Boreal Unisex's Joker Plus Sneakers

Product Information

When you try on a lace-up shoe, undo the laces completely and then tighten them accordingly from toe to ankle. To give that price some context we then looked at all of the products available from Go Outdoors in the Climbing Shoes category. We found 27 items in total. What’s the price of Climbing Shoes?

The new Vapour V uses Scarpa's 'FR' last, which is the lowest volume in the range. When it comes to width it's realistically on the regular to narrow end of the spectrum. The sizing is - I am happy to say - in line with other Scarpa models, which is usually one (European) size down from your street shoe size. The Crux features a comfortable, easy access, wide opening tongue, which is constructed using recycled materials. The opposing twin strap closure system provides good adjustment and keeps your foot firmly in place - something that is further aided by the lining, which helps to absorb sweat from your foot. The microfibre/lined combo doesn't make it the coolest shoe to wear, or the lightest - coming in at 510g per pair. Personally I find the Maestro a bit on the soft/flat side, which is the same issue I have with the Anasazi (which I've always wanted to like, but never got on with). I've got pretty high arches, so tend to prefer something a little more downturned and have used a blend of La Sportiva Katana Lace, La Sportiva Otaki, Scarpa Instinct VS, Scarpa Instinct Lace, and Scarpa Boostic over the past few years. When it comes to edging the Boostic really does take some beating, but it's definitely at the higher volume end of the spectrum - particularly when compared to the Katana Lace - which also has a fantastic edging performance.The flat last design gives good comfort and ease of fit. The tongue is made from BD's 'Engineered Knit Technology' which is said to give a softer toe compartment, although we felt that this isn't really noticeable. We’re really pleased to have scored Boreal Alpha Men’s Climbing Shoe so highly, givimg it 9.9 out of 10, making it well above the average for all Climbing Shoes.

There’s so much information available online when we’re shopping now, that it’s easy to find lots of detail about products like Boreal Alpha Men’s Climbing Shoe. This is of course really helpful, but there’s almost too much information available, so it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for. The Flagship LV has a lower volume, is a bit narrower (both around the forefoot and the heel) and has a lower cuff around the ankle than the original Flagship, but that's not the only change - the sizing also differs (which is definitely something to be aware of). I have a UK5 in the original Flagship and so got a UK5 in the Low Volume version, assuming it would feel smaller; however, I should have gone for the half, or even full size smaller, and I'd highly recommend doing this if it's outright performance that you're after. The Flagship LV seems larger than the full volume version for a given size, and in the future I would definitely go for the plastic bag approach with this shoe to get the most out of its features. Even just being half a size too big has meant that the heel slips on easily and in some cases slips off too. I have really enjoyed wearing a slightly bigger shoe. Warming up in them and wearing them for everything has worked well, plus they've been great for smearing. Boreal advise to fit in your street shoe size if you want to wear these all day, or to go down a full size for more precision. With a view to getting a bit of performance out of them, without having to suffer in something more aggressive, I downsized from my standard 47/12 to 46/11 (and yes, I've attempted to factor this into my assessment of width and volume). This has helped in terms of precision, and at my lowly level the Alpha gives me all the performance I usually feel I need. Characteristics: The highest comfort level, thanks to its last, the padding in heel and upper, and the complete 3D mesh lining. For long climbing sessions. Fit in your street shoe size to wear all day or in smaller sizes for increased precision.

Other examples exist, but given that these are relevant and recent they hopefully goe some way to countering your claim and should allay anyones fears that just because a brand pays us money it doesn't grant them free license to a good review. When it comes to sizing, we went down a single UK shoe size, which equated to something I could wear out the box without any discomfort. This isn't the shoe you want, or need, to start down-sizing in, because if it's something more technical that you're after then buy something more technical. Throughout use it feels like they give up to half a size, but if anything this only adds to the comfort. At the heel, Boreal have provided a bit of cushioning, as well as a little textured tread that may offer a token amount of grip on a walk-off. I guess the padding helps with comfort on a walking descent, and it does accord with the old duffer/beginner image of this shoe. But it also seems a bit unnecessary, since you won't need it at a single pitch crag, while if you're walking off Tryfan you'll have brought a pair of actual shoes to do it in. Suffice to say, people who go in for heel hooking are not going to be faring well in the Alpha. That sort of thing is just not their game. The closure for the new Vapour V has changed, and you can see a lot of time and thought has been applied to make it a genuine improvement. Whilst the basis of fastening still comes from two velcro straps, changes to the tongue - and the addition an elastic strip - mean that it's easier than ever to get a good fit.

On the whole, always hard to tell after just a few sessions but I’d say it’s not much different to the original Anasazis (other than the sizing). Then again, I thought the same about the new Anasazis, which some people didn’t like apparently. May be my footwork is so bad that I can’t tell the difference 🤣 The uppers are made from lined microfibre, which certainly gives the NIAD a comfortable feel. Five Ten believe the use of this material helps the shoe to 'maintain a consistent fit,' whereas in reality the shoe's shape changes considerably over time. That's not to say this is a bad thing – the Anasazi always changed over time, and as previously mentioned, what this means is that the shoe's purpose changes too: from an edging machine to a sensitive smearer. While both models are shod with 3.5mm soles of Vibram rubber this is where the similarities end. Firstly, they use different rubber: the Quantic uses XS Edge while the Quantix SF uses XS Grip 2. Unsurprisingly, XS Edge is designed to be slightly firmer, which should help the Quantic hold micro edges. Meanwhile the XS Grip 2 is focused primarily on friction so is slightly softer. The soles and rands on both pairs are wearing well and, noticeably, having had the Quantic (with XS Edge) for a number of months longer than the Quantix SF, its edges are still really sharp and feel great on little edges. I've used them a lot on quarried limestone where edging is the norm and they have been superb. By streamlining the key features, Alpha provides a durable, comfortable and great value shoe for any newcomers to the sport.I received the Quantics in October of last year, and as soon as I started using them, I knew they were indeed a great fit for my broad feet. On hearing this, Glyn at Scarpa said it would make sense for me to do a side-by-side review of the then brand new Quantix SF as well. It's nice to have shoes that I trust completely for climbing but don't want to pull off the instant I finish. They really do combine performance and all-day comfort Haven’t really noticed the heel feeling any different. A bit less volume on the outside so perhaps better for smaller heel hooks.

The Joker's flat last, relaxed heel, and semi-asymmetric toe profile are another key to its success, because this is an extremely forgiving combination. There's no trying to force your foot into something radically bent or downturned, with a heel that aggressively digs into your achilles. The Joker are a supremely comfortable and adaptable pair of shoes that are capable of fitting a wide array of foot shapes and sizes. As per the comments above, it's a bit of a minefield as what works for one person won't necessarily work for another - it all comes down to fit and personal preference.There are however some methods that you can use to determine a product’s quality without needing to physically have it. In terms of their sport/trad focus it was quite obvious from first use that you were going to have to push very hard through your feet if you wanted to use or rest on a given foothold. This was obvious even to my belayer who commented on how high my heels and the rest of my foot were raised in an effort to maintain pressure, which was - unsuprisingly - quite tiring! If you're off vertical and into overhanging terrain this is less of a problem, but that isn't exactly what I'd envisaged the Vapour V to be best at. Uppers On the flipside of this, they are probably the version best suited for bouldering, with a number of features such as the rubber toe patch and improved heel that will be a boon for those in search of a more technical shoe. That said, out the box it isn't overly sensitive, with a stiff forefoot, but we'll go into more detail on that in the section below. Forefoot