tc pro's vs grandstones

just wondering if anybody has had the chance to check out that 510 grandstone yet, and if it would be comparable to the tcpro? i've been looking for a high top for cracks and multi pitch and do like the added bonus of teh grandstones being cheaper, although i hear nothing but good things about the tc pros...opinions?

bumping this thread back as I too am fishing for an opinion about these shoes. anyone?

I love my Grandstones. They smear well, edge really well, and have a pointy /thin profile toe for thin cracks. I have resoled them once with no issues (Overdose Resoles in SLC). There are some really good deals on Grandstones right now for certain sizes. I have no experience with the TC Pros.

Grandstone Review

The TC is much stiffer than the Grandstone. I have, wear, and like my Grandstones, but they are not edging machines by any stretch and are one of the least stiff high-tops I've owned.

I own two pairs of the 5-10 Pitons, which as far as I can tell are the low-cut version of the GrandStones.
Here are a few comments:

• they are extremely unrefined shoes with simple, barebones (even cheap) construction
• they work quite well (which is why I own them) in tight hands to OW cracks if sized to keep your toes completely flat. Great for IC hand cracks.
• they smear quite well (very sticky rubber)
• they IMO pretty much suck at everything else: no edging power at all (they are very wide), no tip precision for smaller cracks,...
• on my low volume feet, the last is too wide and the arch too flat so I am forced to size them shorter than I'd like so they are at least a little bit snug. That makes them put pressure on my toe nails, which makes them not too comfortable for multi-pitch. I think the shoe (like most 5.10s) would fit much better on bulky feet.
• the fabric lining delaminated from the leather outer and split at the heel within a few weeks. Still usable but shows shotty quality.

I used to live down the street from the 5-10 factory and have tried about everything they offer including the grandstones because I could get them at $60 a pair. At that price the TC pros cost about three times as much and personally i feel they are worth it.

The TC pros are very stiff, offer great edging, crack climbing and are comfortable to wear all day without sacrificing on performance. They also feel more streamlined and lighter. The toe box angle isn't overly aggressive in it's angle making them a lot more usefull to someone like myself with Mortan's toe.

The grandstones are great for foot jams but feel really bulky on your feet. I never had a problem with smearing in them but they weren't a good edging shoe. My edging sucks so i need all the help i can get. So they and are not the best shoe for varied climbing, but still a good in specific cracks so depending on where you climb they might be a good choice.

Two last points. The fit of these two shoes are different so it might be a moot point to compare the two. The TC Pro has an almost symmetrical toe were the grandstones are more sharply angled out. Also the heels of each fit differently. Many people have issues with their heel slipping out of the TC Pro. I felt the grandstones were narrower near the ball of the foot as well.

So while I'm firmly in the TC Pro camp go try on a pair of each before swearing alliance to either.

i actually ended up buying the grandstones, and i absolutely love them, theyre comfortable enough to be in all day without problem, and still be able to climb 5.10 in, they jam well enough without discomfort. fit me much better with my wide foot than the tc pros. to be honest i couldnt even get my foot into the tc pros

TC fan as well. But their sizing is small and much closer to my street shoes size than any other rock shoe.

used the pitons extensively, which im told is the same as the grandstone, but without the hitop

as others have said, the pitons are better for hand cracks ... once i get down to thin cracks i prefer my miuras or katanas

they arent that good at edging, are decent on slab ...

i use katanas and miuras more or less exclusively now

bearbreeder wrote:used the pitons extensively, which im told is the same as the grandstone, but without the hitop as others have said, the pitons are better for hand cracks ... once i get down to thin cracks i prefer my miuras or katanas they arent that good at edging, are decent on slab ...

Same experience here with the Piton. The only thing I use them for is hands and up at IC, but for that they are very comfy (and have been durable so far). For anything else there are better options. Also, I find they are wide and roomy compared to the Sportiva models.

Just got the TC Pro's this past week. Here are my thoughts on the shoe...

Overall great design and construction from La Sportiva. I haven't had a bad shoe from them yet. The high top design of the shoe is pretty nice as you can unlace from the highest lace hole and have a looser more 'sporty' fit versus the stiffer more supportive high top fit (lace through the higher hole if you want the super high performance edging shoe ala Tommy Caldwell). The stiffness of the shoe really detracts from the sole's overall sensitivity, but I'm sure with more use the sole will soften up.

My review is pretty elementary in that this is all based off wearing the shoe for 10 min at home then going to the gym to climb vertical to overhung stuff. I'm headed to Red Rocks this coming weekend and will be able to provide a more indepth review of the shoe after that trip.

