User Review: Scarpa Marathon

Scarpa Marathon
Above: The current Marathon, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed November 29, 2004 by Mitch

Rating:
Materials: leather upper (unlined)
Use: trad climbing, sport, all around
Break-in Period: A few climbs
Weight: 480 g (1 lb 1 oz)
Price Paid: $129

These shoes are perfect if you are looking for a versatile shoe. I have climbed sandstone cracks in Indian Creek and sporty granite faces in Rocky Mountain and they performed very well.

I mainly bought these to have a comfy pair of shoes to trad climb in. They easily get the job done and the laces are much more secure when jamming a crack than the Five Ten Ascents that have velcro straps. The edging is great and the smearing capability is fine. I notice a slight difference in friction with the Scarpa rubber (I think it's vibram) compared to Five Ten's stealth rubber. When I resole them with stealth, they will be unbeatable. They are unlined, but probably won't stretch more than half a size unless you buy them really tight.

If you are looking for a great all-around comfy trad shoe definitely buy these.