
7th April: Prisms
Chris: I've had the Prisms for three weeks now and it took me awhile to get used to the stiffer rand on the shoes. I've been doing a lot of bouldering in the past year and my last pair of shoes have the aggresive down turned toe, are thin as hell and are so tight I still have problems getting them on. The Prisms are on the other end of the shoe spectrum and my feet are quite pleased with my new aquisition. So it was off to the boulder comp last weekend and I packed both shoes just in case.
I had a couple of sessions on our home wall and down at the gym but I was still getting used to the stiff rand which is why I brought my other pair of shoes. It turned out that I wore the Prisms through most of the competition! Where the shoes excel is climbing routes, you don't feel the holds under your feet (something else I need to get accustomed to) and they'll stick to the smallest foot holds without any worries. The shoes come with the new faceted edge technology that Five Ten developed and it makes a big difference when backstepping and using your outside edge, trust me , this isn't a marketing gimmick, I've tried using some of my other shoes on the same climbs and I feel the difference with the faceted shoes. My Prisms have done three weeks of climbing with some wear and tear (the tip of the toe is starting to come unglued) but I've been pretty happy with the way they perform.
I had a couple of sessions on our home wall and down at the gym but I was still getting used to the stiff rand which is why I brought my other pair of shoes. It turned out that I wore the Prisms through most of the competition! Where the shoes excel is climbing routes, you don't feel the holds under your feet (something else I need to get accustomed to) and they'll stick to the smallest foot holds without any worries. The shoes come with the new faceted edge technology that Five Ten developed and it makes a big difference when backstepping and using your outside edge, trust me , this isn't a marketing gimmick, I've tried using some of my other shoes on the same climbs and I feel the difference with the faceted shoes. My Prisms have done three weeks of climbing with some wear and tear (the tip of the toe is starting to come unglued) but I've been pretty happy with the way they perform.
6th April: Guides and Projects
Noodles > Guides: The weather has been pretty bad around here of late, so the Guides have be sloshing through puddles and generally getting abused one way or another.
What I found interesting was that in the rain the shoe sticks to painted lines in the road or on the sidewalk without too much trouble... but on say a marble tiled floor or just a tiled floor they don't grip at all! How do I know? Running for the metro I was a little too slow and the doors closed, so I had to stop... which ended up being a slide into the side of the train.
So once I picked myself up I ran up and down the platform skidding away like a five year old, then when I got close to home I did the same thing, ran down the street and then went into a skid, or should I call it a face plant? In the rain the shoes when I stopped very quickly didn't slide they stuck to the sidewalk and pitched me over. Intrigued by this I dropped Isaac a quick message to give him the heads up and he mentioned that these shoes pictured (The Freerunner V2's) apparently stick to marble and tile floors better than the Guides, something I'm not sure about as the only apparent difference as far as I can make out between the shoes is this:
a slight imprint on the tread of the rubber. I was thinking what difference is this going to make on a marble floor?? The answer: The Freerunners have Mystique Rubber and the Guides have Stealth C4 rubber.
So in conclusion: if you're running from the cops (for instance) and you're going to be crossing polished floors I'd grab the Freerunners V2. If you're kicking at the crag get the Guides... looks like I've got to get another pair of shoes for in town, I want to test the differences and see how they slide!
Projects:
Despite getting on with these shoes pretty well, I've got one small beef...Nothing major, just a niggle I noticed when I was climbing on Tuesday night when I took my shoes off at the end of the night...
The inside vents dig into my instep and after a while really start to leave marks and make my feet ache. Other than that, I've worn them all of the sessions I've climbed and I've not ruined them yet!
What I found interesting was that in the rain the shoe sticks to painted lines in the road or on the sidewalk without too much trouble... but on say a marble tiled floor or just a tiled floor they don't grip at all! How do I know? Running for the metro I was a little too slow and the doors closed, so I had to stop... which ended up being a slide into the side of the train.
