Scarpa Boostic

The stiffness of the Scarpa Boostic is supportive and high asymmetry for better accuracy in action.

The outsole of the Scarpa Boostic is made of a 3.5 mm Vibram XS Edge material for optimum grip.

Editor rating: 9.3 / 10

User's rating: based on 2 user ratings

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By NicoleK

Scarpa Boostic Review Facts

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Mountain climbing offers a different type of workout that works different muscle groups than traditional workouts. The primary muscle used when climbing is the latissimus dorsi which is the muscle that is located on the side of the climbers back. The muscle is used when arms are pulled inward and can be strengthened with workouts like lat pulls, single arm bent over rows and close grip chin ups. A climber can greatly improve their climbing abilities and timing if this muscle is regularly exercised and strengthen. Other areas that should be considered when looking to improve your climbing abilities are biceps, forearms, and Gastrocnemius (calves). Gym exercises that will help strengthen these areas are bicep curls, dumbbell wrist flexion, reverse curl, farmer walks, double calf raises, jumping jacks and seal jumps. By strengthening these areas a climber can both improve their climbs as well as their experience when climbing to get the maximum in all aspects of their activity. Another areas that should be seriously considered when climbing is the equipment used when climbing. A good chalk will help maximize grip and help avoid slippage due to sweat. Another item that should be looked into is a proper climbing shoe. Climbing shoes help the climber grip properly onto the side of a wall especially when faced with more slippery surfaces like smoother rocks or interior climbing walls. The grip of the shoe helps add traction in order to propel the climber up the wall with more ease. The extremely curved arch also assists climbers with better accuracy when climbing in order to allow the climber to place the foot in the right spot in order to gain proper support when moving up the wall. This is especially important with climbing as usually the surfaces being used for support are much smaller than typically surfaces and therefore require better accuracy.

This article focuses on the Scarpa Boostic climbing shoe. Scarpa is a popular brand for climbing shoes and hiking boots. They are well known for being both reliable and great for both beginners and experts. We looked at reviews online to get a better idea of what purchasers thought of this product both from a beginners perspective, as well as experts. We also looked at the construction of the shoe in order to determine how well the shoe was designed, how reliable it is and to get an idea of the shoe's durability. Finally, we looked at the materials used for this shoe in order to determine the shoes reliability and fit. This is our review on the Scarpa Boostic climbing shoe. We hope that this product review assists you with your next climbing shoe purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

This product is regularly reviewed as being quite natural feeling
This product is also regularly reviewed as being quite precise
Others found that this product fit snug to the foot
Some found that this product offers good edging

Cons

Some found this product to be a little uncomfortable
Some found this product to be a little expensive for what it is

COMFORT

This product offers a leather upper which hugs to foot naturally. This also offers a better and more snug fit in order to offer more natural movements. This is discussed in more detail below (in the uppers section) but relates to comfort as this will ultimately keep the foot in place, will stop the foot from moving around too much and will offer a more natural step for the wearer. This shoe also offers a fairly aggressive downturn which can cause some discomfort for some climbers depending on both their foot shape, as well as their experience level. Those who are newer to climbing may not appreciate a more aggressive downturn because this could feel a little too intense for their lighter climbs. More experienced climbers may appreciate it. This also makes it harder to walk on flat ground as this shoe is exclusively meant for climbing. This should always be considered when buying this product- it might feel great on the wall, less so on the flat ground. Those who wore this product found some issues with the comfort of this product. Those who didn't like the fit of this shoe found issues with some pressure on the Achilles heel area due to how high the heel runs up the back of the foot, as well as had some issues with the extreme downturn. A couple of reviewers with wider feet and with more experience climbing liked the fit of the shoe. This should be considered when buying this product.

DURABILITY

The upper of this product is made with a mix of synthetics and leather. The leather is a highly durable material that offers weather protection, water protection, as well as wear and tear protection. The leather is a natural material that offers a natural stretch and a better break-in to alternative products. It is regularly used in boots, shoes and climbing equipment for these reasons. Another feature of leather's stretch is that even though it stretches it doesn't have decreased structural integrity as a result. The leather is both strong and naturally stretchy which makes it ideal for the uppers of this type of product. This product also offers a 3.5 mm Vibram outsole which is a highly durable rubber material that is typically used in this type of product as well as running shoes. This is because it is both high abrasion as well as quite 'sticky' which, as discussed in more detail below, allows the climber to grip better to rocks. This offers a better and safer climb for the wearer. Vibram is also extremely durable which means that sharper objects may not penetrate the outsole of this product. Discussed more below, this product is a little pricey and therefore offering a more durable product is quite important as this will extend the longevity of the product and helps justify the price. Overall, this product is quite durable and is made of quality materials which is positive.

