I've been using Tenaya for about 5 years now, started with Tatanka for sport climbing (downsized 1 full size) and after that switched to Mundaka for bouldering (downsizing 2.5 sizes).. I tried Mundakas in 3 sizes down, but struggled to break them in (big toe is half an inch longer than rest of my toes and it was just too painfully crammed in).. my last buy are Iati downsized by 2.5 for outdoor sport climbing (same sizing as Mundaka for bouldering) and I'd say that's perfect fit.. I've given Mastia a go as well, and they size very differently to rest of Tenaya range, I've tried them up to 4 full sizes down from my street size and I still had some dead space, could have gone at least half more down but I just didn't like the width of them (hence the Iati buy).. Tenaya are very comfy and they break in very quickly (used them straight out of the box and on to the wall without any problems) so I'd say that if you're climbing harder routes or problems where precision and heel/toe hooks are needed, definitely downsize at least 2 sizes, 2.5 hits the perfect spot IMO.. I've used La Sportiva before Tenayas and they were killing me, Scarpa doesn't fit me and the rest just never intrigued me enough, so team Tenaya all the way!
Have been climbing for a year now, a bit on and off because of Covid. My beginner climbing shoe is the La Sportiva Tarantula. I'm now looking for a "better/more advanced" climbing shoe to evolve in. Would the Tenaya Iati be a ok choice to try out, or is this shoe way too advanced for a guy like me (climbing mostly inside at the moment)?
@@p.richter9592 depends on what level you're at and where you aim to be at in some shorter time period.. depends also on your foot shape and if you are sport climbing or bouldering.. Tenaya Ra could be a stepping stone in that mid range but no need to downsize 2 sizes, I'd stick to 1 size down at that beginer/intermediate level.. bare in mind that all of Tenaya climbing shoes use Xs Grip rubber so it will be softer than your Tarantulas, so try them out before you buy, it does make a change.. personally I prefer softer for my style of climbing (limestone sport climbing on really small footholds and smearing + indoor bouldering) but that is purely individual.. if you want to stick to La Sportiva maybe Katana or Miura might be a good option.. if you want Tenaya, Inti and Ra would be let's say intermediate level, and if you want step up and if it fits, than Iati
@@DenisPausic Thank you for your extensive answer. I really appreciate it. Just sport climbing at the moment. I'll have a look and a think, and see what I'll do.
@@p.richter9592 no problem at all! if you have a nearby shop that has all of the mentioned shoes go and try them out.. usually you want harder rubber like vibram xs edge for sharp and small footholds, you get better support, and with softer xs grip or xs grip2 you get more sensitivity but less support so it can be a bit straining at first.. xs grip would be the middle ground between the edge and grip2.. either way you go they will feel much better than the friction x rubber on Tarantulas.. btw, keep in mind when you try them out that upper will stretch, leather half a size to a full size, microfiber less so, quarter to half size
@@DenisPausic I realize now, that i have to do a lot more research into the world of climbing shoes. The selection of climbing shoes in the stores where I live is not great, so I probably have to buy online. However, several web shops do offer free exchange, so it will just take a bit more time to find the right fit/shoe. No matter what, the information you have given me will go a long way in choosing a new pair of climbing shoes. Thank you so much.
Absolutely love my Unparallel VIMs, one of my favorite shoes I've owned. Street shoe size is US 9.5, VIM size is US 9.5. The first few sessions I had to use some plastic to get them on, but after that they wore in perfectly with no dead space. Zero issues with heel hooking.
@@karla.vicc95 I don't have experience with that particular shoe, but the VIMs are pretty much as soft as you can get. Rubber is outstanding, best smearing shoe I've had. The heel is nuts for a slipper too, I've never had it slip and I've been climbing in these for around 6 months now. Definitely caution going down from street size unless you have a very low volume foot (mine is on the high volume side).
I have a pair of Oasi and I downsized two full US sizes and the shoes fit very comfortably. I think you could do another half size for a more aggressive fit
In his video-review of the Zenist, Matt said he downsized by .5. Now you say he did not? Well, let's see. Just ordered street shoe size from your shop. Will be my first Evolv (first non Scarpa/LaSpo overall). A pitty the LV is not available in larger sizes AND why does the EpicTV shop not offer the maximum sizes offered by the supplier for womens/LV shoes???? Most of my shoes are women/LV and for Scarpa I have a EU42 (or sometimes 41.5), which is their max offered. Please add these sizes to your shop!!
