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ja1484
Nov 5, 2006, 4:04 PM
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Looking very much forward to these and the Anasazi Verde....probably lean towards these though, as they have a nice toehooking rand and I frickin' *love* Evolv shoes.
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overlord
Nov 5, 2006, 5:06 PM
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they look interesting. and theyre build around the excellent evolv last. i kinda prefer lacups for my not-downturned shoes, but these look like theyre worth a try.
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rainontin
Nov 6, 2006, 11:59 PM
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I'd like to know what Chris did to make this his 'signature' shoe. It looks like a slightly differenently colored Kaos with more rubber on the toe and less on the heel. I think they look kind of ugly, and that is by far the most important part of shoe design. What is that lime green on the velcro straps? How am I supposed to climb well in shoes that don't compliment my wardrobe?
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chanceboarder
Nov 7, 2006, 12:35 AM
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In reply to: I'd like to know what Chris did to make this his 'signature' shoe. It looks like a slightly differenently colored Kaos with more rubber on the toe and less on the heel. I think they look kind of ugly, and that is by far the most important part of shoe design. What is that lime green on the velcro straps? How am I supposed to climb well in shoes that don't compliment my wardrobe? |
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boulderer420
Nov 7, 2006, 9:06 PM
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Just out of curiosity where are you guys seeing this shoe??? I feel like I've been through all of the Evolv' website and I can't find said Pontas anywhere. Please throw a link up if you've got one I'd really like to check em out. Thanks.
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ja1484
Nov 8, 2006, 5:17 AM
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Uh...the link in the OP takes you directly to it.
Understand there may not be much info out and about regarding it. The shoe doesn't release til Jan 07.
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unrooted
Nov 8, 2006, 7:10 AM
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YEAH sharma now has signature shoes!!!! YEAH!!!! YEAH!!!
Climbing in his shoes is the closest thing to performing felatio on the dreamiest guy in the world! YEAH!!! YEAH!!!
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sidepull
Nov 8, 2006, 10:50 PM
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my thoughts:
1 - evolv makes quality shoes.
2 - These shoes look really cool.
3 - evolv has excellent customer service and is very responsive.
4 - These shoes look really cool.
5 - Chris is a nice, humble guy - it doesn't make me mad when things go his way.
4 - These shoes look really cool.
5 - Marketing is a necessary evil and I'd rather have Chris selling shoes than Jason Kehl or Ivan Greene.
6 - These shoes look really cool.
Given these thoughts, I'd give evolv the benefit of the doubt and assume the shoes will be pretty cool (although I'll wait to see).
The one odd thing about this is that they are not the shoes he used to climb the arch, I'm pretty sure he used the evolv Defy (check the trailer on http://www.bigupproductions.com or the photo spread in Rock & Ice which shows like 10 pair of soaking wet Defys) which is actually a testimony to the quality of evolv shoes - that the basic model gets up such a strenuous climb.*
* Note: this doesn't mean that the shoe was the crucial piece of equipment, obviously Sharma could have climbed that in any shoe - so maybe my observation is just hooey.
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climb_plastic
Nov 10, 2006, 2:47 AM
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pontas = defy + 30 bucks
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climb_plastic
Nov 10, 2006, 2:48 AM
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pontas = defy + 30 bucks
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w_weezer
Nov 10, 2006, 3:10 AM
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Defy:
Lining:Nylon
Midsole:mx-1 1mm sensitive teardrop half-length
Pontas:
Lining:Cotton
Midsole:mx-s 1.5mm 3/4length semi-stiff
in the specs, the only difference between the Kaos, and the defy, is the cotton vs. nylon lining. same midsole. Completely different shoes though
the Evo has a 1.5mm midsole, but mx-1, not mx-s the difference???
yeah, i wonder why, when all the photo's/video out so far show sharma climbing Es Pontas in the defy, which according to both Rock and Ice and Climbing is way soft and flexible, even too much so, Why would HIS shoe have a midsole of 1.5mm semi-stiff??? more so than the defy, or kaos???
maybe the difference between the old mx-1 and the newmx-s??
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overlord
Nov 10, 2006, 8:16 AM
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i guess the lining (which is thicker (1.5mm, defy 1mm) and longer (3/4 vs half sole) on pontas makes them stiffer than defy. and mx-s could mean mx-stiff. mx-1 probably meands 1mm of mx midsole (mx2 on bandits means 2mm misole, the same shape as on defy).
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climb_plastic
Nov 10, 2006, 5:55 PM
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He probably used the defy because it's softer and more sensitive for the overhang, so you don't need a stiff shoe...and his feet are really strong. Or they were development pairs of pontas, the only difference being that they were black (same material) and I'll bet softer than the normal pontas...in other words, he used defy's, or black pontas, whatever you want to call them. Evolv can customize Sharma's personal shoes any way he wants so the pontas that he uses probably are not what is being sold and he'll have several variations of them depending on what he's climbing....guarantee he will have a softer variation of the pontas for his personal use...in other words, green defy's.
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flash5twelve
Nov 14, 2006, 5:56 AM
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In reply to: The one odd thing about this is that they are not the shoes he used to climb the arch, I'm pretty sure he used the evolv Defy (check the trailer on http://www.bigupproductions.com or the photo spread in Rock & Ice which shows like 10 pair of soaking wet Defys) which is actually a testimony to the quality of evolv shoes - that the basic model gets up such a strenuous climb.
