Evolv phantoms vs instinct vs

I am thinking about buying the phantoms or the scarp instinct vs. Any issues with either I should know

I’m not a huge fan of the phantoms edge.
but I’ve heard there’s others that can climb quite hard boulders in them. 

Lucas korb wrote:

I am thinking about buying the phantoms or the scarp instinct vs. Any issues with either I should know

I think the Oracle or Shaman Lace would be a better comparison actually? Split sole with a precise toe.

I tried on both before choosing the phantom. The heel feels a little shallower than the instinct vs and the toebox is a bit roomier imo. Out of the box they felt a little stiff/clunky (probably my only complaint) but the rubber in the toebox softens up over time and they become more sensitive. I can’t speak to how the instincts feel after break in but loving the phantoms for edging esp. on steep stuff. My buddy uses the instinct vs as they fit him a lot better than the phantoms so it could come down to that.

Bump because I am looking at the same two shoes and can’t decide 

I have the Phantom LVs and they're my favorite try-hard shoes. They edge beautifully, heel- and toe-hook on anything, and are surprisingly good on smearier routes once they're broken in. On overhung pockety routes they're weapons. The toe protrudes a little bit beyond your foot, but this seems to be design, as it allows the shoes to be wildly comfortable while still holding your feet in the powerful toes-curled position. There's some clunkiness as you get used to trusting this protrusion, but once you do you can edge without rolling on dimes.

Ill jump in as the Instinct guy. I have had a pair of the VS and the VSR. They fit my foot really well both in the toe box and the heel. decently comfy for how aggressive they are and how tight i fit them. I did not feel the need to squish my foot into the absolute smallest shoe possible which is nice. The top "sock" style portion really keeps the shoe on and in place, I hardly bother to put on the strap unless I am really yanking on a heel hard. I personally like the VSR more as I like the Grip2 rubber more than the XS Edge (only difference really). As i will always say: whichever shoe fits your foot better will be the best shoe for you. I know it's cliché but it does have merit to it! 

They’re very different shoes.

The Phantoms are rubber socks, and quite soft after breaking in. They’re especially good on friction heels that require some staying power and more stiffness than something like Futuras. Fight Club is a boulder I sent earlier this year that went a few goes after switching from Solutions to Phantoms — the heel just stuck. Besides the heel, they’re good at smearing but not great at edging, especially for me (180lbs). The rubber also gets slippery unless you clean it, which has always been an issue for me with Evolv (but solvable).

Instinct VS is quite a bit stiffer, and much better at edging (especially when new). I personally think it’s a much more well-rounded shoe, fantastic at edging but also good at heel hooks and toe hooks, and okay at smearing post-break-in. It also wears pretty well; I use a 2y old pair for training and still haven’t busted through the toe.

I use both, and would choose the Evolvs for some hooks and smears, but mostly I use the Instinct VS (and Solutions, which are a bit softer but still stiffer and more versatile than Phantoms).