So once I picked myself up I ran up and down the platform skidding away like a five year old, then when I got close to home I did the same thing, ran down the street and then went into a skid, or should I call it a face plant? In the rain the shoes when I stopped very quickly didn't slide they stuck to the sidewalk and pitched me over. Intrigued by this I dropped Isaac a quick message to give him the heads up and he mentioned that these shoes pictured (The Freerunner V2's) apparently stick to marble and tile floors better than the Guides, something I'm not sure about as the only apparent difference as far as I can make out between the shoes is this:
a slight imprint on the tread of the rubber. I was thinking what difference is this going to make on a marble floor?? The answer: The Freerunners have Mystique Rubber and the Guides have Stealth C4 rubber.
So in conclusion: if you're running from the cops (for instance) and you're going to be crossing polished floors I'd grab the Freerunners V2. If you're kicking at the crag get the Guides... looks like I've got to get another pair of shoes for in town, I want to test the differences and see how they slide!
Projects:
Despite getting on with these shoes pretty well, I've got one small beef...The inside vents dig into my instep and after a while really start to leave marks and make my feet ache. Other than that, I've worn them all of the sessions I've climbed and I've not ruined them yet!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
March 22nd > Prisms
Chris: When first started climbing I bought a pair of trad climbing shoes cause I didn't know the difference between comfort and performance shoes. So like most people I picked up a gear guide. I read up on the difference between soft rand, hard rand the benifits of having a slipper versus lace up shoes and my second purchase were a pair of Mocasyms. I'll be honest, I'm a lazy guy and I was tired of unlacing my shoes to get them off so I dicided on the Mocasyms for this reason. I've tried other brands of shoes but I always find myself comming back to 5.10 shoes. Lets go down the list. I've owned 1 pair of Mocasyms, 2 pairs of Anasazi lace ups, 1 pair of Gambits and 2 pairs of Piton. I've spoken to many climbers about their shoes and the reasons they buy them and I've come to the conclusion that it comes down to fit and the 5.10 seem to fit me just fine. Now you can imagine how excited I was to hear that 5.10 wanted us to review their shoes.
The pair of shoes that I got are the Prism that have a US patent on the "faceted edge technology". Without having seen the shoe I wasn't quit sure what this meant and here is where a picture says a thousand words:
The shoes are very similar to the Anasazi with the added feature of the angles on the outside edge and like the Anasazi's they are designed for route climbing. The faceted edge will help sicking small edges on face climbing. I've been spending most of my climbing these days on boulders and sinces the shoes are made for sport climbing they remind me of what I enjoy most. I've always been more of a sport climber above anything else, so its back to the old school for me. The material used for the shoes is the same as the Gambits and I'm a bit worried in the fact that synthetic fibers tend to make your feet stink. (Noodles: Yeah so am I!!)
My first experience with the shoes were on our wall and I found it hard to smear. I've been climbing in some agresive down turned shoes from Evolv that have more flexibility that made it easier to smear the wall. The other thing that I have to get used to is the stiff rand (which doesn't make smearing any easier). When I brought the shoes down to the gym for some route climbing the faceted edge made a big difference on some of the harder route. My last pair of route climbing shoes were the Pitons and I swear by them. They are good on routes, boulders, crack climbing and are the best all around shoe that I've owned but if its performance you're looking for the Prism are geared toward that.... we'll see how they fair, I've only spent a small ammount of time in them so far but spring is coming and Noodles has some still plans for me :)
The pair of shoes that I got are the Prism that have a US patent on the "faceted edge technology". Without having seen the shoe I wasn't quit sure what this meant and here is where a picture says a thousand words:
The shoes are very similar to the Anasazi with the added feature of the angles on the outside edge and like the Anasazi's they are designed for route climbing. The faceted edge will help sicking small edges on face climbing. I've been spending most of my climbing these days on boulders and sinces the shoes are made for sport climbing they remind me of what I enjoy most. I've always been more of a sport climber above anything else, so its back to the old school for me. The material used for the shoes is the same as the Gambits and I'm a bit worried in the fact that synthetic fibers tend to make your feet stink. (Noodles: Yeah so am I!!)My first experience with the shoes were on our wall and I found it hard to smear. I've been climbing in some agresive down turned shoes from Evolv that have more flexibility that made it easier to smear the wall. The other thing that I have to get used to is the stiff rand (which doesn't make smearing any easier). When I brought the shoes down to the gym for some route climbing the faceted edge made a big difference on some of the harder route. My last pair of route climbing shoes were the Pitons and I swear by them. They are good on routes, boulders, crack climbing and are the best all around shoe that I've owned but if its performance you're looking for the Prism are geared toward that.... we'll see how they fair, I've only spent a small ammount of time in them so far but spring is coming and Noodles has some still plans for me :)
Friday, March 20, 2009
March 19th: Projects & Anasazi LV
Tuesday night was the first session where we all had a chance to get to grips with our test shoes for the first time, the session was about 4 hours long with people climbing for most of the night... the highlight: the 40 move monster route that was created...
