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lonelyclimb
Mar 9, 2006, 3:22 AM
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Registered: Nov 16, 2002
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Hi, I have been using Sidewinders that I ordered directly from acopausa.com a year ago. I ordered two pairs (street shoe size and half size down) and took smaller one; street shoe size didn't fit well and seemed too wide for me and smaller one fit perfect for me.
On boulders, they helped me a lot to send problems; on longer climb, I couldn't feel confident on small edges when my legs got tired. But, after getting used to them, I feel more confident now. Overall, I am very satisfied with the performance of sidewinders!
Just several comments:
The construction qualities of size 6 1/2 and 7 seemed different. Mine (6 1/2) don't have small halls in the toe rand, and sole seemed much softer than size 7?
Since the shoe is wide (and my foot is mid size), I would prefer regular style lace up with nylon tapes like Stingers. If so, they are perfect for me! but just my preference...
Thanks,
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sidepull
Mar 9, 2006, 3:49 AM
Post #102 of 111
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Registered: Sep 11, 2001
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In reply to: I climbed hard in my new Sidewinders last night, but I won't get into any of the sexy details that have generally left me drooling throughout this thread! http://www.fadzter.com/smilies/drool.gif
dude - you have a good sense of humor - I shouldn't have been so harsh. Sometimes the internet makes it too easy to be a jerk. :oops:
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tgreene
Mar 9, 2006, 1:45 PM
Post #103 of 111
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Registered: Oct 22, 2003
Posts: 7267
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It's all good...
I have many pairs of sexy shoes, and you climb harder, so while it's technically a wash, I still have many pairs of sexy shoes! :mrgreen:
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FWIW: I've had too many accidents, injuries and illnesses over the past few years which have left me forever fighting to regain or at least hold on to what remaining strength I have (and it diminishes with each successive whatever). To make matters worse, arthritis is rapidly taking over my hands (Dammit, I'm only 40! :cry: ). Because of this, I obviously can't climb like I used to, and have essentially had to re-learn how to climb. For me at least, this is where these shoes have made a world of difference. Bizarre as it is, I'm actually climbing better and harder than ever before, and it damn sure isn't due to my physique.
Due to a leader fall on December 26th that ruptured the tendons and ligaments in my left foot when I took a 20 footer and bounced off a ledge, it's now excrutingly painful to wear a regular tennis shoe, let alone trying to stuff my foot into a climbing shoe. Because of the extreme amount of tissue damage, my already flatening foot (from a 75 footer in 93 that shattered my back and destroyed my left foot & ankle) is now even flatter and wider. Curling the toes no longer works very well, and is ungodly painful. Suddenly, I can barely stand to wear my Chameleons for any more than a few minutes at a time, and even then I'm fighting the pain... Before this latest injury, they were like wearing Birkenstocks!
Now, thanks to JB's recommendation and über generosity, I'm in the Sidewinders and I can actually climb again, because of the natural conformity of the shoe. For me at least, I can best equate it to taking to standard 8-10 foot 2x4's and pressing them together. Unless they are perfectly milled and mitered boards, they simply wont meet properly and will have to be forcefully clamped to bind them... Now imagine a perfectly milled board with a single scroll-saw cut down the center that is complete with all sorts of natural sweeping curves. Each time you seperate then rejoin those 2 seperate pieces, they will always mate up perfectly. The Sidewinder is doing just this for my left foot, while actually still feeling kinda weird on the right (my right foot is perfect), but I have no doubt that I'll quckly adapt. If not, then I'll be the guy wearing a Sidewinder on the left and a Chameleon on the right... :mrgreen:
From the looks of the radical shape of the Sidewinder, I wouldn't have bought a pair in a million years, just because it looks like it would be painful as hell, when in fact, it's the exact opposite. But then I think I was also one of the last holdouts for turntables over CD's... :roll:
Like John said in an earlier post, suddenly I too am completely aware of the slightest variances in the rock and am discovering foot holds that never previously existed. Furthermore, the reason that I'm so excited about Acopa shoes, is because the design and engineering that is put into these shoes has enabled me to continue to climb, when I otherwise would likely not be able to. At the very least, there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that I would be climbing "pain free" this soon after the type of injuries I sustained the day after Christmas, because I simply cannot wear any of my other shoes at this point and still be able to walk the next day. According to my orthopedist, I should only now be starting to walk un-assisted, and climbing should have been put off for several months.
