Summary
We spent 6.3 hours reading reviews from experts and users. In summary, this is what climbers think:
6 reasons to buy
- The Scarpa Maestro’s performance when it comes to edging is exemplary, according to a good number of those who have purchased it.
- Footwear critics have nothing but great things to say about the comfort level of this rock climbing shoe.
- Its smearing ability is nothing short of magnificent, say bloggers who have put the shoe through the wringer.
- Professional reviewers say that this astonishing rock shoe from Scarpa is the perfect companion for trad climbing.
- Based on a report made by a gear pundit, the Scarpa Maestro has incredible flexibility.
- This climb-centric piece breathes well, says a tester who has climbed in it a number of times.
3 reasons not to buy
- Someone who critiques footgear for a living considers the Maestro inadequate for scaling cracks.
- According to an expert who has sent in it numerous times, the Scarpa Maestro has a cramped toe box.
- This rock climbing shoe is an ultra-expensive product.
Bottom line
Senders who require a shoe that grants impressive edging and smearing capabilities may look no further than the Maestro. Those who are searching for an excellent trad climbing shoe—one that overflows with comfort—may also look to the same Scarpa offering. That said, this high-priced piece might not suit those who frequent crack-filled routes, or those whose forefoot are bulkier than usual. Nonetheless, the Maestro is yet another masterful Scarpa creation, thanks to its remarkable set of qualities.
Facts
| Construction: | Slip lasted |
|---|---|
| Closure: | Laces |
| Fit: | Comfort fit |
| Downturn: | Moderate |
| Environment: | Indoor, Outdoor |
| Material: | Leather, Synthetic, Vibram sole |
| Lining: | Lined |
| Last Shape: | Asymmetric |
| Stiffness: | Stiff |
| Thickness: | 4mm |
| Top: | Low |
| Use: | Bouldering, Sport, Trad, Face |
| Price: | $190 |
| Weight: | Men: 9.1oz | Women: 8oz |
| Brand: | Scarpa |
| Colorways: | Blue |
| Special editions: | 1 special editions |
Expert Reviews
Experts are climbers, who post reviews at youtube, directly at RunRepeat or at their own websites. Each expert is categorized from level 1 to level 5 based on expertise. See stats on expert reviews and how we calculate scores here.
Are you an expert? Apply to contribute here.
90 / 100 based on 5 expert reviews
-
[T]he Maestro is designed to perform well in different ways.
-
[Y]ou want that adjustability because maybe you're going to be more on face climbs.
-
This is a great new shoe for trad climbing scenarios, particularly where edging comes at a premium.
-
The Scarpa Maestro’s [sic] are a fantastic climbing shoe.
-
Overall I personally have had no problems and anticipate a full life from the Maestro!
-
-The Scarpa Maestro is a climbing shoe built for wearers who need enhanced support on challenging routes. Its heel zone has minimal protection, translating to a more intimate feel of the surface, especially when heel hooking.
-It is part of Scarpa’s line of Planet Friendly footwear. This means that this rock climbing shoe has parts engineered with recycled materials. It also has a kind of midsole that easily degrades when disposed of properly.
-Scarpa designers imbued the Maestro with the IPC-Tension (Integral Power Connection) system. This brand-exclusive technology ushers in extra support underfoot. It also makes the shoe stiff enough to give users a secure platform on micro-holds.
Downturn. The Maestro is part of Scarpa’s selection of moderately downturned climbing shoes. Its middle-of-the-road camber provides senders a blend of extended comfort and performance on multi-pitch ascents.
Applications. A rock shoe built for trad and sport climbing as well as bouldering is the Scarpa Maestro. Its engineering and quality components make it an ideal tool for climbing vertical faces. Owners may use it both indoors and outdoors.
The Maestro is a low-cut climbing shoe for men and women. It is crafted around a straight last called FY, giving it a flat and relaxed interior with slight asymmetry. Its synthetic liner offers little in the way of stretch. Climbers can adjust its fit for a customized lockdown using the shoe’s lacing system.
Midsole. With the Maestro’s Talyn midsole, wearers can mount on different types of terrain or wall features with as much underfoot support as possible. This sturdy platform has a thickness of 1.4 mm in the men’s variant, while 1.2 mm in the women’s.
Outsole. The Scarpa Maestro is equipped with a Vibram outsole called XS Edge for adequate slip and skid resistance on a variety of surfaces. As its name suggests, its sticking power favors edges and similar projections. This rubberized component has an overall thickness of 4 mm.
What encloses the foot in the Scarpa Maestro is a 2-mm suede leather upper. It comes built with a liner made of microfiber. Both its forefoot (toe box) and heel zone are generously randed for climbing security and abrasion protection. Scarpa shoemakers armed it with a pair pull loops at the heel to make on and off a quick affair.
A flat synthetic lace and combination eyelets make up the Scarpa Maestro’s closure system. Its top-most pair of lace holes are plated to avoid tearing with repeated lace-ups.
The Maestro can be considered one of Scarpa’s best efforts in recent years, bearing that “high-quality” signature the brand is known for. That being said, it finds a rival in the TC Pro—a rock shoe from La Sportiva. While these two climbing kicks have a few similarities (downturn being one of them), they have between them aspects that set them apart. Such distinctions will be touched on in the following points.
Collar height. The Scarpa Maestro has a below-the-ankle collar. The La Sportiva TC Pro, on the other hand, is built with a mid-top ankle cuff.
Midsole unit. Both the Maestro from Scarpa and the TC Pro from La Sportiva have midsoles to give wearers enhanced support underfoot. That said, the Maestro’s midsole is thicker than the competition’s by roughly 0.3 mm.
Target audience. The featured rock climbing shoe comes in two variants—one for men and another for women. The La Sportiva TC Pro, on the other hand, only comes in men’s.
Weight. In this round, the TC Pro bags the crown. Yes, it is lighter than the Scarpa Maestro by approximately 10 g.
A case of utility. Both rock shoes in this comparison may be used for trad climbing and vertical face ascents. That said, only the TC Pro is advertised to have the adequate capability to take on cracks. It also possesses the right components to scale slabs.
- The Scarpa Maestro has an ankle-supportive mid-top variant, called Maestro Mid.