Don’t use price as your guide. Chat through the type of climbing you do and what you are planning so that we can help you make the best choice.

Once worn in they're an extremely sensitive and comfortable shoe, which can be worn all day either on routes or bouldering Fit The downside to buying online is that you can’t actually get hold of the product to try it out first. While both models are shod with 3.5mm soles of Vibram rubber this is where the similarities end. Firstly, they use different rubber: the Quantic uses XS Edge while the Quantix SF uses XS Grip 2. Unsurprisingly, XS Edge is designed to be slightly firmer, which should help the Quantic hold micro edges. Meanwhile the XS Grip 2 is focused primarily on friction so is slightly softer. The soles and rands on both pairs are wearing well and, noticeably, having had the Quantic (with XS Edge) for a number of months longer than the Quantix SF, its edges are still really sharp and feel great on little edges. I've used them a lot on quarried limestone where edging is the norm and they have been superb.Have also noticed the dead space / loose material just below the laces. Seems a bit of a sloppy design (for my feet anyway) but not sure it’s an issue for climbing. As per my comments on Zenith Quattro within the relatively recent review of the Boreal Beta and Beta Eco, it wasn't - in my opinion - the grippiest; however, it was, in turn, much more durable. You can't have everything and Boreal have designed that compound with longevity in mind. Because climbing shoes are designed to be snug, it's easy to think a shoe is too small when you first try them on, especially if when buying your first pair. Even a super tight shoe should 'break in' after a few weeks of use, but nonetheless it is important not to buy shoes too small. As every model and manufacturer fits slightly differently, we've put together a simple guide to all of our climbing shoes which will help you get the right fit first time. Just add or subtract the recommended number of sizes from your street shoe size for your desired fit. The achilles heel for most slippers is, literally, the heel; and a large part of whether or not you feel they work for you will come down to how they fit your foot shape. If they fit well, they'll work well, if they don't - they won't. Our recommendation, with footwear in particular, is - as always - to try before you buy. The new Vapour V uses Scarpa's 'FR' last, which is the lowest volume in the range. When it comes to width it's realistically on the regular to narrow end of the spectrum. The sizing is - I am happy to say - in line with other Scarpa models, which is usually one (European) size down from your street shoe size.

Haven’t really noticed the heel feeling any different. A bit less volume on the outside so perhaps better for smaller heel hooks. Price – as you’d expect the price of a product can be an instantly recognisable factor on what sort of quality you can expect. Whoever came up with the phrase “you get what you pay for” pretty much hit the nail on the head. Whilst it’s not always the case and there are many bargains to be had, you can as a general rule, expect the higher priced products to offer better quality than a the cheapest option. We’ll dive into the price of Boreal Alpha Men’s Climbing Shoe in more detail in a moment.

Though it's good, the construction of the UP Mocc does feel a little basic. I get the impression this may be an Unparallel thing; it seems as if they make good, functional shoes, but perhaps not necessarily shoes with flourish in terms of their finish. Arguably, one upshot of this is that they're not as expensive as some of the Italian models that are being released, with the UP Mocc coming in at a relatively competitive price in comparison. On the whole, always hard to tell after just a few sessions but I’d say it’s not much different to the original Anasazis (other than the sizing). Then again, I thought the same about the new Anasazis, which some people didn’t like apparently. May be my footwork is so bad that I can’t tell the difference 🤣

Personally I find the Maestro a bit on the soft/flat side, which is the same issue I have with the Anasazi (which I've always wanted to like, but never got on with). I've got pretty high arches, so tend to prefer something a little more downturned and have used a blend of La Sportiva Katana Lace, La Sportiva Otaki, Scarpa Instinct VS, Scarpa Instinct Lace, and Scarpa Boostic over the past few years. When it comes to edging the Boostic really does take some beating, but it's definitely at the higher volume end of the spectrum - particularly when compared to the Katana Lace - which also has a fantastic edging performance. The stiffer Quantic is well designed for edging, while the softer Quantix SF is more secure on smears Differences between the Quantic and Quantix SF In terms of their sport/trad focus it was quite obvious from first use that you were going to have to push very hard through your feet if you wanted to use or rest on a given foothold. This was obvious even to my belayer who commented on how high my heels and the rest of my foot were raised in an effort to maintain pressure, which was - unsuprisingly - quite tiring! If you're off vertical and into overhanging terrain this is less of a problem, but that isn't exactly what I'd envisaged the Vapour V to be best at. Uppers The Engage lace is a medium to narrow width, with a pretty regular volume. Being fully laced, this shoe will adapt to lots of different foot types and you can reduce the volume. However, if you have a wide foot you may struggle. As ever with footwear, try before you buy. Summary:The fit is basically the same between the two models despite the slightly different soles and rands. Scarpa has a massive range of climbing shoes, and one of the interesting ways they distinguish between models is by fit. I'll begin with the things that are similar or the same, then go on to the design features and materials that set the shoes apart from each other. There’s so much information available online when we’re shopping now, that it’s easy to find lots of detail about products like Boreal Alpha Men’s Climbing Shoe. This is of course really helpful, but there’s almost too much information available, so it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for. I definitely do not find the Alpha broad, at all. I think it's fair to say I've always felt Boreal shoes come out narrow. Perhaps it's partly a toe profile thing in this instance, and the fact I down-sized clearly hasn't helped, but on me they are very close throughout, so much so that I cannot imagine a size larger feeling suddenly wide in comparison.