5.10 Arrowhead REVIEW

This is 5.10's Anasazi Arrowhead.  I've posted about it before, but now I have the shoes so I can review them.  They are much better than what I expected them to be.  I love the rubber, and it sticks to holds like glue.  It's my first aggressive shoe, so still getting used to the pain, but once you get over that, they are really great shoes.  They are really comfortable and sensitive, and it is perfect for both bouldering and sport climbing.  It is $164.95, but I think that is is very much worth it.  Probably not the best first shoe though.
5 stars

The Anasazi LV

The Anasazi LV is marketed to women, but plenty of men use them as well.  It's more of a sport climbing shoe, it's toe is not downturned, and the heel is kind of flat.  People seem to like it a lot for sport climbing.  It features 5.10's Stealth C4 rubber, which is one of their highest friction rubbers, besides Stealth Onyxx.  It is a good shoe, but it is the same price of 5.10's arrowhead and Anasazi VCS, which are both a little bit better all around shoes.  I think you should demo some of 5.10's other popular shoes before going with this one.

5.10's Quantum

5.10's quantum is an aggressive sport climbing/bouldering shoe, with a downturned toe and 5.10's ONYXX stealth rubber.  It is also lace-up, which gives you a precision fit, which also means more control over the shoe. I don't think it's that much different than 5.10's Hornet, which is also lace up, and has the same rubber.  But other people's reviews say that this is the better all-around shoe.  The heel sticks very well, and the toe attaches itself to the rock like glue.  But people like different styles of shoes, so I would demo 5.10's Arrowhead, or Evolv's Shaman before I would go ahead and get the quantum.

Evolv's Shaman

This is Evolv's Shaman.  Designed by Chris Sharma, this is the perfect shoe for super steep and hard boulder problems.  It has a very awkward looking downturned toe which they call a knucklebox, which is also on the Rasta Shamans.  The rubber is strong, but also very sensitive, which I like a lot.  The rubber is also very grippy.  It's toe is perfect for holding on to small holds, or just flagging.  The heel is very good.  People say that you can trust the heel even on smaller holds.  It is a great shoe and it cost only $145 from Evolv.  I would go for this shoe.  I think it is a good price for it's value.  Probably not a good beginner's shoe.

The Scarpa Feroce

The Scarpa Feroce is not exactly new, but it's still very much with us.  I think it's one of those shoes that you either love or hate.  However, one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the rubber is extremely sticky.  You can put the toe pretty much anywhere, and it will stick.  On the other hand, tons of people are complaining about the ridges on the heel.  They don't serve much of a purpose, and if you do use them, it's likely that they will slip off.  Scarpa says it does well for both bouldering and sport climbing.  It seems to do its job.  It has a very slightly downturned toe, but not much more that the Anasazis.  If you are doing a lot of climbing using the heel, then go for a pair of Anasazis or Arrowheads.  If you're mostly using your toes, and are looking to do both sport climbing and bouldering, these are probably the better choice.

5.10's Blackwing

This is the 5.10 Blackwing.  It has a very, very slightly downturned nose,  which gives it a little bit better grip on overhang than most of the Anasazis.  It is pretty much a slightly more aggressive version of an Anasazi, but people like the Anasazis better.  If you want a good shoe for sport climbing, than get the Anasazis.  But if you are looking for something that will multitask between bouldering and sport climbing, than I think this is the better choice.

The Anasazi VCS REVIEW

I have posted about these shoes before, but today I got the chance to demo them, so now I can offer my opinion.  I love the Anasazis I have now that don't have the Stealth rubber, because they are very comfortable and very grippy.  But unfortunately, I did not like the new ones as much.  I think that part of the problem was that they were new, but I did not think that the grip was great.  the shoe kept sliding around on the rocks, and I couldn't get a solid grip with them.  The heel, however, was very good and comfortable, and I could get a solid grip on the rock and trust it.  I would have also liked the shoe to be a bit more sensitive.  I could not really feel the rock under the shoe, which I think is pretty important.  Overall, it's not a bad shoe, and I like the new one, just not as much as I like my old ones.

4 Stars

Scarpa's Mago

This is Scarpa's Mago.  This is a shoe for getting business done.  It is super aggressive with it's downturned toe, and it is is a great shoe for dynamic bouldering.  It is also lace-up, so you have more control over tightness and sensitivity of the shoe.  It costs $155, which is about the same you would pay for some of 5.10's top shoes.  I would look at 5.10's, and also Evolv's shoes in this price range before deciding on this, but it measures up very well with its competition.

The Anasazi VCS

Our team, the East Betas, has recently got a sponsorship from 5.10, so I'm looking at a bunch of 5.10 shoes that I might want to get.  This is the shoe that I currently wear, the Anasazi VCS.  I like the shoe a lot.  I didn't get that much time out of the shoes (they're beginning to get holes in the toes), but they were used anyway.  But now this Anasazi has 5.10's stealth rubber, which they claim is super high-friction, and super durable, so I think this is a great shoe to get.  It is in the 140-150 dollar range, which is not bad for the quality.  A great sport climbing shoe.

Evolv's Rasta Shamans

These are a pair of Evolv's Rasta Shamans.  It's an amazing shoe that they claim can make overhangs feel like low-angle slabs.  It also seems to be a very comfortable shoe.  It has all kinds of leather and cotton fabric cushioning.  It has an interesting design for the toe, but I don't know if it works or not.  I hope it does because these cost $165, which is not the most expensive shoe ever made, but it's definitely not the least.

5.10 Arrowhead

This is the Arrowhead by 5.10.  It is probably the best shoe they make.  And, it is the editor's choice for the Urban Climbing Gear Guide.  This shoe has a downturned toe, and a pretty high arch, making it very snug.  It is a great bouldering shoe . . . that is, if you have the $164.95 to buy it.