Gear Review: Evolve Luchador SC
To guide our review, we have broken the shoe down into its specific components to give you a full summary of its features.
The Evolv Luchador SC is the newest shoe in Evolv’s large line of climbing shoes. The Luchador is a technical, all-around shoe that features a slightly downturned last with a semi-asymmetrical toe profile. With a synthetic upper, a new seamless elastic tongue system, and 4.2 mm TRAX® high friction rubber, this shoe is designed for both technical and everyday climbing.
Toe Box
The toe box of Luchador SC did a great job of harnessing the power of the big toe and pushing it right into the edge of the shoe. For a climber who needs a reliable shoe in a variety of disciplines, I place a lot of importance on this feature when choosing an all-around shoe. The Luchador also did a good job of supporting the big toe joint (or the first MP joint). The first velcro strap provided extra support to this joint when attention was given when doing it up. I found the toe responded very well to small footholds and allowed you to push hard into the foot without breaking form.
Heel Cup
The heel cup of the Luchador SC seemed to fit fairly well. It did not have the bulk of some of the 5.10 line, but it was not as snug as the La Sportiva Miura Lace-Up or VS. It looks like Evolv made an effort to place the velcro strap high on the shoe to reduce the heel cup coming off during strenuous heel hooking and tried to add a little bit of texture to the rand that comes up over the heel for better friction. During the review, the heel cup felt quite snug, with little bulk, and never came off my heel. There was a small amount of air in the heel during certain foot placements but nothing of major concern.
Rand
The slightly downturned rand of the Luchador SC was a pleasant surprise. For a climber who has spent years in a flat rand design, the slightly downturned rand of the Luchador was different enough to see the technical value when climbing on overhangs, but not overly aggressive to the point where I did not know how to use my feet. The Luchador appeared to be a good compromise between a flat rand and the aggressive downturned rand that can be found in many technical shoes today.
When squeezing the width of the rand, it did have a fair amount of give, meaning that it may not be as stiff as other rands designed for vertical edges. This ‘give’ is typical of velcro models and it should be noted that the rand on the lace-up version of the Luchador is thicker, creating a stiff feel for vertical climbing.
Evolv Luchador Lace-up.
Rubber
I had always heard that the rubber used by Evolv was not as sticky as 5.10 or La Sportiva, but after climbing in the shoe, I really didn’t notice a difference when it came to rubber. The rubber around the toe edge seemed thick enough to last but thin enough to feel the holds even when the shoe was right out of the box.
Sizing
Sizing the Luchador SC correctly is important. If the fit is too big, the shoe loses its value in the toe box and if the fit is too small, the heel doesn’t seem to sit on the foot well. I am a street shoe size 12 and I took a size 11 in the Luchador SC (note: I take a 10.5 in both the Anasazi Velcro and La Sportiva Miura). The lace-up version of this shoe sized even a little bigger, with the 11.5 being the best fit for my size 12 street shoe. If ordering online, Evolv offers split sizes for those with different sized feet.
Materials
The Luchador SC has a synthetic upper, meaning that it will not stretch as much as leather. It also features a soft lining on the inside of the shoe and a new seamless elastic tongue system. The tongue system seemed pretty straight forward and saved on bulk when putting on the shoe. If you’re looking for a tip when trying these on, make sure that the top velcro strap is fully open before trying to put your foot in the shoe. The velcro straps on the top of the shoe seems well placed but I thought all three straps could have been a bit longer for those with a wide foot. The bottom strap buckle seems to be well placed on top of the foot to reduce wear when dragging your foot. This is one of the downfalls of other velcro models, such as the Miura VS.
In terms of comfort, the soft lining inside provides a little bit of cushion with none of the heel strap wear associated with some shoes. The toe box is tight but not uncomfortable. I didn’t have to take my shoes off when working a problem for a prolonged period but, depending the sizing, some people may find them too snug for an all day affair.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is where this shoe just didn’t live up to the rest of its features. Although I enjoyed the creativity of the Evolv team for creating a theme that mimics the mask of Lucha Libre, the contrast between the red and blue, in my opinion, just doesn’t work. The red straps are too flashy for the typical climber that likes to fly under the radar. The large blue velcro portion made the shoe look a little bulky in contrast to the way it felt. This being said, after two days of wearing the shoe, I hardly noticed the difference.
Conclusion
Overall, the Luchador proved to be a pretty decent all-around shoe. The toe box really harnessed the power of the big toe when pushing on small edges and supported the big toe joint well. The heel cup seemed to stay in place on every move and could be snugged tighter with the top velcro strap. As a first impression, the colour scheme didn’t jump out at me as something I would want to be looking down at all the time, but after two sessions, I noticed myself not caring too much. Finally, the slightly downturned last was a pleasant alternative to the flat or aggressive downturn in other models. Bottom Line: I would recommend the Luchador SC to a friend as an all-around shoe that could be used from bouldering to sport. For those searching for a trad alternative, I would recommend the lace-up version of this shoe.
Jamie Finlayson testing out the Luchador. Photo courtesy of Jamie Finlayson ©
To purchase a pair of Evolv Luchadors, the lace-up version can be found at Valhalla Pure Outfitters (MSRP $139) and the velcro version can be found at MEC (MSRP $139)
Here are the tech specs on the lace-up and the velcro version.
