Evolv Optimus Prime and Pontas

The Pontas (left) and Optimus Prime- Evolv's Sharma Series J. Wilder The Pontas (left) and Optimus Prime -- Evolv's Sharma Series

Back at the OR show, Evolv tossed me a pair of their famed Pontas to check out, which I happily agreed to. I’ve been looking for a new sport/gym shoe, and I’ve always had good luck with the Evolv lasts and my funky foot (I have a nice case of Morton’s Toe, making most asymmetrical shoes unwearable). I tried them on at the show, and they were much less painful than I suspected, so I took them home and started using them at the gym to see if I could tolerate them. I soon realized two things: Yes, I can wear them, but there would be no crack climbing in them- my middle toe was just too bunched up.

Not long after, a pair of the Optimus Prime’s arrived on my door, and after one size change, I was able to stuff my feet into these relatively pain free as well, and as a result, I now had two pairs of relatively high performance shoes whereas before I had none! Now, before we get into the specifics, I’ll let you know that I have been using these primarily as gym shoes- it’s the easiest way to really test them for what they’re meant for and see how they hold up over time- being a non-paid volunteer, I only get one day outside a week, so most of my climbing time is in the gym. I did, however, use both pairs of shoes on several pitches in the Gunks as well as a bit of bouldering in the Gunks and in Red Rock. I’ve also used them on probably 10-12 pitches of sport in Red Rock so far.

Pontas

The unassuming Pontas Evolv The unassuming Pontas

Evolv bills the Pontas as a high performance shoe with “one of our best” heels and an extended toe rand. It has an ¾ length semi-stiff midsole to give “the ideal balance of edging power and responsiveness from toe through the arch”. They recommend using it on steep climbs or anything requiring precise footwork. It has 4.2mm Trax on it, with a synthetic upper and a cotton fiber lining.

Suprisingly, the Pontas actually fits my foot better than the Optimus, despite the Optimus having a symmetrical toe and the Pontas being an asymmetrical fit. I attribute this to the flat nature of the shoe and the lack of rubber surrounding the upper. The heel fits fairly well, although there is some dead space around it- but when I use the shoe to heel hook, the dead space seems to vanish and it feels super secure on just about anything I touch, which is nice as my heel is fairly narrow and I tend to slip out of a lot of shoes. As for edging- it definitely lives up to what Evolv sells it as -- the shoe sticks to the tiny stuff without much effort, and the sensitivity is high despite being stiff enough to edge very well. I sized these shoes the same as my other Evolv shoe, the Demorto, and they were just about perfect to start. Since they're synthetic, they haven’t changed at all, except some slight stretching of the upper where my second toe pushes up. That's all the stretch I want anyway.

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Optimus Prime

The sleek and sexy Optimus Prime Evolv The sleek and sexy Optimus Prime

Evolv’s latest and probably most talked about shoe is the Optimus Prime- this downcambered shoe has a rounded toe box (symmetrical last), with 4.2mm rubber and a synthetic upper (wrapped in a lot more rubber!) The big question has always been- what is this shoe designed for? The answer, from both Evolv and others -- steep face climbing where edging is king.

The Pontas (left) is a half size SMALLER than the Prime (right)... J. Wilder The Pontas (left) is a half size SMALLER than the Prime (right)...

This shoe is tight -- and is way smaller at the size than any other Evolv shoe. I wear it a half size bigger than my Pontas and its significantly tighter on my foot even then. Comparing the shoes (and accounting for the camber), the Pontas is still a bigger shoe, despite being a half size smaller! That said, this shoe likes to be tight and performs best when its sized as such. This shoe loves to be on overhangs -- it performs better than you would think on slabs and vertical faces, but it truly shines on the steep. Problems where my feet would normally blow off are almost casual with the camber on these shoes, and they edge better than any shoe I’ve ever worn -- including the Pontas. As an added bonus, they have a nice soft interior, which definitely offsets the tightness of the fit somewhat. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that with the synthetic upper AND the massive amount of rubber on the top of the shoe, these shoes will not stretch even a little, so size them right or suffer the consequences!

The plush lining of the Prime- the softness actually does offset the pain! J. Wilder The plush lining of the Prime- the softness actually does offset the pain!

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Overall -- and as usual -- Evolv has made some great shoes here, and they each have their strengths and weaknesses. The Pontas are more comfortable and better suited to route climbing and all day work, as well as being much better suited to pockets than the Primes. The Primes, though, are perfect for powerful bouldering on very steep terrain, and their edging capability outshines the Pontas by a fair margin -- despite the Pontas being a very good edging shoe. I usually carry both shoes if I’m going bouldering or sport climbing and wear the Pontas for easier warm ups or for projecting, and I wear the Primes for the steeper stuff or for a redpoint attempt.

I should also note here that I’ve never been much of a shoe guy -- I don’t really subscribe to the theory that your shoes make you a better climber -- if the shoe fits your foot, then that’s all that matters has been my mantra for most of my climbing career. I still believe in this mantra for the most part and I try not to rely on my shoes too much, but I will admit that it is nice to have a little help with your feet sticking to holds now and then, especially when my ego needs a little boost!

Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this item provided it free of charge to rockclimbing.com who in turn provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his review.