Instinct VS Homme

I started climbing in the men’s La Sportiva Finale in a 42.5 EU, but as my climbing skills have improved, I knew it was time to upgrade. I tried four different pairs before landing on the Scarpa Instinct VS Women’s in a 43 EU—and these were definitely the winners!

I went up half a size from my usual climbing shoe size to get the best fit, and the difference these shoes have made is incredible. The grip is phenomenal all around—the rubber on the top of the toe, the sole, and the heel are all amazing. They feel incredibly secure on the wall, and I honestly feel like I couldn’t fall off a hold if I wanted to because they’re so grippy!

They’re also surprisingly versatile. Whether I’m climbing slab, working on footwork, or needing a solid heel hook, these shoes give me so much confidence. I can already tell these will be my go-to shoes when it’s time to replace this pair.

In my video review, I show myself attempting a climb that starts with a bat hang using my old shoes. I kept slipping off the hold and couldn’t stick it. With these shoes, I was finally able to complete the climb—the rubber stuck to the hold perfectly!

I’m so impressed with these shoes and how much of a difference they’ve made in my climbing. Definitely a huge upgrade from my beginner shoes!

The shoes feel great! They're incredibly hard and responsive, and they fit nice and snug.

I'm a man, so I initially bought the men's shoes, but I had an issue with the heels being too baggy. I returned them and got the women's shoes instead -- the heel is shallower and a much better fit for my foot. If you have similar issues (or if you're a girl with a high-volume foot) I would seriously recommend trying out the other gender's shoes.

I�m in five pairs deep, and the Instinct VS still knows exactly how to handle my feet--a nice balance between comfort and performance. The toe box fits my feet very well and still allows me to trust my feet on delicate positions. Honestly, if I edged as hard as the edge on these things, I'd probably bust. The toe box is wide open, but somehow it still wraps me up snug everywhere it counts. It's almost suspicious how well Scarpa understands what my foot wants. I keep going back for more, pair after pair, and I've stopped pretending this is just about climbing. For me 1 pair lasts a half year of climbing 2x/wk for 4+ hr long sessions. I order exactly my street shoe size for my perfect fit.