Red Chili

Sausalito Climbing Shoe

So Far, So Great

Four stars only because I haven’t used them much yet. So far, they’re sticky, precise, comfy on my high volume, bunion-y feet. We head to Scotland and Wales soon, and I’m looking forward to acquainting them with gritstone, gabbro, schist, granite…

Best for Edging and small cracks

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

13

For edging and small cracks this shoe is amazing. I have a narrow foot and this thing fits pretty snug. The toe box is a little loose but the heel fits great. The toe box and forefoot are stiff which is great for the aforementioned style this shoe is good for. It seems maybe a half size smaller than my street shoe. For a comfy fit or full size down from street shoe for tight fit. As someone with a big foot there are not many options for a crack shoe that fits comfy and is good in small cracks but this is it.

Super comfortable, terrible durability

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

The Red Chili Sausalito may be the most comfortable climbing shoe I've ever owned. But they aren't durable. I've only had them for 2 months and the rand is completely worn through. I maybe only got 30 total pitches out of them (I didn't wear them in the gym).

Comfortable but not for sport climbing

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

8

Height:

5' 3"

Weight:

150

Pros: Ideal for wide feet Extremely comfortable True to street shoe size Attractive design Cons: Very poor performance Almost no friction Lacks power Never filled me with confidence While the Red Chili Sausalito shoes are comfortable and fit well, they fall short in performance. They might be suitable for traditional climbers, but I would not recommend them for beginner sport climbers, which was my intended use. These shoes never filled me with confidence. If you decide to try them, make sure to size them according to your street shoe size. I upgraded to the Red Chili Fusions, and I highly recommend those instead for sport climbing.

Very comfortable

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

39.5

Great shoes for beginners. Good grip on a boulder and very comfortable from first day. The only issue is that after wearing them a few times they stretch a size. The company advises to buy true to size but I would still go a half size or a full size down.

Sneaker-like comfort

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

10

Got these while my Anasazi pinks were being resoled to be my backup pair. I wanted my backup shoes to be something extra comfortable, as I was also not long after healing from a broken foot. These live up to the comfy reputation of Red Chilis, especially if normally you find a lot of climbing shoes to be particularly tight and uncomfortable. Even with my Mortons toe, I feel zero discomfort. Seriously, they feel like just putting on a pair of Adidas sneakers. That said, comparing to the pinks in performance -- which is a high standard to compare to -- they obviously fall a little short, even ignoring the less-aggressive fit. Oddly both the "feel" is a bit damped and yet the sole could be a little stiffer IMO, which makes it not as precise on delicate edges. The general comfort works in its favor for jamming in cracks, especially in a long crack route, but the lack of stiffness works against it. Smears feel good though. Overall though, I probably end up wearing these more than my pinks. I'll put on the pinks when I'm projecting or whatnot, but these are so comfy for casual climbing. Especially for longer sessions.

"The Budget TC Pros" My Red Ferrari Shoe

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

10.5

Height:

6' 4"

Weight:

160

I love these guys! I got them on sale and have been using them for the past year. I got a more relaxed fit, still snug, but not curly those toes. They work beautifully! I typically use them up to the 5.10+ range and they perform solidly even on tiny edges. I thought the rubber was a little too hard at first, but after a decent amount of use, it softens up and gets really grippy. Great for slab due to the flexible sole, and relatively good in cracks. Lacks the ankle protection of the tc's, but still doesn't hurt your feet while doing foot jams. My only regret is not resoling them sooner :/ I just had 2 holes start through the right toebox and ended any shot I had at getting more mileage out of them.