Evolv shoes

[The Jimmy]

I see a lot of people climbing with the Evolv Kaos. I have a pair (the previous model) that I found completely useless until I had them resoled with La Sportiva rubber. Then I sent all my hardest projects with them, even when my both my bigtoes were sticking out the front again. Sadly I had to retire them comletely now.

But what I want to know is if it's only me that had a problem with the rubber? I acually skid and fell once walking over a clean, near horizontal piece of rock with them (I have witnesses!) They fit my feet really well, but they would not stick to anything. No-one else seems to complain, least of all Sharma?!?!

[SNORT]

I simply love Evolv shoes. I prefer the plain old green ones for trad climbing and I find they stick as well as anything. I also climbed Uber Huber in a pair of Kaos that I could not see possible with the other shoes I have used over the years and I have tried them all.

I know some have had a rubber problem but I have had Boreals that completely disintegrated too.

You may argue that I have a vested interest as I am an owner of CityROCK that sells Evolv shoes but we can sell any shoe we want. And one of the reasons is that we like them. Evan Wierx also likes them and has posted his comments on this forum before. He thinks the rubber is great. Ask him for an update.

[toejam]

mine are great but the rubber is wearing out fast!

[brolloks]

If I want to send anything harder than 26, I definitely leave my evolves and put on my saltics... no vested strings attached...

[dom]

You may argue that I have a vested interest as I am an owner of CityROCK that sells Evolv shoes but we can sell any shoe we want. And one of the reasons is that we like them. Evan Wierx also likes them and has posted his comments on this forum before. He thinks the rubber is great. Ask him for an update.

You must have a vested interest in them. They're horrible shoes. Evan (and Chris Sharma) can climb hard in gumboots.

I bought a pair that, within 3 months, had a hole worn in them. And I wasn't even climbing in them exclusively. In fact, I would say that they weren't my first choice for training in, nor for climbing outside in, during that time. And they still died. The edges are hardly even worn. Basically, they're a complete and utter waste of money.

Don't believe the hype.

[mr Chabalala]

what you sayth mok

[CragRat]

I just bought a pair of thier green slippers and find they are bitchin great for overhanging rock where you really need a good turned down toe. They seem to stick to edges like sh1t to a bear bum....I will see how they pan out in time with regards to durability. I have gone through many shoes from EB's, Boreal fire, vectors, lasers and stingers to La Sportiva Muiras now to Evolve. Not one of them has had an influence on how well or hard I climb...only training has...dont blame the shoe...look at your technique in using it.

[mokganjetsi]

mok sayeth that he climbs in evolv because they are actually the only guys who make a performance shoe big enough for me. okay, the rubber does not last that long but is sticky yes en there is always a payoff between stickiness and durability. there is not that much difference between different kinds of rubber anymore in any case (had a pair resoled with C4 rubber and it performs very much the same as the Trax rubber). and the uppers are fully synthetic - no stretch and washable. me thinks it is fair value for money. la sportiva is probably a better quality shoe but then you fork out a lot more.....

[mokganjetsi]

oh yes dom, i think you bought a dud. a friend have a pair of madrocks that got a hole in it in no time - guess it happens. i'm on my 3rd pair of evolvs and nothing but normal rubber wear has happened. happiness.

[polkadot]

i find them soft, rubber wears off fast. but different shoes fit different people. all in all, average shoe for my feet. i really like saltic though!

[steveB]

All credit to CragRat for not noticing a difference in his climbing between EB's and Evolvs! But I agree with the sentiment entirely!

I myself have been very impressed with the rubber and fit of my Evolv's. Rubber is better than sportiva and probably on par with 5.10. Waiting to see how quickly they wear through... I can't imagine they wear through anything near as quickly as madrocks but they are softer than sportiva and 5.10.

In the States Evolv has won the battle with 2 out of 3 climbers wearing their shoes. Worth taking note of as these guys take gear selection to the next level.

[dom]

oh yes dom, i think you bought a dud. a friend have a pair of madrocks that got a hole in it in no time - guess it happens. i'm on my 3rd pair of evolvs and nothing but normal rubber wear has happened. happiness.

Three pairs, huh?

It's possible that the pair was a dud. That said, it's not going to make me buy another pair because I had a number of other problems with the shoes. One is that don't break in easily, or at all, in the case of my pair (and this complaint has been echoed by some other people who I climb with who have bought them) and the rubber is really not all it's cracked up to be.

Still, why the hell must I pay for a dud pair? I've never had a dud pair of Sportiva Cobras (and I've bought 6 pairs) or 5.10 Anasazis.

[mr Chabalala]

I have friend who had 3 pairs of Evolvs, while, for the same time, my Mad Rocks are still going strong

[Russell Warren]

I think shoe wear is highly dependant on climbing style or rather lack of climbing style. That said I had two pairs of mad rock hookers last me about 1 month each largely due to my inability to place my feet precisely.

After I had a pair resoled by Danny with 5.10 rubber it lasted substantially longer even though my technique still sucks. I found that my anasazi lasted about 3 times as long before needing a resole.

[scottnoy]

Re-soled shoes do tend to last much longer because of the substantially thinker rubber which is added.

[mokganjetsi]

guys saying how long (time wise) a pair of shoes lasted means nothing. some people climb 10 times a year and others a 110 times.....and then some do 2 routes in a day and others 12.... and then begineers tend to smear all over the place wearing-out rubber on the big toe in no time. lots of factors involved. i just doubt with all the technology and available and product scrutiny by both suppliers and buyers that any shoe would have totally crap rubber or construction for that matter. i find you normally get what you pay for, no matter what the brand.

[mr Chabalala]

remember mok, friend = climbing partner = very similiar amount of time on the rockface. just admit it. Madrock rules + it's lot prettier than those green/yellow monsters.

Those things are so ugly, I hear they want to ban them from Bronkies (afraid they migh scare the Eagles away)

[carlkritzinger]

I've had 4 pairs of evolvs over the last 5 or 6 years (bought my first pairs off the net before cityrock were improting them). 2 pairs of Kaos, 1 pair of Defy and now wearing a pair of Pontas. All of them have lasted extremely well

Rubber is super sticky and seems to be wearing well (no worse than my Anasazis). I really like the fit and feel of the Pontas - even more so since watching King Lines :) but that is a personal thing.

[willemeulen]

Can't realy compare evolv with other shoes as the evolv are only the second pair I have. Don't have any complaints thus far, am very hape with the fit of my evolv demorto's (Name?). Other evolv models size 12 doesn't fit, with the demorto's size 10 fits. Shoe has symmetrical fit, which suits me a lot better. Have narrow flat and street size 11 feet which made it quite a mission for me to find the right shoe.

W

[brolloks]

Just had to report that my evolvs' stitching has come loose... had them for 4 months.
So, to me, they fall in the category of, um, lets say, the pair of Trangos that I bought cheaply 8 years ago.
Never heard of Trangos? Well, they're off the market right now... lets hope...

Sh1t!