First Look: New Climbing Shoes for 2024
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- Опубликовано: 31 май 2024
- Get a look at the new models of climbing shoes coming out next year from the likes of Scarpa, La Sportiva, Unparallel, Boreal and Red Chili.
Intro 00:00
Boreal 00:06
La Sportiva 01:08
Scarpa 02:22
Unparallel 03:50
Red Chili 06:01
La Sportiva 06:43 
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As a big fan of no-edge I'm glad la sportiva is continuing to support these models. Looking forward to trying the velcro genius.
I don't like that they've made them all look very similar though, the unique colourways and design elements were always something I quite liked about climbing shoes, adn it made things like those funky sportiva shoe chalkbags possible!
Futura has been around for like 10 years my G
@@ethannewman6617 and the "new" mantra's were only 1 year old!
I dunno, making them all look the same is a negative in my book!
@@tiktian RIP the speedster. I agree having different colorways is better but I do like the new color options. I think I would definitely try the new Futura/velcro Genius if its heel is good.
@@ethannewman6617 isnt'the speedster still available in europe?
Regarding the flagships, what does the new midsole actually has as an impact? Softer or stiffer to the originals? Heel looks improved or is it just me ?
I've recently been corrected by a La Sportiva Employee for using "low volume" in place of the "women's" model. Apparently they do not actually make low volume models of their footwear. Can't vouch for this from personal experience, but that's what I'm told.
I think they call it men's and women's because apart from the change in volume they use XS Grip 2 in place of XS Edge, or for shoes that come with the XS Grip 2 by default they reduce the midsole thickness to accommodate lighter climbers.
That’s certainly the case with their climbing shoes, but I’m not sure about their mountaineering boots. The climbing shoes - as per Julian’s comment - tend to feature softer rubber. They also (if I recall correctly) use a softer tensioning too.
LaSportiva does different things with different models. Skwama men’s and women’s are high volume and low volume. The new Katanas, as well as the Solution Comps, have the exact same last between men’s and women’s, but different midsole stiffness.
the sole on womens are thinner
@thatonefeller3375 Skwama men is definitely stiffer than women's. I wear womens fine but the mens model just doesn't bend at all it hurts my feet.... (then there's the Scarpa Instinct line which is even more confusing...)
I wish the futura would have gone without the fast lacing closure. Makes me think that the next solution update will keep this incredibly fragile design as well. I would have really liked to see their velcro closure shoes all switch to the theory/skwama/mandala design going forward as it is simply better.
Didn't the original Flagships have 3.5mm RS rubber on the outsole and not 4.2? I thought the 4.2 is the RH rubber at the heel cup. Please correct me if i'm wrong
It definitely has 3.5 of RS Rubber on the front. I think the very tip of the Flagship Pro is shaved off to 3 in order to decrease break in time and increase sensitivity. I could be wrong though
@@v0atmygym734 Is it just the tip of the shoe that will be shaved down to 3mm or will the entire front sole be reduced to 3mm from 3.5? UKC please confirm
Any idea where the Scarpa Spot fits into their lineup? Will it be replacing the quantic series? Looking forward to see more info on these shoes.
Sounds like its inbetween the quantic and vapors tbh.
You're spot on - it fits in alongside the Quantix SF as a part of their 'balanced performance' range. Medium fit, with a low to medium to profile. We'll see if we can pick up a pre production model in order to get a review ready for as soon as they're released.
Will be interested in the forefoot width of the LaSpo shoes, they’re always on the narrow side of shoes.
I suspect these will be similarly narrow, but we’ll cover that in more detail once we get our hands on a pair to review properly.
Great to see these new shoes. - particularly the Unparallel Cubiq (if that’s how it’s spelled :) I am a lifelong Five Ten wearer, currently wearing the brilliant Crawes. I honestly don’t know if 5.10 still make climbing shoes though - any ideas, or sign of them at the show?
No sign of them whatsoever, so I think you’re best hedging your bets with Unparallel. They seem to be doing a better job of making Five Ten shoes than Five Ten did anyway 😅
@@ukclimbingofficial it’s such a weird situation - particularly they have the likes of Janja Garnbret wearing their shoes 🤷♂️
@@mattmarcroft8931 and Will Bosi and Mejdi Schalck and Natalia Grossman and Miho Nonaka… list goes on, such a stacked team. Not to mention their mtb shoes and athletes. A bizarre situation and shame on Adidas for not publicly clarifying anything.
@@alexanderwootten5160 Rumor was that they were getting out of the climbing scene entirely, but then they went ahead and just reupped some of their older models and had success with Bosi so... dunno.