Climb on! 8^)
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crimper13
Mar 11, 2006, 7:26 AM
Post #104 of 111
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Registered: Mar 11, 2006
Posts: 2
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For all you fans of the Acopa line, we would like to announce your chance to win a free pair of Acopa shoes! That's right, John Bachar has graciously agreed to donate a pair of new Acopa climbing shoes of the winners choice for our monthly gear sweepstakes at crimpermag.com.
Acopa, as you can see from the above posts are some of the most satisfactory climbing shoes available. They should be with a designer like John Bachar!
Visit http://www.crimpermag.com to win your pair now!!!
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bachar
Mar 17, 2006, 4:52 AM
Post #105 of 111
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Registered: Feb 19, 2006
Posts: 70
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lonelyclimb! - yeah man the newer Sidewinders have holes over the big toe knuckle. You may have gotten an older pair. There's no differences between them other than that.
This is a very difficult shoe to produce since there is no 'edge' on the last. Each pair is made carefully by hand and each pair will vary slightly but for the most part are very close to being equal.
Glad you like them - most climbers have a difficult time changing their visual perspective enough to utilize this tool. There's a girl in Grand Junction who started climbing in this shoe and she can't climb in a normal (= flat soled) climbing shoe 'cause a normal shoe won't do what she wants! Kind of cool...again, her perspective is a product of the shoe shape and capabilities!
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curt
Mar 17, 2006, 4:58 AM
Post #106 of 111
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Registered: Aug 27, 2002
Posts: 18275
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Hey John,
Do any of the Acopa shoes fit people with "Morton's toe" well? I usually need something with a more symmetrical or rounded toe.
Curt
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bachar
Mar 17, 2006, 5:12 AM
Post #107 of 111
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Registered: Feb 19, 2006
Posts: 70
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Curt! woah, small world...heh heh! I'd probably have to recommend the Aztec (lace-up trad style) or the Chameleon (all around sport Velcro). I have a slight Morton's foot as well. Kind of depends on what type of shoe you like. If you have a narrow foot the Aurora is nice as well (lace or Velcro).
http://www.acopausa.com/
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charlet_poser
Mar 17, 2006, 6:35 AM
Post #108 of 111
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Registered: Sep 12, 2005
Posts: 62
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The Aurora velcro is the best all-around shoe I've ever climbed in. Comfortable enough for multi-pitch alpine routes, 5.12 hangdogging and Vhard (for me) bouldering!
Thanks Acopa!
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bachar
Mar 17, 2006, 4:30 PM
Post #109 of 111
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Registered: Feb 19, 2006
Posts: 70
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charlet - thanks for the compliments! Aurora lace-up is great as well (I'm a big lace-up fan myself).
Keep crankin', jb
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piton
Oct 27, 2006, 2:54 AM
Post #110 of 111
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Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 1034
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ok tried out the acopa spectre and became a fan
when i try a shoe i want every part of the shoe to be functional.
so i did my normal warm up traverse.
while traversing i stood on the inside outside edges which deliver power. precision on micro feet. made standing on dime size edges feel like standing on a ledge.
worked rests with the shoe on the front, mid and heel of the spectre.
Even stemmed out on knobs with my mid arches on the knobs which worked where others shoes won't.
heel hooks worked very well
ohhhh the toe cam yesssss what awesome toe cam action.
even had a soft touch for a little slab smearing.
the rubber seems sticky and durable.
more bouldering tomorrow uh oh a trad climber bouldering
just don't know if i would where them on a all day free route. i would bring them along just for the crux pitch though.
great shoe hope it doesn't stretch i did buy them a 1/2 size down
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piton
Oct 30, 2006, 2:37 PM
Post #111 of 111
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Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 1034
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anothor day of testing proved to me these shoes (acopa spectre) are the hottest shoe on the market.
get em now!
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