Our neoliberal world order has trained us to expect that everything we purchase and own is fungible. As such, I am pleasantly surprised when I come across a product that is so well made, constructed with such skill and care, that it outlives the albeit low expectations I have for what its longevity ought to be. This describes my experience over the past few years of wearing this same pair of Scarpa Gecko approach shoes. In the time it has taken me to wear out this one pair of shoes, I’ve replaced computers, headphones, and major household appliances. Yes, the Scarpa Gecko shoes last longer than a MacBook Pro. Think about that.
Scarpa Gecko
– Approach shoes for rock climbing that last forever
– Vibram rubber sole for stickiness and security
– Medium stiffness gives support, but also flexibility for performance / easy technical climbing
– Padded tongue doesn’t shift around and is comfortable top of foot.
Over hundreds of miles of approaches to crags everywhere, the Scarpa Gecko has been a trusted companion, one that has held up remarkably well. The medium-flex rigidity of the shoe has retained its flexible support. And not a single stitch has blown anywhere on the shoe, nor has any rubber peeled, or glue delaminated.
These kicks have a sporty feel to them, thanks to a narrow-ish toe box that gives you the low-key edging performance of an actual climbing shoe. Of course that comes in handy if you’re scrambling on the approach to a multi-pitch. As far as actual climbing performance goes, I’d happily climb 5.9 hand cracks in these guys. That said, if you’re looking for a shoe that is more climbing-performance oriented than approach-performance oriented, I’d recommend the La Sportiva TX2 Evos.
That said, I usually don’t climb in my approach shoes! (That’s why I have climbing shoes, duh.) I use approach shoes to walk to climbs. And Scarpa Geckos do that extremely well. They are by far the most durable, most long-lasting approach shoes I’ve ever worn.
Sizing: I tested a size 44, which is my normal street shoe size, but I might size up to a 44.5 to have a little more room in the toe.
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