@@thesii213 that would be an absolute shame! hope it isn't true!
I was hoping for a stiffer solution like model, or an updated version or the instinct VS (based on the S). Still great content, greeting from France !
I keep wondering when that’ll happen, because it can’t be far away. The Instinct VS and VSR are getting quite old now and it’d be great to see a refresh, integrating some of the things they’ve done with the S.
@@ukclimbingofficial but then again miura's are downright ancient and are still very popular shoes!
This is true, although Scarpa do have a track record of updating their shoes more regularly. That said, there is something to be said about ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’. Change for change’s sake isn’t always best!!
I want a Booster with Edge rubber, as I find the Booster to be a phenomenal all around shoe but could use for a little more small edges with that. Have to use the Boostic for this, but tons of differences.
Man if the vs(xsedge)/vsr(xsgrip2) came with the m50 on the toe and heel like the s that’d be 🔥🔥🔥.Also they need to do those updates and change the name of the womens vs to vsr and have the womens vs come with xs edge. Sorry for the paragraph, I’m just a fanboy 😂
Look at Tenaya and Sportiva, as youll likely fit a 10.5 or 11 which they both make. But make sure to get fitted before buying.
You’re quite right, I go down several sizes within both brands, although how many depends on the model and the exact sort of fit that after. Either way, it’s very infrequently (if ever) anywhere close to my high street shoe size.
My biggest problem I find with shoes is that they are always loose around my heel, making them slip a bit while trying to heel hook, would swapping to a LV shoe help this?
Yup, had the same issue, and switching to the Scarpa Drago LV fixed it.
A low volume shoe would certainly help, although it’s worth ensuring that they have similarly low volume heels. La Sportiva and Scarpa have always had a good reputation on this front, so it’d be worth starting there.
Also depends on where they are loose. I had the same issue, but switching to LV (Drago) didn't fix it completely, because it was not only loose on the side, but also on the back, even with me downsizing very strongly. Then it depends on the style of heel - solution comp downsized to hell is what worked for me.
I had the same problem. Theory too wide, scarpa vs are huge on the heel. Drago LV are a little better but still loose.
I've landed on the dark blue tn pro from unparallel. Slimmest heel I could find. Love it
Yes lv shoes will help. Try out the instinct s or the evolv phantom lv. I had the same problem but with those two models, the shoe fits amazing
Anyone know the release date of the Flagship Pro? tought Tomoa told it would been released in 2023
I'm pretty sure that these were Spring 2024
I've loved LaSpo for years - but it's really starting to feel like they're deliberately refusing to acknowledge the fragility of their fast lacing closure system. 16 years, and 7 different models with the FLS - 14 if you count the women's versions - and they've all had the same problem. It's, like, the _one single complaint_ that us Solution and Futura users have.
And the colorways are confusing to me. I get that they want to unify their shoe families the way other brands have, and I don't actually hate how they look - but I always liked that they usually kept the same aesthetic feel to their shoes when the update their models; the Solutions, the Testarossas, the Katanas, the Miuras... they never _completely_ overhauled the look of shoes, like they did here. I think it'll take some getting used to...
If there's one thing that's struck me about brands over the years, it's how few of them actually listen to feedback.
When it comes to the colourways, there doesn't seem to be many people who've posted something positive about them. Most seem to think they're a bit stale/bland. My main concern is from the perspective of a customer who's looking to buy a pair, only to be confronted with several pairs that - at least outwardly - look extremely similar. Colours can help to separate them out a little.
Yeah those colors looks like they're just prototypes and give the feeling of an unfinished product. Also as you said it will make harder to differentiate the shoes which is a weird marketing choice imo@@ukclimbingofficial
I don't really understand this trend towards going for softer rubber every year. These shoes are extremely expensive as it is, for someone training more than 3 times per week, a climbing shoes is gonna last maybe half a year tops. I'd greatly appreciate a greater focus on durability, performance minutia really don't actually matter for 80% of the climber population.
Id say wearing out shoes faster is very much in the manufacturers interesst. Do some reasarch on planned obsolesence. Every company does it and it was tought to me when studying engineering...
I can understand the desire for softer rubbers from a performance perspective, but I would - much like you - be quite intrigued to see a distinct, outright ‘training shoe’ that’s designed to be hard wearing. Indoor climbing takes its toll on your shoes and it’d be great to see something that’s designed to help combat that.
@@ukclimbingofficial i agree. i would like to see a youtube channel compare durability as a focus, keeping a running list and evolving the tests (ex min at 30# at 80 grit).