I don't think that he used Defys for his climb. Yes, he is climbing in a black velcro shoe, but you can't tell for sure that it is the Defy. I would argue that as the shoe was being developed for him, they wouldn't be in the bright colors that the final product is. The Defy has embroidered Evolv logos on the tabs of the velcro. If you take a closer look at the photos in R&I, the shoes lined up next to the wet chalk bags don't have the "E." They are probably just black prototypes of the Pontas.
It is also interesting to note that Sharma is climbing in 5.10 Moccasyms in two of the close up photos in R&I. They look like they've been blacked out with a magic marker. You can also see the Moccs sitting in the picture of all the wet gear a little to the side and behind the Evolv shoes.
I'll agree to the quality of Evolv shoes. I've been climbing in the Defy all year. Boulder, sport, trad, inside, outside, upsidedown...they've handled it all well. I had to speak up in a gear shop the other day when I hear the salesperson telling a customer that the Evolv shoes "would be good for the gym, but I wouldn't use them outdoors."
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climb_plastic
Nov 15, 2006, 2:19 AM
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In reply to: It is also interesting to note that Sharma is climbing in 5.10 Moccasyms in two of the close up photos in R&I. They look like they've been blacked out with a magic marker. You can also see the Moccs sitting in the picture of all the wet gear a little to the side and behind the Evolv shoes.
5.10 should sell a blacked out version of the 5.10 moccasym for 30 bucks more and say it's the version Sharma used when working on the arch.
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ihateslopers
Dec 1, 2006, 3:14 AM
Post #17 of 20
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i dont know if anyone has checked the evolv site lately but it seems that the Pontas has replaced the KAOS, which is kind of depressing...whats with that anyway?
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space_man
Dec 1, 2006, 4:23 AM
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ihateslopers wrote: i dont know if anyone has checked the evolv site lately but it seems that the Pontas has replaced the KAOS, which is kind of depressing...whats with that anyway?
Yeah, kind of a bummer. Hopefully they're not too much different. It also sucks that they cost $16 more.
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evolv
Dec 21, 2006, 9:42 AM
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Hello Everyone,
Thanks for your interest and questions. I was asked to clarify a few things, so I'm posting after a long absence from this forum. Always feel free to contact us directly if you have questions since we are not on this forum regularly. I'll be writing a comprehensive Climbing Shoe 101 article that I think will be very helpful especially for beginners, but for all levels of climbers.
1. We're very excited to have Chris Sharma on our Evolv team not just for his climbing accomplishments, but for being a good ambassador to the sports and his involvement in the climbing community.
2. Yes. He used the PONTAS to send the Arch project in late September. The photos in Rock and Ice were taken much earlier in the year while he was still working on the project before he officially joined Evolv in July.
3. Chris's feedback is definitely incorporated when designing signature shoes like the Pontas. When a company makes promodels in any sports, it means that the athlete will convey their ideas and feedback to the R&D team, R&D would make prototypes, athlete will test them, make more revisions, and repeat this constantly to improve and evolve the model.
4. With shoe design (or product design) for that matter, there are so many factors that are involved and all the many factors will totally change the product. It's an oversimplification to think that just because two models have similar looks and features that they're the same. For example, you can have two shoes that look similar but just incorporating different materials will dramatically change the fit, feeling, and function of the shoe. Just like a BMW 5 series is different from a BMW 7 series even though they may have some similar looks and features. This is not meant as an attack on anyone it's just a explanation that I think will help. We appreciate all types of comments and feedback on products (negative or positive) and we don't take them the wrong way because unless one's a product designer, one wouldn't be expected to know all of the intricacies of product design.
5. Thus, the Pontas, Defy, Evo, Kaos are all uniquely different shoes that if one were to just try them on individually and climb in them their differences would be obvious. Just by changing the pattern of the upper, midsole, lining, heel rand tension, heel rand height, front rand height and shape, outsole pattern, height of the upper, products will fit, feel, and function dramatically different. That's why every shoe company would have several hook and loop, or lace-up models that are all quite differently designed for their different utilities.
6. Obviously, the Pontas aren't going to suddenly enable you to climb 5.15. :) We believe that (if they fit your foot well and you are using them for what they're intended) the Pontas are a super solid all-around performance shoe excellent for intermediate to advanced climbers. However, if this model (or any of our models or any other brand shoe) doesn't fit you well, then they probably won't be your favorite shoe.
7. The most important advice that I can give on climbing shoes is that the shoe model that fits your foot well is a good shoe for you. Usually, when climbers complain to us about any brand shoe, we always ask them, how do they fit your feet? We try our best to design shoes that fit many people well, but of course they won't fit everyone. And if ours honestly aren't the best fit, we'll suggest another brand/model that may fit better. But, quality is a different issue that we have control over. So, we encourage customers to let us know if they're unhappy with it and strive to always be fair through good service.
Anyway, sorry for the excessively long explanation on these matters and I hope it clarifies things. Again, this was meant as an informative post and to answer some valid questions. Always feel free to contact us directly with specific questions. Happy Holidays and Happy Climbing!!!
Brian (EVOLV)
(This post was edited by evolv on Dec 21, 2006, 5:04 PM)
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limeydave
Apr 26, 2007, 12:31 AM
Post #20 of 20
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Registered: Nov 23, 2006
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Got mine in the mail today after trying a pair a couple of weeks back.
Love 'em!!
I've tried Montrail, Evolv Bandits, 5.10s and Mad Rocks over the past year or so, and these are my favorites.
What was the quote from the E11 movie? "Sticky as shit on a blanket." 
LimeyDave
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