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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Mar 10, 2012 - 12:55pm PT
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I don't think there's all that much difference between C4 and XS-edge. Both are very sticky and edge well. Onyx, on the other hand (even according to a former 5.10 employee) is inconsistent. That was a couple of years ago--so they may have addressed that issue, but I still prefer C4 or Mystique as far as 5.10 rubber goes.
Curt
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Mar 10, 2012 - 04:58pm PT
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EVOLV rubber of course.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Mar 10, 2012 - 05:55pm PT
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Here's my two cents worth, after climbing at JT slabs the last few weeks. Low 70 temps.
At JT the TC pro is my favourite with manufacturers rubber, all routes, the Anasazi Blanco (C4)is second for edging and slab, but not as comfy in cracks. The Anasazi Verdi are not that reliable for friction here in JT as the other two, but are my #1 choice for slab/friction/smearing/slopers in Squamish.
It may be the consistently lower temps in Squamish or the more compact nature of the granite?
Did that get you as confused as me?
I think mental attitude is more important than any rubber, and believing your foot will stick goes a long way.
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jahil
Social climber
London, Paris, WV & CA
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Mar 12, 2012 - 01:49am PT
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I have two pairs of TC pros, just got one pair resoled at the Rubber Room with Vibram XS. They both climb great.
Call me weird but when I'm climbing the last thing on my mind is what rubber is on my shoes, or what make of shoes I'm wearing. Its the climber not the shoes.
steve
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Mar 12, 2012 - 02:01am PT
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steve, you are weird
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Mar 12, 2012 - 02:22am PT
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Call me weird but when I'm climbing the last thing on my mind is what rubber is on my shoes, or what make of shoes I'm wearing. Its the climber not the shoes.
Me too, so I was entirely disappointed out-of-the-box to find my feet repeatedly slipping on a route I know every millimeter of and have never had the experience of slipping on. I did the route a second time paying explicit attention to every foot placement and still encountered some slipping. Repaved them the second day after buying them. There's just no getting around it, it's not the climber, it's not the shoes which are great, it's the rubber that borders on slick compared to c4.
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jahil
Social climber
London, Paris, WV & CA
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Mar 12, 2012 - 12:43pm PT
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Thanks Mike, I know I can always rely on you for a perspective that keeps me honest.
:)
steve
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Mar 12, 2012 - 02:18pm PT
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The original rubber on La Sportiva Trad Masters seems to be remarkably sticky, and the edging is great. It may not simply be the rubber, but a stiffener midsole as well. On most resoles--I get C-4.
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ncrockclimber
climber
The Desert Oven
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Mar 12, 2012 - 02:57pm PT
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Evolv rubber. I have been getting my shoes resoled by Yosemite Bum for years. I have yet to have a bad job. I have found the Evolv rubber (Trax) to be better than the stock Sportiva rubber. I have a pair of Grandstones with C4. They are sticky, but when I get them resoled I will put Trax on them.
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Rudder
Trad climber
Long Beach, CA
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Mar 12, 2012 - 03:06pm PT
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Yeah, my first choice was to have Barry put some c 4 on them. But he was back logged so I sent them to evolv and I'm totally happy with them.
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Matt M
Trad climber
Alamo City
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Mar 15, 2012 - 10:56am PT
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As with all things... It Depends. As others have pointed out above...
I'm admittedly a bit of a rubber/shoe geek. Here's what I've found after LOTS of climbing with the same model of shoe and either Vibram or C4... (Yes, I have 2 pairs of the same shoe, one with C4 and one with Vibram)
C4: Does better at lower temps. The warmer the temps the worse C4 does. I've heard on several occasions that C4s "best" temp is around 55 degrees. C4 also does better on very smooth, finer grained rock (Yosemite Granite, Basalt, Wingate etc). Something about the C4 sticks better when in smearing situations on the finer grained rock. So smearing on GPA or stemming in a corner at Index, WA etc it C4s forte. C4 does fine to ok on micro edging BUT I've found it has a tendency to "roll off" really small edges, especially as the temps increase. You get a "Warning" of sorts but you know the shoes isn't going to be there for long.
Vibram: XS Edge is a great improvement over XSV etc but I think the following applies to Vibram in general, just that Edge will perform even better than the older stuff. XS Edge does better in the warmer weather. As temps climb past 70-75 you start to really notice a difference. It's just a harder rubber than C4 and doesn't deform as much in the "heat". XS Edge also does better on coarser,larger crystal stone like the Gunks or places like Vedauwoo, Enchanted Rock, TX etc. The rubber really lets the rock "bite" into it while not deforming, giving you great hold. XS Edge also holds the really small edges better than C4 without deforming (Hence its use on the TC Pros - there's a great closeup pic in the recent Sportiva ads showing it in "Action").
So WHAT you resole with really depends on where and when you usually climb. My greatest conundrum was when I climbed at Squamish which would fall right smack dab in the middle of the road for nearly everything. Medium grained Granite with typically moderate temps when I climbed and, depending on the route, smearing on smoother glacier rock OR micro edging on coarser granite.
In and IDEAL world, I could resole my shoes with a 3/4in outer edge of XS Edge and then have the middle contact area done with C4. Anyone know a resole shoe that could pull this off?
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