@@christophh9477 Same as in the running market though? On average a running shoe will last 3-400 miles for peak performance etc. A climbing shoe is no different. They're manufactured for performance and durability is, not a secondary concern, but the rubbers used are, through testing, considered the best you can get for performance and longevity.
If you're after Longevity a Sportive Tarantula is a burly offering!
You can resole it a lot of time, with a different rubber if you want
In my opinion a good rubber make alot of difference for beginners , not only for pro's.
Does anyone know what's the rubber on the Scarpa Spot?
It features 3.5mm Vibram XS Grip 2 on the sole, then Scarpa's M50 compound on the toe patch.
@@ukclimbingofficial A semi-agressive, semi-stiff shoe with the good rubber? Sounds promising. Would be interesting to know where it is positioned in relation to the Vapor series.
I currently have the Vapor V, which are great on edges, but the XS Edge rubber is straight up bad on smears.
I'm impressed about the colorways of new and upgraded shoes all of them are black and white
This colour way appears to be black and white in more ways than one, as people seem to love it or hate it. Anyone out there indifferent?! Didn’t think so… 😅
Oof Im not a fan of the futuristic vibes from la sportiva☹️ Love my futuras and they look absolutely amazing. Not sure I like the new colour way☹️
If the comments here are anything to go by, the new colours seem to have had a pretty poor reception
How many of these will be under $200 MSRP in the US? Scarpa and Sportiva are getting crazy with their pricing with minimal changes to existing shoes. At least they aren't like Evolv copying the TC Pros.
yeah it's kind of wild the difference in pricese between US and Europe, especially now that there's more or less exchange rate parity!
I’m not sure of the US retail prices, but here in the UK things are being driven upwards courtesy of inflation, which has affected virtually everything - not just climbing shoes. In the case of La Sportiva and Scarpa I do think the price tag is justified, simply because they’re streets ahead in terms of their build quality. That’s not to say I like paying more, because I don’t, but equally I don’t think it’s just a case of them increasing prices for the sake of it.
@@ukclimbingofficial It's still cheaper for me to buy shoes on BananaFingers and ship them to the US. The Dragos are $133 with $15 shipping to the US while MSRP in the US is $220 before tax. Anybody else remember when the Sportiva Katanas changed colors and went from $140 to $200 practically overnight? I don't believe that "it's inflation" when shipping costs are back to normal and the EU pricing has increased by 10-20% while ours has increased by 30-50%.
Not to mention Madrock hasn't changed their pricing over the past 5 years and has caught up on build quality, not that Sportiva had great quality (Solution straps, Miura straps, TC Pro laces, delaminations, the heel on a Testarossa ripped in half when I was putting it on??). Unparallel has also been crushing it with their newer shoes and has remained reasonably priced. I'll give credit to Scarpa's build quality though. Besides the toe patch on the Instinct VS delaminating on occasion, their shoes are built incredibly well.
Unparallel is still on top with the pricing im Europe.
That La Sportiva Hike has almost the same heel as my old jungle boots. Very chunky.
You're right, there's definitely something slightly old school about it, but it's been executed in quite a new school way.
@@ukclimbingofficial IKR, it looks like those boots just spit mud, LOL!
3:17, the name of the model is "Spot"?
Yep - it's the Spot
@@ukclimbingofficial Thanks
Is the origin vs an indoor or outdoor shoe? Also does it have a wide toebox like the veloce?
The Origin VS is likely more suited to being an indoor shoe, but that's not to say it couldn't be a very comfy shoe for some low grade bouldering outdoors. The toe box I believe will be slightly narrower but similar!
This was pretty much our thoughts too. No reason it couldn’t be used outside!
Wish more companies would use unlined leather/suede at least in part of the construction. Forms way better to the foot and generally less smelly in the long run.
Interesting observation. On the flip-side, I'd say that I prefer the trend away from it, as it often led to shoes bagging. The sweet spot for leater/unlined shoes always seemed quite a lot shorter compared to synthetic shoes.
Yeah I get where you’re coming from there. I think the balance for me is generally a mix, so something like what a lot of La Sportiva shoes go with with. A mix of leather generally in the forefoot, but then synthetics elsewhere to minimise stretch across the shoe length. That’s my personal preference at least.
Funnily enough, the Scarpa Vapour S which I reviewed quite recently did something similar, with a synthetic upper and a leather footbed. That's a good combination, as the uppers stay pretty much as you'd want them, whereas the footbed moulds to the shape of your foot a bit better. Leather also has the benefit of absorbing a bit more sweat than synthetic, which helps to keep your foot in place (synthetic footbeds are quite slippery in comparison).
