With the introduction of the Chimera, Scarpa completes their line-up of high performance climbing shoes. Built on the same PCB Tension System of its predecessors, the Scarpa Chimera features an asymmetrical lace-up system using the latest innovation in sensitive rubber technology. With a sensitive toe box and impressive heel cup, the Scarpa Chimera is a must have for any bouldering enthusiast who requires a specialized shoe in their arsenal.
We had the opportunity to test the Scarpa Chimera over a six month period and here is what we though.
Scarpa Chimera Climbing Shoe
If we had to describe the Chimera to a friend who was just about to blow his or her hard earned dollars on a pair of climbing shoes, we would say that the Scarpa Chimera is a specialized shoe, meaning that is specializes in a specific type of climbing and may not be suitable as a primary or all-around shoe or one that can be used for daily use on all terrain.
The Scarpa Chimera was built for the purpose of difficult bouldering and overhanging climbing. It features a sensitive toe box that does a great job of handling overhanging foot holds and rock that requires technical smearing on unusual features. During the testing period, we were very impressed with the heel cup of the Chimera and considered it one of the best on the market due to its tight fit and responsive feel. The toe box of the Chimera, with its rubber cap, made toe hooking a breeze, and the softness of its rubber allowed for extra feel on small foot holds.
Despite its strong performance when climbing overhanging rock, we found that the Chimera did not hold enough power in its toe to handle varied terrain (read: vertical!) when climbing longer routes compared to the Booster S or Scarpa Furia. Multiple times during our field test, we would climb a route twice, once in the Chimera and once in the Furia, and overall we found that the Chimera required much more concentration on your feet to get the same performance on vertical terrain.
The difference in power between the Chimera and the Furia may be in part due to the size of the toe box. The Chimera features a wider toe box than the Furia and may not create the same tension on the side of the toe box to generate power in the big toe. The Chimera also features a divot that sits between the middle of the toes which may also change the way it performs compared to the Furia or the Drago.
For the majority of Scarpa shoes that we have tested, the sizing of each shoe seems to be the same from model to model. When first testing the Scarpa Chimera, we found that it fit a little tighter than expected and it took approximately two or three sessions in the gym before it felt comfortable to wear. After the break-in, the Chimera stretched approximately a quarter size and we almost felt as though we could have fit the shoe a little tighter. For those looking for a tighter fit, we would recommend sizing down a half step from you usual Scarpa size in order to maintain their downturned shape. This may make the break in period more difficult but will likely increase the performance of the shoe across its lifetime.
In terms of comfortability, again the Chimera took two or three sessions to break-in but once that period was over, the Chimera felt very comfortable. At no time during our field test did we notice any ‘hot spots’ or pinching while wearing the shoe.
Compared to the velcro system of the Scarpa Furia and Drago, the Chimera lace-up system did a great job of increasing its performance on the wall and allowing the user to tighten the shoe during technical applications. It should also be noted that the Chimera is a very light shoe with high quality manufacturing. Both of these qualities are highly represented and add to the overall performance of the shoe. We also found that despite its thin rubber, the Chimera seemed to hold up well both indoors and outdoors in terms of durability and after a long period of climbing outdoors, showed little wear on the rubber.
Overall, the Scarpa Chimera climbing shoe is a welcome addition to an already stellar line of high performance climbing shoes designed by Heinz Mariacher. Sensitive and lightweight, the Scarpa Chimera is a specialized shoe designed for difficult bouldering and overhanging climbing. Featuring one of the best heels on the market, the Chimera is a must have for the bouldering enthusiasts who need a tool in their toolbox to tackle technical heel hooks and require sensitive footwork on overhanging rock. We did find that the Chimera lacked power on vertical terrain and because of this we would consider it a supplementary shoe rather than a primary all-around shoe. The lace-up system of the Chimera worked well to ensure a snug fit and the quality of its build is what you would expect from a high performance shoe.
The Scarpa Chimera is available through the Scarpa North America Website and special order via Climb On Equipment in Squamish, BC
