The Climbing Shoe That DEFIES Gravity: Madrock Drone CS (Comp) Review

[@madrockclimbing]

This was a fun watch! Thanks for taking the time to review one of our favorite shoes. Maybe we can do a little Q&A for everybody if there's interest 👀

[@nick8397]

Vegan shoes when!?

[@madrockclimbing]

@@nick8397 with the exception of our Phoenix model and rental shoes, all of our other models are vegan friendly!

[@madrockclimbing]

@@nick8397 with the exception of our Phoenix model and rental shoes, all of our other models are vegan friendly!

[@nick8397]

@@madrockclimbing awesome!! Didn't know that! ❤❗

[@ethannewman6617]

How does the toebox expand? I usually need to downsize to get my heel fit correct (such as size 8 for Drone 1.0 LV), but my forefoot doesn’t fit LV drone models.

[@ironmooss1946]

Watching this 4 months later I can confirm we have to wait another 4 months for a video. Great stuff though, appreciate the honest review and not just gushing over the rubber. I also have a pretty wide size 7 foot so I’m glad you said it was uncomfortable for you

[@thesii213]

Great work Beor! Especially love the attention to detail and comparisons at 3:24 and 6:42.

[@BeorOng]

I mean whats the point if I don't compare them right? In the future, with enough money I want to buy some actual scientific equipment to really give it a proper test

[@thesii213]

@@BeorOng Agreed. And yeah, I'd probably have a lot of thoughts on how to design those methodologies when you get around to it. Lot of interesting work to be done in this space.

[@BeorOng]

​@@thesii213yeah first things first...$$$

[@thesii213]

@@BeorOng Makes sense yep! Get that cash.

[@nirzitman2749]

Love the content you produce, especially the shoe reviews you make, would love to see more of those in the future

[@huntrayisabeast16]

I tried the low vol comp, and im super satisfied with how they feel and climb. Very soft and sensitive, so maybe not the best shoe for edging or a heavier climber with weaker feet, but coming from evolv shoes i cant complain at all. At first i thought i ordered a half size too small, felt.pretty unbearable to climb in, but after a week or so they definitely stretched out a bit and give me the most form fitting fit in a climbing shoe ive ever had. Also, the inside of the shoe feels sooo nice, makes my budget shoes feel like sandpaper.

[@BeorOng]

Oof the LV would suit me even less but thats just the nature of finding the right shoe. What budget shoe did you have before? The la sportiva genius also has a superrrrr comfortable sock...probably the best feeling shoe ive owned at least on the inside

[@huntrayisabeast16]

@BeorOng id be fine spending anywhere from 120-200 on a pair as long as it fits my foot, i havent tried many sportivas since trying on the solutions years back. Felt like a brick on my foot xD the theory did catch my eye tho for sure. Is decent for Egyptian foot shape? Edit* totally missed your question, my budget shoes are the tenaya tantas.

[@BeorOng]

​@@huntrayisabeast16my feet are egyptian and wide toeboxed so id say yeah, that being said it could be a bit wider instead if taller but honestly still my top pick out kf everytjing

[@AusVersehen]

I'd say it's a benefit that they did not cover the entire toe area with rubber. With that bit left uncovered the material is better able to stretch. And as someone with a wider toe profile I need every stretch I can get. And you're typically not toe hooking with the outer edge of your foot anyways.

[@BeorOng]

Id agree in a sense, with wide feet id say the shoe just isnt intended for guys like us u fortunately, the using the outside edge to toe is a legit response but when i toe hook i just stick that shizz anywhere it lands which csn scuff that area (I never said I was a GOOD climber haha). Should try the redlines or sharks but someone comented that the sharks might be seeing an update soon so might wanna wait

[@AusVersehen]

@@BeorOng I am actually surprised about what you say about the drones being too narrow. I recently started using the original drones and they are the first shoe that fit my wide feet without crunching my pinky toe to dust. I heard that the drone Cs fit a bit differently than og drones, but that much? The redlines on the other hand are much much narrower than the drones! Cannot recommend.

[@BeorOng]

@@AusVersehen I actually cant comment too much on the original drones, Ive donned em, but never actually climbed in em. Madrock have them listed as "normal" fit si neither wide or narrow so I guess its just going to be based on how your toes end up splaying out at the top whether you have greek, roman, egyptian feet etc, but yeah I wouldn't say its TOO bad but its definitely not the best fitting for myself. Id say its close to the theorys if anything but the theorys have a lot of vertical space which allows my foot a bit more to fill it out that the drones just don't have. Interesting comment on the redlines, I thought they were wider but maybe its the sharks I'm thinking of

[@tehIVI40A3]

Great watch these vids bro, super professional keep it up! Already looking forward to the next one

[@miloplayz7474]

Late to this, but thanks for the reviews! They’ve helped me get my new shoes! I would love to see a review on the mad rock shark 3.0. Also, you mentioned the redline range, that one would be very interesting too. ❤ P.S. what is the best shoe you own for strictly volume smearing?

