Evolv Zenist Climbing Shoes - AW23

Product Information

The fit and construction of the Zenist didn’t scream “competition only.” If Evolv didn’t plug it as a competition shoe, I would categorize it as a sport climbing and bouldering shoe by the way it fit and felt.

I found heel hooking felt stable. But it wasn’t as sensitive on minor features compared to some of my other Olympic shoes. Toe hooking was excellent, as the rubber-covered vegan upper proved pliable and sensitive. Because of the midsole, there was a bit of effort involved in contorting the shoe, but this was only relative to super-soft comp shoes. Soft, sensitive precision is the name of the game when it comes to designing an effective indoor competition shoe and Evolv have got it spot on with the Zenist. If you want a shoe that excels when the crux move involves powerful edging or pulling on footholds on steep angles, the Zenist Pro and Zenist Pro LV deliver. The shoes also murder toe hooks and high-pressure heel hooks. The synthetic upper didn’t stretch in length, but the aggressive downturn relaxed slightly. This adds some functional length within a few training board sessions. Like previous Evolv models, the Zenist is a mid-volume shoe, providing ample room for wider feet and higher arches. That isn’t to say those skinnier of foot are excluded from the Zenist range with a women’s/low volume version available in a snazzy, alternative white and turquoise colour-way. I downsized half a UK size in the Zenist and given their single layered synthetic ‘Synthratek’ upper, you shouldn’t expect too much stretch. I was pleasantly surprised by just how easy it was to get the Zenist on my foot. Thanks to such a supple design, especially in the heel cup area, the Zenists slipped straight on and moulded to the shape of my feet wonderfully. The quality of the shoe deserves a mention too. The inside of the Zenist feels luxurious with no hot spots or niggling bits of loose stitching, especially the perforated tongue of the shoe which is softer than silk. Did you know?The various bits that give the Zenist structure and caused potential compromise compared to other competition-style shoes were the exact attributes that made it a killer shoe on the local steeps in central Texas. Toe hooking and scumming were a joy in the Evolv Zenist Pro. The generous amount of rubber and the hand of the synthetic upper provided the perfect ratio of sensitivity and protection for pain-free yet precise toe-hooking and scumming moves. The Zenist Pro and the Zenist Pro LV are not slippers. They have more structure and thus more support and power. The downsides to gaining this power are sensitivity and softness (compliance). This is deliberate; these shoes were not meant to be true bouldering slippers. First off, the Evolv Zenist Pro is not a super-flexible or flimsy slipper. It has a significant structure. The 1.0mm EvoWrap midsole and 4.2mm TRAX SAS outsole provided support and edging power that was perfect for harder boulders on angles starting at slightly overhanging.

The structural integrity, and resulting support and edging ability, made the Evolv Zenist a precise, sensitive, and powerful weapon for steep limestone bolt-clipping and bouldering. The LV version of the Evolv Zenist Pro fit very similarly to the “normal,” medium-volume version, but it had a slightly snugger fit in every dimension. Evolv staffers told me that the LV version has 6% less volume than the medium-volume model. It was difficult to see a difference, but I could feel it right away; nothing huge, but noticeable.

Evolv Zenist: Good Crag Shoe?

Evolv launched the Zenist through its Evo Lab channel in February, following the pre-Olympic trend of competition-style shoe releases. The Evolv Zenist Pro proved to be powerful. The combination of EvoWrap, the fit, Love Bump, and the amount of structure turned my feet into pressure-delivering edging and hip-pulling powerhouses. California-based Evolv touted its Zenist as an indoor climbing weapon. It boasted the high sensitivity required for precise foot placements, in addition to delicate heel and toe hooks. But the shoe defies strict categorization.