Eve: Shoes... I like shoes! Ain't that typical! Anywho, I wasn't gonna let these babies sit there and gather chalk dust so I used them. Note that they are 3.5UK which is half a size smaller then any shoes I've had and therefore they are VERY tight and slightly painful. Although, mind you, not as painful as my Sirens when I got them, and now I can wear those with socks if I want to. For now though... I have to make a point to remove the Anasazi pair when I'm not climbing cause I can't keep them on for more then like 30 minutes at a time. Physically, they are very pretty. Light colored and simple and not too feminine, which I like. As for velcros, well it makes it a lot easier and quicker to put on and remove the shoes and I guess I won't snap laces anymore! Also, they are so fitted that I don't think I'll have to worry about that
for a while.
It is the end of semester time for me and therefore I was only able to boulder twice for a couple of hours this week. First noticeable difference with my old shoes is how sensitive these are. I can feel EVERYTHING and can now use footholds I never would have dreamt of trusting before. It almost feels like I'm climbing barefooted. It is still debatable though if it's the rubber that is so nice or the fact that they are so tight. I have been kicking the wall more though, and I honestly don't know if that has to do with the shoes or the fact that it's St-Patrick's week and my gauges might be a little off ;).
Then we set a 40 move bouldering route (cause I'm surrounded by nutcases) and after a few times around (no I didn't finish it) I had to revert to my shhhh-kickers because it was too much, too long and became painful. Can't wait to try gym routes! So I put the Anasazi down for the night when I noticed inside the hieroglyph-like patterns. This led the dork that I am to look up this random fact (thank you Wiki): Anasazi stands for "ancient enemy" in the Navajo language and is the name of an ancient native American people who lived in the 'Four Corners' area of the US around 1200BC.
Conclusion, new shoes are not comfortable but allow for amazing precision work. At least the heel doesn't slide!
Noodles: Ah where to start? The fit of the shoes is great for me, no problems; but I found that during the session when I'd been wearing them for a while that I'd get the "farting" noise that we all know and love when I was walking about. Easily fixed, all I did was pull the shoes on tighter and then the sound went away :P (You've got to love sweaty feet and climbing shoes!!)
At first I was worried about the down turned toes and the super thin rubber on the sole of the shoe; Would my feet be strong enough?; Will it hurt too much?; Are the shoes going to bag out like most velcros that I've had? Well, they are sensitive, about 200 times more sensitive than say the Anasazi's I've had, or even the Evolv Pontas, but I'm finding them no so bad that I cannot stand on holds or move my feet as I like. The real test will be over the weekend when I'm setting at the gym after a session, I'm not going to set in the shoes, I'll use my Guides, but I will be fore running in the Projects, so you can probably expect some photos over the weekend on that stuff.
