The Scarpa Crux is the most climbing oriented footwear in my test of the best scrambling shoes, and my personal favourite for its balance of comfort on approach and technical features while scrambling.
The standout features on the Scarpa Crux are the gripping power on both wet and dry rock by virtue of the softer, stickier Vibram Megagrip sole compound, and the fit, which works in tandem with that grip to keep you in touch with the terrain and engenders a lot of confidence moving around. The grip on rock is really impressive, and conversely the lugs are short and there’s no heel brake, so you’ll have less traction on wet vegetation.
David Lintern’s Best in Test
I’ve often struggled with approach footwear in the past – it’s either been too stiff or not precise enough. With the Crux, I think I may have found the solution for me- Grippy rubber on wet rock
- Re-soleable
- Excellent lacing
- No heel brake
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £145 Weight: 888g (pair size 10.5) Pros: Grippy rubber on wet rock, re-soleable, excellent lacing. Cons: no heel brake Materials: Suede upper, Dual density midsole, mesh tongue, Vibram Megagrip sole Features: Vibram Megagrip sole Sizes: UK7-14.5 Women’s version: yes www.scarpa.co.uk |
The last (shoe shape) works well for my wide forefoot, narrow heel, and my toe is right where it needs to be for the precise placement needed on more technical ground. The midsole helps here too. It’s stiff enough to provide a good platform on awkward or slippery edges, but thin enough that the foot is close to point of contact. Crucially, I don’t need to tense my toes when moving up – something which can be hugely fatiguing in poorly fitted scrambling footwear.
The upper on the Scarpa Crux is a dense suede, as is the toe rand, while the heel rand appears to be leather. Alongside a mesh upper, this means a cool running shoe, but be warned there is no membrane, so feet may get wet on boggy approaches. The suede and lack of wraparound rand may also impact on durability, longer term. The lacing is excellent and down to the toe, with mostly fabric eyelets that ‘catch’ on the laces and allow for micro adjustments.
I’ve often struggled with approach footwear in the past – it’s either been too stiff or not precise enough. With the Scarpa Crux, I think I may have found the solution for me.
Written and tested by David Lintern
David walked and scrambled over the autumn and winter in his selection, in and around the Cairngorms, and specifically at his local crag (in between storms and snow), which has both trad and sport climbs of all grades and plenty of vegetated terraces and greasy rock to explore in between.
