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Is the Mythos discontinued??

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349
Double Jwrote:

Because in 2021 there are so many better options on the market than a 30 year old shoe with almost as old technology. I think climbing is hard enough, and I want to use every modern tech available to me to get up the wall, and those shoes are no longer part of that mix IMHO. 

A very good climber I know once remarked to a kid who was complaining that he didn’t have the “correct” boots to “do the climb”…. Even though he had about 3 different pairs of shoes with him… 

E just laughed and said… “Rockclimbing is not about shiny shoes” 

True… 

But JJ Mythos fit my feet perfectly- I do have Morton toe, with a really hi arch and pointy heel.
I do try on “modern” shoes- none of the Asian brands fit- I can wiggle my toes up and down - they all feel baggy in the toe box.
5.10s always just felt cheap- Charles would give me free shoes and all would fall apart with a few weeks at JT.

So Mythos work for ME, a old man who climbs fairly moderate climbs with walk off descents- yes if you open them up, and tye the laces up in a certain way you can walk for miles in them… 

Just think about that for a second

Late 

Double J · · Sandy, UT · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 4,573
Guy Keeseewrote:

So Mythos work for ME, a old man who climbs fairly moderate climbs with walk off descents- yes if you open them up, and tye the laces up in a certain way you can walk for miles in them… 

Just think about that for a second

Late 

IDK, I am nearing my middle age self, and when I climb moderate routes with walk off descents, I carry shoes up the route with me, and tie them in a regular way for the miles long walk in them.

I did think about that for a second

;)

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 669

This seemed needed in the convo. 

The future is now, old man!

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,732

Any of you broken down crusty Mythos lovers* want a pair of 39.5 purples, resoled with C4?

* don't take offense, I count myself among the BDCMLs. 

Hope for Movement · · USA, Europe · Joined Aug 2019 · Points: 0
rock climbing wrote:

Is that a VHS?

Very Hard Solo? Yes.

Steve McGee · · Sandpoint, ID · Joined Aug 2021 · Points: 795
Gunkiemikewrote:

Any of you broken down crusty Mythos lovers* want a pair of 39.5 purples, resoled with C4?

* don't take offense, I count myself among the BDCMLs. 

Pretty sure I wear 39.5, or did until my feet flattened out. Tried them on briefly after 20 years and they felt super tight. But if it turns out they're right (my Megas also felt 'too tight') I may be interested in your resouled Mythos. I need a resole on mine as it is.

phylp phylp · · Upland · Joined May 2015 · Points: 1,142
Frank Steinwrote:

So, I don’t really care whether Mythos are discontinued or not. But as a very early convert to the cult of the Mythos in the early ‘90s, I was really excited to give them a chance as a do-everything super-shoe. I was almost instantly disappointed with the fit, performance and comfort. They didn’t edge, toe hook or heel hook well, they didn’t really fit in small pockets, and the comfort was okay, but not special. Not terribly supportive either. They did okay in cracks, but the Mocassym was better.
Still, I wanted to love them, but within two years I was on 5.10 Razors and LS Kendos for sport, and in three years used Anasazis and Mocassyms for trad. And, that was the end of the Mythos experiment, a most disappointing shoe. 

I've been climbing in them a very long time and I never thought of them as a do-everything super shoe.  I never use them for sport, which is usually vertical or steep, I have 2 other LS models and a Scarpa I use for that. And for thin crack specifically I'll use my Moccasyms .  For some hand cracks I like my Katanas better than the Mythos but they both work well if differently. But for all day easy (5.9 or less) trad climbing with a mix of face and crack, where you can be going 10 pitches without taking your shoes off, I love them.  The size I wear is tight enough to be both secure and comfy at the same time.  And for a certain type of low angle real slab, they can be awesome (I've used them up to 11c I think).  That's where you want that lack of edging and softness, you get a great smoosh.  Of course all of this might just be because of the fit of that model on my foot.  If they don't work for you, JJ  and other people, , like y'all say, there are plenty of other things to try.

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 669
rock climbing wrote:

Is that a VHS?