What is nice, is the shoes aren't stiff... so I'm in a whole new climbing world (as I climb in stiffer shoes most of the time), and I'm using my toes like big monkey paws to grips holds :) Another thing that I'm surprised about is the heel cups, normally when I get a pair of shoes (especially 5.10's) I've always had a problem with my achilles getting nailed by the back of the shoe, these seem to be lower than normal and I didn't feel any pain... which is a big plus as I've heard some people complain about the Jet 7's and this exact problem. So far so good, tonight they'll get onto some micros holds on overahangs, and will get to do some fore running, should be interesting!
Eve: Shoes... I like shoes! Ain't that typical! Anywho, I wasn't gonna let these babies sit there and gather chalk dust so I used them. Note that they are 3.5UK which is half a size smaller then any shoes I've had and therefore they are VERY tight and slightly painful. Although, mind you, not as painful as my Sirens when I got them, and now I can wear those with socks if I want to. For now though... I have to make a point to remove the Anasazi pair when I'm not climbing cause I can't keep them on for more then like 30 minutes at a time. Physically, they are very pretty. Light colored and simple and not too feminine, which I like. As for velcros, well it makes it a lot easier and quicker to put on and remove the shoes and I guess I won't snap laces anymore! Also, they are so fitted that I don't think I'll have to worry about that
for a while.It is the end of semester time for me and therefore I was only able to boulder twice for a couple of hours this week. First noticeable difference with my old shoes is how sensitive these are. I can feel EVERYTHING and can now use footholds I never would have dreamt of trusting before. It almost feels like I'm climbing barefooted. It is still debatable though if it's the rubber that is so nice or the fact that they are so tight. I have been kicking the wall more though, and I honestly don't know if that has to do with the shoes or the fact that it's St-Patrick's week and my gauges might be a little off ;).
Then we set a 40 move bouldering route (cause I'm surrounded by nutcases) and after a few times around (no I didn't finish it) I had to revert to my shhhh-kickers because it was too much, too long and became painful. Can't wait to try gym routes! So I put the Anasazi down for the night when I noticed inside the hieroglyph-like patterns. This led the dork that I am to look up this random fact (thank you Wiki): Anasazi stands for "ancient enemy" in the Navajo language and is the name of an ancient native American people who lived in the 'Four Corners' area of the US around 1200BC.
Conclusion, new shoes are not comfortable but allow for amazing precision work. At least the heel doesn't slide!
Noodles: Ah where to start? The fit of the shoes is great for me, no problems; but I found that during the session when I'd been wearing them for a while that I'd get the "farting" noise that we all know and love when I was walking about. Easily fixed, all I did was pull the shoes on tighter and then the sound went away :P (You've got to love sweaty feet and climbing shoes!!)
At first I was worried about the down turned toes and the super thin rubber on the sole of the shoe; Would my feet be strong enough?; Will it hurt too much?; Are the shoes going to bag out like most velcros that I've had? Well, they are sensitive, about 200 times more sensitive than say the Anasazi's I've had, or even the Evolv Pontas, but I'm finding them no so bad that I cannot stand on holds or move my feet as I like. The real test will be over the weekend when I'm setting at the gym after a session, I'm not going to set in the shoes, I'll use my Guides, but I will be fore running in the Projects, so you can probably expect some photos over the weekend on that stuff.
