Evolv Axiom Climbing Shoe with Free Climbing DVD

I bought these as an entry level shoe so that I could start training at my local bouldering gym without having to shell out a steady stream of money for some funky rentals. At the low price I paid, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have been pleased to find that they are durable, comfortable (as climbing shoes go), and effective.One thing I want to point out is that these do run small. Some reviewers recommended buying these in my usual size because climbing shoes should be snug. Others said to size up. I went with my usual size and found out that the size up crowd was right. I have to assume that those who said to stick with my usual size must wear their other shoes a half size up. I wear a size 11 running shoes, and a size 11 in these was unacceptably tight. I had to completely curl my toes to fit in them. I returned the first pair of for free (yay, Amazon!) and got 11.5s, and they have been perfect. My toes come right to the front of the shoe, as they should with climbing shoes, but they are not being crushed, and I can climb comfortably in them for hours.The upper is all suede on these, so they hold up well to all the scraping that happens in a bouldering gym. After a couple months of regular use, these show little sign of wear. The tongue is a sueded synthetic material that allows these to breathe decently as well, and it is soft enough to be comfortable on sockless feet.The soles on these are relatively stiff, which has been handy on the small footholds that predominate at my gym. They wedge in place well and don't slide off, and the rubber is grippy enough to allow me to smear when there are no footholds at all. Given their stiffness, I have been impressed with how well they grip.Another thing I have really appreciated about these is their lace-up design. I am not a fan of Velcro straps both for functional and aesthic reasons. Velcro looks like it belongs on a four-year-old, in my opinion, and I don't see how it could allow for the same amount of adjustability that laces provide when tightening a shoe on. These are shoes I want snug and comfortable, especially if I ever take them outside on rock.I highly recommend these shoes for anyone who is looking to start climbing or bouldering and doesn't want to shell out $200+ for something with more flash. Flash doesn't stick to rocks.

I'm a novice climber, graduating from rental shoes. I haven't yet climbed in these because the size 10 and the 11 I ordered were too small; but I will say that I'm impressed with the apparent quality and design on this initial fit and inspection (certainly for the money). I have tried on several different shoes by various makes to compare (Scarpa, Boreal, Mad Rock, and others). These have a supple leather upper (inside and out) mixed with synthetic leather interior sole, and soft synthetic tongue. It is flat shoe so looks to be a good all rounder appropriate for my level certainly. That said, the rubber wraps the toes, so should be good to try some toe hook type moves, and the heel appears to offer good angle for heel hooks. My street shoe size is normally a ten (preferably wide) and sometimes I need a size 10.5 to compensate for lack of width; however even in these so-called size 11's, I was experiencing pain just trying the shoes on (at the end of the day) and sitting around (no load) - my toes felt quite pinched and the sensation of hots spots around the metatarsals and the base of my big toe. I am ordering an 11.5. I'll let you know. Finally, they are made in the USA (albeit with US and foreign parts). I think that's a positive.

I’ve been a recreational climber for awhile and was looking for a cheaper shoe to start with. The show itself feels nice and sturdy, but you HAVE to order at least 2 sizes up. I am a 9 in women’s for my street shoes and ended up with a 9 in men’s for these shoes in order for them to fit comfortably enough to even walk. I had to return them twice due to the size being too small, so just size up

Ordered several pairs of climbing shoes before finding the perfect fit for my 12yo son. These fit perfectly and he's very happy with the grip, lacing, etc. Good snug fit with no slipping, etc. Soft leather, comfortable, with no irritating seams, edges, etc. Padded, breathable tongue is a nice feature. Footbed provides support, while also flexing to grip toe/heel holds, niches, etc. Excellent price too, since he will probably outgrow them in a few months ;-) He LOVES them :-) Return of the other non-fitting shoes was a snap - free return shiping with a UPS mail label - just dropped it off at UPS and had my refund within a week. Win-Win :-)

I really liked the color of this shoe, but it did not work out for me. I tried on my friends climbing shoe in another brand thinking that most brands were the same and boy was I wrong. Her shoe was a la sportina 6.5 and it fit, so I ordered a 6.5 in this shoe. I couldn't even my foot in the shoe it was so small. My shoe size is a 8.5 so I then got a 9 and while the length was ok, it was too wide for my foot. I have pretty narrow feet so these did not work for me.

Looks like a great climbing shoe and my daughter really likes the style. However, this shoe easily runs at least two sizes small. My daughter wears a size 3 street shoe and the 36 (men’s 4.5 equivalent) was uncomfortably small. They weren’t just snug as these shoes should be; they were blister rubbing, difficult to get on and the painful to wear kind of small. Buy up a few sizes. 3 stars for the poor fit. If they had fit I’d have given them 5.

Great shoes, wonderful company. The shoe sizes run small. My son wears a size 7 in mens. We had to order a size 9 for him to wear. The company and Amazon were wonderful when it came to returns. Fast shipping.

I read reviews before I purchased and ultimately bought 2 sizes larger (I wear an 8 women's, so 6 men's therefore I bought an 8 men's). Even in doing such, they are tight and very uncomfortable. I have a hole worn in the back of my foot because they would not break in. In the end, the skin on my foot broke before the shoe did so I guess it goes to say that they are sturdy?... They are good priced shoes since I am a beginner, but I would buy at least 2.5 to 3 sizes bigger than normal. I don't see how aggressive climbers can handle the pain of these. Beware, the heel is all rubber so it is not flexible at all. Other climbers have shoes that are soft fabric in the back allowing adjustments.