The New York Times (Oct. 5, 2006)

Getting There Is Half the Fun

By Kate Siber

CLIMBERS have long worn tight-fitting shoes with sticky soles to help them scale vertical rock. But even a short walk in a pair can be uncomfortable. When a long steep hike to the base of the rock is needed and the climb itself is easy, climbers prefer approach shoes. Today's models combine the cushioning and construction of hiking footwear with the light weight, low cut and adhesiveness of climbing shoes.

In the last few years approach shoes have won over hikers who wear them because of their superior traction on slippery rocks. What used to be a niche product now "seems to be catching on to a wider audience," said Colin Lantz, the president of La Sportiva North America, a performance footwear company. "Approach shoes have that kind of extreme look, where you can identify as being a climber, but people are also attracted to the functionality."

To test for traction and comfort, Mark Bowling, the director of the Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School in California, wore these shoes while hiking and climbing.

GARMONT STICKY SPIN $99.95, www.garmontusa.com. The sole of this shoe is thick, Mr. Bowling said, which "enhanced trail walking comfort but sacrificed some feeling of sensitivity and edging performance when climbing." That said, he thought the lug sole was sticky enough for easy rock climbing and "functioned well" on boulders and loose rocks.

THE NORTH FACE BUILDERING $75, www.thenorthface.com. The rubber on this shoe had average stickiness compared with the others, Mr. Bowling said. The low cut "allowed too much sand in" while hiking. However, the synthetic breathable material on the shoe, which is reinforced with leather, made it very comfortable in warm weather.

LA SPORTIVA CIRQUE PRO $90, www.sportiva.com. Mr. Bowling liked the lacing system on this pair, which also "tightens the shoe around your ankle," tailoring the fit like a climbing shoe, he said. The sticky rubber encircling the shoes made them good for moderately difficult climbs, he said, but "they still afforded a high level of walking comfort." These shoes tend to run small.

FIVE TEN GUIDE TENNIE $89, www.mountaingear.com. Mr. Bowling found the rubber on these shoes the most adhesive of all, though he would have preferred more of it on the sides for edging. They worked well on moderate climbs, and he thought the lacing system, with its metal grommets, was easy to adjust. They were also "noticeably lighter than the others."

MERRELL JAM $90, www.merrell.com. These shoes have a moderately stiff sole and an "air cushion insole," which Mr. Bowling found "quite comfortable for walking." He was less impressed with their rock-climbing performance. "When I tested them for friction capabilities on a quartz monzonite boulder, they felt quite slippery," he said, which he thought may be because the rubber is too hard.