What is nice, is the shoes aren't stiff... so I'm in a whole new climbing world (as I climb in stiffer shoes most of the time), and I'm using my toes like big monkey paws to grips holds :) Another thing that I'm surprised about is the heel cups, normally when I get a pair of shoes (especially 5.10's) I've always had a problem with my achilles getting nailed by the back of the shoe, these seem to be lower than normal and I didn't feel any pain... which is a big plus as I've heard some people complain about the Jet 7's and this exact problem. So far so good, tonight they'll get onto some micros holds on overahangs, and will get to do some fore running, should be interesting!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
17th March: Guide Tennie... the last three weeks
Noodles: Now that the snow has finally cleared I can get my Guides out, I've had them since before Xmas and they've been out a few times in the snow and on the ice. But first I'll tell you a story!Way back in the day when I was in Florida I had a pair of these:
And I used them all summer long, just for skydiving, they lasted a good long time through skid landings, out drinking, crashing into fences and general hoonery that is me with a parachute on my back. They did die though, and they died a nasty death at the hands of the packers. You see in 40+ degree heat, cramped planes and no socks someone is going to complain when you take your shoes off and leave them in a hangar. At first they just took the shoes and left them outside and issued a warning "leave them outside"; I forgot and left them in the hangar, so the packers simply set fire to them. That was my first introduction to Five Ten's guide shoes, they lasted 6 months before they were burnt and I was sad to see them go! I still miss the buggers, RIP!Now it's the new guides, I've worn them every day to work and out and about and the level of grip on concrete is just mental; but on ice, big sheets of ice they don't grip AT ALL... is anyone surprised? I went out one night it was icy and ended up on my ass a whole bunch; so these shoes and ice? Nope! No way, no siree, nadda; take it from me they don't grip :) I'm going to be getting the road bike out in the next few weeks, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the shoes grip on pedals; I ride my fixed like I stole it, to and from work five days a week, so I expect to report my shoes getting abused. We'll see how they wear!
Monday, March 16, 2009
16th March
Noodles: I gave Eve her shoes, and shes pretty happy with them, shes only ever had 5.10's and despite them being a little small (like all her shoes) shes suspects they'll stretch out over time.
I took the Projects and the Prisms out for a spin on the wall and despite the Prisms being a half size larger than my shoe size could crank them down (Got to love laces!) and could wear them and see what's up.... for me the Prisms feels like a chiseled toed version of the Anazasi's, which isn't a bad thing something that's built for small edges and micro holds! Now don't get me wrong, I have had a pair of sporting manly pink Anazasi's for a long time, multiple pairs, these seem like a more exacting version of those. The Anazasi's are a "all round" shoe in my belief, whereas the Prisms are built more for edging / micro holds... but it'll be interesting to see what's what, the Anasazi's has climbed more hard routes than any other shoe, Evolv's have had some hard ascents but that's Sharma for you he can climb in a pair of rain boots and not worry about it... I think it's a battle royale in the making; give Dave Graham a pair of Prisms someone... like NOW!
Here comes the dilemma, after climbing a little in both (Prisms and Projects) I couldn't decide which shoes I wanted to run for the test. The Prisms are stiffer and more like what I'm used to, the Projects more to what Chris does; steep walls and bouldering. I decided to leave it up to Chris when he came over to see what we'd take. He took them out for a spin and we didn't reach an overall decision; he like the Projects.. but they fit me better but are more flexible than I'm used to. I like the Prisms, they're what I know, seemingly in a different guise but they're his size (For reference we both wear the same size street and climbing shoe)
We decided to fix the problem the tried and tested way!:
Yup with Chris losing!! I've got the Projects and Chris the Prisms.
Now I can reveal one thought I had the other day when trying them....
You can feel EVERYTHING in the Projects, EVERY BLOODY THING. Those shoes are sensitive. Like holy crap I can feel what my toes are feeling sensitive! You might as well be climbing bare foot :)
I took the Projects and the Prisms out for a spin on the wall and despite the Prisms being a half size larger than my shoe size could crank them down (Got to love laces!) and could wear them and see what's up.... for me the Prisms feels like a chiseled toed version of the Anazasi's, which isn't a bad thing something that's built for small edges and micro holds! Now don't get me wrong, I have had a pair of sporting manly pink Anazasi's for a long time, multiple pairs, these seem like a more exacting version of those. The Anazasi's are a "all round" shoe in my belief, whereas the Prisms are built more for edging / micro holds... but it'll be interesting to see what's what, the Anasazi's has climbed more hard routes than any other shoe, Evolv's have had some hard ascents but that's Sharma for you he can climb in a pair of rain boots and not worry about it... I think it's a battle royale in the making; give Dave Graham a pair of Prisms someone... like NOW!
