Verdict from 2 experts and 5 user reviews
6 reasons to buy
- To some climbing enthusiasts, the Unparallel Up Lace is a powerhouse when it comes to edging.
- A small number of wearers find this fine rock climbing shoe decently comfy.
- Based on a few reviews, the Up Lace is a great tool for scaling vertical faces.
- Its outsole is incredibly sticky, according to a moderately experienced climber.
- In terms of sensitivity, this climb-centric shoe from Unparallel is quite something, says a customer.
- This high-quality offering is reassuringly stiff, claims someone who has climbed in it numerous times.
2 reasons not to buy
- According to a reviewer, the laces of this climbing shoe come undone easily, especially in cracks.
- Someone is not impressed with the Up Lace’s inability to remain stink-free in longer climbing sessions.
Bottom line
To sport the Up Lace means to be in a superbly comfortable shoe in which mounting on edges and the like is a cinch. Wearing one also translates to ascents where underfoot traction takes center stage, particularly on steep verticals (a.k.a. faces).
That said, its pair of laces might be too slick to warrant the complete satisfaction of many. Nonetheless, the Up Lace is a recommendable climbing companion, especially for folks who can put up with its unruly laces.
Tip: see the best climbing shoes.
Good to know
-The Unparallel Up Lace, hailed by the brand as one of their stiffest offerings, is built for precision, specifically where edges are concerned. Thanks to its unlined construction, climbers can get as much responsiveness out of it as possible.
-Its highly resilient sole unit does most of the heavy lifting in this rock shoe. It consists of the Up Lace’s single-piece midsole and sticky RH outsole.
Downturn. This climb-focused piece comes furnished with a moderate downturn, and with it, the shoe in question is capable of providing a secure foothold on mountable protrusions. This middle-of-the-road camber is engineered with a combination of flexibility and stiffness, which grants senders the ability to pull off a wide variety of maneuvers, including but not limited to smearing and toeing.
Applications. The Up Lace is meant primarily for bouldering. Unparallel engineers equipped it with all the necessary components to make it a competent crack climbing shoe. Senders can use it on both gym (indoors) walls and rocky (outdoor) surfaces.
This Unparallel offering is a low-top rock climbing shoe for men. As its upper is mostly synthetic, it may provide only a little bit of stretch—no more than half an inch—with time and regular use. It has a moderately asymmetric interior, which means the foot will more or less bend inward within it. Lockdown security is courtesy of the shoe’s lace-up closure.
Midsole. Owners get their daily dose of climbing support from the Up Lace’s adequately stiff midsole. It gives the foot a platform on which edging can be performed without too much leg strain. It has a full-on (non-segmented) construction.
Outsole. With the proprietary RH outsole (also known as Real Honor), fans of the climb are given ample tenacity underfoot in the Unparallel Up Lace. This rubber component is made specifically for edge-type surfaces. Its thickness is locked in at 4.2 mm.
The Up Lace from Unparallel sports a long-wearing synthetic shell. Access to and from its unlined confines is a relatively easy affair, thanks to its not one, but two pull loops (also synthetic).
It has a sticky rand wrapped around its lower perimeter, including the heel zone. It also has a grippy toe patch to give climbers extra latching power on toe hooks.
The Up Lace’s fit management system is made up of a synthetic lace and a set of tubular eyelets. The lace is engineered with enhanced abrasion protection.