Approach Shoes

John Farrell wrote: Well, one bad thing about the Chaco's... You have to put sunscreen on the tops of your feet. If you don't, it's not fun, and that's from experience.

And if you don't...

tan lines just like zorro!

Love my Sportiva Cirque Pro's!!! You can't beat the Mythos lace system!

check out acopa scramblers. they are more comfortable than my trail running shoes, but look and perform like a climbing shoe. i can't get enough acopa!!!

The Cirque Pros are great for a lot of reasons but not for the rubber. If the temp. drops below 40 degrees walking on a piece of granite is like walking on ice. Forget snow. That said I had Komito resole mine with some good rubber and they are now the best pair of approach shoes I ever had. Well the Nike Lava Dome was almost as good!

well I just did it in la sportiva wildcats--running shoes. kinda funny when I got up ten feet and lost my momentum and had to bail off to the ground to start over. probably sketchy to watch.

Well???

So what was the result?

Com'on man times?

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/colorado/boulder/flatirons/105752023

Congrats to Phil on a clearly superior performance. I'll have to try not changing shoes at base and summit and see what I can whittle off...

I think that helped. I almost broke my ankle on a rocky part going downhill. maybe don't try that.

Yeah, that's a problem. I used to push it down that trail, but too many ankle turns and spills. Now I kind of coast-trot down the rocky parts. It costs a couple minutes, but I'm not stressing about epic bone-splintering, face-smashing crashes.

Anyway dude, you threw down a heavy gauntlet...

Phil Lauffen wrote: And if you don't... tan lines just like zorro!

Ugh, thanks for the flashback memories.

The Empire Strikes Back, young SkyLauffen:

38:09.

It's a little embarrassing, because it looks like I'm fudging now or wasn't trying before. But that's the true time and I always felt like I was trying. It saved several minutes to run straight through without changing shoes at bottom and top. Beyond that, well, I guess you inspired me!

BTW, I'm looking for approach shoes, too. (Did Freeway in Asics running shoes.) Maybe I really need two pair, because I also want wall shoes. For approach/scrambling, I'm tempted to just find stiff running shoes with decent black soles. Are more expensive shoes really so much better?

But can the same pair stretch to serve as decent wall shoes too, or do you really need a lot more beef and support? But when busting out the free sections, the beef is a pain in the neck! Maybe stiff running shoes is the best combo compromise?

Whatduya all do to cover approach, scrambling & aid? One pair or two?

oomf! two minutes on my time and almost ten on your original! thats gonna be hard to come back on! great job darth senator! I honestly have no clue how I'm gonna be able to beat that.

Thank you! The congrats I accept with pleasure. The hand wringing I categorically denounce! If you don't care, you won't beat it. If you do care, you'll do it hard several times, throw in some sprints, quarters, and long runs, and come back and smoke it by a few minutes at least, in a month or less!

But I'm still plotting my own improvement...

EDIT: And that formulation is presumptuous on my part. Seeing as you are 20 and on the ascendant curve, you'll probably beat it with another go or two or three, whether you work for it or not. But, like I said...

alright I'll quit my bitchin'. I just felt completely drained after that first attempt! But no throwing the age card at me!

38 minutes car to car on the 2nd Flatiron? That's moving pretty good, Shawn!

I have the same question Shawn does. Are approach shoes and wall shoes a good combination, or is it better to have different shoes?

I currently have some Patagonia Huckleberry. Not so good for rock climbing/smearing but very grippy on the trail.

Previously I had some 5.10 Guide Tennies (still in my closet for tricky approach slabs) - great on rock and slabs, not so grippy on the trail, and wore out/delaminated way too quickly, quite disappointing (showed signs on the first trip).

I also have some Nike ACGs which did not perform as advertised on rock, but okay on the trail and totally indestructible (12 years old!), quite a surprise really.