Review: Evolv Demorto Rock Shoes

I recently picked up a new pair of Evolv Men's Demorto Rock Climbing Shoe. They were on sale at REI for $99, but it looks like you can pick them up from Amazon for $64.66. Follow that link, gumshoe.

Evolv Demorto Climbing Shoes

Evolv and Rugged Innovations have a long, sordid history. RI co-owner Bryce bought a pair of Evolvs a few years ago and blew out the rubber in the toe in one afternoon at the gym. Seriously? I thought Chris Sharma used these. Needless to say, that put a bad taste in our mouths about Evolvs. However, it's been a few years. I was willing to let bygones be bygones and give Evolvs a second chance. So far, so decent.

I run a size 9.5 in street shoes and I bought the Demortos in size 9. I don't usually downsize too hard. I spend long days at the crag and and I need to be able to leave my shoes on without feeling like the victim of some Dynastic Chinese foot mutilation ritual. Even at only half a size down, these things are tighter than a gnat's arse. I'm going to preemptively stop this line of analogies before it gets out of hand.

One interesting thing about these shoes is that they are designed for Morton's Toe. People with Morton's Toe are freaks of nature whose index toe sticks out farther than their big toe. The shoes have a symmetrical toe box with a little extra space for the index toe to wiggle around. I have standard, non-mutant feet and didn't notice a difference between this and a standard toe box. All downsized shoes feel like death until they are broken in, and these are no exception. If you are going to buy these true-to-size it might be noticeable. If you have Morton's Toe, it's your lucky day!

RI mascot "Carl" laces up for a big climb.

I took these shoes to the local gym for a try-out. The rubber is grippy, stiff, and great for small feet. The shoes have a minor downturn that helps with overhanging climbs. The heel is totally smooth, which is not ideal for heel hooks. However, the fit in the heel is great (which cannot be said for 5.10 heel cups), allowing you to really stick heel moves in spite of not having texture on the outside.

The fit in the rest of the shoe is also great for my foot shape. I like to keep my toe box a little looser than usual for long or multi-pitch climbs. The laces go deep into the toe box, allowing you to really customize your fit. The only issue I have is that the tongue does not sit totally flat against the top of your foot; it tends to fold over. Over long periods of time, the crease in the tongue leaves a long red mark on the top of my foot. There might be a way of tying them that reduces or eliminates that issue.

A few days later, I took the shoes out to Red Rocks Canyon for an afternoon of outdoor sport climbing. They were still new, so wearing them around all day was agonizing. Performance-wise, the shoes delivered. It was raining lightly for most of the afternoon, and the shoes clung to wet rock like a pair of multi-colored barnacles. I was singing the new-shoes blues while cruising up the sandstone.

I tentatively unpour my deep glass of Evolv-flavored Haterade. If these break in nicely and don't unexpectedly blow out a toe, I will be a happy customer.

The Evolv Men's Demorto Rock Climbing Shoe is available starting at $64.66. That's a steal for the quality.

Stay safe.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations