Scarpa – Arpia – Climbing Shoes

Looking for a comfortable yet powerful climbing shoe for your weekly boulder sessions with your mates? Then you should definitely have a closer look at Scarpa’s Arpia. Built upon the idea that a performance-oriented climbing shoe doesn’t have to hurt, the Arpia was constructed using soft and flexible materials. The microfibre material on the upper nestles up against the skin without getting stretched out, and the grippy Vibram XS Grip 2 sole is manoeuvrable and flexible. The Arpia owes it excellent performance to the last and the toe box. The FK last is moderately asymmetrical, and the toe section has been designed for moderate toe curvature to facilitate foot placements on the smallest of edges. The toe box offers a good amount of space for the toes, but is stable enough to ensure precise power transfer from the big toe to the wall. The stiff midsole, which extends over the entire surface of the foot from the heel to the toes, provides both stability and support. The slight to moderate downturn along with the moderate heel tension gives the Arpia a comfortable, compact, performance fit.
The climbing shoe falls somewhere in between the comfy Vapor V and high performance climbing shoes. As for the strengths of the Arpia, they’re definitely indoor bouldering and sport climbing (both indoors and outdoors), and the shoe is perfectly capable of coping with higher grades. The V-Tension active randing system delivers stability and support, whilst the Wave Strap hook-and-loop closure allows for an individualised fit. The rubber at the toe and heel allows for high-level hooking as well. The Arpia from Scarpa is an all-round excellent climbing shoe that shows that comfort and performance are not mutually exclusive.