Any update on the theory? It's a no edge shoe, but isn't shown with the others in the "family"
It’s partly no edge
A flat shoe with a decent amount of toe rubber? Have Scarpa finally made the perfect gym shoe?
The Veloce Lace, which we’ve got in to review currently, looks like it could win that award, but this looks very good too. Tough call as to which will be better!!
I’ve found that flat vs “aggressive” shoes are more ment for the type of arch your foot has. Flat shoes are painful for me because I have high arch’s. I can wear my drago’s or boostics all day long but can’t in quantix’s or tc pros
Seems so strange to completly change the look of the mantras for the worse when they are such a new shoe.
What would be the difference between futuras and the new velcro genius other than lacing system ?
The Genius is overall more aggressive in heel tension, downcamber, and asymmetry, and the midsole is larger. I think you will see the 0.9mm Laspoflex used akin to the Solution Comp as compared to the original Solution. The Genius uses laces because of the structure of the toebox, while a Futura you could warp this toe box a little much and therefore simply use this fast strap system.
Genius wider
Some day i hope to see lasts/designs for heal volume independent of forefoot volume/shape, with a choice of soft vs hard rubber. It doesn't matter how well the forefoot fits, if the heal is either way loose or way too tight on the tendon.
Light people come with big feet, and vise versa. it is not gender specific. so rubber hardness should not be either.
To a certain extent though we have this already, courtesy of the many different brands producing many different lasts. There's a LOT of variation out there already, both in terms of the fit and the rubbers being used. I guess what we don't have, which may or may not be what you're suggesting, is a modular option where you can combine different fore foots with different heels. I suspect that'd be a lot of efforts for brands to achieve and unlikely to happen as a result, although as per my previous sentiment - there's a LOT of variation out there already, so why would they need to?
Love the boral fit, but the rumber can not compare with Vibram or other brands on the market. But overall nice new shoes, but the prices are going up and up and want the end it makes not a difference. Shoes already damn good since many years.
Out of interest have you tried any of their more recent shoes, as their recent rubber compounds have been a massive step up? Zenith Pro 2.0 was unrecognisable compared to it's predecessor and very much in the same league as XS Edge. I haven't used Zenith Ultra 2.0 yet, but that basically sounds like it's designed to do something very similar to XS Grip. If you haven't tried them for a few years I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the change!
@@ukclimbingofficial Hi, I have climbed over 30 different climbon shoes models and I have the latest version of the Dharma. For me it feels always that my shoe slides down from a bas hold or volume. Withe my other shoes it feels much more stable.
Ok, I don’t think you’ll have used the more recent rubber then, as the current Dharma features their old compound. You’re in for a treat as and when you try the new stuff!!
@@ukclimbingofficial if will have the chance to get my hands and cheap pair I will give them a chance. But from where do you have your information? Have you climbed one of these?
@@mikafull I reviewed the Boreal Crux relatively recently, which features Zenith Pro 2.0. I think that was their first shoe to feature the new compound, but it was a massive step up. It was perhaps even more noticeable within the new Joker, which has their Zenith Quattro 2.0 compound. The previous version of Quattro was impressively durable, but a whole lot less impressive in terms of stickiness. The new version balanced things much better, which is why I have high hopes for Zenith Ultra 2.0, because everything else I've seen from them so far has been a major improvement.
The old Genius always looked like a hotdog with mustard. The new one looks like an unlawful marriage between the Madrock Drone and the 5.10 Hiangle. Not sure which is better.
You have a truly incredible way with words 😅
Oof, too bad they changed the look of the genius. Really liked the old design. The new one looks quite unappealing to me 😔
It'll be interesting to see how they compare in use. Always feels strange doing these presentations when we haven't worn them, but watch this space - we'll (hopefully) get a pair to review once they're released.
As a UK size 12, why is the choice for climbing shoes so limited ??!
In some cases it’s because the UK distributor/sales agent doesn’t import them, in others it’s because they’re not made. Neither is a particularly great justification mind, because they’d certainly sell - albeit in smaller quantities 🤷🏼♂️
I'm a size 12 and I have loads options and shoes?
@@smashbadger2460 Something that was pointed out elsewhere within the thread, but might have been missed here, is that if you do have size 12 shoes it's unlikely you'll still be a size 12 within a climbing shoe (although I suspect you know that already 😉).
@@smashbadger2460 share info plz.
New lasportiva “family” all look the same. Why remove the character of each shoe? Production cost issues? Also the new futura looks like a copy of madrock’s drone comp..
I guess they thought it was a good idea 🤷♂️
I think the leather dying process involves heavy metals and undesirable stuff ecologically. This white colorway might be more eco-friendly. I hope.
