Scrambling footwear

[chabidiah]

I am looking to purchase some new approach/rock scramble shoes. I have owned many different pairs in the past and they had their own pros and cons. Just wondering if anyone has had a pair that has been really good. Thanks

[tanya]

I am looking to purchase some new approach/rock scramble shoes. I have owned many different pairs in the past and they had their own pros and cons. Just wondering if anyone has had a pair that has been really good. Thanks

The Sportiva Exum Ridge have worked great for hiking, scrambling and dry quick after getting them wet. They tend to be for narrow feet however. The sticky rubber on them is great.


"The La Sportiva Exum Ridge is a radical hybrid with suction dot rubber lugs for friction, sticky "frixon" climbing rubber outsole to grip, its super lightweight and dries fast. "The Exum Ridge is the One. If you had only one pair of shoes, this would be it... for running, scrambling, hiking, canyoneering, this is the ticket."

http://www.outdooroutlet.com/shopping.php?search=exum

[jumar]

For my foot, anything Five Ten fits great. i've been using their Insight shoe. Sticky rubber, comfortable. I'm pretty particular with my approach shoe, and these were the best I could find. But it was mostly a matter of what fit my foot best.

[denaliguide]

i've worn the 5.10 guide almighty for several years and loved them. straight out of the box and 8 days in escalante no blisters or hot spots. unfortunately 5.10 stopped making this shoe. i'm looking at the mad rock "fury" as a replacment. they look like a clone of the guide almighty.

[moabfool]

I own a pair of Exum Rivers (same basic shoe as the Exum Ridge with some water-based add-ons), a pair of 5.10 guide tennies, and a pair of Montrail D7's. The D7 is hands down more shoe, and they're cheaper. The rubber is slightly less sticky than the Exum or the 5.10, but the footbed and upper are much more supportive than either of the other two. After all they're for the approach, not the route, right? The downside of being so solidly built is that they do not dry as fast as the Exum series shoes, though they're on a par with the Guide Tennie. Still if I'm bagging a peak or hiking a dry canyon I'd choose the D7 over my Exum Rivers any day, even if I think I'll run into wet weather (I took them scrambling in a downpour and stayed totally dry). My Guide Tennies never get worn anymore.

Another upside to the D7 is that it's been in production for several years. Hopefully that doesn't change any time soon. There are few things worse than finding a shoe you like only to have the company not make it anymore.

I was also very impressed with the footwear care instructions that came with the D7's. Expect to buy some NikWax boot and shoe waterproofer.