Biggest issue with Tenaya is the rubber and durability. XS Grip on their higher end shoes wears through incredibly quickly - they would be better served using XS Grip2 or Edge. And - the Tarifa (which is essentially a lace up Oasi) needs a slightly stiffer midsole for better edging (which is why you would buy it over the Oasi or Iati). Tarifa is an outstanding shoe BTW - even with these issues. Matt is right about the fit and comfort level of Tenaya - but if you only get a month or two before a resole it’s a problem. I sent this feedback to Tenaya but never heard back.
can't agree with durability issue, I've used my Mundakas indoor and outdoor for a full year now without resoling them until now, I'll be doing it soon for the first time.. previous pair lasted a year as well.. it's all about your footwork and btw, xs grip is stiffer than xs grip 2
@@DenisPausic well - footwork can always be improved - but I climb 8b so I hope it’s not as terrible as you might think ☺️. I find Solutions wear noticeably slower on similar terrain but who really knows...
fair play, you must be working them hard then since they wear out so quickly.. just out of curiosity, you're climbing on limestone, granite or something else?
Thank you so much! this video helped me a lot to buy my new par of climbing shoes. Tenaya mixed so incredibly the comfort and the fit that was impossible to avoid the chose.
Synthetics do stretch, but depends on the synthetic as to how much. Unlined microsuede is used on many high performance shoes for a controlled but significant stretch, one full eu size, compared to unlined leather which may vary between a one and a quarter to two full eu sizes. As well, if sizing down maybe one and a half uk sizes, this would be basically two eu sizes.
For evolv phantom I am wearing 7.5 like my street shoe and it’s aggressive fit, for shaman one size up fit very good, for unparallel up rise vcs street shoes size for trad climbing and half size down for edging, tn pro (yellow) street size fit snugly and perform very well 😊
I've been using unparallel for quite a while now and for the neutro have half size up from street size for perfect fit. For the flagship I have half size up from street and it works well, I could also go street size for hard boulder sends
I’m street 10/11, downsized Unparallel Up VCS to 8 1/2. Tried the LV version but too pointy on toes, so went back to standard version and just downsized aggressively and fits lovely.
In my experience Tenaya shoes are not good if you have wide feet. Tried on the Oasi model at a demo and my big toes were pushing out on the side rand by a lot. Evolv's fit me perfect so I've stuck with them. Sizing is definitely correct as I wear a mainly size 11 street shoe and wear size 11 in Evolv shoes. If they are really tight when you get them, don't worry as they don't stretch but rather soften and mold to your feet and fit great after a few sessions. I have a pair of the old Nexxos in size 11 that were almost unbearable to wear at first but are absolutely amazing now.
That's super strange, since i always have to go up 2 sizes from my street shoe when i buy evolv's and it's still like 4 cm smaller and are super thight
I’ve been climbing in way to small shoes for years. Just recently did I realize that as a recreational climber it’s idiotic to climb in painfully shoes. Just bought a pair of tenaya Ra in 42.5 eu which is several sizes larger and miles more comfortable than the way too small shoes I’ve wore in the past. Guess it’s time to realize that I’m getting old and prefer being comfortable rather than trying to climb hard in painful shoes 😂
I'm not sure what's going on or if maaaaybe I just have odd feet... but I just got my pair of VIMs in the mail half a size down from my true shoe size and they feel HUGE. I like the shoe none the less, but will be going down a size and a half on my next pair.
I ordered an Evolv Zenist in the size of my regular street shoes and it is so bloody tight that I hardly can get in and I cannot even stand on both my feet because of the pain. That is way to tight for even a performance fit, let alone a comfort fit. The only thing I am impressed about is the fact the shoe is not bursting into a thousand pieces after I somehow managed to squeeze in what before used to look like a normal-shaped foot *rip* but seriously, I wonder what is a "normal street shoe" for you? because sports shoes and casual sports shoes often have bigger sizes than what was traditionally considered a normal shoe. Now, if you wear casual sports shoes in the streets and refer to these as normal street shoes, then it makes sense now... Edit: Fun fact: I thought I give it a try (maybe I got used to it or the shoe expands a bit... who knows). I spent 2 minutes in the shoes and, after seeing the effect on my feet, I needed to accept that there was no chance. The toes were a bit numb and turned a bit blue.