I love my tc pro's
I am no bad ass but I can climb thin cracks well to off width no problem. They smear so much better than I anticipated because of the stiffness. Possibly the best shoe I have worn for smearing. And the do edge very well however you can't feel a thing. So you just have to trust the rubber and it always seams to stick. Granted I am just breaking into 11's so take what I say with a grain of salt

So, Greg G, back from Red Rocks I presume. What's the verdict?

So I have become a bit of a high top junkie of late. As a part of that, and finding a screaming deal on them, I finally bought a pair of Grandstones. I also own a pair of TC Pros on their second resole.

Here is the overview of both:

The TC Pro starts out as an incredible edger. The factory rubber is poor for smearing, however, once resoled with some Five Ten rubber...life is good. They start out pretty stiff and retain some stiffness, but also a good flex for smearing (once that awful Vibram rubber is off). Replace with your Five Ten Rubber du Jour and you will be psyched. I haven't really experienced any of the durability complaints that others have, but I have seen photos so they are out there. The mid-high top is nice sometimes, but frustrating at others. Gravel and other things manage to find their way into the ankle zone or heel area since it isn't tight around the top like true high tops often are, so beware. Not a deal breaker by any means, but some people are super anal about that kind of thing. I'm not a good climber but the sensitivity on these for me was pretty damn good. Overall a great shoe, wish the high top were a little bit higher but a great all arounder

The Grandstone is a new one in my quiver but I will go ahead and give my initial observations. These things feel every bit "clunky high top" at first, and then you learn how they climb and they feel like any other shoe. They are stiffer than roadkill and climb very well. Excellent rubber. Feel great in cracks, not terribly thin toe profile but you adapt to it. Highly recommended and a much better price point than the TC Pros.

I hope this helps everyone in the hunt...

@Matt

The TC is a great shoe for 'low angle' face or crack climbing. Living in SLC I'm mainly climbing the granite in Little Cottonwood or going down to the desert, and these shoes really shine in both arenas. Going from the Muira for granite, and Moccasyms for the desert I couldn't be more stoked to have a shoe that I can take everywhere.

One important caveat is that if you take the shoes everywhere and climb a lot of crack I would seriously recommend Seam Seal on the rand of the shoe from the toes on back to the arch and equivalent on the outside of the shoe. This is for real and you should do it as soon as you buy the shoe or break it in after a few TR runs or easy days (essentially before you get a chance to delam the rand). It's simply the weird design of the rand where it overlaps itself near the ball of the foot where the delam begins, but then it will propagate in front and behind the initial delam spot. In short Seam Seal = longevity.

As far as fit and sizing I wear a 42 in Muiras, and sized up to a 42.5 for the TC's. This sizing definitely favors slabbing and crack climbing. I lose sensitivity on techy edging and steeper terrain, but that's why I still own a pair of Muiras.

All in all the TC is a amazing shoe that I could see myself wearing for a few more years or until they make something better. It's definitely the best "granite" shoe I've ever worn, and I thought the Muira would hold that title forever.

Circled is the overlap where delam takes place. I've seen this on almost every pair of TC pro's I've seen.

@Greg:
Thanks for the review! I'll definitely take the SeamGrip idea to heart, I've had delam issues with my current La Sportivas and I'd rather not repeat them.

My TC Pro's have the same delamination problem and so do my buddies. I love la sportiva climbing shoes an I would prob buy another pair but I have had to glue the rand at the sides of both toes.

Regarding the initial question:
I love my TC Pros for crack climbing and all day trad. I got them a lite big to be more comfortable. They do not edge as well as my tighter muiras so I don't have as much confidence in them for tough face climbing.

For those that own both Sportiva TC pros and the 5.10 Grandstones, how did the sizing compare between the two? I'm a 44 in the TC Pros and wanted get the guidestones as a more comfortable all day crack / OW shoe for the Voo (probably even wear socks with them) - what do you recommend? The TC Pros are a performance fit in the 43.5s for me, and just barely comfortable in a 44. Thanks for the input- there's a great deal on Grandstones right now at deparmentofgoods.com (30% off!).

Kevin Landolt wrote:For those that own both Sportiva TC pros and the 5.10 Grandstones, how did the sizing compare between the two? I'm a 44 in the TC Pros and wanted get the guidestones as a more comfortable all day crack / OW shoe for the Voo (probably even wear socks with them) - what do you recommend? The TC Pros are a performance fit in the 43.5s for me, and just barely comfortable in a 44. Thanks for the input- there's a great deal on Grandstones right now at deparmentofgoods.com (30% off!).

I wear a 41 in TC Pro's with a perfect blend of performance and comfort fit, although a bit more toward performance. I wear a US 10 in the Grandstone and could wear them all day every day. I have wide flat feet with narrow heels for reference. Hope this helps.

W

Hi, I wonder if anyone of you having problem with your big toe when wearing the 5.10 Grandstone for more than 6 pitch. Such as pain because the nail on the big toes are pushed against the toe box of the shoe?