FLEXIBILITY

This product offers a fairly aggressive downturn which is usually associated with better edging and higher tension. This allows those wearing this product more power in the two on steeper routes and routes with more overhanging areas. This is positive for those who are doing more intensive climbs, however, do not offer as much flexibility throughout the shoe. This was a point of contention for some wearers as this caused some discomfort when in use. This product is quite stiff in nature which, again, doesn't necessarily mean something negative when it comes to climbing shoes but may mean that those looking for a more natural step when off the wall to look at a different climbing shoe. The soft rubber sole, however, would offer a better level of flexibility and would, therefore, allow for a more natural step. Overall, though the outsole does tend to be a little more flexible, the arch is quite stiff and this needs to be considered before buying. As mentioned a couple times in this article, this may be better suited for those who have a little more experience climbing and are taking these shoes with them on more intensive climbs. This should be considered before buying this product.

HEEL

The heel of this product is listed on their website as offering a precise and snug fit in order to allow the climber's heel to hook properly without having to also lift out of the climber's shoes. This product seems to offer a higher heel which extends up to the climbers Achilles heel. Those who wore this product either loved the heel of this product or hated it and had to return the shoes. This product does offer a fairly aggressive downturn which more experienced climbers (specifically those with wider feet) appreciated, however, those who were newer to climbing really had an issue with. A couple of reviewers had major heel issues with this product because the back of the shoe dug into their Achilles heel and caused some major discomfort for them. One thing to note is several reviewers found that it was important to break these shoes in before really deciding whether or not the shoe works for them. They found that breaking them in made all the difference when it came to the general comfort and fit of the product. Overall, there were mixed reviews in regards to the heel. Though one feature of the heel was agreed upon which is that the heel is quite accurate and snug to the foot which offers better precision when climbing. This is positive.

OUTSOLE

The outsole of this product is made of 3.5 mm Vibram Edge. Vibram Edge specifically was designed for climbing shoes because it offers a better grip to classic Vibram outsoles like the material used in a basic running shoe or a hiking boot. Vibram Edge also offers a firmer feel in order to help climbers with edging and is better for extreme multi-pitches. This product is regularly reviewed as being quite accurate and precise almost to discomfort with some reviewers. This product is ideal for more intensive climbs with potential over-hangs and steeper routes. Vibram is also extremely durable which makes it ideal for areas with sharper objects (like rocks) and for more movement that can cause cracks and tears. This product needs to fit in small, sharp cracks as well which requires the toe area of the product to be quite durable and 'sticky' in order to offer the best climb available to the climber. Overall, those who wore this product appreciated its traction and durability throughout the upper. Those many had issues with the heel and extreme arch of the shoe, very few had issues with the outsole which is positive. This, as well, helps justify the cost of this shoe.

PRICE

The price of this product is a little high. This is justified by the shoes durability as well as the use of the shoe. This product, as mentioned above, is quite durable which means that it will not need to be replaced as frequently. A reminder, this shoe maybe is meant for those who have been climbing for a while and may be more in the advanced area of progression. This product is regularly reviewed as being quite uncomfortable in the heel area especially for those with existing Achilles issues. Those who really liked this product took the time to break them in as well which helped with the shoes overall fit. Overall, this product is quite expensive but is quite durable which justifies the price which is positive.

UPPER

This product offers both synthetic and leather uppers which are common in this type of product because of the combination of these two fabrics have a tighter, more comfortable fit with the structural integrity that adds durability to the shoe. This product is regularly reviewed as fitting tight to the foot which is typically associated with the combination of hook and loop lacing systems and the leather upper. Leather is a weather resistant and highly durable material that also offers a bit of stretch due to it's natural nature. This makes leather ideal for clothing that needs to stretch across bodies while also not offering the lack of structural integrity that a weaker material might offer (like spandex). Those who purchased this product appreciated the snug fit that this product offered as it allowed those wearing the shoe to be more precise with their moment and foot placement. This allows the climber, as mentioned in the opening chapters, to push themselves upward without fear of not being able to properly grip a surface. This, of course, works hand-in-hand with the outsole of the climbing shoe which offers better traction and therefore grip in order to properly hold onto rocks surface. Overall, those who wore this product confirmed that it was snug and precise when worn and in movement which is positive.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is that this product is a good one. The majority of the reviews left about this shoe are quite positive. For the most part, people appreciated the Scarpa Boostic. Many reviewers found that breaking in the shoe was essential especially due to the product aggressive downturn. It is also made of quality materials that are both durable, as well as better for those who are going on more intensive climbs. This also offers better durability with the assistance of what seems to be better construction than comparable shoes. This also helps justify the price which is listed in some reviews as being a little high. The construction of the shoe seems to be good as well, offering good stitching, as well an aggressive curve in the arch which is better for overhands and for gripping rocks. The Vibram outsole is both durable and sticky. Overall, this product is a pretty positive one. The primary issues are pressure on the Achilles heel and the extreme downturn, which again, would be better appreciated by advanced climbers and those with wider feet. This should all be considered before buying this product.