So iLL shoe beta?

I'm looking at a good deal on some So iLL runners. How do they size compared to other brands? Do they stretch a lot? How well does the rubber last?

How is the toe box for wide feet?

Specifically I've had Tarantula's and Anasazi's in the past.

Any other beta? I pull plastic 60-70% of the time.

KyleMFSpurgeon wrote: I don't wanna be that guy but I think the best beta is "don't"..

That being said, they run narrow, low stretch. The rubber is sub-par but if they're new there might be improvements. I think sizing is just about true to size, depending on how aggressive you like to size your shoes. 

By all means, be that guy. This is the beta I'm looking for.

Thanks.

KyleMFSpurgeon wrote: I don't wanna be that guy but I think the best beta is "don't"..

That being said, they run narrow, low stretch. The rubber is sub-par but if they're new there might be improvements. I think sizing is just about true to size, depending on how aggressive you like to size your shoes. 

Their rubber comes from the same factory as five ten from what I understand...

Ian C wrote:

By all means, be that guy. This is the beta I'm looking for.

Thanks.

I personally haven't used them, but know a few people considering I live in STL.  None of my climbing partners that have used them enjoyed them.  Similar complaints as above, ant particular reason you were drawn towards them?

I thought the rubber was pretty sticky, myself. I just had lots of sizing issues. If you size according to your street shoe you’ll probably be good. 

My gym had a huge supply of them on sale for 50% off. When I asked why they said, "Because they fall apart."

I have a pair of runners and think they're pretty good shoes. Of course, I'm not climbing at a level where my shoes are making a huge difference between success and failure on a route.

I also have wide feet and they are OK. Not great for long multipitch but not terrible for one pitch at a time. They haven't stretched out at all. 

I tried the Runner and thought the rubber was really sticky, however they didn't last very long. I think the rubber wore through about 1.5 months in with 2-3x weekly climbs on Walltopia type walls. My footwork isn't super clean, but that was fast compared to other shoes I typically climb in (Mythos and Katanas). I thought the shoe was comfy and I enjoy beater shoes, so I resoled it. Shortly after resole the shoe itself started really coming apart.

I wouldn't purchase again, which is a shame because I actually like the way they look and for me that can play a part in my purchasing decision. I really like their approach shoes, but would hold off until their reputation improved.

Michael Martzahn wrote:

I personally haven't used them, but know a few people considering I live in STL.  None of my climbing partners that have used them enjoyed them.  Similar complaints as above, ant particular reason you were drawn towards them?

I found some on clearance; heh. In hindsight I guess there is a reason they are on sale. I'll avoid them and look for something else.

Ian C wrote:

I found some on clearance; heh. In hindsight I guess there is a reason they are on sale. I'll avoid them and look for something else.

Ah, gotcha.  I'm sure there are other shoes on sale as well :p

So Ill shoes and rubber are made at the old Five Ten factory (now Unparallel) in CA. They should have similar quality/fit as Five Ten but I dont have any personal experience