Shoe like Scarpa Instinct VS

I currently own the Drago, Furia S, Drago, and Instinct VS.  I have tried Skwamas (good, but stretched a lot), Miura XX (too narrow), Solution (didn't like anything about them), Hiangle (broke twice, were OK all around), Dragon (maybe I went down too much, but the 10 always hurt a bit and the 10.5 had a heel that would slip if the laces were not tightened).

I had the Instinct VSR in a 42 and they stretched out to be fairly flat.  After that I got some VS in 41.5 (same size as my other Scarpas) and they were painful, but broke in to be amazing.  I got a second pair so I could re-sole my first with Grip2, but my biggest pain point (bunion on 2nd in from pinky toe on 1 foot) is awful. It's not really improving. Tried another pair on, same thing. Somehow the first I got didn't cause this.

With that said I really like how all around they are. They edge super well, great precision, can smear a bit, super form fitting heel, not much I don't like.  I use them a ton on granite and small, powerful edges.  Any recommendations for something similar? Doesn't have to be Scarpa, would be great if it was. The last from the Soft Line is perfect, but none of those shoes are known for being strong edgers.

I love the scarpa boostic for serious edging.  Fits my high arched duck feet reasonable well (not well enough for all day trad, but maybe they would if I sized up a bit?)

Have you tried vapor/laces?   Edging machines order tight they stretch a bit and flatten out some.  Great shoes 

Anasazis are similar IMO. Maybe the new pros would be worth a look

Tried the new Anasazi Pro- not for me.  Toebox wasn't right.

I think the LS Kataki performs similar to an Instinct VS with a lower profile toe. Wider at the toe than Sportivas have traditionally been known to be. I quit using my Instincts after I got Katakis, and I recently resoled the Katakis with C4. I currently use Dragos, Chimeras, and Katakis, depending on the terrain.

Brian Abram wrote: I think the LS Kataki performs similar to an Instinct VS with a lower profile toe. Wider at the toe than Sportivas have traditionally been known to be. I quit using my Instincts after I got Katakis, and I recently resoled the Katakis with C4. I currently use Dragos, Chimeras, and Katakis, depending on the terrain.

Have you tried the Katakis on finger cracks? I'm considering them as a successor to my Katana Laces for thin granite cracks and face. Is the toe thin enough?

nkane wrote:

Have you tried the Katakis on finger cracks? I'm considering them as a successor to my Katana Laces for thin granite cracks and face. Is the toe thin enough?

Yes, and they are as good as any shoe I’ve worn on finger cracks, though I’ve never worn Moccasyms. But I can guess they’d be much better than Moccasyms for edging

Brian Abram wrote:

Yes, and they are as good as any shoe I’ve worn on finger cracks, though I’ve never worn Moccasyms. But I can guess they’d be much better than Moccasyms for edging

Rawr

FWIW, I used Katakis exclusively last spring in Indian Creek for crack climbing up to 5.12

Brian Abram wrote: I think the LS Kataki performs similar to an Instinct VS with a lower profile toe. Wider at the toe than Sportivas have traditionally been known to be. I quit using my Instincts after I got Katakis, and I recently resoled the Katakis with C4. I currently use Dragos, Chimeras, and Katakis, depending on the terrain.

How did you size the katakis relative to you instinct VS? Is there any knuckle to the big toe? 

I wear a 44 Instinct VS and 43.5 Kataki. Toes are flatter in the Kataki with just a very slight bend when I first put them on and without standing in them.

Looks like the Otaki would be closest to the Instinct given there is slightly more toe hook rubber- is the fit basically the same between the two?

Karsten Walker wrote: Looks like the Otaki would be closest to the Instinct given there is slightly more toe hook rubber- is the fit basically the same between the two?

I'd day the Otaki might be more similar to the Boostic in stiffness but the shoes do share a very similar downturn profile. The Otaki is a full sole shoe with a lot more edging support though and they will feel more clunky and not as good for bouldering or gym climbing. In reality they are somewhere in between the Instinct VS and Boostic in stiffness. I recently tried on the womens version of the Otaki too, you might want to consider that if you want a little more sensitivity out of it.

I'd try a 1 whole size down in the Otaki or .5 size down in the Katana Lace. They fit is not basically the same between the Otaki and Instinct but some peoples feet might fit both, mine do not. The Instinct VS fits me perfect and is super comfortable. The Otaki I cant wear for more than 15 feet without my toes going numb and the heel is big and bulbous like a solution. I had better luck with the Katana Laces which I wore in size 40.5 before switching to 41 Instincts. I tried a pair of Otakis for a month after Katana Laces and ultimately gave up on Sportiva for the fit and went with Scarpa.

Edit: Also, consider the Instinct Laces. I think I've described them a little to you before but the upper is softer with a different toe patch construction and they feel much different on the top of the toes. I think my friend has a pair he's selling in 41.5 that are the wrong size and like new.

Weird end result: Scarpa's sizing is different for different runs of shoes.  The first pair and third pair of the 41.5 VX fit awesome and have a white/black size label. The 2nd and awful pair has it printed on the inside of the shoe, no label. They are visibly narrower top to bottom in the toe box and shorter horizontally as well.

The printed on the inside is how the have been for me since 2013 or whenever they first came out. Recently I got a new pair with the white label and like them better. The fit is slightly different but was not super noticeable. They heel seemed better constructed and I can wear a bigger size in the new pair for more comfort without a performance loss from a sized up shoe.

Brian Abram wrote: I think the LS Kataki performs similar to an Instinct VS with a lower profile toe. Wider at the toe than Sportivas have traditionally been known to be. I quit using my Instincts after I got Katakis, and I recently resoled the Katakis with C4. I currently use Dragos, Chimeras, and Katakis, depending on the terrain.

Brian, 

One side question about your Kataki, does it still have a solid edging performance and does the shoe feel softer with C4?
I have a pair of Kataki waiting to be resoled and I'm debating between Stealth Onyxx, C4 or XS grip2. 

I haven’t used them enough to say as I’ve been injured since January and am just now starting to climb again. I wanted XSGrip2, for what it’s worth, but they didn’t have it