Founded in 1938 in the shadows of the Dolomite mountains, Italian brand Scarpa has become a world-leading name in the manufacturing of climbing shoes as well as skiing and mountaineering equipment. With strong competition from other local brands such as La Sportiva, Scarpa quickly realized the demand for quality climbing shoes in Northern Italy’s quickly developing mountaineering scene and, as a result, their trusted and premium shoes can be found in almost every climbing gym across the world to this day. We are going to be looking at what makes Scarpa a trustworthy producer of climbing shoes, and comparing some of their most popular and innovative products available on the market.
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What are the Best Scarpa Climbing Shoes?
To find the list of absolute Best Scarpa Climbing Shoes, we have researched many rock climbing shoes by Scarpa and what seasoned rock climbers and boulderers who bought and used them say about these products. Based on their persoanl experiences using it, we compiled for you the top 5 Scarpa climbing shoes.
Also, to make it easier for you to making the right choice, we also wrote a mini rock climbing shoes by Scarpa Buying Guide and frequently asked questions (FAQs). You will find it at the end of this article.
1. Scarpa Veloce
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Vibram Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Strap Shoe Material: Microsuede |
The Scarpa Veloce is something of a game-changer in the world of downturned shoes. The shoes are very soft and flexible, with a thin coating of rubber that allows your feet to retain sensitivity so you can connect with every little groove in the rock. The flexibility is helpful for performing on slabs and standing on sloping surfaces, yet the downturn of the shoe helps you to climb at your best on powerful and dynamic overhanging routes. The modern strap design is great for wider feet and quick to put on and take off. The biggest problem with these shoes is the fact that the rubber is so thin and soft. This is a great thing for flexible footwear and retaining sensitivity, however, it means that they wear through quickly and don’t last so long before they need a resole.
Pros
- Malleable and flexible rubber – provides heightened sensitivity through your feet
- Quick to put on and take off with adjustable velcro strap
- Generously coated in rubber and slightly downturned
Cons
- Rubber is thin and wears through quickly
2. Scarpa Vapor
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Vibram Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Strap Shoe Material: Leather, Microsuede |
The Scarpa Vapors are brilliant intermediate bouldering shoes for women, especially for those who are beginning to transition from beginner slab style climbing to caves and overhangs. There is a small amount of rubber on the top of the shoe to protect your toes in your first toe-hooks, a slight downturn to give you power from your feet up on steep routes, and yet they are soft and flexible enough to provide confident footing on slabs and sloping surfaces. They are quick to put on and take off and have a relatively sharp inner edge to help you stand on small ledges.
Aside from the long breaking-in period that these shoes have, which is especially frustrating for those who have not used them (and as these shoes are perfectly aimed at those buying their second pair of shoes, this could well be the case), the Vapors are not particularly specialized in any discipline of the sport, which can be restrictive for those who want to focus on one type of climbing. One last plus point about this model and a lot of other Scarpa shoes is that it is vegan.
Pros
- Great all-around shoe for intermediate climbers
- Slight downturn but still flexible enough to perform on slabs Strong, reinforced straps
- Sharp inner edge for standing on small ledges
Cons
- Long breaking-in period
3. Scarpa Origin
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Strap Shoe Material: 100% Leather |
Scarpa Origin shoes are brilliant for beginners and intermediate climbers. The relatively flat profile makes them very comfortable, yet they have a very strong sole and so, with a bit of imagination, can also perform relatively well on easy overhanging routes. The sharp rubber edge gives you confidence on smaller holds, and the thick rubber takes a lot of wear and tear to get through. The Scarpa shoes are lacking in any protective rubber on the top, which means that your toes are going to suffer if you try to jam them into small pockets or toe-hook. This does, however, allow for a little more breathability as the suede is slightly more permeable than the rubber would be.
Pros
- Fantastic beginner shoe that is also loved by intermediate climbers
- Strong and durable design
- Flat profile, great for slab
- Comfortable
Cons
- No rubber on the top for toe-hooks
- Not streamlined for overhanging routes
4. Scarpa Furia
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Vibram Rubber Closure Type: Lace Up Shoe Material: Microsuede |
Scarpa Furias are almost entirely coated in rubber. Paired with a sharp downturn design, this makes them streamlined for overhanging boulders of the highest grades. The modern strap design allows the shoe to fit comfortably around those wider feet, and the lightweight, breathable shoe feels surprisingly comfortable given how they look. While being one of the strongest competitors on the market for overhanging bouldering, these shoes simply do not perform on more traditional slab climes and sloping surfaces as you will find it very difficult to generate sufficient traction using the aggressively downturned profile.
Pros
- Adjustable velcro strap
- Aggressively downturned – great for steeper climbs
- Generously coated in rubber for toe-hooks
Cons
- Firm and rigid shoe – will not grip well on sloping surfaces
5. Scarpa Booster
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Microfibre, Synthetic Closure Type: Velcro Strap Shoe Material: Ceramic Microsuede & Alcantara Shape: Moderate Downturn |
The Scarpa Boosters are another great shoe for modern indoor and outdoor bouldering, particularly streamlined for overhanging routes. They are coated in a very thick, generous amount of textured rubber to help you get grip using almost any part of your foot, and the sharp downturn again fits in with the modern trend for climbing steep overhangs. They are quick to take off and put on, and strong and durable shoes.
