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

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:

• 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

I spent the weekend bolting a cliff... well drilling a cliff, the weather was against us and it was a feat to even get the holes drilled. The shoes have seen rain like I've never seen, mud, scrambling to the top of a cliff, rappelling down from the top, some clearing of brush and just overall terrain and weather you'd want a pair of hiking boots for. Apart from giving me wet feet after the first day (it rained like you've never seen and we were out in it for 6 hrs) I have no complaints, sure I've walked in them for three months straight / set in a gym numerous times / been biking / dropped food on them / gone ankle deep in mud / fell in a lake and generally abused the hell out of them.... AND despite ALL of the above and more the shoes may look like they've done a tour of Nam but they're still kicking and going strong.

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