Here comes the dilemma, after climbing a little in both (Prisms and Projects) I couldn't decide which shoes I wanted to run for the test. The Prisms are stiffer and more like what I'm used to, the Projects more to what Chris does; steep walls and bouldering. I decided to leave it up to Chris when he came over to see what we'd take. He took them out for a spin and we didn't reach an overall decision; he like the Projects.. but they fit me better but are more flexible than I'm used to. I like the Prisms, they're what I know, seemingly in a different guise but they're his size (For reference we both wear the same size street and climbing shoe)
We decided to fix the problem the tried and tested way!:
Yup with Chris losing!! I've got the Projects and Chris the Prisms.
Now I can reveal one thought I had the other day when trying them....
You can feel EVERYTHING in the Projects, EVERY BLOODY THING. Those shoes are sensitive. Like holy crap I can feel what my toes are feeling sensitive! You might as well be climbing bare foot :)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
And they're here!!
14th March: The shoes turned up today, Chris and Eve don't know this yet!! I've tried on the guys shoes and will be climbing in them tomorrow, here are some photos and inital thoughts on the shoes. All the photos are click for bigger as they're high res!!
These are what I should be testing, but I might switch to the Prisms. these shoes are pretty aggresive, downturned and are going to be crazy on overhangs!
Eve's going to have a hoot with these, she's never had velcro shoes before so it should be interesting to see what she thinks.
These "might" be Chris' shoes, if I don't borrow them! They look like they're not going to stink your feet up and feel nice and light, you can see the toe is what makes these shoes different from the norm, it's chiselled more than anything else on the market, you know that these shoes are going to make small holds feel huge!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Long Term Shoe Test
When Five Ten offered us some shoes so we could run a long term test we jumped at the chance!
We're going to have bi weekly updates with what we've done in the shoes and how they're fairing against the abuse we put them through, so this will end up being a pretty long log of everyones thoughts and feelings on 5.10's new shoes... expect some bad with the good :)
As everyone climbs differently, so there will be three of us running three different pairs of shoes; here's what we'll be testing, our first thoughts on the shoes and what 5.10 say about them:
Noodles will be testing the Project; here's what 5.10 says about the shoe: The most sensitive climbing shoe ever built. Designed exclusively for overhanging rock, the Project™ features Five Ten’s ground-breaking Prehensile ™ technology that lets you use your feet like hands. Prehensile Technology allows climbers to grab like never before. Due to the unprecedented durability of new Stealth ™ Mystique™ rubber, the Project’s down turned soles are only 2mm thick (other climbing shoes have at least 4mm thick soles). If you’re climbing hard overhanging routes outdoors or at the gym, the Project is the best choice.
Noodles: Well I've been destroying climbing shoes for 23 odd years, I was one of the first people to get the Anasazi's when they hit the market and they soon became my go-to shoes. I've worn the shoes in Font, on grit, limestone, indoor, outdoors and in water; they've treated me well! I'm looking forward to seeing how sensitive these shoes are, and how they perform compared to other shoes I've worn in the past; I'll still be keeping a backup pair of Anasazi's in my bag just in case :)
Eve will be testing the Anasazi LV; here's what 5.10 says about the shoe: The Anasazi LV (Low Volume) excels on climbs of 5.11 and higher, both indoors and out. This performance climbing shoe is built on a women’s-specific last, and is designed for medium volume feet. The heel design offers an excellent, no-slip fit. Five Ten’s proprietary “Power Toe” and a unique midsole provide the support for extremely technical climbs. Soles are Stealth® C4™, with extremely high friction, indoors and out.
Eve: I actually run two pairs of 5.10's at the moment; the Spire which I keep at the wall incase I forget my shoes, they're pretty well beaten up and are due for the sin bin soon! And a pair of Sirens, these are the shoes that I have in my bag all of the time; having seen Chris and Noodles go through shoes like they're candy I'm looking forward to getting some new rubber and seeing how they fit. I've never had a velcro shoe before so it's going to be nice to see the difference on fit between my usual lace ups. Oooo and they're pretty shoes!!
