After many hours of faithful service my trusty La Sportiva Venom’s finally gave up the ghost, as usual with all my climbing shoes the toe goes first, and were retired to the cupboard, just in case i finally go on that DWS trip to Mallorca, so time for a new slipper. After a quick internet search i came upon Rock + Run, this months feature Scarpa Stixs half price, sold.

Mike Cunningham's Scarpa Stixs

A few months previous to this i had tried the Stixs on while i was on a trip to Ratho, but they were a size 40 and they hurt pretty bad, my usual street shoe is a 42 so i was confident that a 41 would be fine with for me. Now i would never usually order a climbing shoe from the internet without being absolutely sure of my size but due to the half price tag hanging in front my me, and the fact i had tried you size down from what i was ordering, i felt confident.

The first impression of the shoe is that it looks very aggressive, the downturned nature of the shoe makes it a definite on overhanging routes and boulder problems. The toe box has a rubber pact on top which makes it top class for heel-toeing and toe-hooking, and the non-stretch nature of the toe box means no more dead space at the front of your shoe. The rubber used by Scarpa on this shoe is Vibram® XSGrip™, and there is plenty of it, which is a good sign that these shoes will last.

So how do they perform? i have to admit i have never used a shoe that is as precise as the Scarpa Stixs, on overhanging routes they dig into holds like talons and stay there till you move again. On routes were my feet would usually pop the Stixs kept them on like glue. The edging ability is second to none, and the ability to smear is not as bad as you think for a shoe that is so aggressively downturned. The X-tension system used to hold your foot in place does offer good movement and stability at the same time.

As good as these shoes are there are however some draw backs. The heel is not the best, and it does to not fully secure your foot in and does stretch after time, but unless you are a serial heel-hooker i think you will survive. One of the major problems of the shoe is the reliance on the user having a high in-step to get the best/comfortable fit. I personally have found this a problem, having a low in-step it does force my toes to curl up in the toe box. And i know many people will say that means you get more precision and power from your toes, but not when your toes go numb, so bear this is mind when sizing the shoe.

Even with the limited draw backs of the shoe, heel/in-step, it is by far one of the best shoes i have ever used for bouldering and sport climbing. Having the ability to edge and toe-hook  so well in the one shoe and still feel stable is a breath of fresh air. And lets face it, whats good enough of Dave Macloed and Andy Earl should be good enough for the rest of us.

Features

• X-tension – active midsole provides precise fitting during foot movements
• Heel covered with sticky Vibram® XSGrip™
• Extra large rubber patch for toe-hooking
• Size range 33-45 inc half sizes