Anybody used the evolv general?

Anybody had a chance to climb in a pair. How do they compare to the tc pros?

Theyre a little less aggressive, definitely warmer and comfy.  I sized mine up half a size from my laspo's, rep said they don't stretch much.

TC Pro are already not aggressive as they are, how much less aggressive would the General need to be to be less than that? I imagine upturned toes and rounded edges...

adeadhead wrote: Theyre a little less aggressive, definitely warmer and comfy.  I sized mine up half a size from my laspo's, rep said they don't stretch much.

At least according to Evolv, the general is much more aggressive than the TC's.  TC's are flat lasted, whereas the evolv website says that the general has a "slight camber in the arch and downturned at the big toe for front pointing and pocket pulling".

Definitely a bit more aggressive, and very tight. I went with my true size, and could probably have gone up a half size if I wanted to wear them all day, or if you are doing a lot of crack climbing. My toes are still curled a little as it is. Just been using them for single/2 pitch stuff so it hasn't been an issue. I'm a big fan!

If anyone has tried the Evolv Supra, the General is based off of the same last as that shoe.  I talked to Kurt "The General" Smith at an Evolv demo at my gym recently and he told me that.  I tried it at another demo in the gym and my impression was that it's a really nice shoe.  The gym really wasn't the best place to test the shoe for what it was designed for, but I could still tell it was cool.

The down camber gives you a lot of power on your toes for edging.  It's also very stiff and has their new edging rubber Trax XE.  The split tongue material isn't as plush as other Evolv models, but it is still quite comfy and seems like it would breathe better since it's not as thick.  Also, I didn't get a chance to try the toe patch out, specifically for how it works when jamming.

I'd be interested if anyone who used the former Evolv high-top model, the Astroman, has tried the General and can compare them. At an Evolv demo a while ago the rep described the General as "the new version of the Astroman" but my sense is he just meant it's their new high top. 

Señor Arroz wrote: I'd be interested if anyone who used the former Evolv high-top model, the Astroman, has tried the General and can compare them. At an Evolv demo a while ago the rep described the General as "the new version of the Astroman" but my sense is he just meant it's their new high top. 

Not like the Astroman at all.  Compared to the Astroman, the heel is way better fitting (snugger, with no dead space in the bottom), different split tongue material, and then it's got the extra features like the down camber and toe patch.  It also is built on a completely different last than the Astroman.  The leather on the inside also feels different.

The generals are definitely more aggressive than the TC Pros. They're very stiff and slightly downturned. I sized mine so they're compressive, but I can wear them for several hours at a time easily.

I prefer to climb technical slab and edgy vertical. I haven't worn a better shoe than the general for that. The padded toe also makes foot jams really comfortable in cracks.

I've worn them on slab up to 5.12c, 12b overhangs, and some gym boulders of various angles and difficulties. They are sick though. I've had mine since last June, but they are still kicking--even after some huuge days. Was able to do TWZ in Potrero (23 pitches) with only one shoe-break if that says at all how comfy they are. They fit exactly the same as the Supra, but are higher on the ankle so the heel can dig a little into your Achilles before they break in. Great for edging, cracks, and slab. Not really a sport/boulder/gym shoe though.
Hope this helps!

I've had them for a couple months now and used them in Indian Creek and Eldorado Canyon. Mostly on pure crack routes. I really dig them so far and would be close to saying I prefer them to the TC Pro. I'm a pretty moderate climber so the more aggressive last doesn't factor in quite so much but on the few face climbs I've done It does actually seem like they edge a little better than the TC Pros. The stiffness and downturn is not that noticeably pronounced over the TCs though. They're pretty comfortable and dreamy in cracks and I'm hoping more durable than TCs.

The sizing is crazy - I wear a 10.5 street shoe and after break in have a super snug, flat foot fit with an 11. Almost went with an 11.5 and I wear a 42.5 in TCs. It's also worth noting that they look really rad. I will most likely re-up on these rather than going back to TCs. 

Ed VanDeventer wrote: I've had them for a couple months now and used them in Indian Creek and Eldorado Canyon. Mostly on pure crack routes. I really dig them so far and would be close to saying I prefer them to the TC Pro. I'm a pretty moderate climber so the more aggressive last doesn't factor in quite so much but on the few face climbs I've done It does actually seem like they edge a little better than the TC Pros. The stiffness and downturn is not that noticeably pronounced over the TCs though. They're pretty comfortable and dreamy in cracks and I'm hoping more durable than TCs.

