Evolv Oracle Climbing Shoe Climbing Shoes

Product Information

Test Locations: Rifle, Clear Creek Canyon, & Eldorado Canyon, CO; Ten Sleep, WY; Kraft Boulders, NV; Moe’s Valley, UT Feeling – toe is softer than Solution and heel cup much tighter and sensitive. Feeling wise after session in Agro, heel cup on Solution is significantly baggy and insensitive. Aside from the Agro’s closure and split tongue, the upper itself is almost entirely covered in Evolv’s proprietary Trax SAS climbing-grade rubber. This is the same rubber that appears on the Agro’s sole and heel, and it’s very grippy.

Durability: Despite its impressive performance characteristics, TRAX® SAS is also designed for durability. This rubber compound is made to withstand the wear and tear that comes with climbing, ensuring a longer lifespan for the climbing shoes. The Agro is may be slightly less sensitive than the Solution, though not dramatically so. In terms of broader performance characteristics, the Solution handles vertical edging better than the Agro, but both shoes perform quite well on really steep terrain.

Details

For heel hooking edges, the shoe dominates. The precise heel can hook small blades with regular precision. This regularity is the strongest part of the shoe’s performance. A good climbing shoe will respond consistently between attempts and boulder problems. This is certainly present in the third generation Shaman. The Oracle does a pretty impressive job of covering all bases, in terms of performance sport, bouldering and trad climbing. Unlike many lace up models, the rubber toe patch is extensive and gives coverage high enough up the forefoot for all manner of toe hooks. This is a nice change from other lace ups which include a small and rather useless patch of toe rubber that doesn’t do much.

From the Agro, the Oracle inherited the stiffer "Dark Spine" midsole and heel tension which ensures a supportive fit and plenty of friction for heel hooks. A Flexible Sling Shot (FFS) heel tensioner is embedded into the top lace loop. When pulled tight, the heel and arch can be pulled in with plenty of precision. The TRAX® SAS is developed in partnership with an actual rubber scientist (a doctor of material science / chemical engineering that specializes in rubber) according to Evolv. Like most steep sport-climbing or bouldering shoes, the Agro has an aggressively downturned shape. The Agro is more downturned than the Evolv Shaman and comparably shaped (in terms of downturn) to the La Sportiva Solution. Finally, the Agro is noticeably tapered from the heel to the forefoot, with a relatively wide toe box but a narrow, tight-fitting heel. I have medium-volume feet and didn’t find the Agro to be uncomfortable, given how aggressive it is. And beyond just being comfortable, I found that the Agro inspired a lot of confidence on heel hooks, something that is absolutely essential for any shoe that caters to boulderers.While the front of the Oracle doesn't have the total rubber coverage of the Agro, they still hold their own in toe-hook sequences, and I felt like the laces stayed out of the way better then velcro when I used more of my foot. The laces extend far enough down the length of the foot, but not so far that they will get mashed up on toe hooks. They are protected by the upper, though I do wonder how much wear and tear the delicate looking plastic inserts at the top of the micro cord can take. Build quality, however, seems good all round, and the lacing really does make getting them on and off much easier than other lace ups that use a more traditional system. Performance Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! The bevel on the Agro’s toe box functions much like the toe box on the Solution and provides a high degree of precision, particularly when the terrain is steep. I wore the Agro in my street shoe size of 13, and I felt it was exactly the right fit for the shoe. Most of the power in the Agro comes from its downturn and stiffer forefoot. The tall toe box allows for some flexibility in the fit and you could probably go down a half-size without incurring serious discomfort. But I wouldn’t advise going too much smaller than that, at least to start (obviously size down or up as far as you need to in search of a fit that minimizes dead space without being painful).

In a nutshell Agro is totally comparable to legendary LS Solution. Details that I mentions above are matter of personal taste.

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WARM YOUR SHOES - Never try your NEW shoes on when they are cold out of the box. Leave them in a warm room for an hour or so before trying them on, this will make them much more soft, supple and plyable. Disclaimer The Geshido has a leather upper, which has some advantages and disadvantages over the synthetic alternatives. Leather will adapt to the shape of your foot to give a perfect fit if you size them fairly tight to start with. I would probably go down another half size from the UK8 that I tested for a performance fit, but I’d keep the 8s for all day route climbing or for warm summer days at the boulders. For reference, my street shoe size is about UK8.5, so I’d go a full size down for a redpoint fit and half for more general use. I find leather uppers can give you a great fit after the wear in phase, but they are less predictable than synthetic and this makes it harder to get the sizing right to begin with. Summary