| Gear Review |
Editors' Rating |
Last Update |
 | | Best Men's Climbing Approach Shoes
We looked at 13 of the best climbing approach shoes and put them through rigorous head-to-head tests. We scored them on smearing, edging, hiking, durability and their lightweight/compactness. We took ...
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Best Approach Shoe
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Jan 27, 2011 |
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Best Approach Shoes Womens
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Jul 03, 2011 |
| | La Sportiva Ganda
The La Sportiva Ganda is one of the best approach shoes out there. It is a favorite among guides, who can climb just about anything on rock in them. We even hear of people climbing 5.12 in these. That...
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Sep 27, 2010 |
| | Five Ten Guide Tennie
The Five Ten Guide Tennie is a great approach shoe for easy 5th class climbing. It is the favorite of many guides because you can confidently climb easy routes without needing to put on free climbing ...
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Apr 11, 2012 |
| | Five Ten Camp Four
The Camp Four stands out as perhaps the most versatile Five Ten approach shoe. Its design makes it work on big hikes as well as big walls. Ammon McNeely has set many of his El Capitan speed records in...
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May 04, 2012 |
| | Scarpa Zen
This is a burly hiking shoe and would work great on walls. That said, it is not what most climbers are looking for in an approach shoe. If you are looking for a shoe that climbs better, I would go wit...
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Sep 16, 2010 |
| | La Sportiva Exum Pro
This is our highest scoring approach shoe for long hikes. It is the main approach shoe that Tommy Caldwell wears, even on El Cap. He uses the philosophy of take the best shoe for hiking when you are h...
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Oct 05, 2010 |
| | La Sportiva Boulder X
The La Sportiva Boulder X offers a great balance of durability, hiking toughness and value. They are geared more toward short rugged approaches than long hikes. They don't climb as well as the Five Te...
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Sep 27, 2010 |
| | Five Ten DAescent Men's
This is our favorite shoe for multi-pitch climbs because it is so light when clipped to the side of your harness or put in your pack. Because it looks good, it can double as a street shoe – something...
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Mar 18, 2010 |
| | Vibram FiveFingers KSO
This won our barefoot running shoe Editors' Choice award because it is so versatile. It works for running, water-sports, hiking, working out or just hanging around the house. It tied with the Classic ...
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Oct 07, 2010 |
| | Evolv Escapist
These are great shoes. I wear them just about everywhere, whether it is a long hike or a big wall. They are very comfortable and one of the least expensive approach shoes out there. That said, for $15...
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Jan 27, 2011 |
| | Five Ten Chase
This shoe is called the Chase because it is a parkour/freerunning shoe and it is named after Chase Armitage, a famous free runner. I have been surprised by how what looks like a skate shoe performs so...
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Jun 05, 2010 |
| | Sanuk Base Camp
Sanuk teamed up with Evolv and Chris Sharma to make the only "casual shoe" we know of with sticky rubber: the Sanuk Base Camp. At first glance, these seemed like a bit of a gimmick. We asked "Do you r...
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Oct 11, 2010 |
| | Five Ten Savant
The Savant is a light and super-well-ventilated free running/approach shoe. Its design is a cross between a running shoe and the standard approach shoe design of the Five Ten Camp Four. Its use of mes...
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Apr 13, 2010 |
| | Patagonia Boaris - Men's
The Patagonia Boaris is a skate-style shoe. It is made of pigskin and a number of recycled products. We found it to be a street shoe and definitely not for big hikes. We lean more toward the Five Ten ...
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Jun 06, 2010 |
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