We had a chance to review the new Scarpa Quantix SF Rock Shoes. The Scarpa Quantix SF Rock Shoes is designed for power and precision in the toe with a comfortable feel. See below to find out what we thought about the new shoe!
First Impressions
When first seeing the Scarpa Quantix SF Climbing Shoe, we felt a little worried! With its innovative rand design and it’s strong orange colour, we were worried that out brain would not like looking down at this unusual design. However, in our first gym session we were surprised and the power in the toe box of the Quantix and loved the talon like shape at the top of the toe box that seemed to guide our foot to precise footholds with ease. One thing to note was that there was virtually no break-in time with this shoe. We put it on, it felt good, and we continued climbing!
Description
Acccording to Scarpa, the Scarpa Quantix SF Climbing Shoe ‘presents climbing in a new way. The innovative Single Frame technology holds the foot from below like a hand providing even pressure around the entire foot. The Single Frame is paired with a 1.4mm Flexan Dynamic midsole and tapered full-length XS Grip2 outsole providing excellent underfoot support, high friction, and edging capabilities. The unique finger pattern along the outside of the rand allows for a natural yet dynamic flex without losing precision. The Quantix SF has a neutral shape with a subtle downturned and a medium to high angled toe box for an excellent combination of comfort and performance. The Quantix SF is a cutting-edge model which provides high performance across all styles of climbing.’
Toe Box
The toe box of any shoe is where all power and precision is built and with all of our reviews, we love to point out what we love and dont love about the toebox. For the Quantix SF, the toe box is for sure powerful and we loved the talon feature at the top of the toe. It reminded us a little of the old Evolve Shaman, which actually had a little love bump that created the talon. With this shoe there is no love bump but there is a talon and it is just as powerful and precise as Scarpa says! It should be noted that the precision point of this toe is actually situated right in the front of the shoe, similar to the Scarpa Instinct lace up and differs from having it situated a 1 o’clock, like the Scarpa Instinct VS or even the new Booster. If you are used to the other shoes, then this takes a little time to get used to but perhaps it adds another layer of precision that the other shoes may not provide. With no break in time, we were really focused on powerful footwork right from the beginning.
Sizing and Last
The last of this shoe is stiff and much stiffer than say, a broken in Scarpa Booster, which is our current go to shoe! It is also important to note that the toe box is wide and offers more comfort that the tradition narrow fit. If you have a wide foot, then the Quantix SF is just right for you. We used to wear 44 in all Scarpa shoes but a couple years back we had to go down to a 43 1/2. The model that we tested was a 44 and I would recommend sizing down one half if you have a more narrow foot. We have not been wearing the Quantix long enough to see if the last gets softer but right now it is very stiff and the stiffness of this shoe likely allows you to step on very tiny holds in vertical terrain!
Heel Cup and Design
The heel cup of the Scarpa Quantix SF Climbing Shoe is soft, and I mean so soft, that there is no rubber on most of the side portions of the heel. When testing in the gym, I thought that perhaps Scarpa is on to something with a new technology that allows you to feel the rock in a better way but I was absolutely wrong. Perhaps the heel cup didn’t fit my foot so well but in our testing, the materials on the side off the heel cup really compromised our ability to complete technical heel hooks in the gym. We tested this against the new Instinct VR, The New Booster, and the old Booster S. Hands down, the Booster S was the best heel (discontinued!).
Overall
Overall, we really liked the feel of the Scarpa Quantix SF Climbing Shoe! With a complete last that is stiff throughout the shoe and a powerful toe box, this shoe is a great contender for vertical terrain. We would recommend sizing down a half size from your regular shoe, especially if you have a narrow foot. Because of the heel cup, this shoe is definitely not a contender for our all around shoe and for that reason we believe that it is a quill in your pocket when standing on very small feet. We will continue to review this shoe on our upcoming trip to Bishop and keep yoou posted on the results!
The Scarpa Quantix SF Climbing Shoe can be found here for $198.95 CAD