The Tenaya lace up shoes I got have a sewn seam in the big toe area that digs in the knuckle above the big toe nail. I only went down half size and they are so painful.
I’ve been climbing the lace ups (Masai) for a very long time. I have super skinny feet, and street shoe size is actually a pretty sporty fit. My long day size is 1/2 size up. I’m also using the low volume Ra, and they fit well at 1/2 size down. I prefer my toes just slightly crimped.
I'm in the boat of people that says you need to downsize the oasi more. You can even see in the video footage of you putting on the oasi that there is tons of deadspace and that you're wearing a shoe that is WAY too big. The fabric should be pulled tight and not have those folds in it. I'm a UK 10 and I wear the oasi in an 8.5 and honestly I could go down to an 8 and still be comfortable, but at 8.5 I can wear it all day. I tried it as a 9 and it was a baggy mess.
Bit late reply, but still. Some people (myself included) have flatter feet, meaning even when your toes are crammed up in the end, fully crunched up, there's still a bit of room above the foot. This is a problem I've alway had with shoes, and have never found a shoe that solves it.
Very very late reply, but I have downgraded 2 sizes on my Tenaya Iati, and I couldn't really climb, too painful, with one size less from my street shoes, I can climb but I need to take them off every 15 minutes. Also I developed Haglund's deformity with just one size less. I will now try Evolve Zenist street size, if not half a number more. This just to say it's highly subjective. I climb V5, so I am not an advanced climber. I am also old and delicate.
@@biomorphic Just a warning because I own the Evolv Zenist, if I put my Evolv side by side to my Tenayas a size 10 Evolv is the same as a size 8.5 Tenaya. So if you were having trouble with the Tenaya being too small when downsized by only 1 you're going to have real trouble with Evolv at street size.
Always had Scarpas but I bought the new Evolv Phantom last year and they’re pretty good. I sized down by 1 but they were incredibly tight unbearably so. So street size is right. I would say that maybe half size down max.
@@Cacovangor I sized down a whole size in scarpa. I’m a size 9 street shoe and my scarpas were hard to break in but a size 8 was fine, painful at first.
Nice one M&T - confirms my suspicion that I have been torturing my feet :) FIVE TEN info would be great. I have just ordered two pairs of the Crawe from Epic Tv. I am I’m uk 8 1/4 🤔
But of trivia: Adidas was founded by Adolf Dassler. He went by the nickname Adi by his friends and family. The company pronunciation is after his name, Adi Das.
@@richardbradley1532 hopefully. Seems a bit wishful thinking here in the UK but you never know. I’m lucky to be able to walk to a few crags within 20-30 mins.
Thanks for this you two!
I've been using Tenaya for about 5 years now, started with Tatanka for sport climbing (downsized 1 full size) and after that switched to Mundaka for bouldering (downsizing 2.5 sizes).. I tried Mundakas in 3 sizes down, but struggled to break them in (big toe is half an inch longer than rest of my toes and it was just too painfully crammed in).. my last buy are Iati downsized by 2.5 for outdoor sport climbing (same sizing as Mundaka for bouldering) and I'd say that's perfect fit.. I've given Mastia a go as well, and they size very differently to rest of Tenaya range, I've tried them up to 4 full sizes down from my street size and I still had some dead space, could have gone at least half more down but I just didn't like the width of them (hence the Iati buy).. Tenaya are very comfy and they break in very quickly (used them straight out of the box and on to the wall without any problems) so I'd say that if you're climbing harder routes or problems where precision and heel/toe hooks are needed, definitely downsize at least 2 sizes, 2.5 hits the perfect spot IMO.. I've used La Sportiva before Tenayas and they were killing me, Scarpa doesn't fit me and the rest just never intrigued me enough, so team Tenaya all the way!
Have been climbing for a year now, a bit on and off because of Covid. My beginner climbing shoe is the La Sportiva Tarantula. I'm now looking for a "better/more advanced" climbing shoe to evolve in. Would the Tenaya Iati be a ok choice to try out, or is this shoe way too advanced for a guy like me (climbing mostly inside at the moment)?
