Verdict from 3 experts and 22 user reviews
6 reasons to buy
- Many buyers find their Scarpa Veloce climbing shoes extremely sticky underfoot.
- Its level of comfort is nothing short of astonishing, say numerous reviewers.
- This high-quality rock climbing shoe from Scarpa is amazingly light, according to several wearers.
- About a handful of patrons claim that the Veloce has excellent sensitivity.
- Based on a few reviews, this climb-specific offering is a remarkably affordable product.
- The featured shoe is quite flexible, says someone who has tested it thoroughly.
3 reasons not to buy
- According to a decent number of users, the Scarpa Veloce's outsole does not last very long.
- Its Velcro closure comes undone often, a couple of testers claim.
- This rock shoe is not very reliable on micro-edges, says an owner who has purchased it.
Bottom line
It appears that the Scarpa Veloce's many strengths speak for itself. Indeed, the shoe in question is a force to be reckoned with in the areas of surface traction, responsiveness, and weight.
That being said, this mighty comfy climb-centric piece is not without shortcomings, the most worrying of which has to be its allegedly not-so-durable outsole. Nevertheless, the Scarpa Veloce is likely to impress the crowd with its array of send-worthy qualities and capabilities.
Tip: see the best climbing shoes.
Expert reviews:
- 90/100 by Climbing Gear Reviews
- 74/100 by OutdoorGearLab
- 95/100 by Climbing
Good to know
-The Scarpa Veloce is a performance rock shoe built for climbers who wish to gain vertical miles in comfort. Case in point: The shoe comes with Pressure Absorbing Fit—a technology placed around the heel that, as hinted at by its name, mitigates pressure around the heel zone.
This climbing shoe has been revamped to address the myriad of challenges faced by modern climbers. Its overall profile is sleeker than what its former self had.
The updated Veloce now comes with the S-72 outsole. It replaces the previous model’s XS Grip outsole. The one in the new Veloce is also thinner than the one that came before it by 1 mm.
Scarpa shoemakers built the Veloce with the DTS-Tension system. This proprietary technology arms the shoe with a pair of differently tensioned rands, which funnel exerted energy into the big toe for more toeing precision. It also keeps the asymmetry of the shoe intact for longer.
Downturn. The Scarpa Veloce has a moderate downturn. Its beak-like front tip positions the foot and toes in such a way that helps the wearer gain a secure footing on edged surfaces.
Applications. This rock climbing shoe is engineered mainly for bouldering pursuits. It has a set of components that give it sufficient competency on overhanging terrain. Owners may use it both indoors and outdoors.
A low-top climbing shoe for men and women is the Scarpa Veloce. In it, the foot may be required to bend inward thanks to its slightly asymmetric (curved) interior. Its synthetic construction might yield little-to-no stretch. Users can get a personalized fit in it via the shoe’s Velcro closure.
Midsole. The Scarpa Veloce rock shoe has a moderately rigid midsole called Flexan for added support. It is built around the front end of the shoe.
Outsole. Thanks to the Veloce’s S-72 outsole, climbers can mount on most types of surfaces with enough adhesive power. This sticky rubber compound, which is the result of Scarpa's collaboration with Davos, is built extra soft for improved sensitivity and flexibilty underfoot. It is 4 mm in thickness.
Microsuede (a synthetic material) is what makes up most of the Veloce’s low-cut shell. Scarpa designers gave it a rubberized toe rand to provide owners with additional climbing security when toe hooking. They also engineered its rear zone with a tensioned rand and a hard-wearing heel reinforcement for protection and extra grip in heel-hooking scenarios.
The Scarpa Veloce’s lockdown system consists of a single strap built with hook-and-loop fasteners. This strap zigzags through a pair of heavy-duty plastic buckles. The shoe’s heel has two pull tabs to expedite on and off.
The Scarpa Veloce is one of the brand's most sought-after moderate climbing shoes. Because of that, many climbers are compelled to pit it against shoes from the same downturn category. In this particular case, the featured rock climbing shoe finds competition in another one of Scarpa's moderately cambered kicks—the Arpia. The points that follow will highlight their differences.
Pricing. On this front, the more enticing product is arguably the Veloce. Yes, it is cheaper than the Scarpa Arpia by roughly $20.
Lasting. The Scarpa Veloce is a board-lasted shoe, while the Arpia a slip-lasted piece. The former construction type underscores rigidity, which makes climbing shoes supportive enough for a variety of maneuvers, particularly on edge-type protrusions. The latter, on the other hand, prioritizes sensitivity, giving wearers a better feel of the surface, especially on chips and similar tiny projections.
Upper construction. Both Scarpa kicks in this head-to-head come with a below-the-ankle upper made of microsuede. That said, only the Arpia has a confirmed backing (also known as lining), which is felt-like in texture.
Rubber underfoot. As previously discussed (see: Outsole section), the Scarpa Veloce clings to most surfaces with its S-72 rubber outsole. The Arpia, on the other hand, uses Vibram's XS Grip 2 outsole for virtually the same purpose. Between the two outsoles, the one in the Veloce is thicker than the Arpia's by 0.5 mm.
-The revamped Scarpa Veloce is a vegan-friendly product. This means that it does not contain any animal substances.