Top quality construction for this multi-purpose shoe put it ahead of most of the other shoes I have owned. The synthetic construction make these shoes easier to break in than other leather shoes I have owned. They settle in more than they stretch. So starting off with a good fit is key. Typically wearing a 10.5 I went to the 11's, so they do run quite small. Brian is more than helpful getting you into the right size shoe if you order online.

The performance is great. I am a bit bulkier than most climbers at 185 pounds, so I really like the harder rubber that TRAX provides. Standing on the dime edges of the world class granite of Quartz Mountain, the crystals seemed to hook up so well. I was consistently impressed, expecting my feet to blow off the tiny footholds that abound, but they always held. Doing some bouldering, I found that these are my favortie heel hookers so far. The knobs were a nice addition, when I typically have a smooth heel.

I have found that I prefer the velcro shoes. These fit very well to my foot. I can't wait to put them to work on the limestone down in Carlsbad. More to come later....

There are always going to be those with odd sized feet. So no shoe is for everyone. Mine are no exception. This is my first approach shoe, and I must say that I am already sold. My gear whore buddies that work at the shop have blown out and destroyed most of their approch shoes seemingly quickly. I still don't know how these will fair in the long term. That said, I love these shoes. They are comfortable, stable, and lace up very nicely. Getting the right fit was key and they were just perfect. To qualify, I need a little more arch support and have generally been disappointed by the support I have gotten from any shoe, even boots. The thermal moldable insoles that you can get for these shoes is amazing. I got these for my two week marathon of climbing at Red Rocks and Joshua Tree, and feared that the toll would be too great on my feet. Last year one week in Potreo had me limping home and taking off two months to recover. This year, nothing but good times, sore muscles, and my feet have never felt better after such abuse. The rubber is awesome and traction was unprecedented, at least to me. A perfect shoe for this Noob. Where did Jung get the grey pair?

This is my 4th pair of shoes and my first pair of 'agressive' shoes. Initally I orderd mine for a tight fit getting my street shoe size and I could barely stuff my foot into the things. A quick return jumping up a full shoe size and my feet are happy again. These shoes are like wearing a set of talons. I can't wait to put them into action. The route I had in mind when I orderd these things was Swept Away, 60 feet tall with a 45 foot overhang, and in the last 10 feet it pitches out 15 feet. Test fitting the shoes in my living room I can feel the toes hitting those pockets and hooking onto the rails. The build of these shoes is fantastic. The velcro allows my awkward feet to slide easily in, and I can tell that the fabric that lines this shoe will not give much, so I do not expect much stretching.

Results: Rubber: At first I was concerned about the tackiness of the rubber as did not even come close to touching the Stealth tar I am used to. Since these are super agressive shoes they do not see alot of traffic, so break in was going to take awhile. Well I am impatient, so I broke out the band sander to speed things along. Wow, a little scuffing reveals some super tacky rubber that holds well.

Update: Hueco Tanks weekend! I had the chance to finally roll out the new rubber for just what it was intended for. Deep Fryer in the Kitchen is only a V2 but a long steep roof, heel hooks and hight feet was all the footwork I was going to do. The heel hooking was excellent, probably due to the excellent fit. This problem doesn't have the most delicate footwork but the downturn made holding high feet much easier when compared to my Mocs. This is a great shoe for specialzed climbing and not for noobs and honestly, I don't have the skills to put these things through their paces either to see what more they are capable of. I would compare it to a 17 year old in a Ferrari.

I love this product as a belay device! Coming from an ATC-XP that does not feed as well while slacking for a clip, the B52 just feeds so smoothly. When rapping it lowers me smoothly and loads easily off my backup prussik. My only complaint about this product is the auto block setup, which is anything but smooth, I prefer my buddies Reverso for auto blocking. So if you need a great belay device look no further. If you are going to use is as an auto block often, I suggest you look to the Reverso or another product.

This is my first haulbag! I just can't imagine getting a better bag for the money. On my trip to Potrero last year I packed everything I needed for an entire week of climbing, 70M rope, sport rack, harness, 2 pair of shoes, sleeping bag, full length pad, 3 man tent, clothing, very little food, toiletry bag, all told 65 pounds of gear and it carried very well, it was rather difficult to pick up and put on at that weight. The stowable should straps and removable hip belt are great. It does get a little toasty on some of the longer hikes and gives some nasty back sweat. I am going to get the stubby for my cragging sack, and when I start multiday big walls then I will probably go to that big brother, Zion. Time will tell on the durability of this. I will update this review with long term results.

Update: I smashed the hip belt buckel in a car door but it still holding despite the cracking. I have started to see some slight seam separation on the top cover from opening and closing. Otherwise this bag has been bomber. Still loving it.