Scarpa Rapid

Anybody tried the Scarpa Rapid?

Where does it fall on the running shoe/approach shoe/climbing shoe spectrum?

How wide/narrow is the toe box?

All the best, 

Bruno

hey Bruno,

i just got mine the other Day. 

I tried them out running in the Alps a couple Times. 

not a lot of scrambling though. Not very stiff, very comfortable and super light. 

I never liked the chunky heavy Aproach Shoes, so this one ist just the right fit for me and my Kind of Scrambling (low 5th Class). 

The all praised ‚La Sportive Guide‘ looks like yesterdays News compared to the Rapid.

I would totaly go for a Pair again.  

your questions:

its definitly a running shoe that climbs,

not the other way around

toebox on the narrow side

I was way excited for it, but it didn't fit me at all. The toe is super narrow. I've owned probably ten different Scarpa models all in the same size, including climbing shoes, running shoes, approach shoes, and ski boots, and the Rapid was the first one I've tried that was a bad fit.

im sorry to hear that. 

did you have a chance to try them out, or was the fit too bad to even wear them?

I feel like I've been hyping this shoe in every shoe thread, but I love them. They're a perfect running shoe for me that I can also scramble ~5.6 in and still feel secure about it. Crack climbing in them sucks a little bit cause of the flimsy mesh sidewall, but they smear great and fit my foot like a glove (or a sock, I guess).

They're the perfect shoe for something like Exum Ridge, the Flatirons, Matthes Crest, etc - anything that's mostly a lot of running/hiking time with a few fifth class pitches thrown in there.

I ordered them and found the toebox far too low volume. The length was fine and it was really weird considering I only climb in Scarpa

Just got my new Rapids! 

Initial impressions: They run a bit small overall and fairly narrow - they fit me well with thin socks. I took them on a quick hike and scramble and the comfort was amazing. I would agree with the earlier comment that these are a running shoe that you can climb in. I find them OK for scrambling but not like a real approach shoe (my favorite scrambling shoe remains the long-discontinued Scarpa Vitamin). I wish there was a little more flat rubber under the big toe, the knobs are a bit squirmy underfoot. Of course there is no shoe that does everything well, I have the Zen pro which is great for hiking with a pack, the gecko which is great for scrambling but not a great hiker, and the Rapid which rules for hiking with no pack. If you're looking to set a personal best on a car-to-car Flatiron time the Rapid is a great option.

David House wrote:

Just got my new Rapids! 

Thanks for sharing. Don‘t you think they are a bit soft? Do they actually have a Rockplate? 

Im also wondering, why there aren’t a lot more of this kind of Shoes out there. Is there another designated Shoes like the Rapit?

Kater Klaus wrote:

Thanks for sharing. Don‘t you think they are a bit soft? Do they actually have a Rockplate? 

Yes, I agree they are very soft. I do feel every bump on rocky trails. I don’t really know, but I can’t imagine they have a rock plate. They excel on dirt/gravel.

are these really made in china instead of italy?

The Rapid is made in China, my new-ish Zen Pros are made in Romania. Scarpa still makes a lot of their mountaineering and ski boots in Italy. I read that most running shoes are made in China now due to the EVA mid sole tech. Even New Balance are mostly made in Asia now. 

David House wrote:

The Rapid is made in China, my new-ish Zen Pros are made in Romania. Scarpa still makes a lot of their mountaineering and ski boots in Italy. I read that most running shoes are made in China now due to the EVA mid sole tech. Even New Balance are mostly made in Asia now. 

Its not the midsole tech, those parts could be made in China and shipped nearly anywhere, its mainly the upper. Laminated and knit uppers are specialist manufacturing, the complexity of these machines means they require well trained technicians, while these technicians can be found in the West they're generally working on higher margin products such as automobile and aerospace. 

Romania works fine for Zen Pros because they are a standard construction with lots of normal sewing and a simple glued on sole, simple non technical construction but close to home so a high level of quality can be maintained. 

How do they hold up/run on pavement?

I don't run on pavement but I can't imagine them holding up well at all. The rubber is soft and the knobs are pretty well spaced out. I think you would burn through them in a few weeks.

Thanks for the bump, reminded me why i didn't want the Rapid. I'm going to try on the zen pro when i can find it.

I love the Zen Pro when I have a pack on, but not for running or scrambling really. They are my go shoes to for a long approach with a pack when I'll be changing into climbing shoes when I get there.

such a good Shoes… but:

the light weight comes with a price. the upper is thin, see Pictures and wearout. Dont mind the black stiching, that was charcoal.

I usually dont care about the upper wearing out too much, what really sucks is the delamination of the sole!!! That is just awfull. you can‘t really tell by the Pictures, but the bridge between the cutouts is fully detached. 

I started using the shoes in Dezember.

I realy wanted to love this shoe and i kind of did. I was very close returning them. Scarpa, please fix the Sole.