Really? I took one look them and decided I didn't need the toe profile of a mountaineering boot in a crack shoe. Which bummed me out, cause the TC pro doesn't really fit me, but I keep making it fit because there is no other shoe like it. Had high hopes for this shoe until I saw the toe profile in person...

rkrum wrote:

Really? I took one look them and decided I didn't need the toe profile of a mountaineering boot in a crack shoe. Which bummed me out, cause the TC pro doesn't really fit me, but I keep making it fit because there is no other shoe like it. Had high hopes for this shoe until I saw the toe profile in person...

It wasn't made to be specifically a crack shoe.  The Addict would be your best choice for straight up cracks.  The big thing this shoe was made to address was technical face climbing so it can compete with the TC pro in terms of performance.  The previous high top, the Astroman, was really comfy for jamming but couldn't handle technical face climbing as well.  Lots of people wear TC pros for it's famed edging ability rather than jamming prowess, so the Astroman couldn't compete.  That's what Evolv went for with this shoe, though it seems they were able to still make it comfy for cracks with the added toe patch rubber and padding under the toe.

So it sounds like yet another high top that can't jam thin hands to finger pods for shit? Why can't anyone make a high top that doesn't have a bulky as hell toe? There are routes with offwidth and finger cracks on different pitches............guess I'll keep taping my ankles. 

rkrum wrote:

Really? I took one look them and decided I didn't need the toe profile of a mountaineering boot in a crack shoe. Which bummed me out, cause the TC pro doesn't really fit me, but I keep making it fit because there is no other shoe like it. Had high hopes for this shoe until I saw the toe profile in person...

I could be wrong but I would say the toe profile is comparable to the TC as far as the height. And you're right that makes it not so favorable for anything .75 and down. Although I would say there's a little more chisel to the toe where the TC is more rounded. I've had better luck with the sort of hybrid jam/smear foot work.

Ed VanDeventer wrote:

I could be wrong but I would say the toe profile is comparable to the TC as far as the height.

Sorry, but you are wrong. I've compared them side by side and visually the General's toe box height is about 150% of the TC Pro, maybe more. It felt massive. Out of the box they were quite uncomfortable and super stiff. Sizing up helped but they just don't work for my foot shape. If they fit you well I think they are a good option as mentioned for techy edging or friendly hand cracks. They felt even stiffer than the TC Pro when comparing both brand new.  

I have fairly wide feet, which is why I was looking at them in the first place. I couldn't find them anywhere, and was planning a climb in Zion in a couple days (Iron Messiah - fantastic route!)

So I just drove to Backcountry's retail store in SLC where I tried them on, and, to be honest they felt a bit uncomfortable. I bought them anyway because if these didn't work, I don't think anything would.

I ended up keeping them on for the full 9-pitch climb except for one belay and they were awesome! I love the rubber coming up a bit higher over the toes (not sure why every trad shoe doesn't do that), they excelled in even the most narrow of cracks (given that I haven't used them on many cracks smaller than 0.5 camalot) and the rubber and sole are sticky and stiff enough to work on occasional thin edges. I haven't smeared much with them, but they didn't slip at all in the few instances where I tried.

Overall, I couldn't be happier! They're a great pair of shoes and I can't see myself ever buying a different type for trad climbing.

I just demoed them at my gym last night. So not quite the same mileage as Alex's review above. My primary multi-pitch shoe is a pair of Evolv Astromans. The predecessor to this shoe.

I was practicing in the hand cracks at my gym using both little foot chips AND foot in the crack. The shoes did okay as a foot cam in the crack. Torqued in nicely and held. Kind of stiff in the sole but that made a nice platform. I don't think I could have wedged them into anything smaller than a full hand crack, though. Toe seems a bit chunky to get into any kind of finger cracks. 

The shoes actually edged nicely on small holds. That surprised me. They were reasonably comfortable but not as comfortable as my Astromans. I'm sure as they break in they'd get better.

Where they absolutely sucked was trying to smear at all. This was on a very textured gym wall that is much grippier than most rock. The downturned front of the shoe really wanted to skate and didn't make enough surface contact. It was almost like trying to smear in a pair of Shamans.

I'm sure they're good shoes. I'm no longer in a big hurry to replace my Astromans, though, and will probably just resole those when it's time.

The total inability to smear is interesting.. Smearing and smedging was all the astroman was good for, couldn't edge worth shit once broken in. With the smidge of downturn in the toe, I would have thought it would only get better at that sort of thing..