Now that I've retired my Anasazis how could I really test my new
Scarpas? Why, by going to the quarry of course! ::YAWN::
Met Shane down there at 2 O'Clock. Led the two easy routes (5+,6A+)
and was very surprised to find the shoes to be much
more postive on small edges than the Anasazis.
On the 6B+ and 6CI positively yomped up them painlessly.
Here's my theory. The Anasazis offer no support at all. They are not
designed to. They are built for sensitivity and feel. They are
primarily for climbers operating at the higer grades where most of the
climber's weight is on the arms and NOT on the feet. In fact if you
climb on them at the quarry, you'll inevitably end up standing around
on small edges and will eventually have to give up in agony as your
toes will start to hurt like hell. I found that I could stand around
on edges quite comfortably and securely. True, I didn't have the feel
through to the rock like the Anasazis and I didn't get that feeling of
being able to power down with the toes on tiny edges, but to be
honest, I either need to lose about 4 stone or develop some seriously
strong toes if I'm going to do that for more than a couple of times on
a climb.
They were slippery on smears though. I think that is because they are
still new and un-roughed up.
Anyway, Shane did much better today. Retired to the Joiners
afterwards.