My impressions of Mescalito in action.
This article is a review of SCARPA’s “Mescalito” approach shoes and my thoughts on the design.
How comfortable is the mescalito?
Approach shoes are said to be a kind of shoe between climbing shoes and sneakers.
When you actually try them on, they feel like you are wearing regular sneakers.
I felt no discomfort when I walked on the concrete road as well as on the mountain road.
However, the sole is hard, so those who prefer softer shoes may be confused.
In my case, I also wear leather shoes for city use, so I was used to hard soles.
How’s the slip?
I had no problems in the city, and the slip resistant worked well.
They stop squeaky clean in wet manholes, making them more secure than ordinary sneakers.
Vibram Sole indeed.
I was able to walk on cobblestones and dirt without difficulty when climbing.
They are made of the same rubber as climbing shoes and are non-slip.
However, if the sole does not slip, the sole will be scraped off faster.
It seems a waste to use it on concrete.
Check the design
It has a user-friendly look with a design that fits in well in low mountains and in town.
The yellow laces and navy blue uppers are very stylish and I want to wear them every day, but I don’t think I want to wear them on concrete because it would be a waste if the soles were scraped off.
tiptoe
The toe portion is made of rubber that is as hard as climbing shoes.
Maybe I can climb a V2 or so task. (I haven’t done it yet…)
The sole has a flat area that allows you to easily get over a little rocky terrain.
This toe part is the difference between approach shoes and climbing shoes.
heel
The word [SCARPA] is written on the outer part of the shoe.
The inside is black with a thin yellow line.
There are quite a few approach shoes with flashy designs/colors, but the Mescalito is a flashy, yet relatively easy-to-use design for the city.
In addition, pull tabs are provided to make it easier to put on the shoes.
It is attached to most climbing shoes, and pulling the pull-tab makes the shoes easier to put on.
Smoothness in putting on and taking off shoes is quite important in outside rock climbing.
The pull tabs allow for quick shoeing and a smooth approach to another rock.
summary
From a design standpoint, I think the Mescalito is a very, very easy to use approach shoe.
These shoes are less slippery than On’s Cloudventure Waterproof (for trekking), which I purchased previously, and are suitable for mountain and rocky terrain.
The design is comfortable enough to wear in town, but the sole wears out, so you want to wear these shoes on days when walking is as infrequent as possible.
