Phil Geng

Ratings

Overview

Price when purchased (December 2009): £50.00
Price now (March 2016): £59.99 - £80.00

When Edelrid first entered the climbing shoe market I admittedly wasn't too sure what to think. I had known Edelrid for a while and was well aware of their pedigree in rope access equipment and ropes specifically. However being able to produce excellent safety equipment is one thing, producing a whole range of climbing shoes a completely different one. Now I wouldn't be me if I wasn't going to go straight for a pair and try them to my hearts content. After all I was on the lookout for a set of mid-aggressive bouldering shoes and the Typhoon in Edelrids range fit the bill.

Experience

I bought this shoe as a technical bouldering shoe. Not the toe crunching and painful kind, but technical and sophisticated nevertheless. Just over 6 years down the line and they have yet to let me down. The Typhoon is a semi-aggressive shoe - aggressive enough to cope with most demands of an intermediate to advanced climber, but comfortable and forgiving enough for those unavoidable mistakes. With a high rubber heal, the proprietary heel strap and Edelrid's own rubber sole, the shoes are excellent at hooking, smearing and standing on the smallest of edges. At the same time the leather and synthetic upper combination together with the velcro closure makes for a comfortable climb. Safe to say though that due to the asymmetric and defined shape wearing the shoes for any longer than a climb is not necessarily recommended.

In terms of the rubber I thought from the start that it was harder than I would have expected from a high performance shoe. This feeling has only cemented itself in the durability of the edges and the continued excellent condition of the rubber overall. Especially compared to a shoe like the La Sportiva Mythos with its middle ground sole providing the perfect balance between performance and durability I have to admit that Edelrid have somehow managed to make an even better performing rubber with similar durability. Well played Edelrid - well played indeed. In terms of the quality of the shoe materials Edelrid have also outdone themselves with the leather. Where many (unlined) leather shoes are prone to stretching after a while the shape of these beauties in neon yellow has remained the same.

In terms of the individual features of the shoe I struggle to find anything that is not thought through and done with purpose. The dual opposing velcro straps with their large adjustment range, backed up by the highly padded upper allow for "snug as a rug" fitting and adjustment. The dual pull tabs allow for easy stepping in and the form and overall shape instantly attempts to hug your foot the moment your heel sinks into the heel cup. Unlike some of the other aggressive models the heel cup seems to be designed so the top edge does not cut uncomfortably into your achilles either. This was one of my main reservations when buying a more aggressive shoe as I couldn't find a pair that wouldn't start rubbing uncomfortably in that area after a while.

Verdict

Having only used these shoes indoors I can't comment on their overall outdoor performance. But since they have lasted many years and are still going strong with barely a situation encountered they couldn't handle I can't think of a reason why they wouldn't excel on real rock. The rubber, despite being an own brand version has been excellent and after the usual couple of sessions to get used to them the fit is as good today as it was on my first big problem with them. I have tried many shoes since I bought these in search of a replacement and while some might tick boxes that these don't, they usually don't tick a lot of the ones these do. So therefore I would argue as an all-round performance shoe the Edelrid Typhoon is a very good if not excellent contender - if they fit your feet. On the note of fit I believe the Typhoon would suit a medium width foot with a medium to high arch best - going purely by my own feet.

Arguably I have taken good care of my "performance" pair and they don't look their age. While the edges have now worn away and the toes are starting to wear a bit thin I still get that same feeling I got when I first put them on. The feeling of "yeah, now I've got the tools I can deliver the goods". While I have climbed harder in less aggressive shoes and used these on grades I could happily climb in trainers I feel that overall they have served me well and can conclude that my experiment into Edelrid's shoes has been and indeed continues to be a success. I had to think long and hard about the rating for these as I very much dislike giving perfect 5 out of 5 ratings. In the end I decided to cut half a peak from the fit because I suddenly remembered my little toes going numb on various occasions thanks to a small piece of fabric digging in on the inside top if I wiggle my feet when putting them on. Meant to cut that piece years ago but simply forgot. Alas - not the end of the world, just a gentle reminder to myself.