Mad Rock Hooker EZ Climbing Shoe - Men's - 2008 BCS

These were the first pair of climbing shoes that I purchased and I used them for around a year before upgrading. The fit is pretty good in your standard street shoe size, although the hard covered rubber is pretty uncomfortable and gets EXTREMELY hot when climbing on really sunny days!!! They tend to hang up in cracks due to the crazy toe hook/scum blades or whatever they are so thats a downside. If I had to do it over again, I would have spent a few more dollars and picked up something like the moccasym or mythos.

I bought a pair of the lace-up version of these shoes, and while the first week and a half my feet hated me, they warmed up and molded right to my toes and heel. The heel is really aggressive and the toe has really sick grip. This shoe is the best shoe I've ever bought, and isn't outrageously expensive at all. I plan on buying another pair once these wear out, which, by the way, doesn't look like it's happening any time soon.

on sale at madrockclimbing.com for $19.95

Quick background:

* I've been climbing 15 years
* I've used these and previous versions of the Hooker EZ at: Fontainbleau, Squamish, The Valley and Toulomne, Hueco Tanks, Bishop and many other areas.
* Hardest send v12
* I focus on bouldering but do sport, trad, off-widths, cracks, slabs, you name it
* I've climbed exclusively in Mad Rocks for the last 5 years but demo many of the new shoes from all brands.

Performance:
The Hooker EZs are the most powerful shoe I have ever worn. They have incredible edging power and still smear like a mad man. They work well in very cold conditions and extreme heat (not that I want to be climbing when it's over 50 degrees!)

Versatility:
The Hooker EZs are a well rounded shoe. Full heel and toe rubber with ribs offer superior hooking. The 3 strap velcro enclosure keeps your heel snug and sound. I wear these shoes for every style of climbing except thin cracks and off-widths.

Durability:
Hooker EZ durability is medium to high. Mad Rocks may not have the legendary durability of Boreal but they will destroy La Sportiva and they have hands down the best rubber I've ever climbed on.

-jeremy
http://www.supersloper.net

I have these shoes right now and there are doing great for me. The first time I put them on, they were comfortable and used them on hard stuff right away. The "Hooker" heel and toe are freaking awesome.

I have these shoe right now and they are performing great. Unlike the other reviews, the shoes felt super comfortable the very first time I put them on (full size and a half smaller then my street shoe too!). The "hooker" heel and toe are the freaking awesome.

I got these shoes about 3 months ago and they are the go-to shoe for me. Sport routes are out of the question prior to breaking in but once they do they mold just like a slipper. Awesome shoe awesome results...most definitely buying another pair. The shoe is shaped more like an hourglass but the fit of the heel cup and toe box are perfect after a few long sessions of edging, scumming and hooking agony.

These shoes are meant for steep climbing. With the dual density rubber on the sole and the aggressive heel these shoes love the steeps. Not quite as aggressive as the Loco (which hurts like hell), these shooes have a more natural feel. I've used the Flash but much prefer these. The rubber extra rubber around the toe box makes for great scumbing on horizontal routes.

Shoes I have known. Focus, reflex, paranoia, anasazi velcro, anasazi lace-up, diablo, solution, mojave, katana. Then at last I tried out some madrocks. I sent my hardest project to date wearing a pair of hookers in velcro. 5.12b technical dihedral with dime edges and smears BOOYA!! To cool down after that I did another 5.12b crack climb. It was alot more thuggish with full on cracked out feet. Transitioning from technical feet to twisted trad roof problems while wearing the same shoes you ask? The hookers have that, and more! I didn't even have to pull out the biggest gun in the hooker arsnal; The heel hook. I've gym climbed in these shoes and worked out problems to where I could get a rest by hanging on one heel off a sloper. No one else could maximize this rest on a v5 unless of course they were wearing a set of hookers!