I won a pair of these in a competition in a climbing magazine, yay free shoes! They are very colourful, very colourful indeed; I felt a little self conscious when I first wore them after years of dull and sedate coloured outdoor gear. Once my eyes became accustomed to the bright glare I decided to make a feature of the jazzy colours and combined them with some bright pink socks when cycling meaning I no longer need to wear a hi-vis vest. I suppose we should encourage manufacturers who want to move away from boring brown gear as a flash of bold colour looks great on a hill photo, I’d just rather avoid the risk of a migraine attack brought on by shoes.
They feel very solidly made, almost too solid as they feel heavy compared with my Salomon shoes and they feel like they need to be broken in when taken straight from the box. Despite their tank like construction they don’t seem to cradle or support my feet as when moving over uneven ground and can feel unstable when scrambling over awkward angled rock. However the grip is excellent and I especially like the smoother part on the toe which creates rock shoe-like friction when scrambling up featureless rock. They are in their element when walking on well made tracks and paths but their thick uppers can make your feet feel tired after a few hours as they are not very supple and can be unforgiving. This lack of flexibility does mean they make great cycling shoes they will certainly stand up to a lot of abuse
In summary these shoes are great if you want a shoe that looks different; they are well made with sturdy materials but lack the finesse and sensitivity of other approach shoes. I was happy with them as a free gift but would I buy them with my own money? Probably not.
(Written by: ayuplass)