Review: Solution Climbing Shoe

Now that spring is here for the next six months, climbing only happens on terrain too steep to get rain or melting snow (i.e., thuggish, blocky limestone with glassy feet). I need all the help I can get to clip the chains, so when I do battle with these bastard routes, I pull out my Solutions. With a molded 3-D heel cup and the patented P3 power platform, this shoe allows for laser-precise edging and accuracy when I need it most. Just keep in mind that this is not a beginner’s shoe; it has a super-aggressive downturn that morphs your foot into more of a weapon than an appendage. Available at Northern Lights and Barrel Mountaineering. $180; sportiva.com.