Scarpa Crux Review

Performance Comparison

Sticky rubber and durable leather uppers are key to a good approach shoe. Some of our testers with narrow feet preferred these to offerings from La Sportiva.

Climbing Ability

For a medium-stiff shoe, the Crux climbs very well. Though it lacks the sensitivity of the thin-soled shoes, its rubber is stickier and more slab ready than many other options. This pair gave our testers more confidence than most other pairs in this review. Not the absolute best, but pretty darn close.

Edging

Don't expect any miracles; you're not wearing climbing shoes. What you can expect is plenty of support so you can toe into holds about an inch wide. Any smaller than that and your edging abilities are more subject to climbing skills than the shoes you're rocking.

Smearing

Armed with Vibram Mega-Grip soles, our testers found these shoes deliver the stick icky when the approaches get slabby. We generally felt confident scrambling around on smooth Yosemite granite. Use your judgment when it comes to hiking on exposed slabs.

We found the Crux to be great for slabby approaches and even a little easy slab climbing.

Crack Climbing

The durable leather/mesh (but mostly leather) uppers prevent these shoes from falling apart in cracks. If you're a proficient off-widther, you might even enjoy cruising the wide in these approach shoes.

These tanks are not going to fall apart from crack climbing.

Hiking Comfort

While there are more comfortable hikers out there, the Crux balances climbing and hiking prowess well. If long-distance mega slogs are your cup of tea, we are more inclined to bring along a different pair. The Crux is one of the narrower shoes in our review and fits a touch small compared to La Sportiva and Five Ten.

Support

These shoes have a medium-stiff midsole that offers the support we expect from a good hiking shoe. Their level of support makes them a strong choice for aid climbing or schlepping heavy loads.

Though shallow, we felt secure on all sorts of terrain with this face-melting tread pattern.

Weight & Packability

A pair of size 9's weighs in at 27.2 ounces. These are not our favorite shoes to have to hang off our harness. We prefer something much lighter if we will be climbing with the shoes clipped to us. The Crux does feature a robust clip-in tab, so they will remain securely attached to your harness with a carabiner if you choose to do so.

Heavy and supportive, these shoes are excellent for big wall climbing but aren't the best for climbing with them clipped to the back of your harness.

Value

The Crux isn't a sucker punch to the wallet, considering it's a well crafted, durable leather shoe, ready to withstand the use and abuse that accrues from hiking and more vertical endeavors. This pair offers solid value, especially when you consider that it will last longer than several other options out there. Its longevity combined with its well-roundedness push the value envelope.

Conclusion