Scarpa Boostic Review

The Boostic thrives in the beyond-vertical world of hard sport climbing and bouldering. It is a specialty climbing shoe that will enable serious grade pushing, at the expense of comfort and wearability. The very tapered toe box of the Boostic provides little extra room for the arching of your toes and the sole and upper are both extremely stiff. These design features make it difficult to get the shoe on and can make the Boostic very painful to wear. The Velcro closures make a snug fit even tighter and provide a locked-in feel that provides a sense of security and confidence moving on thin features. The rubber at the top of toe the makes hooking a piece of cake. The heel is very stiff and can make heel hooks feel a little blind, and the V-Tensioned Rand is so stiff it can be hard to smear in them.

Performance Comparison

Edging

With pinpoint precision and active support for your entire foot, the Boostic will do a lot of work for you in the edging department. The Boostic excelled on sharp edges and nubbins where the narrow toe found good purchase. The V-Tensioned Active Rand supports and augments your toe power but can make it hard to get maximum rubber over sloping holds. The outside edge of the toe aggressively slopes away, offering less surface area and forcing the climber to use a toe in a stance which can push him away from the rock. These features take a little time to get used to and can make the familiarizing period of the Boostic a little trying.

Crack Climbing

The Boostic is not a crack climbing shoe. The rubber toe patch offers a little protection for the top of your toes, but overall the downturned shape of the shoe isn't conducive to jamming or standing in cracks.

Pockets

The Boostic was made for pockets on rock of all angles. The toe point of the Boostic is among the most precise we've tested and will hook into even the smallest pockets with ease. With an adequately aggressive downturn and sticky XS Edge rubber, the Boostic will hold your foot in when the climb gets steep. The V-Tensioned Rand will take a lot of the pressure off your mid-foot and keep you feeling secure even when pockets are shallow. Once they are worn in, their performance on pockets actually improved as they were slightly more supple, allowing the rubber to apply more uniformly to the rock.

Sensitivity

The Boostic is stiff and has an almost elastic rebound off the rock. While this provides excellent support and edging power, it diminishes the sensitivity of the shoe. The XS rubber used both by La Sportiva and Scarpa feels almost glassy on the Boostic and doesn't mold itself onto features in the rock. The lack of sensitivity is largely mitigated by the amount of power the Boostic allows you to apply to the rock, but the shoe still feels a little blind on blank rock.

Comfort

The Boostic is not easy to get on and isn't comfortable out of the box or after a decent wear-in period. This Boostic belongs in the category of shoes that you wear and take off immediately after sending your project. It will up your grade as long as you don't let the discomfort diminish your psyche.

Value

A brief search indicates that the Boostic can sometimes be found at a considerable discount from its list price. If you can find it on sale in your size, don't hesitate. It will let you push your grade to the limit. However, be aware that it has limits of its own. Pick them up as an excellent, if specialized, addition to your rock arsenal.

Conclusion