@@p.richter9592 depends on what level you're at and where you aim to be at in some shorter time period.. depends also on your foot shape and if you are sport climbing or bouldering.. Tenaya Ra could be a stepping stone in that mid range but no need to downsize 2 sizes, I'd stick to 1 size down at that beginer/intermediate level.. bare in mind that all of Tenaya climbing shoes use Xs Grip rubber so it will be softer than your Tarantulas, so try them out before you buy, it does make a change.. personally I prefer softer for my style of climbing (limestone sport climbing on really small footholds and smearing + indoor bouldering) but that is purely individual.. if you want to stick to La Sportiva maybe Katana or Miura might be a good option.. if you want Tenaya, Inti and Ra would be let's say intermediate level, and if you want step up and if it fits, than Iati
@@DenisPausic Thank you for your extensive answer. I really appreciate it. Just sport climbing at the moment. I'll have a look and a think, and see what I'll do.
@@p.richter9592 no problem at all! if you have a nearby shop that has all of the mentioned shoes go and try them out.. usually you want harder rubber like vibram xs edge for sharp and small footholds, you get better support, and with softer xs grip or xs grip2 you get more sensitivity but less support so it can be a bit straining at first.. xs grip would be the middle ground between the edge and grip2.. either way you go they will feel much better than the friction x rubber on Tarantulas.. btw, keep in mind when you try them out that upper will stretch, leather half a size to a full size, microfiber less so, quarter to half size
@@DenisPausic I realize now, that i have to do a lot more research into the world of climbing shoes. The selection of climbing shoes in the stores where I live is not great, so I probably have to buy online. However, several web shops do offer free exchange, so it will just take a bit more time to find the right fit/shoe. No matter what, the information you have given me will go a long way in choosing a new pair of climbing shoes. Thank you so much.
Absolutely love my Unparallel VIMs, one of my favorite shoes I've owned. Street shoe size is US 9.5, VIM size is US 9.5. The first few sessions I had to use some plastic to get them on, but after that they wore in perfectly with no dead space. Zero issues with heel hooking.
Currently I'm wearing Tenaya Oasi and want to try out VIMs. Any thoughts or comparison?
@@karla.vicc95 I don't have experience with that particular shoe, but the VIMs are pretty much as soft as you can get. Rubber is outstanding, best smearing shoe I've had. The heel is nuts for a slipper too, I've never had it slip and I've been climbing in these for around 6 months now. Definitely caution going down from street size unless you have a very low volume foot (mine is on the high volume side).
@@joshualebowitz2758 How's the width on the Vim? Looks narrow?
@@thesii213 Very narrow I’d say. I’ve since switched to the newly released Scarpa Instinct S.
@@joshualebowitz2758 Alas! That's what I feared. I'll look at the Acopa Gama instead. And thank you!
I have a pair of Oasi and I downsized two full US sizes and the shoes fit very comfortably. I think you could do another half size for a more aggressive fit
Thanks guys! This is very helpful for newbs who are ready to upgrade from the entry shoes.
Love Evolv shoes. Have had 3 different models. Street size is best. Sometimes .5 up. Never have or felt like I should downsize.
In his video-review of the Zenist, Matt said he downsized by .5. Now you say he did not? Well, let's see. Just ordered street shoe size from your shop. Will be my first Evolv (first non Scarpa/LaSpo overall).
A pitty the LV is not available in larger sizes AND why does the EpicTV shop not offer the maximum sizes offered by the supplier for womens/LV shoes???? Most of my shoes are women/LV and for Scarpa I have a EU42 (or sometimes 41.5), which is their max offered. Please add these sizes to your shop!!
Mastia I would recommend 2 sizes down and 1.5 on the Oasi.
This exactly
Biggest issue with Tenaya is the rubber and durability. XS Grip on their higher end shoes wears through incredibly quickly - they would be better served using XS Grip2 or Edge.
And - the Tarifa (which is essentially a lace up Oasi) needs a slightly stiffer midsole for better edging (which is why you would buy it over the Oasi or Iati). Tarifa is an outstanding shoe BTW - even with these issues.
