Customer Reviews EVOLV Pontas II

First off, with sizing it is difficult to say if shoes are "true to size" because each brand is a little different, and the shape of the shoe is always a factor. If you already climb in Evolv and want a good fit, I went one full size down from street shoe size. In Evolv's other, more down-turned and aggressive shoes, I only go down half a size from street. The fit is solid; the opposing strap idea works well to really keep the arch of your fit tight against the shoe, and makes it more trustworthy on major heelhocks. A bit stiffer of a design through the midsole; means these shoes perform great across a wide range of terrain, from being able to smear on slabs, stand on small holds on vertical walls, and still provide enough flex to toe in when climbing on steep walls. Style... too personal to judge, right? I like brightly colored shoes.

Great climbing shoe. This is my second pair of Pontas II's. Sharp edges, a little agressiveness to the toe. The heel box could be better (MadRock's take the cake on this), but the fit is great. I busted through the toe on my other one's, but it took me a year of consistent climbing to do so. It's funny that the standard Zappos review asks about comfort (doesn't really work for climbing...). Highly recommend the Pontas II!

I'm really happy with these shoes. The grip is really great. More aggressive than any climbing shoe I have used in the past. It has been fairly painful on the tops of my toes breaking them in, though it is getting a bit better. So far I've only used these in a gym and not yet outdoors.

The Pontas II fit my 11.5 feet a little too comfortably in a size 12, but when sized true to my street size they were perfect. I would not buy them in more than a half-size below your street shoe. The toebox has enough room such that your toes should be slightly curled, but not painfully so. This will give you more power when edging; however, the shoes are not down-turned enough for you to gain much additional performance by cramming yourself into something uncomfortable. The Pontas have a really nice toe for edging and good the 3rd strap keeps the sole tight for smearing, but the heel feels a little lacking. It will work well for most heel hooks, but I would really like to see something with more of a pronounced heel cup and an extension of the outsole higher up the heel. This is a solid all around shoe that is meant to be comfortable, so that you can enjoy being on the wall. By the time you wear them out, you'll have a good feeling of what features you want in your next shoe. They'll get you to 5.11 and v5.