a photo of the norda 001 trail running shoes

Norda 001 Review

A Guide’s Review of the Norda 001 Nearly indestructible uppers with tried and true rubber mean the Canadian designed Norda 001 shoe. Throw in a distinctly Canadian outsole and a plethora of distinct colorways and you have a contender for the best premium trail shoe around.     Overview Material: bio-based Dyneema, Vibram SLE midsole, Vibram Litebase + Megagrip Weight: 268 grams for size US 8.5 (claimed) … Continue reading Norda 001 Review

On Running Cloudultra Review

On Running Cloudultra Review On Running and their Cloudultra shoes are all-purpose trail shoes that are just as at home on gravel as they are on pavement. I spent 400 km with these shoes in the Dolomites last summer and found them to be lightweight comfortable shoes around town as well as on gravel and dirt trails.  Overview Material: Total Recycled Content: about 5% – … Continue reading On Running Cloudultra Review

Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run

Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run Scarpa continues to put their mark on the trail shoe scene with this fantastic addition to their shoe line. A Full TPU Rand, Presta outsole, sock fit, and water-resistant upper make the Scarpa Ribelle Run read like a dream list for rugged trail shoes. Read on to see why these Dolomite born shoes are a contender for my favorite trail shoe … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run

Scarpa Rapid Upper

Review: Scarpa Rapid Shoes

Review: Scarpa Rapid  Scarpa has made big moves in the trail running and approach shoe market the last few years. Their Ultra Spin garnered awards and Scarpa has continued to add more offerings. This year Scarpa introduced their all-mountain trail shoe, the Rapid. We put it to the test in the snow, rain, rock, and dirt. Read on to find out whether we thought it … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Rapid Shoes

Vapor Lace

Review: Scarpa’s Updated Vapor Lace

Like the Vapor V received last year (2019), Scarpa gave the Vapor Lace a complete redesign for this summer (2020). And while the original was a solid crack climbing shoe the updated Vapor lace is an absolute granite weapon and has overtaken the TC Pro as my personal favorite granite crack shoe! Specifications & Features: Weight: 258g (one shoe, size 43) Rubber: 5mm Vibram XS … Continue reading Review: Scarpa’s Updated Vapor Lace

Comparison Review: High-Top Climbing Shoes

A head-to-head review of the most common high-top climbing shoes on the market. High-top climbing shoes have seen a huge resurgence in popularity over the past few years. This has of course prompted more brands to jump back into the high-top shoe game. Now, where there was once only a few high-top options around, every major shoe manufacturer seems to make a pair. To determine … Continue reading Comparison Review: High-Top Climbing Shoes

Review: Scarpa Instinct SR

Slip on and go. Introducing Scarpa’s newest shoe to the Instinct line. The Scarpa Instinct SR is a performance shoe designed for the gym, but I did not limit it to indoor climbing. I tested this shoe on routes ranging from steep overhanging tufas to slippery Squamish granite slabs and boulders. Having a shoe that is quick to get on and off that doesn’t cut … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Instinct SR

Scarpa Phantom Tech

Winter OR 2019: Footwear

This year’s Winter Outdoor Retailer / Snow Show was a bit underwhelming. There wasn’t as much new and innovative kit to check out as I’ve come to expect. And unfortunately footwear was no exception though there were definitely a few highlights. Five Ten and Lowa, didn’t have anything new for winter while other brands such as Salewa weren’t even at the show. However, that’s not … Continue reading Winter OR 2019: Footwear

Review: Scarpa Maestro

A whole new style of climbing shoe, Scarpa introduces the Maestro range of climbing shoes. Scarpa really went back to the drawing board with these shoes, producing a high performance flat-profile design, with all-day performance and comfort. Replacing the Techno-X, the Maestro has big shoes to fill (pun intended). I would not consider this a remake for the Techno-X but more a totally new shoe … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Maestro