Iâm a beginner climber and I got Evolv Shamans in my street size a few weeks ago since I read good reviews about them and I got them pretty cheap as they were in the discounted section of my local climbing shop, but only in that size. Theyâve been great at allowing me to stand on small edges and get better height on my toes due to the thick rand, but they hurt like hell to wear, making the benefits I gain from using them somewhat moot, as Iâm not able to climb and improve as much as Iâd like to.
Iâve been wearing them around the house in addition to the gym in the hopes of breaking them in quicker (Iâve had to wear plastic bags on my feet to prevent blisters on my heels and toes from excessive friction) and I noticed they donât really seem to have broken in that much and still hurt my toes a lot (especially the tops of my big toes), so Iâd like some recommendations for the next pair that I get.
I have Mortonâs toe/Greek feet and my feet are probably wider and less-arched than average. Iâd like to get a more comfortable pair for long gym sessions, so I think Iâd prefer lace-up shoes in the future. Iâve narrowed my choices down to the Scarpa Veloce L and the OcĂșn Advancer LU, both of which are lace-up, apparently suited for Greek feet, and are vegan. Iâd appreciate some comparisons if people have experience with them, or if you have recommendations for other shoes that might suit my criteria better, please share them too!
