Scarpa Vapor V
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A review of the Scarpa Vapor V from Drew Thayer: |
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good catch! Thanks! |
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in contrast to the review ive found the vapor to have a fairly WIDE toe box |
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I like how low volume Scarpas are but I do find them uncomfortably narrow in the toe box compared to Sportiva shoes (Solution, Miura VS for example). This is comparing size 40 in Sportiva to Vapor V 40.5-old orange ones, Instinct VS 41, Boostic 40.5). I actually sold Katana laces for being a little too narrow, cramped, and stiff in the toe box in my normal Sportiva size so I can see how they compare more similarly. |
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caughtinside wrote:Yeah, I would also call the Vapor V a medium to wide toe box. They fit me much better than either the Anasazi velcro or the Katana velcro. Wider than sportiva for sure, except for the solution. These are my go to shoes these days and I cycle through a few pairs. One thing I've noticed is the rubber that comes on them is not as good as Stealth. For years I thought vibram XS whatever was just fine but having worked a few projects with two pairs of vapors, one with vibrate and the other with stealth, I was surprised at how much better I felt on crap feet with the stealth. Also, the factory rubber is really thin. I think it's like a 3.2mm vs the 4mm I get the resole with. Minor gripes. I really like these shoes, I consider my foot on the wide side, and somewhat asymmetrical. These things edge pretty well, but for super edging power I have a pair of Magos in the same size. I don't like the fit of the magos as much but in the forefoot where it counts they fit well and those things are stiff. I also have some boostics in .5 euro size up which are comfy and good where you don't need to edge hard. Slab? Every shoe hurts on slab so far as I can tell. *my experience is with the old orange model. Haven't tried the new ones yet and don't know what changes they've made.maybe its because you sized up, but the boostics are stiffer and edge better than the vapor v's in the same size for me. I also have a wide foot and they definitely have a wide toebox. If you want them to grip like stealth, get them resoled in vibram xs grip2 instead of the xs edge |
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comparing size 40 in Sportiva to Vapor V 40.5-old orange ones, Instinct VS 41, Boostic 40.5). |
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The rubber on these seem extraordinarily harder. Hard to go back to my Evolvs that fit a little more comfortably... Something I'm willing to give up for that extra advantage. |
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I have owned quite a few pairs of Scarpas and these were my least favorite. I owned two pairs of Visions (the predecessor to this show) and a pair of Vision laceups. |
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Mine are fine so far ... Just sent a pair off for resole |
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Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I wanted to write about the old 2014 model Scarpa Vapor V in women's blue (same model but blue of first pic). When I was breaking them in, I couldn't find much info that they would stretch, so in case anyone else hoarding shoes / finds New old stock, I just wanted this info out there. Yes, they do stretch, probably 1/2 size. But I tinkered with mine. |
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Ana Tine wrote:Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I wanted to write about the old 2014 model Scarpa Vapor V in women's blue (same model but blue of first pic). When I was breaking them in, I couldn't find much info that they would stretch, so in case anyone else hoarding shoes / finds New old stock, I just wanted this info out there. Yes, they do stretch, probably 1/2 size. But I tinkered with mine. I wear a size 35 shoe (3-3.5 men's, 4.5-5 womens) and got them in size 35. I wear a size 33.5 in Miura VS. At first, they felt like they were cutting my Achilles tendon off. So I cut that slingshot thing with a boxcutter so the lorica could stretch. It was still too tight, so I made a few more slits and peeled the rubber between the slits off. It still felt tight for a while, then after like 10 gym sessions suddenly I realized... they felt absolutely perfect. Even though they are synthetic lorica, they did stretch. People describe them as a Scarpa's answer to La Sportiva's Miura VS, and I sort of agree. The soles feel are a bit stiffer than my Miuras but still sensitive, and feet grab onto small things without feeling insecure, like some of my other shoes. Feel very secure. I have these with XS edge (later they were made with XS grip.... um I got those also). Now that they are broken into the perfect amount, they are amazing, and I want to save them. Time to break in another pair of shoes now.Curious how these would compare the to katana laces? I love the performance of katana laces for edging, smedging, and smearing, and they're super comfy. However, they don't fit the shape of my foot very well and I'd rather have a velcro or slipper than lace. I climbed in the muira VS for a few weeks and I liked them, although I'd prefer slightly less aggressive downturn. |
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eli poss wrote: Curious how these would compare the to katana laces? I love the performance of katana laces for edging, smedging, and smearing, and they're super comfy. However, they don't fit the shape of my foot very well and I'd rather have a velcro or slipper than lace. I climbed in the muira VS for a few weeks and I liked them, although I'd prefer slightly less aggressive downturn.I moved from the Katana velcro (which differs from the lace?) to Vapor V's. Vapors are a little more aggressively downturned, a little softer, a lot wider in the forefoot, less tension in the heel, slightly wider heal, less pointy... It's a very different shape fer sure. I could only fit in the Katanas by sizing them too big (they're too narrow for me at the "right" length), which made for a floppy heel and a roomy forefoot, once things stretched just a bit. If they weren't as stiff as they are, they'd be useless. I've been climbing with them a little lately, and the shape just feels weird to me after a few sessions as I'm now used to the Vapors - they feel really flat, and too long for how wide I need them. I'm sure for someone else they'd be perfect, but I don't know if Vapor V's are in someone's quiver next to their Katanas. Next shoe I will get would be another pair of Vapors, for sure. Not the best trad shoe, obv. |
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Y'all are getting the katanas and the katana laces mixed up. The velcros are a basic intro shoe while the laces are much better shoes and ever so slightly downturned. I've used the velcro katanas and I'm not a huge fan. I'll have to look into the anasazis. |
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eli poss wrote:Y'all are getting the katanas and the katana laces mixed up. The velcros are a basic intro shoe while the laces are much better shoes and ever so slightly downturned. I've used the velcro katanas and I'm not a huge fan. I'll have to look into the anasazis.If the Katana Lace & Katana Velcros are different shoes, then I can't be much help because I don't have the Katana Lace. I do see that Katana Lace is more downturned. I have the miura lace though... Plus I don't have a Morton toe at all. Sounds like LongRanger had good info. |
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Katana lace and velcro are only similar in name. Katana velcro crushes my pinky toe, rand puts way too much pressure on the achilles, and the lower heel is stupidly baggy even sized tight. |
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Beware with dubious claims that this shoe edges, heel hooks, etc better than the Miura VS or whatever other shoe. I have had my Vapor V's resoled twice because they became so comfortable, but the heel has *always* been baggy, and is the number one complaint I hear about them and Scarpas in general. Also, they have a split sole design, sacrificing edging power for flexibility for overhangs. That being said, the toe on the Miura is objectively more aggressive. The Miura also is a one piece sole, with a much more rigid, narrow heel, with actual Vibram rubber on it, not whatever slick stuff Scarpa puts on the Vapor heel. The toe pad on top of the Vapor is nice, but is out classed by nearly every other top-toe rubber I've tried, excluding obviously those that don't have any, a la Miura, Anasazi, etc. This is still my go to warm up shoe, slab shoe, and even wide feet crack for a pitch or so, and I find myself wearing them for the first 15-20 problems or 3-4 leads in the gym before switching to the Miuras for a more technical, aggressive shoe. Just my opinion, but the heel is garbage, and the toe does not stay aggressive for long, but it is very comfortable. |