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Replacement for Five Ten Camp Four Approach Shoe - Seeking Something Similarly Burly

Original Post
jaredj · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 165

I'm in WA state and climb / scramble / mountaineer locally.   For the past few years I've been very happy with a quiver of footwear consisting of Brooks Cascadia for hiking / long trail miles / snow-free stuff, and the Five Ten Camp Four for schwackier / slighthly snowier / slightly steeper objectives (I have Scarpa Charmoz for materially snowier springtime / winter stuff).  I'm seeking a replacement for my worn out Five Ten Camp Fours.  What I'd like:

 - leather uppers, ideally not Gore Tex
- sole that is on the stiffer side
- "Supportive":  willing to trade off 5th class performance in favor of comfort for long miles and boulder fields

I'm not wedded to the marketing category of "approach shoe".

Things I'm considering:

La Sportiva TX4
La Sportiva TX Guide (maybe not sufficiently "diversified away" from my Cascadias )
Scarpa Zen Pro
Scarpa Mescalito
Salewa MTN Trainer

I'd love to hear from prior fans of the Camp Four about what they're using these days.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

I used the Camp 4 for years. Very supportive and durable, just never thst comfortable. Tried on a pair of the Scarpa Zen and still not very comfortable. Didn't buy them.

Got a pair of Scarpa Crux. Ah, finally comfort! Not as stiff, probably not as durable, but...comfortable! I had read some negative reviews about them, talking about problems with the tongue slipping off to the side, but this hasn't happened.

Trinidad Collier · · Denali, AK · Joined May 2019 · Points: 35

I’ve got the scarpa geckos and I absolutely love them. Pretty much the only shoes I wear.

Travis S · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2018 · Points: 70

La Sportiva boulder x perhaps?

Matt Himmelstein · · Orange, CA · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 194

I have the TX4 and love it.

Brandon.Phillips · · Portola, CA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 55

A few years ago I had a pair of Salewa MTN Trainers and ended up getting rid of them. They are a solid, well-made shoe, but have two big downsides: They are incredibly narrow in the toe box and will likely feel very uncomfortable if you like the fit of 5.10 shoes.  I would also say that the sole is too rigid.  They had almost no flex walking downhill and I ended up with very sore feet at the end of the day.  The sole was so rigid that they felt more like a low cut mountaineering boot.  I used them on for approaches in the Tetons for a 3-week trip and then got rid of them as soon as I got back from Wyoming.  I had originally got them to pair with aluminum crampons on an attempt at the grand traverse.  I assumed they would handle well with light crampons because of the rigid sole, but the drawbacks of the rigidity when hiking outweighed that, especially since I do a lot more hiking in approach shoes than crossing crampon necessary snowfields in approach shoes. 

jaredj · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 165
Brandon.Phillips wrote: A few years ago I had a pair of Salewa MTN Trainers and ended up getting rid of them. They are a solid, well-made shoe, but have two big downsides: They are incredibly narrow in the toe box and will likely feel very uncomfortable if you like the fit of 5.10 shoes.  I would also say that the sole is too rigid.  They had almost no flex walking downhill and I ended up with very sore feet at the end of the day.  The sole was so rigid that they felt more like a low cut mountaineering boot.  I used them on for approaches in the Tetons for a 3-week trip and then got rid of them as soon as I got back from Wyoming.  I had originally got them to pair with aluminum crampons on an attempt at the grand traverse.  I assumed they would handle well with light crampons because of the rigid sole, but the drawbacks of the rigidity when hiking outweighed that, especially since I do a lot more hiking in approach shoes than crossing crampon necessary snowfields in approach shoes. 

Thanks, this is the kind of feedback I'm seeking.   I fondled a pair of Garmont Dragontails and it was the same thing, just seemed like a 3-season mountain boot cut off below the ankle.  

Doug Chism · · Arlington VA · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 55

Switched to Scarpa Zen Pro, love them. The only thing I dont like is they have eyelets instead of eye-hooks on the ankle. I noticed they switched on the Mescalito Mid, so thats my next shoe. 

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103

I used to like the Scarpa Zen, but when they changed to the Zen pro they made the heel more shallow, which really bugs my feet (haglunds deformities).  I have switched over the TX4 and absolutely love them.

RandyLee · · On the road · Joined May 2016 · Points: 246

You might like the LaSportiva TX5s. They’re a little more boot-like without going as far as the Trangos, but still have sticky rubber. I basically lived in them the last couple of years in Alaska plus traveling to jungles and the like for work, unless I needed something beefier - Xtra Tufs or Nepals, usually.  I prefer the TX Guides for climbing and running, but they’re not as water resistant and don’t have the same ankle support. 

Will M · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2016 · Points: 215

I've been scrambling and climbing in my TX Guides for nearly a month now and they are unbelievable. It's like they've blended the climbing of a TX2 and the comfort of the Bushido. Perfect for long days including low fifth class solos. I've also climbed up to 5.8 in these bad boys. Totally worth the price. You'll also look like a fancy euro.  

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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