Evolv Shaman Review

Likes
The aggressively down-turned toe design does what it is made for: it allows you to latch onto the footholds because it turns your toes into a sort of hook. As with most aggressive shoes, the Shaman lets your feet work like hands with fingers…then you can pull yourself in with your legs on steep angles like a monkey.

The rounded shape of the toe tip works well on many different shaped footholds, unlike some pointier shoes that may work better on small footholds with precise foot placement but sometimes falter on other oddly shaped smeary/lumpy footholds. This could be due to the extra amount of rubber laid down and the easy-to-place rounded shape of the toe tip.

The toe hook rubber on top of the toe box works well. A few of its close competitors that have the down-turned toe for steep rock are missing the crucial toe hook rubber on top that the Shaman has. The Solution has similar toe hooking rubber and worked just as well. The Five Ten Team 5.10 is the only shoe that we tested that toe hooked just a bit better than all other shoes on most rock features.

Well formed/well fitting heel cup makes heel hooks feel solid.

The three-strap system seemed a bit much at first glance, but after trying it just once we liked it and we have not stopped liking it since. The three Velcro straps make it not only very secure but also surprisingly easy to put on/take off.

The dual pull-on tabs/loops also work well for putting on/taking off.

Dislikes
The easy-to-place rounded toe tip has its downside: it does not stand as well on small edges or knobs or fit into tiny pockets as well as some of its competitors like the Anasazi Arrowhead or any of the FiveTen Anasazi shoes or the La Sportiva Miura or La Sportiva Miura VS.

Okay, if we are going to nitpick, the toe hook rubber on top could cover just a bit more of the toe box.

The bright orange color is a bit flashy. This was only a slight dislike for us. They also make a limited edition Rasta Shaman version if you really want to show your true colors.

The very affordable yet much lower performance Evolv Defy stunk after the first month and I don't usually have stinky shoes, or at least not that bad, that often. I knew from past encounters that the Defy stunk for other climbers, too. It seems like the similar liner material that both shoes share, that make them so soft and cozy can also get smelly with frequent use after about the first month. In comparison the Shaman uses at least three different materials inside the shoe so there is less of the smelly material, which makes it smell less rancid than the Defy.

Value
It is average priced on the top of the shelf with its close competition and it's worth it to have the best features and materials on the market today. The Evolv Defy and Mad Rock Flash have no toe-hooking rubber and no down-turned toe, but other than that the differences are not major. Both the Defy and Flash are a lot less expensive so they could be a much better shoe for beginner to intermediate levels or gym climbing, especially if you're on a budget.