By RaDragon
from Los Angeles, CA on 09/01/2011
Pros:
Lightweight, Perforated Upper for Vent
Cons:
Unlined Interior, Wide Edge
Best Uses:
Bouldering, Indoor
Describe Yourself:
Casual/ Recreational
Sizing:
Feels true to size
Width:
Feels true to width
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Two weeks (at three times a week!) after getting into indoor climbing, I decided that renting shoes was too unhygienic and I wanted something that really fit my feet and something that wasn't too worn/stretched-out. Enter the Scarpa Thunder. For the price of this model, the shoes fit the bill nicely. I wear a 5.5 (dressy pumps) to 6.5 (Running Shoes) and wore rental Mad Rock climbing shoes at 5.5. Climbing shoe sizes differ from company-to-company but went by the other reviews here and got a match: Scarpa's size 36 (5.5).
I can already tell that this shoe will stretch because it was tight when I first wore it (and had to undo the laces in-between climbs) but after only after 3 sessions (an hour each) of indoor bouldering, it's beginning to feel like they were custom-made for my feet. I'm glad I didn't go a half-size up!
The toe isn't turned down and the shoe not quite asymmetrical, so once I advance (maybe past V3?) I reckon will probably need a more aggressive pair. Still, I don't mind this slightly thick/wider edge toe for now. I only do indoor climbing/bouldering, too, so these shoes meet my needs and skill level. With my slightly wider feet, I tend to order men's running shoes because of the wider toe box, but in these, my toes fit snugly but not curled.
Before breaking in, the back of the shoe (top of the heel) was rubbing the back of my ankle but I put some moleskin tape on there until the back of the shoe softened a bit (or my ankle just got used to it).
The Vibram XS soles were slightly slippery at first but after the second use, I felt like I had more "traction" and I was more comfortable on those under-hang foot holds.
Finally, like a majority of climbing shoes, the interior is unlined which I like because it's less material to air-out after each session, but if you don't like the feeling of the seams/thread on your bare feet, you might want to add a thin-layer of insole lining (just keep in mind that it may make your shoes tighter).
Overall, it's a step up from renting and for those beginners that are just getting into climbing. Because it's not too expensive, it's a great investment to get you to enjoy the sport.