Chris will be testing the Prism; here's what 5.10 says about the shoe: After five years of intense R&D, we introduce The Prism. In December of ‘06, the US Government awarded Five Ten a patent for faceted edge technology (FET) which gives climbers unprecedented outside edge performance. This comfy shoe features a non-stretch dual Perflex™ micro-fiber laced upper. The Prism has edges at optimum angles with more rubber-to-rock contact then ever possible, plus Stealth® ONYXX™ soles.
Chris: I probably climb too much, let's run a shoe list from the last couple of years... Mad Rock, two pairs, 5.10: 2 pairs of Anasazi's, one pair of Evolv Optimus Primes; these are still alive just, HP40 over the holidays has left these pretty well dead and finally a pair of 5.10 Gambits that I use when I climb outdoors... these are getting more and more use indoors because like I said the Evolvs are finished. Faceted Edge Technology eh? I'm looking foward to see how small I can go on the footholds with these, and a micro fibre upper... my feet kick out pretty badly so I hope I don't stink these up too quickly!
We're going to have bi weekly updates with what we've done in the shoes and how they're fairing against the abuse we put them through, so this will end up being a pretty long log of everyones thoughts and feelings on 5.10's new shoes... expect some bad with the good :)
As everyone climbs differently, so there will be three of us running three different pairs of shoes; here's what we'll be testing, our first thoughts on the shoes and what 5.10 say about them:
Noodles will be testing the Project; here's what 5.10 says about the shoe: The most sensitive climbing shoe ever built. Designed exclusively for overhanging rock, the Project™ features Five Ten’s ground-breaking Prehensile ™ technology that lets you use your feet like hands. Prehensile Technology allows climbers to grab like never before. Due to the unprecedented durability of new Stealth ™ Mystique™ rubber, the Project’s down turned soles are only 2mm thick (other climbing shoes have at least 4mm thick soles). If you’re climbing hard overhanging routes outdoors or at the gym, the Project is the best choice. Noodles: Well I've been destroying climbing shoes for 23 odd years, I was one of the first people to get the Anasazi's when they hit the market and they soon became my go-to shoes. I've worn the shoes in Font, on grit, limestone, indoor, outdoors and in water; they've treated me well! I'm looking forward to seeing how sensitive these shoes are, and how they perform compared to other shoes I've worn in the past; I'll still be keeping a backup pair of Anasazi's in my bag just in case :)
Eve: I actually run two pairs of 5.10's at the moment; the Spire which I keep at the wall incase I forget my shoes, they're pretty well beaten up and are due for the sin bin soon! And a pair of Sirens, these are the shoes that I have in my bag all of the time; having seen Chris and Noodles go through shoes like they're candy I'm looking forward to getting some new rubber and seeing how they fit. I've never had a velcro shoe before so it's going to be nice to see the difference on fit between my usual lace ups. Oooo and they're pretty shoes!!
Chris will be testing the Prism; here's what 5.10 says about the shoe: After five years of intense R&D, we introduce The Prism. In December of ‘06, the US Government awarded Five Ten a patent for faceted edge technology (FET) which gives climbers unprecedented outside edge performance. This comfy shoe features a non-stretch dual Perflex™ micro-fiber laced upper. The Prism has edges at optimum angles with more rubber-to-rock contact then ever possible, plus Stealth® ONYXX™ soles.Chris: I probably climb too much, let's run a shoe list from the last couple of years... Mad Rock, two pairs, 5.10: 2 pairs of Anasazi's, one pair of Evolv Optimus Primes; these are still alive just, HP40 over the holidays has left these pretty well dead and finally a pair of 5.10 Gambits that I use when I climb outdoors... these are getting more and more use indoors because like I said the Evolvs are finished. Faceted Edge Technology eh? I'm looking foward to see how small I can go on the footholds with these, and a micro fibre upper... my feet kick out pretty badly so I hope I don't stink these up too quickly!
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