What’s new on the climbing shoe market for 2021? Most of the new products this year come from the traditional Italian manufacturers Scarpa and La Sportiva. They have revised and further fine-tuned their range. All the highlights this season seem to stem from these two brands.
Upcoming climbing shoes for 2021
New climbing shoes from La Sportiva
La Sportiva Theory
The Theory is a completely new shoe for both men and women. It is aimed at advanced/high-end boulderers. Accordingly, this shoe checks into the category “slippers for advanced boulderers”. Sportiva has tried out new construction in the midsection of the shoe, so to speak a no edge for the midfoot.
Sportiva promises that the shoe should be extremely comfortable whilst still delivering maximum performance. Can this really be true? We will see. But Sportiva has already proven that they can do it with the Skwama. The verdict is still out as to where the shoe checks in on a scale from 0 to -4.
La Sportiva Solution Comp
Sportiva has once again tweaked the classic Solution. Not least in view of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Solution Comp has been put out onto the market. The last is identical to the normal Solution. However, it has been slightly refined for hooking. The heel is now narrower and more sensitive, and a new toe pad was added for good measure.
Conclusion: A hot tip for all those who have a place in Tokyo. And for all those, who were not satisfied with the hook performance of the normal Solution climbing shoe.
La Sportiva Cobra
Just as there are the perfect shoes for bouldering or lead, Sportiva is now building a climbing shoe for the discipline of speed climbing with the Cobra 4:99.
It remains to be seen if this shoe will be worn to break the 5-second mark. Nevertheless, Sportiva shows that it is trying everything to build the perfect speed machine. Details such as a particularly thin construction on the heel and a special, low friction coating on the top of the shoe tip are intended to provide even more speed.
New arrivals by Scarpa
In recent years Scarpa has revised existing models as well as added to its range, for example with the flyweight Furia Air, the Vapor V, or Arpia.
In 2020 the Booster was released once again. Old schoolers amongst us may still remember – the Booster had been around before. Then it was replaced by the Booster S.
Scarpa Booster
What does the Booster stand for? With its emphasis on asymmetrical shape, neat downturn, and moderately angled toe box, this climbing shoe is primarily positioned in the high-end segment. If you swing around in steep routes and love bouldering on small footholds, the Booster might just be the right choice. A bit stiffer than the Drago, but softer and more sensitive than the Instinct.
Buy the Booster here:
Scarpa Vapor Lace
With the Vapor Lace, Scarpa has built on the classic Vapor V. In addition to the lacing, Scarpa has given the shoe a special toepad that is fused (and not glued) to the rest of the shoe. Compared to the Vapor V, the heel has been slightly tuned up (it is now a little narrower). Overall the shoe is a bit stiffer than the Vapor V.
Conclusion: If you already liked the Vapor V and are looking for a comfortable lace-up for route and multi-pitch climbing, this ought to be the shoe for you!
Scarpa Veloce
With the Veloce, Scarpa has a special new entry-level shoe in the starting blocks. The concept is something really special. Because unlike other manufacturers, Scarpa has not designed its beginner shoes to be stiff, but on the contrary to be very soft.
A shoe that is aimed at everyone who starts/loves climbing in the bouldering gym. The entire sole, as well as the upper rubber coating in the forefoot area, are very soft. This encourages delicate climbing, whilst providing comfort. Understandably, the shoe has much less pre-tension than the Drago or the Furia.
Conclusion: Recommended for all those who are mainly focused on the bouldering gym or have just started out into the vertical realm. (Author’s note: I find this idea really cool. To me, it sounds a bit like a tuned-up version of the Sportiva Mythos. I haven’t “just started bouldering”, but I definitely want to try the Veloce. Feeling and comfort sounds like an interesting mixture and not just a good bet for beginners :-)
The Veloce :
Review: These were the climbing shoe hits in 2020
The bad news first: even in 2020, whether or not you can climb a route depends more on the climber than on the shoe. In other words: the self-climbing shoe (quasi the electric climbing shoe) has still not been invented.
But a little something has already happened: The Ninja is back, and adidas is finally owning up to Five Ten !