It's to appeal to the wider base of people entering the climbing world
Where’s So iLL’s new shoe line? They look so sick!
Sadly, no one's bringing them into the UK at the moment so we didn't get a chance to see them. Any shoe designed by Fred Nicole has peaked our interest though!
I actually personally really enjoy the longevity/durability of Boreal’s line of shoes, especially for just casual gym training, when I don’t need the extreme performance of a comp shoe.
What makes them so durable? In my experience the no-edge from La Sportiva for example lasts about 50% to twice as long,
@@Pedro28725stickier rubber burns out faster, especially on Walltopia walls; you can of course argue that rubber wear only scales with poor footwork, but the extra grit of those newer walls is certainly a factor
I’ve had my slippers for 6 years with the stock vibram xsgrip2 which is among the stickiest, but may consider resoling in ‘grip 1’ or even ‘edge’ (more plastic-like less sticky, but more cohesive) to further prevent blowing through the rand and making them unviable for the 2nd resoling
I bought a pair on Boreal Ninjas a few years ago and love it!!! The classic Ninja slipper was my favorite in the 90’s. This updated version is excellent imo.
La Soortiva: shoe upgrade
Everyone else: go back! go back! go back!
Definitely the new color ways is super dull. The new Mandala looks good, but making the rest of the shoes look the same to make them appear like a “family” kind of sucks…. I think of it like a lazy design process where they just made one color way and copied along all the shoes with minimal differences, in few words, they lost their uniqueness. IMO they should have done a color/design update with similar details but with very different color ways.
It's interesting to see how much this has divided people. It'd be interesting to know the reason behind the change, as I'm assuming it's off the back of some market research.
I'm pretty sad they are changing the heals in the Futuras and the Geniuses. I have used them for years. Always hard when there is a design change to know if they will be the same.
It's always tough when a brand changes something that you already like, but I wouldn't be too worried, as I think the change they're making is for the best, as the Solution Comp heel is (in my opinon and the opinion of many others) a step-up from the one used on the Genius and Futura. All fingers crossed that they not only fit, but fit BETTER once they arrive!
Haha la sportiva finally just shut down and decided to just copy the best(scarpa) lol. The slip on looks like the instinct s and that strap one looks exactly the same as the drago.
La Sportiva lookin a lil to much like 5.10 Hiangle 😳
We reckon the no edge tech, plus the heel and build quality may make it quite different from the Hiangle.
Unfortunately no laces climbing shoes... In my opinion they are way better and way durable than Velcro
Laces definitely give you a more precise fit, but they can also make the shoe feel a bit stiffer, which - if it’s a super soft shoe like this - isn’t what you necessarily want. In terms of durability I’ve reviewed a lot of both and have never noticed a difference.
I had several Velcro models and all of them got damaged after a while and didn't hold well anymore, while the models with laces, which if damaged, can be easily replaced 🙂
No more laces climbing shoes... 🫤
Scarpa seem pretty into laces/lacing at the moment, although these are obviously exceptions to that. The Veloce Lace seems like a good example of this, as it’s a massive improvement on the velcro/strap version. Alongside that there’s the Generator, although that is getting a strap version sometime in the near future too. Either way, I don’t think laces are dead - it’s just that the focus most definitely seems to be on strap and slipper.
Nice shoes, too expensive in the states :/
SCARPA WHY YOU ALWAY PUT 1 METER OF EXTRA VELCRO ON YOUR SHOES !!!§!!§!
Out of interest, do you have quite narrow feet? I’m assuming so, given that this isn’t a problem I’ve personally experienced and I’ve reviewed a lot of Scarpa shoes over the years.
@@ukclimbingofficial Hello, first of all don't bother the whole capslock thing it was a joke, but the core of my statement remains true : Scarpa always use straps that are way too long and will protrude for a standard foot. My feet are pretty standard and scarpa is the only brand where the straps will stick out that much.
Interesting, this isn’t feedback I’ve heard before - especially from someone with a regular foot width.
@@ukclimbingofficial The Veloce is the model with the most obvious issue
Putting the tech stuff aside, most of them are unbelievably ugly! Original Geniuses were such a downgrade in terms of aesthetics compared to let’s say Testarossas, and a new, updated version is just horrible. Italian design seems to be in decline. So sad that Scarpa follows the footsteps of La Sportiva.
I still think that Italian design is years ahead of everyone else's. Whilst you can question the aesthetics, the quality of construction is unrivalled.
Yes, but at the end it’s all about style, innit?
la sportiva needs to stop making cool looking hiking boots in ugly colors
I’ll feed that back to them when we next see them 🤣
Quite boring
Us, the shoes, or both 😅