These were the first pair of climbing shoes I owned, I bought them... oh, about three years ago now and I have to say, they served me well! They lasted about a year until they were worn enough to offer no benefit over climbing barefooted :-). It's probably worth saying that at that point I threw them in the back of the cupboard (I don’t know why i didn't just throw them out - they're still in my cupboard yet I have no intention of ever wearing them again) and bought the Red Chili Spirit Impact Zone shoe, which is basically the same save for Velcro closure and extra padding under the heel.
Before I go any further here's the blurb from the manufacturers website:
- Triple graduated mid-sole gives unbeatable flex and feel across all sizes - Small sizes especially tuned for women and juniors - Centre asymmetric last supports the foot - New low profile heel comfortable for climbing, supportive for descents - Low toe profile–good for cracks - Wide lacing fits all foot shapes - Supersticky Vibram rubber - Sizes 2–12 UK available
"The longest serving shoe on the Red Chili team this cool all rounder still finds new fans with its hard to match combination of comfort, performance and fit. A classic in anyone’s language and a best seller across the globe."
I bought these with little if no previous knowledge of climbing shoes from a local outdoor shop. I had been advised that the best way to pick a climbing shoe was to actually go into a shop and try on a few pairs as the sizing standards vary wildly and what might be a good shoe for someone else could be incredibly uncomfortable for you. With that in mind, and the wish to keep my purchase to a budget, the sales assistant helped me pick out the Red Chili Spirits. In trying them on in the shop I found they fitted my foot well (it was pointed out that the material would stretch a little while they were being worn in) and being at the lower end of the price range I decided to give them a go.
I have to admit that these shoes had most of their use down at the indoor climbing wall about once or twice a week.It wasn't till about 9 months down the line that I first took them outside at Fontaine Bleau in France and ripped the rubber sole on the right shoe at the big toe. I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed at the time but with nothing to compare it against I didn't know if they had worn relatively quickly or not. It’s all a bit of a trade off really, the softer and grippier the rubber the quicker they wear and the more you use then the less time they last.
I found these shoes incredibly comfortable and had absolutely no problems in wearing them for extended periods of time. I never felt the urge to take them off in-between routes or winced while walking between climbs, like I do with my current shoes. While being comfortable they were also technical enough for my needs as a beginner climber and helped me progress through the grades. A kind of jack of all trades master of none - exactly what you need when you're a beginner if you ask me.
Although its a problem with most climbing shoes its probably worth mentioning that they do tend to pong a bit if you wear them for a long time and if you're feet get damp from perspiration the dye is likely to run, staining your feet a bluey-green. I also found that after trying to wash them the dye ran more than before.
Overall, I would definitely recommend these shoes to a beginner, or someone that's looking for all day comfort over technical ability in a shoe. They can be picked up quite inexpensively these days and a model is now available that offers an 'impact zone' built into the heel for added protection from those inevitable falls and on the walk back down from the top of a route.
Thanks for reading and I hope this review has been of some use to you.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Apr 22nd, 2007
exceptional by (7%):
very helpful by (93%):
