Rock Shoe: 5.10 Anasazi V1
8th May 2009
5.10 make the best rubber. After 17 years of climbing, in some 40 different makes and models of shoe, it’s the conclusion I’ve come to.
The Anasazi V1 (previously called the Anasazi Velcro) is possibly my favourite shoe of all time. Top-notch Stealth Onyxx rubber and a slingshot heel rand that works miles, miles better than the previous models make for a shoe that, to my mind, can’t be beaten. They don’t stretch much, meaning that you can buy just half a size under your normal shoe size and not have to cripple yourself. The pull loops are chunky enough to use with ease and are off-set, one on the back and one on the side (a bug bear of mine is when the loops are both on the sides, and when you need two hands to use them). I can honestly say that my climbing has improved a grade with these shoes!
After all the plaudits above I do have two gripes. Firstly that my feet sweat inside them. I don’t recall this happening in the Velcros and have had to invest in a thin sock to act as a liner (on the recommendation of a friend who has suffered the same frustration in other shoes). The sweat allows my feet to move inside the shoe a little, meaning a distinct loss in sensitivity. The addition of the sock has fixed this. Secondly a tiny nick has appeared in the rubber join on the toe of one of the shoes. This happened rather early on and has not grown. In fairness this has happened in most climbing shoes I’ve worn over the years.
Here’s some blurb from the 5.10 website.
The VCS and Lace-Up Anasazis are the top selling performance shoes in Europe. The VCS offers more sensitivity for pulling on holds on steep rock--a powerful tool for extreme sport climbing.
Lined Cowdura synthetic upper
- Stealth® ONYXX™ soles
- Side exit heel seam
- Dual pull-on loops
- Asym™ toe
- Slingshot rand
- VELCRO® Brand Closure
- Padded split tongue
Designer: Charles Cole
Concept:
Highest-end performance shoe for sport climbing and hard bouldering
Development:
Although the Anasazi V1 (formerly known as the Anasazi Velcro) led the high-performance shoe category for years, new technology has allowed us to make it better. The V2's have new Stealth® Onyxx™ rubber, with 25percent more friction and twice the durability of other rubbers. They also have our new Happy Fingers heel, with more comfort and security than ever. Test team includes Evo, Jibe, Chris Miller, Mario Lacedelli, Michi Weiser and Noah Bigwood.
Reviewed by Matt Heason on behalf of planetFear