Why We Like The Scarpa Generator Mid Climbing Shoe
Comfort and performance come together for the ultimate trad shoe: The Scarpa Generator Mid Climbing Shoe. To keep our feet from screaming on long face climbs, the stiff midsole and tri-tension system offer underfoot support, and the soft toe rubber and Pressure Absorbing Fit boost comfort. When jamming in wider cracks, the padded mid-rise design armors our ankles against the rock, while the neoprene collar prevents chafing.
Details
- Supportive climbing shoe for big walls and wandering crack systems
- Flat, slightly curved profile for comfort and performance
- Full-length Vibram XS Edge rubber provides stiff support
- 2/3-length midsole boosts support on long routes
- Ultra-sticky extended toe rand for solid toe jams
- Leather upper will stretch about a full size
- Padded ankle zones for some comfort in off-widths
- Pressure Absorbing Fit (PAF) alleviates Achilles pressure
- Item #SCRZ29X
- Responsible Collection
- Recycled/Repurposed
- Upper Material
- eco-suede (50% recycled), neoprene collar
- Closure
- lace
- Midsole
- stiff, 2/3-length
- Rubber
- Vibram XS Edge, [toe rand] M70
- Activity
- trad climbing
- Claimed Weight
- [single, size 40.5] 10.9oz
- Asymmetrical Curvature
- slight
- Last
- FG
- Manufacturer Warranty
- 1 year
- Profile
- flat
Reviews
Q&A
Overall Rating
4 based on 2 ratings
Review Summary
Fits True To Size
Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.What do you think about this product?
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Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageJune 22, 2024
Crack Climbing Monsters
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
- Size Bought:
- 47
- Height:
- 6' 2"
- Weight:
- 205
I am a long time sasquatch of modest accomplishment - sport up to easy 5.12, trad to 5.10, very occasionally 5.11. 6'2", 205 lbs, size 14 street shoe. I wanted a shoe that I could wear for many pitches at a time, and for desert routes with sustained foot and toe jamming. Most climbing shoes feel very soft to me, and quickly disintegrate, so stiffness and durability are desirable. The Sportiva TC Pro fit the bill but the largest size made was too tight a fit. The Evolv Yosemite Bum didn't fit me at all. Scarpa makes their shoes up to Sasquatch sizes, so I bought the Generator V size 47 with a snug, toes-slightly-curled fit. They offer a similar out of box stiffness and overall demeanor as the TC Pro. Breaking them in took forever - at first they felt like climbing in ski boots. They're the only climbing shoes that ever needed to break in around my arch, not toes or heels. After six months of desert cracks, multi-pitch routes, granite face climbing, they've become an all time favorite shoe. After stretching about a half size, the clunky, loose-feeling heel and tight arch have relaxed, my toes are all but flat, and their stiffness means I have yet to lace the front of the shoe tightly. The stiffness allows me to climb 150 feet of desert foot jams in comfort. The high ankle, padded uppers, and extensive rubber make for fantastic jamming, particularly in thin hands cracks and up. For jam cracks in Indian Creek they're amazing! Hand size and bigger, it's hard to imagine anything better. Obviously in tighter cracks their bulk becomes a liability. They are far less sensitive than most shoes, but they stick to all sorts of stuff - they performed admirably on a (TR) lap on Etude at Suicide, an insecure 11a tips crack. The recurring theme of this shoe is: insensitive, yet sticks to everything. This is not a shoe for sport climbing, bouldering, and gym climbing. It is fantastic for medium to wide cracks, all day foot jamming, fist cracks, offwidths, long trad routes that torch your ankles and calves with hanging belays, and they climb shockingly well once you're used to the totally different experience from softer, lighter shoes. After beating on these shoes for a full year they're at the cobbler for a resole. The rand, upper, laces, and leather are in fantastic shape, I can't wait to get them back because they'll be better than new. Needing a trad shoe while they're gone I actually bought a second pair, that's how much I like them. I am so impressed by their durability and construction - I am extremely hard on shoes. Pros: * Fantastic foot protection in foot jams and wide cracks * Excellent jamming down to thin hands and decent below * Excellent edging, good smearing * Relatively comfortable once broken in * Very durable sole, rand, laces, upper Cons: * Extremely insensitive. These are stiff - and I never say that! * Very long break-in period. Think months. They break in more like a hiking boot than a climbing shoe, as the shoe molds not just to your toes but to your arch and heel as well. * Very heavy in your pack or on your harness. They weigh twice as much as slippers! * Warm with so much rubber and padded uppers * Poor performance on steep routes and pockets. * The tongues delaminate! This is a silly oversight as the tongues are two pieces of scrim laminated over breathable foam, and the bits delaminate. A few stitches would solve the problem - indeed, the velcro version, the Generator V, have stitched tongues. Fix this, Scarpa! Expensive, but similar to other high end shoes Overall, highly recommended for their intended purpose. Medium to wide jam cracks, trad routes, vertical terrain. I can't imagine anybody needs to be told this but these are not a good option for gym or sport climbing, bouldering, overhangs or anything like that.
June 7, 2023
Maestro's replacement disappointed me
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
- Size Bought:
- 49
- Height:
- 6' 5"
- Weight:
- 190
Wearing size 49 means that I can't be cool like all my friends and wear TC Pros. I have limited options but had found that the maestro mid eco was about the best all around shoe I could find. The maestro really seemed like it was supposed to be quite similar to the TC Pro. Scarpa then discontinued it and told me that the generator would replace it. It is a very different shoe though. The Generator is stiffer, heavier and has quite a different toe box. The toe box feels like it's designed to have your toes flatter because it's quite wide and doesn't point your toes together - however the toe end of the shoe has little vertical volume which still forces your big toe to not be flat. The heel is really padded - which is great for offwidth I imagine, but honestly they didn't seem like shoes I would want to jam in or spend all day in. I broke it in for a while at the gym and then took it outside. After a three pitch trad route my feet weren't that happy, and I never trusted my feet that much at the gym. My feet are big so I really need flat toes to jam and the stiffness feels too much to really be able to work them into a non perfectly straight crack. The stiffness is also a bit much for slab. So then that kinda leaves just edging and the toe setup isn't quite right for that either. The good thing is that because I have narrow feet often times with laces the edges with the lace holes almost touch, these at least there is room to tighten further. For me I'll continue to search for a better option. For me at least the helix is better for slab and all day trad even though it's pretty compromized and doesn't fit great. For the gym and sport, the fiveten niad with laces is a better performance shoe. Scarpa please bring back the maestro mid eco!
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