North Wales is probably the optimal location in the UK for these sorts of shoes. Or maybe some coastal approaches. In the lakes or Scotland I think you'd mostly want ones with proper lugs. Disappointed to hear the top half of GA is the better bit, we had to bail off half way up due to it being too snowy!
Great video as always, and a great route, I did it for the first time in May, and had a great day out, it took us longer than expected.😂. The Grooved arête pitch and Knights move were by far the best 2 pitches. I have been looking at those shoes, so will pop and try a pair on. I have been really impressed with the rock shoes I have from unparallel and was hoping the approach shoes were as good.
Sorry we held you up, was a busy day and a few of our party are fairly new to multi pitch and using double ropes. Nice to see you at the belay though. Great videos!
if anyones not tried the Scarpa Rapids I couldn't recumbent them enough. They're grippy on anything rock / wet rock and grass. They are super breathable as a lot of the panels are just mesh. Obviously water gets through the mesh pretty easy but if your not walking through long wet grass or its not raining hen you're good. I fit them pretty snug so my toes just touch the end. This means I wouldn't run in them but for a day out cragging etc I can climb on small edges with them no probs.
Sportiva TX Guide approach look good for U.K. conditions. Have you considered trying VJ fell shoes for mountain use? Butyl rubber is super sticky & grip on grass etc obviously great.
Descending the North ridge of tryfan on Saturday felt really slippery, one of our party after touching a slimy rock commented "this feels not quite like yoghurt"
They seem pretty similar to scarpa Gecko and Kalipe. Did already 2000-3000m vert scrambles in them^^ Also Scarpa Rapid (super soft) und LS TX Guide(but stiffer and little less comfy, but best climbing perfomance out there i had on Approuch shoes) out there.
@@JBMountainSkills Good^ but don't expect them to be soft like a mix of trailrunner and Approach, which i thought they would be (scarpa rapid are like this) they are more stiffer on the side walls and are stiffened on the climbing zone. which is awesome for climbing even on small steps tough;) but not so comfy how they look
Where you able to use the normal belay places with a 40m rope? Looking at Rockfax it seems to have 50m pitches and as I am planning to climb it soon with a 40m I was thinking of fractioning them. But maybe it is not needed... Also, given the traffic and polish would you recommend choosing another route in Tryfan east face? Such as pinnacle rib
Good question, I belayed in the regular spots, but there are plenty of intermediate stances. There's loads of good routes on the East Face, I just wanted to do this one this day.
Hey bud. You never say what size shoe you wear normally and what size you went with in these Unparallel Rock Guide shoes. I’m a US 10 so I’m wondering which would be better for me. Thank you.
@@JBMountainSkills Thank you very much for the information. I think that sizing, is THE most important part of a review. 99% of reviews do not even mention the fit at all. I really don’t understand it. So I appreciate your time and help. Really like your channel and your way about you. Cheers. Thank again.
Why TF not just have the dotty / grippy front and then a deep-lug, grippy-on-grass back half? Can it really be that hard? It's not as if we're heel hooking in these type of shoes
Thank you, very informative! But the golden question was not directly answered: did you find them: less grippy, more grippy, or about as grippy as Vibram's MegaSlip? And IF you answered MORE grippy to the above, (and have experience with the following), then are they more grippy, less grippy, or about as grippy as: 1. The legendary (but discontinued) Five Ten Camp Four (STEALTH C4) 2. Butora Mousai (Neo Fuse) Vibram HAS the technology (Vibram XS Grip 2) but sadly it's like, 'F*CK YOU if you're not a climber', (i.e. I have yet to find the XS Grip 2 in a hiker or approach shoe); even worse, seems like everyone is jumping on the MegaSlip bandwagon. And their new "Traction Lug" is even worse... slightly better grip, but WORSE traction!!! Funny (ironically), I significantly outperform on the climbs in a freakin, (NON-Vibram outsole) hiking shoe VS EVERY Vibram-based approach shoe. And the hiking shoe has: NO climbing zone, NO approach lacing system, and MEAN lugs (including in the toe area)... simply because the grip (stickiness) is superior to 'MegaGrip'.
I wear the mad rock Topo. They are very comfy and grip very well
North Wales is probably the optimal location in the UK for these sorts of shoes. Or maybe some coastal approaches. In the lakes or Scotland I think you'd mostly want ones with proper lugs.
Disappointed to hear the top half of GA is the better bit, we had to bail off half way up due to it being too snowy!
Ahh one to go back for on a summer day!
Great video as always, and a great route, I did it for the first time in May, and had a great day out, it took us longer than expected.😂. The Grooved arête pitch and Knights move were by far the best 2 pitches. I have been looking at those shoes, so will pop and try a pair on. I have been really impressed with the rock shoes I have from unparallel and was hoping the approach shoes were as good.
