Great hiking/climbing shoe mix - Arc'teryx Acrux2 FL GTX Hiking Shoe - Men's

Real quick for sizing, I usually wear a 10 1/2 in Vasque, and most other shoe brands. I got these in a 10 and I would say that if you are going for a snug fit for more climbing geared, definitely size 1/2 down. If you are only using for hiking, probably get street size. I would be hard pressed to call these climbing specific. They are a good mix of a light hiker with some approach shoe flavors. They have a really grippy sole, the front rand, and a "climbing zone" on the front of the sole. I have honestly not used them for any climbing intensive activities, but have used them on rock. The grip seems adequate. For hiking, two problems I found: 1. The tab on the bootie is sewn on the indie of the bootie, creating a spot where it can rub on your Achilles tendon. The first time I took these out with thin socks I got two large blisters. I learned I had to wear very specific socks that have more substance in that area. 2. Where the shoe folds when taking a step, like this _/ the area where it bends can potentially dig into your foot, which it does on one of the shoes occasionally and is rather uncomfortable when taking repeated steps(like you do in hiking). I think the strength of these are short hikes with technical features where you need reliable waterproofing. I used them for a couple overnighters, which rocked because of the removable bootie. It is great for drying shoes faster, keeping rocks out of your shoe, and makes an awesome camp shoe which I use everytime I use these shoes for backpacking. I also used them for zipline guiding in the pouring rain and always kept my feet dry. Breathability isn't great, but to be expected in GORE-TEX bootie shoes with multiple layers. I would recommend for those circumstances. For a more comfortable pair that breaths well, go with the Grand Traverse by Vasque.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.