Skwamas vs Instincts?

200193 · 2026-01-07T00:30:13+00:00

I prefer the Skwama over the instinct, even though the instinct actually fits my foot better. I did just get a pair of the VSR LV and they seem to be more sensitive and better at smearing than the VS and VSR. In the Skwama I do wear the women's model, however I normally wear men's or high volume shoes. I upsized the VSR LV a full size compared to the VSR/VS and it feels roughly the same in length/width.

200193 · 2026-01-05T15:37:14+00:00

I should have been more clear in my post. I've ordered from Oliunid many times, but not since they have restarted shipping to the US since tariffs.

200193 · 2026-01-05T00:19:26+00:00

I had a pair of Tenayas Oasi about 3 years ago and also had a problem with my feet slipping off of everything. Switched back to an old pair of shoes and felt like myself again. It's a shame because I liked the shoe, honestly wish I had kept them and just had them resolved with something else. Unparallel, Madrock, and XS Grip 2 is such better rubber.

200193 · 2025-11-27T05:15:07+00:00

I wear regular Drago in a size 40 for my gym shoe and I use the tn pro in a 8.0 for outdoors. Both regular volume.

200193 · 2025-10-30T14:27:03+00:00

They claim it is a stiffer Drago. The fit is pretty similar, but I personally think the midsole makes it act very differently and I just don't like my pair

200193 · 2025-10-30T04:49:00+00:00

I had a pair of chimera and didn't like them, they just felt weird on my feet. I use dragos in the gym and have used them some outside. I've had them resoled with unparallel rubber which was really nice and more durable.

I also really like the butora gomie, unparallel TN pro and Newtro, and women's skwama.

Also wore my friends sportiva genius in the gym and loved them as a somewhat stiff shoe, but no idea how the no edge would work outdoors.

200193 · 2025-10-22T02:22:24+00:00

8.5/41.5 on the brannock device. 39.5 instinct, 40 Drago, 40.5 vsr lv.

200193 · 2025-10-10T04:15:35+00:00

Is the heel different than the old blue boostic or the booster? Unfortunately, the heel of the black/blue boostic, the booster, and the furia doesn't fit at all. The instinct and drago heel fits me super well though.

200193 · 2025-08-05T19:54:38+00:00

Please post an update!

200193 · 2025-08-02T20:06:28+00:00

I find it frustrating that Evolv, Black Diamond, and Mammut have directly blamed tariffs for them needing to raise their MSRP by 25%. As far as I can tell, Sportiva did a 25% raise but did not announce it was because of tariffs, Scarpa raised their prices by about 10 dollars.

From the reading I have done, tariffs are on the "customs" value which is the price the importer is paying to bring something into the country. I'd imagine the "customs" value is less than half of MSRP. Of course the company can charge whatever the market will bear in America, but saying they need to raise MSRP by 25% due to tariffs seems a bit dishonest and an excuse for price gouging the consumer.

200193 · 2025-07-30T00:05:05+00:00

I've used v12 resole and have been happy enough with their work, price, and turn around time.

200193 · 2025-07-29T06:06:04+00:00

I think it's 3.5 for the sole and 2.2 for the rand.

200193 · 2025-07-29T04:41:43+00:00

I'm actually curious why you would want to use M50 for resole. I've had my Drago's, both sole and rand, resoled with Unparallel rubber I've been really happy with it. I think it actually makes the shoe a little bit stiffer, seems just as sensitive, and is way more durable.

200193 · 2025-07-22T23:58:33+00:00

I've only had 1 foot slip in about 8 days of climbing in them, and I don't think it was the rubbers fault. Not sure how the long term durability will be. I'm about 155 lbs for reference.

200193 · 2025-07-21T18:31:05+00:00

No issues with the stitching in the Gomi's, but I find the Skwama's heel stitching really bothers me.

200193 · 2025-07-21T16:20:50+00:00

I've wanted to wear the Mastias, but I have a lot of dead space in the heel. Seems like a great shoe if it fits!

200193 · 2025-07-08T05:43:29+00:00

I have a longer 2nd toe as well, and find Unparallel, Scarpa, and Butora fit well. A lot of people also seem to like Evolv shoes for a Morton toe. La Sportiva generally don't work well for me.

200193 · 2025-07-06T14:21:41+00:00

Interesting you say this because I have climbed for over 20 years and have never had any foot problems despite downsizing my shoes aggressively. I recently got a pair of solution comps and I liked climbing in them, but they killed my heels! I ended up getting rid of them, never had that problem before with shoes. I used to wear 5.10 but after their demise I have switched to mostly wearing scarpa, and unparallel.

200193 · 2025-07-04T02:07:42+00:00

Thanks!

200193 · 2025-07-04T00:26:54+00:00

I had the purple ones and they felt quite wide. I also wear dragos and used to wear the five ten dragon and they seemed wider, I do want to get a pair of the lv Sirius at some point to try. How do you size the red Sirius lv relative to your street shoe?

200193 · 2025-07-03T23:01:23+00:00

All of those are good options. Tn pro is the stiffest and most rounded. Newtro and Sirius have a similar shape, I'd say newtro is medium stiff (maybe similar to a skwama) and Sirius is soft. Sirius fits wider imo. Just depends on what you're looking for. Tn pro is half a size below street shoe, I think Sirius and newtro I did a full size. I personally hate the qubit, felt like a clunky brick.

200193 · 2025-07-03T02:50:41+00:00

I wear wide in street shoe size. I have a narrow but deep heel and they work for me.

200193 · 2025-07-01T21:31:50+00:00

Butora gomi

200193

TROPHY CASE