Best climbing shoe for Devils Lake? And why?

I've been thinking a lot lately about the lake and getting back on some projects of mine, and then I thought about my shoe arsenal and what the optimum shoe for the job is. Depending on the route or boulder can influence my choice in climbing shoe. So just curious, what is everyone's preferred shoe for sending at the lake and why? Please share reasons and/or stories that make you love your shoes the way you do.

well, since you had to ask, anything Scarpa......

Nice jon....nice.

Having not used it yet, the Feroce does look nice for the lake. There's your plug, jon. Missed you this week at Alliant.

ok, really. I have been using the Techno since last summer at the lake and I like it for the "Trad" routes. Once you "break in" the rubber and get it all scuffed up, it works great on the stone, but they can be a bit slippery (even for the lake) brand new in my experiences. Missed you too, steve.

You guys seen this article?

spadout.com/r/climbing-rubb…

I know its nothing geared specifically toward the lake but I feel you obviously want the stickiest shoes possible on the slick quartzite.

Gentleman, Anasazi Velcro is pure money, worn tight, very tight.
As some of you may know I like to wander into the "Death Zone" from time to time and I literally trust the Anasazi with my life.

Paul Campbell wrote:You guys seen this article? spadout.com/r/climbing-rubb… I know its nothing geared specifically toward the lake but I feel you obviously want the stickiest shoes possible on the slick quartzite.

I wouldn't base any decisions on those tests. Spadout seems to be specializing in testing of questionable relevance to reality with no statistical measures of reliability. Their testing of belay devices was totally thrashed on rc.com, and the rubber tests have been worked over on Super Topo.

I can't recommend any one shoe, but my memory of DL is that edging is the predominant technique, so I'd think about something relatively stiff. Beyond that, how it fits your foot matters more than the brand.

"......how it fits your foot matters more than the brand."
Thanks rgold, for totally ruining a perfectly good thing to argue about. I hope your happy.
I change my vote to Petzl Sarkens.

The sarkens edge like no other.....

Get fuuked and go barefoot!

That's the spirit Hank. But......my climbing gym requires shirt and shoes or else no service! It's just a matter of time before the parks require the same (sigh...)
I think I'll go solo something naked.....

Historically, spanning the last 15 or so years.... The Five Ten brand has way outsold any other brand, locally. Stealth C4 having a very good reputation for tack, with quartzite. Stealth C4 is a common choice on local's resoles as well.
Best selling shoes in Baraboo:
1.5-10 Coyote - $80 cheap, durable. Pete Clevelend climbs in Coyote's
2.5-10 Galileo - Popular performance upgrade
3.LaSportiva Mythos - Popular shoe for the trad local, also very popular with women.

Of course, all these models can be purchased at the local climbing shop - Wildside

I haven't tried to many shoes at the lake. But my favorite so far is the Evolve Pontas Laceup. They edge like nobodies business. I can stand on the smallest of footholds and feel secure. They also seem to grip really well to the quartzite.

one that fits?

Call me crazy, but I like a down-turned shoe for hard climbing at the lake. So many cruxes involve stepping to a high foothold and rocking your weight to that foot. The down-turn allows you to pull with that high foot which makes the weight shift easier.

Now if I were to venture into the "death zone" then it would certainly be on an easier route. In that case a flat shoe would be fine.

Steve was talking about a DT shoe for the lake too. I tried some Testarossas once that I thought fit perfectly but they were crap for small edges and thus I sold them to Thune.
The Scarpa Feroce is slightly down turned so I think I'll try that next.

The "Death Zone" can be on a 5.6, it's all relative! There's 5.6 at the lake that has some awful feet I'm sure. For clarification I was trying to be over-dramatic.

Oh! how about shoes that stretch (Scarpa, 5.10, La Sportiva) vs non-stretch (Evolve)?

I think the down-turned shoe also needs to edge well. Some DT shoes are just too floppy to be useful on the dime edges. Maybe the Testarosas are like that. I know my old V10's were way too soft. The science of the down turn has progressed so much that these days you can get an aggressive shoe that actually edges well.

In general, I think DT shoes actually change the way I climb. It's a bit of a shock to go back to a flat shoe and find that you can't pull on the holds and that you just have to stand on them.

Nick Rhoads wrote: The "Death Zone" can be on a 5.6, it's all relative! There's 5.6 at the lake that has some awful feet I'm sure. For clarification I was trying to be over-dramatic.

These days, the only time I push the boat out is on something waay easy. And even then I'm sweating the whole experience. Maybe I'm just growing up, but I'd rather have a fat glue-in or a bomber cam at my waist at all times. But back in the day...

BTW, this has nothing to do with my shoes, but rather with my fully formed amygdala.

For bouldering, tight ones, for a bunch of moderates comfy ones, and if you're Eric Z, wingtips(they apparently edge better than any of us think). Although I haven't seen him wear any lately I know he keeps a pair in his pack.

I climb in the Five-Ten Anasazi A2 lace-ups. They edge extremely well and are a good all-round shoe on steep climbs.

Jay Knower wrote: BTW, this has nothing to do with my shoes, but rather with my fully formed amygdala.

Wait, Jay, are you saying you are smarter than me? Cause you're not. Sarkens edge the best!

We climbed at the lake today, someone said you on-sighted Donkey Dihedral? Confirm or deny? If so, what shoes did you use?