We’ve read the reviews across the web for the Scarpa Booster S Climbing Shoe and summarize the results below:
Universal Ranking
PeakScore: 92 (out of 100)
User Rating: 4.7 stars 
Expert Rating: 4.3 stars
Number of Ratings Reviewed: 82
Pros & Cons
Reasons to buy:
User Reviews
- An great aggressive shoe that performs super well on what it was designed for.
- Flexible midsole makes them comfortable to wear, even with their aggressive design.
- Highly sensitive, and the shoe still allows you to generate power through the toes.
- Velcro straps provide great stability.
- Relatively wide toe box allows for great smearing capability.
Expert Reviews
- Doesn’t stretch or flatten too much once broken in, if properly cared for.
- Rubber durability is consistent with other bouldering shoes.
- Soft microsuede tongue keeps velcro from pinching feet when cinched down.
- Very reasonable price point for the level of performance.
- Edging is powerful and precise due to the talon-like toe box shape, but requires a bit of a different, digging, style. Great once you get used to it.
- Very lightweight and nimble compared to other similar shoes on the market.
- A little painful to break in for toe hooking because of the arch in the toe box, but the ridged rubber provides a stellar toe hook grip.
- Toe box design supports the big toe while pushing strength of other toes towards the outside, meaning easy grip of microscopic toe holds.
- Performs great both in the gym and outdoors.
- Very sensitive thanks to a super-thin support ribbon that runs from the inside of the shoe up around the toe box.
- Great for heel hooking because of the solid heel cup, although it is smaller than that of other shoes.
Reasons NOT to buy:
User Reviews
- Sizing can be difficult, and may vary based on your tolerance for tightness before break-in.
- With break-in, heel may become loose for those with naturally shallow heels.
Expert Reviews
- The shoe’s lightweight design means a compromise on overall durability.
- Upper part of the shoe feels bulkier compared to other bouldering shoes on the market.
- Not recommended for beginner climbers; your feet does the work in these shoes.
- More of a specialist’s shoe, less versatile than some others in Scarpa’s lineup.
- Rubber can get quite soft when climbing in warmer weather.
- Definitely a shoe to try on in person. Design seems to work well for narrower feet, and if you usually size down you might end up with your street size to avoid an unbearably painful break-in.
- Doesn’t perform well on slabs or long, vertical walls, but that’s not what it was designed for.
Summary:
The Scarpa Booster S Climbing Shoe delivers a great balance between sensitivity and performance. The uniquely flexible midsole makes the shoe highly sensitive, while the toe box design drives power into the big toe and allows for solid stability on the tiniest of holds. The solid heel cup allows for great heel hooking, and although the design of the shoe encourages more of a digging style, once you get used to it, the edging capabilities are endless. This shoe is highly effective for aggressive bouldering or overhung sport climbs but isn’t built for slabs or vertical walls, and the one downside of its light and nimble construction is a compromise on durability. Overall, a fantastic shoe for the price.
Multimedia:
Note: User and expert rankings were reviewed across the web. Some expert reviews include these: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.