Here's an Instagram from last year

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGZ06L-DnOL/

Al Pine · · Shawangadang, NY · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 0

It’s mostly marketing… Shoes perform as well as the person wearing them.

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5
Al Pinewrote:

It’s mostly marketing… Shoes perform as well as the person wearing them.

And shoes fit as well as the … shoe fits.

Anyway shoes obviously impact performance, or there wouldn’t have been a whole revolution of the climbing that was possible when the first modern climbing shoes were introduced. 

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

Update: randomly found a US shop that had one pair each of 3 sizes, one being the size I needed, so I’m having it shipped and should be re-mythosed in a few days! Also found a European site that would ship to US for a bit more $ but got a pair ordered from there too. Hopefully by the time these die la sportiva will have come to their senses and reinstate the best shoe ever.

Now, just gotta get through working on a slab climb tomorrow in terrible/terrifying shoes. 

chris p · · Meriden, CT · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 556
amariuswrote:

One of the very few shoe models that fit people with Morton's toe.

I'd seriously love a thread for people to share what shoes do fit comfortably for those of us with Morton's toe. So far all I can say it's no high performing shoes seem to. 

Hope for Movement · · USA, Europe · Joined Aug 2019 · Points: 0
chris pwrote:

I'd seriously love a thread for people to share what shoes do fit comfortably for those of us with Morton's toe. So far all I can say it's no high performing shoes seem to. 

See above, Mythos perform fairly high. 

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

SAD UPDATE: 

I thought I’d found my shoes, finally found a company in Europe that I could buy from. Placed the order, confirmed, card charged. 2 days later I get an email cancelling my order with this explanation.

“To our regret, we are not able to fulfill your order properly. We are very sorry, but our trading terms and conditions only allow sales for La Sportiva within the European Economic Area & Switzerland. We cannot accept or process orders for La Sportiva outside of this territory.”


What the hell? It’s not like LaSportiva doesn’t sell to the US, and they’re obviously still making and selling the mythos… why is this happening?

Anyone in the European Economic Area or Switzerland want to ship me some shoes? 

Wictor Dahlström · · Stockholm · Joined Oct 2021 · Points: 0

If you really want a pair of Mythos I´m sure you can get someone in EU to buy a pair and ship them over. It will however most likley be more expensive with shipping. 

Terry E · · San Francisco, CA · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 43
chris pwrote:

I'd seriously love a thread for people to share what shoes do fit comfortably for those of us with Morton's toe. So far all I can say it's no high performing shoes seem to. 

The video below details how Vibram modified shoes for pro climber Beatrice Colli to alleviate her Morton's Neuroma. I wish shoe manufacturers would make such shoes available for ordinary climbers. The elephant in the room seems to be that many climbing shoes create this condition.

https://youtu.be/QRoF0gxLXQo
Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5
Wictor Dahlströmwrote:

If you really want a pair of Mythos I´m sure you can get someone in EU to buy a pair and ship them over. It will however most likley be more expensive with shipping. 

In case it wasn’t already abundantly clear from this thread, 

YES I do really want a pair of mythos.

If anyone has a lead on where I can buy a pair, I’m obviously fine with paying for shipping from Europe just don’t know if there’s anywhere I can order from that won’t cancel my order again, there was nothing on this site or throughout the ordering process to indicate it would be a problem.

Also, still super curious as to why.  

Terry E · · San Francisco, CA · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 43
Climb On · · Everywhere · Joined Jan 2016 · Points: 0

Em- I'm not sure if this is helpful or not but most of the Australian climbing stores carry the mythos you're looking for.  They don't ship internationally but on the off chance you know someone over there you may be in luck.

It may be worth giving Mountain Equipment in Sydney a call.  I've had great experiences with them and if you tell your sad story you may be able to convince them to throw a pair in the mail.

Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

Thanks! I do know someone in Australia actually. I’ll give that a try.

Terry E…. Looking for mythos. Not mythos eco. I would hope that myself and everyone on this thread would’ve been capable of googling mythos eco and finding them abundantly available. Thanks for trying though! :)

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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