Hi Guys
Today, I’d like to share with you my feeling about the “new” Arpia shoes from Scarpa. Before starting ….why I chose this pair over the multitude of pairs available on the market ?
First because they were released just when I was looking for a new pair. And then because of Scarpa’s promises:
“The Arpia is especially designed for climbers who want to step up to their first high performance shoe. It combines performance with a high level of comfort provided by a new, medium fit FK last, a perfect all-round model that performs in any situation, from indoor walls to multi-pitch climbs.”
And this is exactly me ! I started climbing with an entry level pair of shoes. And I wanted something more technic but still comfortable. So that was the perfect timing.
The first time I put them on, I felt the difference with my previous pair. They were tight, but with the feeling to be in a slipper. As you can see on the next picture, the middle of the shoes is very soft , so the shoes is very flexible. The sole wrapped with Vibram® Grip2. You probably already know it. It worked well, even if I didn’t really notice any differences compare to the Stealth rubber from Five ten, at least for smearing. For the edge, the shape is totally different from my previous entry level pair. So I feel more precise and more confident, but I can’t tell the role of the rubber on that global feeling.
I really loved those shoes…. What ?… wait … loved ? ….. ….. Yes !
Unfortunately, I only used them 10 times. 10 x 2h, inside. What happened ? A beautiful hole on the rand. So I contacted Scarpa, they first told me that it was entirely my fault, and it was due to my bad climbing. And they graciously sent me a link to an online article explaining how to climb. …
OK fair enough, I don’t climb V15 and my technic is probably not perfect … but I kept my previous pair during 8 months and my climbing was probably even worse. After complaining a lot, they finally agreed to offer me a discount in order to send my shoes for resole…. A few weeks later and £35 less, I received my “new” resoled pair.
I have to say that during that time I bought another pair of shoes from another brand, and I’m still using it after 5 months without any holes despite my bad technic !
So overall I’d like to say that I really love this model, they are very comfortable and very precise. There are probably even better shoes for a better climber, but for me, it was perfect and allowed me to go a step further. Unfortunately, I found the rand very fragile. I don’t know if it’s because it was one of the first model, and something was wrong (but Scarpa never mentioned that), or if it’s because of my bad climbing. If the latter, Scarpa should change the description on their website, and advise the Arpia for experimented climber with very good foot technic and not like that
“Climbers who want to step up to their first high performance shoe.”
