Maverlink the new Speedster?

Does anyone have experiences with these two shoes?  I had the Speedster and loved them, and the Maverlink (although marketted as a youth shoe) is sized up to 42 so I can squeeze in a pair.

Are these essentially the same shoes?  Are there any serious differences that I should be aware of?

Maverlink:  https://www.sportiva.com/activity/activity-climbing/maverink.html

Speedster:  https://www.lasportiva.com/en/speedster 

It looks like you can draw on the Maverinks

Reece Erickson wrote:

It looks like you can draw on the Maverinks

Well that's revolutionary! lol

Never owned the speedster, but I've owned the maverink for a few months, wear them a few times a week, and don't regret taking a chance on them. I picked them up as a comfortable and inexpensive gym shoe, but I just got back from JTree and they did a great job on everything I threw at them in the desert. I brought them out there expecting them to be my casual/comfy/warm up shoes, but ended up wearing them almost the whole time. They did well on everything from Heart of Darkness to Solid Gold. I was pleasantly surprised. 

My favorite shoes are my solutions (sz 42). I got the maverink in a 41.5 and if I had to do it again I'd probably go down a full size to a 41 because they have stretched. They're pretty soft and pliable so if you weigh a lot you might find they're too soft when you edge, but I'm 180lbs and haven't ever felt like they collapsed or lost power when on tiny holds.

My biggest critique is that the heel is not very secure when hooking, but that's been my experience with pretty much every slipper I've ever owned.  The colors are also pretty loud, but that doesn't really bother me either. Never used the markers and don't plan on it.

I too looked for other adults to review them before ordering mine and didn't have much luck, so I hope this has been helpful.

Ryan Valentine wrote:

Never owned the speedster, but I've owned the maverink for a few months, wear them a few times a week, and don't regret taking a chance on them. I picked them up as a comfortable and inexpensive gym shoe, but I just got back from JTree and they did a great job on everything I threw at them in the desert. I brought them out there expecting them to be my casual/comfy/warm up shoes, but ended up wearing them almost the whole time. They did well on everything from Heart of Darkness to Solid Gold. I was pleasantly surprised. 

My favorite shoes are my solutions (sz 42). I got the maverink in a 41.5 and if I had to do it again I'd probably go down a full size to a 41 because they have stretched. They're pretty soft and pliable so if you weigh a lot you might find they're too soft when you edge, but I'm 180lbs and haven't ever felt like they collapsed or lost power when on tiny holds.

My biggest critique is that the heel is not very secure when hooking, but that's been my experience with pretty much every slipper I've ever owned.  The colors are also pretty loud, but that doesn't really bother me either. Never used the markers and don't plan on it.

I too looked for other adults to review them before ordering mine and didn't have much luck, so I hope this has been helpful.

Thanks Ryan!  I found one review from a post on a youtube video saying they were completely different shoes--that the Maverlink is flatter and much softer.  I love slippers for the sock-like feel, so soft and pliable sounds like a winning ticket.  Thanks for the sizing info too--good stuff!

Maverink is deceptive in pics, it's really a flat last. It also has no misole stiffening plastic, it's just 3mm of grip2. Makes teams seem downright stiff. 

I haven't owned speesters, but I have pythons in 39.5, testarossa 39.5 (stupid tight), and skwama in both 39.5 and 40. With on downturn the maverinks just didn't feel precise to me, but that could be because they are so flat that my big toe is actually sitting out further in them. I quite using them in the gym because I didn't feel like I could toe in as well with them. 

They absolutely hands down are amazing on pure friction slab though. I did 5 pitches up to 10+ slab in them when brand new. 

*edit* the maverinks are also 39.5, would have gone 39 if I were doing another pair. I'm a 42 street and measure 26.5cm.

They are as soft as the speedsters and completely flat, the perfect slab shoe and after examination the other day they would probably be good in cracks as well providing they fit that is.

Thanks Nick.  Thanks Seb.  I think I got excited when I saw how similar they appeared to the Speedster.  Now that I know how different they are I think I'll go another direction.  I wish they were still making Pythons or at the very least had Skwama in my size from the factory.  I hear there's a production issue going on at Sportiva for the Skwama.

Sean Hoffecker wrote:

I wish they were still making Pythons or at the very least had Skwama in my size from the factory.  I hear there's a production issue going on at Sportiva for the Skwama.

That makes two of us. I've been using the skwama for most of my gym climbing now that I'm down to one pair of pythons. The skwama is a bit more supportive than I want for a gym shoe, I'm not getting the same strengthening in my foot. 

They have an eco version of the cobra coming out for next year.

Yeah I saw that.  The moccs fit me better than the cobras did, but the pythons were the perfect blend of a true slipper with a strap for hard heel hooks and enough aggression that I could still edge on face climbs and pull with my toes on the steeps.  Plus the comfort was unparalleled for an aggressive shoe.  I'm really hoping the Skwawa continue that trend.

DRusso wrote:

They have an eco version of the cobra coming out for next year.

it seems odd that they are putting the friXion rubber on it though. 

Mitch Lemos wrote:

it seems odd that they are putting the friXion rubber on it though. 

Mitch I totally agree. It looks like its a new eco version of the friXion so they are really pushing the recycled story with this shoe and not really performance.

When I think of a slipper, I expect soft sticky rubber. Frixion definitely isnt that.

DRusso wrote:

They have an eco version of the cobra coming out for next year.

Was talking to a rep a few weeks ago and pythons are getting relaunched as well. 

Oh hell yes!  I would love that provided they stick with the original design and don't put crappy old rubber on them and they keep them leather.  I'm also about being eco-friendly but synthetic leather doesn't stretch around my ultra wide feet.

Sean Hoffecker wrote:

Oh hell yes!  I would love that provided they stick with the original design and don't put crappy old rubber on them and they keep them leather.  I'm also about being eco-friendly but synthetic leather doesn't stretch around my ultra wide feet.

The eco rubber is just rubber cut offs which are then ground up melted down and re-vulcanised. Their frixion rubber would probably still be vibram just branded and possibly formulated by la sportiva. 

Misread your post entirely, should remain natural leather.