How well would 5.10 stealth "paint" work to create some shoes for walk offs?

Hey Guys,

I have a pair of Exums for actual approaches. Unfortunately they are pretty heavy boots and I would not really want to carry them up a multi pitch that has a walkoff (I am thinking Tahquitz).

Does anyone have any experience using this:

beta.backcountry.com/five-t…

On some light weight shoes just to make a "walk off" shoe? I have an extra pair of converses that I was going to use it on.

hey Ben.

I have experience using the stealth paint, but I just use it for quick superficial fixes on the rubber of my climbing shoes (e.g. partial separation of the sole from the rand, etc.) To be honest, it really is not very durable and I was expecting a more long lasting solution when I first bought it. Just by the way it wears with the small fixes I use it for, I can not imagine it being a great solution to coat a "non-sticky" pair of shoes for any period of time because after a descent or two it'll probably be peeling off/wearing funny and might just waste a nice pair of shoes. (especially the way converse soles are designed with the pattern on the rubber, the stealth paint just won't last)

Converse by themselves would honestly be fine, maybe not preferred though, on the Tahquitz descent as long as the slabs aren't wet or something. I'd just wear a beater pair of new balance or something before converse though. I always just bring up my Teva sandals, and a lot of my partners just use sandals or something like the 5.10 guide tennies. Definitely not the best protection since I seem to stub my toes a lot ;) but that's my preferred Tahquitz descent (and approach!) shoes for the friction or the n. gully.

Not sure it would be all that great for soles. its basically a epoxy type glue that you mix ground rubber into. It works great for filling in small holes and adding extra coverage for toe rands and such but would wear off rather fast if you were walking around on it.

Did it with a pair of Vans. Really great idea, but it only lasted for about a full day of scrambling. Does work well for was it is intended for though. Patched up a pair of Galileos that were really close to blowing out. Kept them in shape for a couple weeks before I had the chance to send them to get resoled.

Its such a gimmick. All it is is rubber shavings...think like pencil eraser shavings after you used it on half a page of paper and a small tube of rubber cement. Your better off buying a tub of rubber cement and taking a cheese grater to the sole of a pair of old shoes.

Read wrote:Not sure it would be all that great for soles. its basically a epoxy type glue that you mix ground rubber into. It works great for filling in small holes and adding extra coverage for toe rands and such but would wear off rather fast if you were walking around on it.

Epoxy: 2 part adhesive that cures when the two compounds are mixed which makes a very rigid brittle connection.

Rubber/ Contact Cement: 1 part adhesive that dries, and creates an very flexible connection. (What is in the kit)

two VERY different adhesives

The Stealth Paint kit is best on fabrics where the rubber cement can really "soak" into the fabric and get a good hold. When it's on a slick surface (like the soles and rands) it will stick for a little but that's not really what it's great for. I have used it extensively on both surfaces and the fabric bits are still going after almost 2 years, while on the rubber surfaces it detached/ flaked in less than a couple months.

If the descent were under a mile I'd just wear my climbing shoes. Unless you're climbing 5.12+ you don't need tight shoes. If the descent were longer I'd buy a cheap pair of crocs. Weigh nothing and surprisingly good traction. If you hit a sketchy section you can always put the climbing shoes back on for a bit.

Chris Norwood wrote:hey Ben. I have experience using the stealth paint, but I just use it for quick superficial fixes on the rubber of my climbing shoes (e.g. partial separation of the sole from the rand, etc.) To be honest, it really is not very durable and I was expecting a more long lasting solution when I first bought it. Just by the way it wears with the small fixes I use it for, I can not imagine it being a great solution to coat a "non-sticky" pair of shoes for any period of time because after a descent or two it'll probably be peeling off/wearing funny and might just waste a nice pair of shoes. (especially the way converse soles are designed with the pattern on the rubber, the stealth paint just won't last) Converse by themselves would honestly be fine, maybe not preferred though, on the Tahquitz descent as long as the slabs aren't wet or something. I'd just wear a beater pair of new balance or something before converse though. I always just bring up my Teva sandals, and a lot of my partners just use sandals or something like the 5.10 guide tennies. Definitely not the best protection since I seem to stub my toes a lot ;) but that's my preferred Tahquitz descent (and approach!) shoes for the friction or the n. gully.

What he said. The stealth paint would peel off super fast. Don't waste your money or your converses on it.

As for the Tahquitz descent, any old pair of running shoes works just fine. It really isn't that bad of a downclimb. Sticky rubber is a plus, but in no way necessary. Just remember how many thousands of times those routes got climbed and descended before sticky rubber existed.

Alternatively, when I lived in Idyllwild, I used to do the Tahquitz descent barefoot fairly regularly. Your feet need to be toughened up for it to be OK, but it is a liberating feeling to top out a long route, take off your shoes, and walk off barefoot. also, it is nice to not need to carry extra shoes.

Used it to repair toes on my construction boots. Didn't last a whole day. It's better for small touch ups. Won't adhere to really anything but rubber.

The resole kits are a much better choice. Get the Guide Tennie version with Dot rubber and scramble away...

mountaintools.com/cat/rclim…

definitely go with the dot rubber sole instead. a friend and i did this with our flip flops a few years ago and it worked really well.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I am probably just going to get a pair of descent shoes =) Thanks for the input!

outdoorgearlab.com/Approach…

I use a pair of Sanuk Base camps. They have Evolv rubber soles which is super sticky on rock. They have a velcro closure which you can crank down for descents. Plus they are much lighter than any other descent shoe. I would do technical climbing in them but I have done some easy slabs and pretty much all my descents in them. Then I just keep them on for the bar. Super light and they are cheaper than an "official" descent shoe.

What about just having your Converse resoled with some C4 or something?

What size is your foot ben?

Size 12 Wade! You need to get down South here soon...

Were you just going to paint your feet, Ben? That would have been rad.

jon apprill wrote:Unless you're climbing 5.12+ you don't need tight shoes.

not necessarily

I ended up going with the Evolv Cruzers. I cannot reccomend them highly enough. Fabulous pair of shoes.

It seems like only yesterday that JohnL proposed his paper, burnable walk off shoes.

I wish we had that kind of technology Stich. Alas, much like hoverboards and jetpacks we will have to keep waiting.