Matt is right about the fit and comfort level of Tenaya - but if you only get a month or two before a resole it’s a problem. I sent this feedback to Tenaya but never heard back.
can't agree with durability issue, I've used my Mundakas indoor and outdoor for a full year now without resoling them until now, I'll be doing it soon for the first time.. previous pair lasted a year as well.. it's all about your footwork and btw, xs grip is stiffer than xs grip 2
@@DenisPausic well - footwork can always be improved - but I climb 8b so I hope it’s not as terrible as you might think ☺️. I find Solutions wear noticeably slower on similar terrain but who really knows...
fair play, you must be working them hard then since they wear out so quickly.. just out of curiosity, you're climbing on limestone, granite or something else?
@@DenisPausic I’m a limestone cowboy! But you raise a good point as when you start grinding near your limit footwork is the first thing to fail.
Thank you so much! this video helped me a lot to buy my new par of climbing shoes. Tenaya mixed so incredibly the comfort and the fit that was impossible to avoid the chose.
What are those pants in the Evolv video clips at 1:01 - 1:08? Love the pattern inside!
Synthetics do stretch, but depends on the synthetic as to how much. Unlined microsuede is used on many high performance shoes for a controlled but significant stretch, one full eu size, compared to unlined leather which may vary between a one and a quarter to two full eu sizes.
As well, if sizing down maybe one and a half uk sizes, this would be basically two eu sizes.
I have to get my street size and sometimes my street size is painful so all this downsizing majority is crazy to me
For evolv phantom I am wearing 7.5 like my street shoe and it’s aggressive fit, for shaman one size up fit very good, for unparallel up rise vcs street shoes size for trad climbing and half size down for edging, tn pro (yellow) street size fit snugly and perform very well 😊
I've been using unparallel for quite a while now and for the neutro have half size up from street size for perfect fit. For the flagship I have half size up from street and it works well, I could also go street size for hard boulder sends
I’m street 10/11, downsized Unparallel Up VCS to 8 1/2. Tried the LV version but too pointy on toes, so went back to standard version and just downsized aggressively and fits lovely.
Nice Ripcurl hoodie Matt. Is Epic tv going to sell surfware?
In my experience Tenaya shoes are not good if you have wide feet. Tried on the Oasi model at a demo and my big toes were pushing out on the side rand by a lot. Evolv's fit me perfect so I've stuck with them. Sizing is definitely correct as I wear a mainly size 11 street shoe and wear size 11 in Evolv shoes. If they are really tight when you get them, don't worry as they don't stretch but rather soften and mold to your feet and fit great after a few sessions. I have a pair of the old Nexxos in size 11 that were almost unbearable to wear at first but are absolutely amazing now.
That's super strange, since i always have to go up 2 sizes from my street shoe when i buy evolv's and it's still like 4 cm smaller and are super thight
I think Tenaya Mastia is very good for wide feet (definitely better than Oasi).
As a person wider toe box, going for straight street shoes size for Tenaya Mastia is very comfortable for me.
I’ve been climbing in way to small shoes for years. Just recently did I realize that as a recreational climber it’s idiotic to climb in painfully shoes. Just bought a pair of tenaya Ra in 42.5 eu which is several sizes larger and miles more comfortable than the way too small shoes I’ve wore in the past.
Guess it’s time to realize that I’m getting old and prefer being comfortable rather than trying to climb hard in painful shoes 😂
I'm not sure what's going on or if maaaaybe I just have odd feet... but I just got my pair of VIMs in the mail half a size down from my true shoe size and they feel HUGE. I like the shoe none the less, but will be going down a size and a half on my next pair.
I ordered an Evolv Zenist in the size of my regular street shoes and it is so bloody tight that I hardly can get in and I cannot even stand on both my feet because of the pain. That is way to tight for even a performance fit, let alone a comfort fit. The only thing I am impressed about is the fact the shoe is not bursting into a thousand pieces after I somehow managed to squeeze in what before used to look like a normal-shaped foot *rip*
but seriously, I wonder what is a "normal street shoe" for you? because sports shoes and casual sports shoes often have bigger sizes than what was traditionally considered a normal shoe. Now, if you wear casual sports shoes in the streets and refer to these as normal street shoes, then it makes sense now...
Edit: Fun fact: I thought I give it a try (maybe I got used to it or the shoe expands a bit... who knows). I spent 2 minutes in the shoes and, after seeing the effect on my feet, I needed to accept that there was no chance. The toes were a bit numb and turned a bit blue.