Glad you liked it 😊
Well worth trying a pair on!
Sorry we held you up, was a busy day and a few of our party are fairly new to multi pitch and using double ropes. Nice to see you at the belay though. Great videos!
Zero need to apologise, great day! Hope you had fun 💪
I’ve got La Sportiva Boulder X & they’re great entry level approach shoes!
I’m going for TX4 Mid GTX ones next 😎
I do love my TX4 mids
if anyones not tried the Scarpa Rapids I couldn't recumbent them enough. They're grippy on anything rock / wet rock and grass. They are super breathable as a lot of the panels are just mesh. Obviously water gets through the mesh pretty easy but if your not walking through long wet grass or its not raining hen you're good. I fit them pretty snug so my toes just touch the end. This means I wouldn't run in them but for a day out cragging etc I can climb on small edges with them no probs.
They look decent as an all rounder 😊
How do you find the width? Felt right across the toe box trying on, wondered if they stretched at all?
Sportiva TX Guide approach look good for U.K. conditions.
Have you considered trying VJ fell shoes for mountain use? Butyl rubber is super sticky & grip on grass etc obviously great.
I haven't but often think about it.
Brilliant, so much appreciated!
Pleasure!
Descending the North ridge of tryfan on Saturday felt really slippery, one of our party after touching a slimy rock commented "this feels not quite like yoghurt"
Yoghurt 😂
They seem pretty similar to scarpa Gecko and Kalipe. Did already 2000-3000m vert scrambles in them^^
Also Scarpa Rapid (super soft) und LS TX Guide(but stiffer and little less comfy, but best climbing perfomance out there i had on Approuch shoes) out there.
The TX Guide is definitely one I want to try. When I was looking for a pair here in the UK I couldn’t get my size at the time 😕
@@JBMountainSkills Good^ but don't expect them to be soft like a mix of trailrunner and Approach, which i thought they would be (scarpa rapid are like this) they are more stiffer on the side walls and are stiffened on the climbing zone. which is awesome for climbing even on small steps tough;) but not so comfy how they look
Great review. Sorry I may have missed it but what’s the sizing like TTS? Thanks
Where you able to use the normal belay places with a 40m rope? Looking at Rockfax it seems to have 50m pitches and as I am planning to climb it soon with a 40m I was thinking of fractioning them. But maybe it is not needed...
Also, given the traffic and polish would you recommend choosing another route in Tryfan east face? Such as pinnacle rib
Good question, I belayed in the regular spots, but there are plenty of intermediate stances.
There's loads of good routes on the East Face, I just wanted to do this one this day.
Hi Jez, what was the name of those arcteryx shoes you're fond of? Didn't quite catch what you said in the video!
Adidas were the ones I mentioned. Terrex Solo, sadly they don't make that model any more.
Hey bud. You never say what size shoe you wear normally and what size you went with in these Unparallel Rock Guide shoes. I’m a US 10 so I’m wondering which would be better for me. Thank you.
Apologies! Normal street shoe UK 12, these, UK 12 too.
@@JBMountainSkills Thank you very much for the information. I think that sizing, is THE most important part of a review. 99% of reviews do not even mention the fit at all. I really don’t understand it. So I appreciate your time and help. Really like your channel and your way about you. Cheers. Thank again.
What do you think of the la sportiva tx4s?
Love them!
Why TF not just have the dotty / grippy front and then a deep-lug, grippy-on-grass back half? Can it really be that hard? It's not as if we're heel hooking in these type of shoes
The dream!
Thank you, very informative! But the golden question was not directly answered: did you find them: less grippy, more grippy, or about as grippy as Vibram's MegaSlip?
And IF you answered MORE grippy to the above, (and have experience with the following), then are they more grippy, less grippy, or about as grippy as:
1. The legendary (but discontinued) Five Ten Camp Four (STEALTH C4)
2. Butora Mousai (Neo Fuse)
Vibram HAS the technology (Vibram XS Grip 2) but sadly it's like, 'F*CK YOU if you're not a climber', (i.e. I have yet to find the XS Grip 2 in a hiker or approach shoe); even worse, seems like everyone is jumping on the MegaSlip bandwagon. And their new "Traction Lug" is even worse... slightly better grip, but WORSE traction!!!
Funny (ironically), I significantly outperform on the climbs in a freakin, (NON-Vibram outsole) hiking shoe VS EVERY Vibram-based approach shoe. And the hiking shoe has: NO climbing zone, NO approach lacing system, and MEAN lugs (including in the toe area)... simply because the grip (stickiness) is superior to 'MegaGrip'.