Scarpa Vapor Climbing Shoe

We’ve read the reviews across the web for the Scarpa Vapor Climbing Shoe and summarize the results below:

Universal Ranking

PeakScore: 85 (out of 100)
User Rating: 4.3 stars 
Expert Rating: 4.1 stars

Number of Ratings Reviewed: 94

Pros & Cons

Reasons to buy:

User Reviews

  • Great all-around shoe, especially for vertical rock.
  • Great for jamming and trad climbing due to the fit and material.
  • Precise at edging and provides sensitivity.
  • Comfortable, considering the technical abilities of the shoe.
  • Not too downturned to make smearing difficult.
  • The synthetic upper conforms to your foot and provides comfort and a snug fit.
  • The wide, but precise, toe-box makes this a good option for crack climbing.

Expert Reviews

  • Bi-tension rand drives your heel back to provide efficiency at smearing.
  • The midsole provides flexibility and sensitivity.
  • Very precise while remaining powerful.
  • Great at crack-climbing due to being able to fit in small spaces.
  • Supportive enough for vertical pitches.
  • Features a rubber patch for heel hook security.

Reasons NOT to buy:

User Reviews

  • Some reports of being uncomfortable and stiff during the break-in period.

Expert Reviews

  • Doesn’t provide as much security during edging as some other shoes.
  • Not the best choice for fitting into tiny pockets due to lack of sensitivity, despite being effective at crack climbing.
  • Laces make getting on and off a bit slower.
  • Lack of aggression makes it not ideal for certain expert routes.

Summary:

The Scarpa Vapor Climbing Shoe is a powerful and comfortable option, that effectively combines precision and stiffness with flexibility, making this shoe suitable for various types of climbing. The ability of this shoe in terms of crack climbing, smearing, and technical climbing allows most climbers to excel with this shoe, although some experts may prefer a more aggressive option.

Multimedia:

Note: User and expert rankings were reviewed across the web. Some expert reviews include these: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.