Boreal > Blades

Mike: Similar in concept to the Evolv Optimus Primes, Boreal has designed their new rock shoe utilizing a rounder, wider toe box (which is a godsend for us folks with wide feet). At first glance your attention is drawn to the massive hook and loop double Velcro closure and fire engine red body. I found the initial fit comfortable and didn't feel the need to down size for optimal performance. The heel is nice and deep with no dead space and the ankles are the perfect height and flexibility. The Blades feels light and agile with minimal bulk. They are also canvas lined to minimize stretch which is a smart idea in my book.

Putting these through the gears at the gym I found they were most at home perched on vertical dime edges. They are quite stiff, yet retain a level of sensitivity and precision. Accuracy seemed to come naturally and didn't' require much in regards to placement checking. Boreal's new Quattro rubber isn't the most tacky in relation to other shoes I have tried however its apparent after a few days of abuse these shoes are build to last. The less than tacky rubber and stiffer tendency of the mid sole lead to less than idea performance on steep bouldering problems that required smearing or negative friction. However when it came to aggressive heel hooking I have to commend Boreal for making one of the best heels in the business. The "IRS" heel which comes standard on most top Boreal modes has an excellent design with asymmetrical friction pattern down the spine along with a positive incut shelf at the base of the heel for a little extra pull.

After a few weeks of gym use I found the Blades really shine on hard 5.11s routes with small, sharp crimps and edges. I could put a huge amount of weight on my big toe with little to no effort or stress. I don't think these would be my first choice for cave bouldering however I don't think that was Boreal's intention when they designed this shoe. All in all I'm very impressed with the quality and performance of the Blades and look forward to getting them on some real rock once the black flies die a slow death...