The Scarpa Boosters are certainly not the most comfortable shoes on this list, and the solid design, while being durable and protective, definitely limits sensitivity and versatility.
Pros
- Thick and rigid rubber on the toes
- Sharp downturn for steeper routes
- Quick to take off and put on
Cons
- Very solid shoe makes it very durable but limits sensitivity
Verdict
After all of our long research about the Best Scarpa Climbing Shoes, we found that Scarpa Veloce is the best Scarpa climbing shoe available today.
There’s also a Premium Option with all the best features and high-quality materials if you have more money to spend, namely Scarpa Booster.
However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the Scarpa Origin as an affordable alternative.
Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:
What You Should Know Before Buying Scarpa climbing shoes
Most Important Scarpa Features
The most important features you should look for in climbing shoes should very much depend on the type of climbing you are going to be using them for. Scarpa, and indeed other climbing shoe manufacturers, do produce a variety of good all-around shoes, however, if you are pushing yourself in one particular discipline of the sport, you will probably want a more streamlined and specialized product. Boulderers and competition climbers will want a shoe with a lot of rubber coating, particularly if they are likely to be using them on very overhung routes. This is because you will be using the top of your foot more frequently for toe-hooking and when squeezing into tight pockets, and the extra rubber provides more grip and protection when doing this. Slab climbers and multi-pitchers will want a more flexible and comfortable shoe that provides plenty of surface contact on sloping volumes or rocks. Multi-pitchers in particular will want a shoe that they can wear all day without causing too much discomfort. While a lot of people think that an aggressive downturn is essential, most often it is not. It is highly beneficial for steep roof routes and retaining power when pushing up at such extreme angles, but otherwise can hinder technical moves on vertical or slab routes. If you are looking at downturned shoes, consider trying to find one that is quite malleable and flexible so that they can perform across a range of different styles of routes.
Downsizing Scarpa Climbing Shoes
Downsizing climbing shoes is a hotly debated topic in the climbing community with passionate debaters on either side of the divide. It is true that smaller shoes squeeze better into smaller gaps, and you can put more weight onto tiny footholds, but if your shoes are too painful to wear, you are simply not going to be able to perform with confidence to your maximum potential. With that in mind, each producer of climbing shoes has their own perspective on shoe sizing, and many climbers will feel more comfortable when choosing a size that is one or two sizes smaller than their regular shoes. Personally, my Scarpa Origin shoes are 1.5 sizes smaller than my regular shoes, and after two years of use and two resoles, I can comfortably fit into them even when wearing socks.
Scarpa comparison – bouldering vs rock climbing
Scarpa produces shoes that specialize in both disciplines of the sport, however, we would argue that their products tend to benefit boulderers and sport climbers a little more than multi-pitch climbers. If you keep with us and have a thorough browse through the featured shoes below, we will better explain which shoes are best for which type of climbing.
Scarpa Pricing
Scarpa is a well-established brand of climbing shoes, and most of their products are on the more expensive and premium end of the climbing shoe price scale. With that being said, they certainly make a larger selection of climbing shoes for beginners and intermediate climbers than brands such as La Sportiva, which are considerably more affordable, but less streamlined, than the shoes aimed at more advanced climbers.
Questions and Answers About Scarpa climbing shoes
Are Scarpa Climbing shoes good for women?
Scarpa produces shoes for both women and men and adjusts the shape of the shoes accordingly to better fit the contours of the feet of each gender. Furthermore, the brand focuses on being as inclusive as possible, and through their Scarpa Stands program, hope to bring attention and equity to people of all genders and color in the climbing community.
Are Scarpa climbing shoes good for beginners?
Scarpa shoes may not be the cheapest, however, the brand produces a wide variety of shoes that are perfect for intermediate and new climbers. Great products to try out are the Scarpa Origin, Scarpa Helix, and the Scarpa Velocity, which we haven’t featured on this list. All of these shoes are mid-range in terms of price, great all-around performers, and feature a comfortable flat profile which is more than sufficient when starting out.
Are Scarpa climbing shoes vegan?
While Scarpa is keen to create vegan climbing shoes to be more environmentally conscious, they have struggled to find a glue that they can trust the quality of that is vegan. The brand has stated that they are working very hard on producing some vegan alternatives which we are likely to see soon, but only the expensive Furia Air shoes are currently vegan. In the meantime, some other climbing shoe manufacturers have already begun to address this demand in the market.
Are Scarpa climbing shoes true to size?
As previously mentioned, each climbing shoe manufacturer has its own perspective on shoe sizes. With Scarpa, most climbers tend to buy climbing shoes that are one or two sizes smaller than their regular shoes, however, all of this should depend upon your personal preferences and the specific model of shoe. Obviously, you will have to leave a little room if you climb in socks, and bear in mind that they will stretch a little over time as you regularly use them. We truly recommend trying before you buy if possible, as the wrong size shoe can create some serious problems for your feet or your climbing ability.
Do Scarpa climbing shoes stretch?
All climbing shoes will stretch a little over time, albeit only a small amount. Those made from synthetic materials will stretch a little less than those made from leather or more natural materials, but you will find that after a few painful sessions, the shoes will become a little more malleable and comfortable to wear. If you do not use your shoes for a while, they may revert back to their original size.
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