Five Ten is now not only owned by adidas, but is also using its branding
Five Ten was made great by a small but fine secret: the Stealth Rubber. When it first appeared in the 90s, it quickly acquired a legendary reputation. Five Ten had something that many others wanted: this legendary rubber compound. Now adidas has sealed the deal. In 2011 they purchased Five Ten and with it its secret formula, and are now adding their branding to the line of shoes.
It will be exciting to see whether the Five Ten climbing shoes will remain as good as ever, as production has now also been transferred to adidas. The author, a long-time Anasazi climber, would very much welcome such a development …
Black Diamond Zone
A shoe which is fitted between the two worlds of comfy and performance. With the Zone model, a new climbing shoe was added in 2020. The shoe has a wide velcro and is also made of comfortable knit.
In contrast to the Momentum, the Zone also has a toe pad. The whole thing comes with a moderate pre-tension and slight downturn. All in all, the shoe should be between Momentum and Focus. All those who do not always put on their high-end shoes for training should take a look at the Zone. It offers training with comfort (which unfortunately does not apply to sore muscles).
The Boreal Ninja is back
And this brings us to one of the climbing highlights of 2020: The Ninja is back!
Maybe it’s time for a little personal historical digression: There was a time before the big bouldering and climbing gyms. During this time, climbers were mostly found outside. And if the weather was really too bad or there was no time left at all, they would gather in dusty and often self-created bouldering cellars. And many of these climbers often had the Boreal Ninja on their feet… In 1985 it saw the light of day and helped raise the bar.
So it’s back! In the meantime, a few years have passed and anyone who has had an old Ninja on their feet knows that the 80s Ninja and the 2018 Ninja have about as much in common as a hemp rope and a new 8.6 millimeter triple-certified rope. So just the name (Ninja) and the area of use (climbing).
So finally to the new Ninja, that’s what it’s all about: The Ninja 2018 was a very soft climbing shoe with a lot of pre-tensions, a lot of downturn, and of course asymmetric! In other words, everything that the climbing shoe developers have to offer today. So if you are still looking for a bouldering weapon with history: Here you go.
And by the way: If you already have experience with Boreal climbing shoes: The last is based on the Satori.
La Sportiva Gripit & Python
La Sportiva has always been colourful. The children’s climbing shoe Gripit now gets a new extra colour (for those who have two children). In other words: Cool children’s climbing shoe concept, now even more colourful.
All Python indoor boulderers will have to get used to the new colour, because the Python is now available in orange and blue/green. In addition, there is a wider Velcro and a new toe pad. Oh yes, and the inside of the python should not discolour any more, for all those who were not that keen on orange feet syndrome.
Red Chili Ventic Air and Voltage Highend
The Voltage has now also received a small update – and is now called Voltage Highend. Wow! By the way, the Voltage no longer has a tongue, but a sock construction and a narrower heel (author’s note: good idea!).
After Black Diamond presented comfortable knit models in 2018/19, Red Chili is following suit: The Ventic Air climbing shoe is completely knitted. The inner sole is made of cork and bamboo fibres. And because attention was also paid to the glue, these climbing shoes are therefore 100% vegan. All in all a super comfortable shoe for beginners and cozy people who don’t want to peel the shoes off their feet after every route.
Scarpa Vapor V
The Scarpa climbing shoe models move closer together: This year a classic has been reborn – the Vapor V – and a new shoe been added, the Arpia.
The heel of the Vapor V has been reworked. It is now slightly less voluminous and sits far snugger, resulting in immense hooking performance. The sole has become a bit softer, granting more sensitivity, whilst the tongue has been fitted with extra padding (more toehooks!) and it looks different (new design!). 
The new shoe from Scarpa: Arpia – looks cool and complements the Italian climbing shoe range. | Photo: ScarpaArpia: If you wanted to line up the Scarpa assortment, the Arpia can be placed between Vapor V and above the Scarpa Force (and now you can understand why the Vapor V was allowed to soften up a bit). In short: the Arpia is a solid shoe with a relatively wide forefoot for beginners or people who like to bang out route after route after route.
Tenaya Oasi & Ra für Damen
Tenaya has finally brought out a women-specific fit for some of their models! Tenaya now offers the Oasi and Ra models in women’s versions. The Tenaya classic Oasi is narrower at the front and has a slightly higher instep. In addition, the Velcro has been revised, to create a snugger fit for finer feet.