Bought Evolv once. It was my streetshoe size and felt like 3 size down. I couldn´t fit my foot into it at all.
I think they've fixed this since? For a while everything was super small. I tried to buy the Kronos once and it looked child-sized...
The Tenaya lace up shoes I got have a sewn seam in the big toe area that digs in the knuckle above the big toe nail.
I only went down half size and they are so painful.
I’ve been climbing the lace ups (Masai) for a very long time. I have super skinny feet, and street shoe size is actually a pretty sporty fit. My long day size is 1/2 size up. I’m also using the low volume Ra, and they fit well at 1/2 size down. I prefer my toes just slightly crimped.
I'm in the boat of people that says you need to downsize the oasi more. You can even see in the video footage of you putting on the oasi that there is tons of deadspace and that you're wearing a shoe that is WAY too big. The fabric should be pulled tight and not have those folds in it. I'm a UK 10 and I wear the oasi in an 8.5 and honestly I could go down to an 8 and still be comfortable, but at 8.5 I can wear it all day. I tried it as a 9 and it was a baggy mess.
Bit late reply, but still.
Some people (myself included) have flatter feet, meaning even when your toes are crammed up in the end, fully crunched up, there's still a bit of room above the foot.
This is a problem I've alway had with shoes, and have never found a shoe that solves it.
Very very late reply, but I have downgraded 2 sizes on my Tenaya Iati, and I couldn't really climb, too painful, with one size less from my street shoes, I can climb but I need to take them off every 15 minutes. Also I developed Haglund's deformity with just one size less. I will now try Evolve Zenist street size, if not half a number more. This just to say it's highly subjective. I climb V5, so I am not an advanced climber. I am also old and delicate.
@@biomorphic Just a warning because I own the Evolv Zenist, if I put my Evolv side by side to my Tenayas a size 10 Evolv is the same as a size 8.5 Tenaya. So if you were having trouble with the Tenaya being too small when downsized by only 1 you're going to have real trouble with Evolv at street size.
@@thomasturner649 thank you very much, I will have to consider to upsize then.
scarpa and 5 10 ?
confort fit?
The Flagship from UP and the Mastia from Tenaya are on my list of must haves ✌🏽😃✌🏽
By the way, love Mat's jumper.
i have to agree with this. very nice jumper.
Always had Scarpas but I bought the new Evolv Phantom last year and they’re pretty good. I sized down by 1 but they were incredibly tight unbearably so. So street size is right. I would say that maybe half size down max.
What did you wear in scarpa and at what size? Curious cause I’ve been looking for my indoor wall shoe.
@@Cacovangor I sized down a whole size in scarpa. I’m a size 9 street shoe and my scarpas were hard to break in but a size 8 was fine, painful at first.
@@MF-CLIMB thanks though was wondering what scarpa shoe in particular
@@Cacovangor instinct VS-R
Yeah I don't agree with the Tenaya recommendation. I wear a US9 / UK8 street shoe. I wear a UK5 in the Oasi and Iati. They stretch about half a size.
Nice one M&T - confirms my suspicion that I have been torturing my feet :) FIVE TEN info would be great. I have just ordered two pairs of the Crawe from Epic Tv. I am I’m uk 8 1/4 🤔
In my opinion, Tenaya sizing is quite similar to La Sportiva. I wear Tenaya Mundaka Eu 40 and my street shoes Eu 43.
6:43 "addy-dass"
But of trivia: Adidas was founded by Adolf Dassler. He went by the nickname Adi by his friends and family. The company pronunciation is after his name, Adi Das.
Wouldn't it be nice to need climbing shoes?
No crags near you Richard? 😢
@@MF-CLIMB plenty, but they are either water logged or too far away under restrictions.
@@richardbradley1532 that’s a shame. Hope it brightens up for you.
@@MF-CLIMB walls will be open in a month or two and might even be able to get outside.
@@richardbradley1532 hopefully. Seems a bit wishful thinking here in the UK but you never know. I’m lucky to be able to walk to a few crags within 20-30 mins.
I just watched this video... I am questioning my existence...
Buy your own size, no need to get lotus feet is there, your feet will swell up after a while anyway