All round solid performer

By aharadir2345519 Ranked #94 - Climbing Shoes August 7, 2008

I just retired my year-old bandit with 2 gaping holes on the toes just this weekend after sliding off a slab problem (granite wall, no less)made me realize that there's an end to all things good. This is my ode for this incredible climbing partner. This is a stiff shoe so it provides good support, esp. in the midarch but for new climbers this translates to painful tight fit. Now that i've climbed for a year, this tight fit translates to precision edging and just awesome support. I really, really like how surgical this shoe feels, I can slip the pointy rand in virtually any crack, ledge, micro edges, crystal, shelf, hold, you name it and it'll stick. Oftentimes in desperation i'd just jam the bottom sole into the wall and voila.....it sticks. Amazing rubber. My rand (toe) blew at around the 11th month. I climb 3x / wk bouldering at gym and 1 x outdoors on big walls. This shoe feels half size smaller than the stated size. I wear street size 9.5 and I got the bandit at same 9.5, but was tortured for the first 3 mos. My toes were curled and extremely jammed, which resulted in me taking it off on routes longer than 5 mins and under heat. This shoe doesn't stretch, although it will mold your feet like 2nd skin after enough sweating. Buy half size bigger if you're new and buy street size if you want performance. This shoe is rated intermediate climbing.

View Details: Evolv Bandit Climbing Shoe

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No