Since buying my
Genius a fair few people have asked me what I thought about them and more
specifically the no-Edge technology. I have now owned my La Sportiva Genius for
5 months so I feel I can finally pass judgement on them and the No-Edge
technology. When you look at one you can’t help but look at the other - So here
you have somewhat of a mixed review. First a bit of background on the new tech.
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| La Sportiva Genius |
No-Edge Technology
At first, like many,
I was somewhat sceptical of the No-Edge technology La Sportiva were pushing on
some of their more high-end boots. Boots have had good edges for years; it’s
one of the things many people look at when they are buying a new shoe. Deep
down everyone knows you need an edge to stand on those tiny little “Credit
Card” edges. And we have all had to throw away a pair of shoes that are just
too worn down - a big sign of which is their lack of edges.
According to La Sportiva
however, none of this is necessarily true. A “No-Edge” shoe is produced using a
brand-new process, meaning that La Sportiva can make the following claims:
- No-Edge
brings rock and foot into closer contact.
- No-Edge
enhances the sensitivity and the adaptability of the shoe.
- No-Edge
allows for a more even pressure distribution across the shoe.
There are a few
things to consider here, that once your normal shoes are worn down enough to be
edge-less the rest of the shoe is used and abused to the point where they don’t
function as they should. And while an edge is great for standing on a tiny
crimp the extra rubber you have to put on a shoe to produce an edge will
obviously reduce sensitivity - More rubber on the shoe, means more rubber to
have to feel through.
Anyway enough general
waffling and onto the shoe itself.
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| The Genius in Action - Seb Smith |
La Sportiva Genius
Comfort
As a rather
aggressive shoe the genius is not a comfy out of the box boot. However they
broke in within a handful of sessions and really sat nicely on my feet. Wearing
them untied at first decreased the discomfort but probably also increased the
amount of time to break them in. The lace system obviously allows for the shoe
to mould very closely to one's foot, while the Classic La Sportiva P3 system
maintains the downturn and hence the feel of the shoe. There is a ridge of
padding under the curve of the toes which took a bit of getting used to, but is
actually a really nice feature and does increase the comfort overall. One great
feature is the full lacing system, allowing a really adaptable fit for a range
of different foot sizes and shapes.
Sensitivity
I originally bought
these as a stiff shoe, on both the shelf and the test pair the rubber felt
stiff while still being flexible. However after breaking in the Genius has
become much softer, still not as soft as say the Python’s but still noticeably
softer than they first were. The sensitivity is brilliant; you really can feel
a lot of what is going on underneath you. I was worried about whether my
footwork would become more shoddy - just stabbing a foot on and letting the No-Edge
technology do its job - however this isn’t so much the case. You are not so
much just stabbing a toe on and just going, but there is no time needed to make
sure the edge is on just right. You can feel the rock beneath you, know you can
weight it and be straight off again.
In The Gym
I’m not sure this is
the shoe for you if you solely use them in the gym. They are an expensive pair
of boots and honestly I’m not sure feet are ever so bad in the gym that an edge
will be what’s holding you back. That’s not to say I don’t use them when
indoors, but if this is your only stomping ground I wouldn’t be rushing out to
buy a pair -Though I will say that I have started using them during training
board sessions, and they are very useful at getting your feet used to that
specific sort of precision footwork.
On the rock
This is where the
genius really shines. The amount of information you receive from your toes is
simply phenomenal. I have had these out and about all over Yorkshire and Peak
grit. They are good at everything from standing on pebbles and quarried ledges,
to smearing on non-existent holds. Recently they were my go to shoe for a week
in Fontainebleau, where they performed exceptionally well on the glassy and
non-glassy sandstone of the area alike, even performing well on even the most
delicate of Font slabs. The one thing I haven’t mentioned is how great they are
at heel-hooks. The stiff yet sticky heel holds really well, is easy to weight
and even easier to trust.
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| An ill-advised heel hook - Seb Smith |
Overall
The Genius is a great
bouldering shoe, fulfilling all the needs of a performance rock boot. They are
built fantastically well and given the good state they are still in after 5
months of use that quality seems to last. For those of you who take a selection
of shoes to the crag, this is definitely one you need to consider, and I am
sure you would quite quickly be pulling this one on first. It can take a while
to get used to but it is definitely worth it. The “No-Edge” technology
can be a bit of a Marmite style divider, but for my money it works - and don’t
let that be what puts you off trying a brilliant shoe.
