When you first start climbing, it’s fine to settle on an all-around climbing shoe. If it delivers comfort and protects your feet during ascents, it will do. Once you figure out what kind of climbing you actually enjoy best, though, then you need shoes that address your chosen climbing goals’ specific demands. For those who prefer short climbs, the new Arcteryx Arakys Approach Shoe should offer plenty to support your outdoor activity of choice.
Designed for bouldering, single-pitch approaches, and wall climbs at the gym, this ultra-light footwear weighs less than 1.2 pounds, making its heft fairly negligible on the feet. It does that while delivering the fit, grip, and selection of features that should make it a far more suitable replacement to your all-around climbing kicks.
The Arcteryx Arakys Approach Shoe integrates the company’s adaptive fit technology, all while sporting a seamless, single-piece upper that helps achieve the unusually light weight. That fit enables it to conform to the contours of your feet, eliminating hot spots, sealing out debris, and delivering the exact amount of support your climbing extremities require. Features include a one-hand closure and memory buckle for fast removal, a collapsible heel that transforms it into a belay slipper, and an air-permeable upper for comfort during warm days outdoors.
It sports a specially-developed outsole with tread patterns designed to support you on the trail, with Vibram’s Megagrip compound enabling a superior grip over wet and dry surfaces, a high level of durability, and the perfect mix of flexibility and rigidity. Simply put, the outsoles are meant to deliver sure-footedness to ensure your safety during approaches.
Available now, the Arcteryx Arakys Approach Shoe is priced at $150.