[@Oliverw_climbs]

i would love to see a revew of the redline strap, there dosent seem to be any of them on yt

[@Theboardbro]

Another fantastic review video!!

[@BeorOng]

appreciate you

[@RossPotts]

@beorong, have you had a chance to test out the Shark 3.0? It has a bigger patch of rubber on the tongue and also has more rubber on the Rand. It’s quite sticky! Last night I kept getting the top of my foot stuck on another hold while dyno-ing. It’s almost too sticky, LOL!

[@BeorOng]

Its coming =) hard to get em on time here in austealia

[@RossPotts]

@@BeorOng well, just make sure you start with street-sizing before you think about down-sizing. I’m size 11 US, so that was what I ordered. Fit was perfect: no slop at all. Might be different for you, but in my experience the last couple years, their sizing has been perfect. You still need to work out the slick surface of new rubber though, or grab some sandpaper and handle it now

[@gabeg3493]

Absolute best shoe reviewer out there!

[@konkelkent]

ngl, i couldnt care less how the shoe looks, when it is a niche shoe for 1 purpose (climbing ) , i just want the best fit and overall performance to the lowest price possible. And kinda feels like the drones just fits perfectly in that, not the most expensive, but extremely versatile.

[@Tepsonnn]

I want to buy Madrock Dron CS HV climbing shoes, and my foot size is 26 cm. What shoe size should I choose to ensure the best performance for climbing?

[@frozenbud714]

Are they suitable for wide feet?

[@fuzzymango8204]

If I am a street size 9, would you recommend going a size up to 10?

[@esonsei]

I have the same issue with the heel with the drones 1.0. It doesn't feel secure, although it's never popped out before.

[@BeorOng]

Yeah i dont think its any different, i dont rly like the feeling though

[@rowanangelbeck8840]

Always interesting to see how different everyone's experiences are. As someone with a shallower heel the drone 1.0 were the first shoes I've ever had that didn't have tons of heel dead space, and fit perfectly for my shape. Granted I've only climbed in La Sportivas, Scarpas, and Tenayas before that, but none of them ever felt secure in the heel. I think the drones are definitely made more for folks like me with shallower heels.

[@hyau23]

They're meant to be the "soft" version of the drone right? When do they feel soft, I have a pair and they still feel stiff AF a month into wearing them compared to my instinct vsr's.

[@raysblack2485]

love your shoe review brother

[@BeorOng]

And I love you random citizen! - Metroman (Megamind) 2010

[@drewlazorchak]

Were you reviewing the hv or lv? would you recommend street size for lv or half size smaller?

[@BeorOng]

These were the HV, i mean if i was going lv theres less space so i would have to go half size up from what i said in the vid to make up for it. That is of course for me..but if theres space in the hv for you specficially but its the right size an lv might be better in same size

[@TheRightish]

Awesome review that really covered the shoes well. A small nitpick, but when the shoes are new they have a more pronounced edge that's better for edging. It looks like the ones you're showing have had a few months of love and are pretty worn down. I may have missed it but the drone cs fits more snuggly than the original drones as well. My street shoe is 11.5, drones 10 (too small to be fair), drone cs 11, and drone 2.0 is 10.5. As a heavier (for a) climber at 170lbs, I really like the extra support from the midsole that the Italian brands are moving away from. I definitely understand where you're coming from with regards to the stiffness though. For me, the drone cs probably feels the same way theories feel for you. You don't see tall climbers using soft shoes very often because it's impossible to edge in them. On a side note, the durability is insane on these shoes. I bought a pair back in October and they still aren't blown out after 2-3 sessions a week over 8 months.

[@BeorOng]

Youre correct in that, i spoke with madrock today and they said the same thing which was a bit of an unfair call on my part so i do retract that a bit (though i still think other shoes maintain a sharper edge or point after use) the lasting power is insane i agree and i havent used thr drone and drone 2.0s so i couldnt really give a proper sizing comparison in thst regard so i used my own feet as a baseline

[@BeorOng]

I also dont take into account climbers weights so that completely makes sense that the midsole actually gives you the right amount of stiffness that i personally dont like but obviously hits right for you so that is something i need to touch on in the future. Thanks for commenting dude rly insightfhl stuff...love talking gear haha

[@slayerofmadnesss]

Have you tried to redlines yet?

[@a.e.i2409]

How would these compare to the comp solutions or drone 2.0s preformance wise?

[@a.e.i2409]

(I would be using these shoes for indoor climbing mainly)

[@garytdl-j3o]

Great review, will you be doing a review on the new drone 2.0?

[@BeorOng]

I would say currently no, only cause the drone range js rly not built for me so it would be a bit of a waste for me to get them..though i went to the madrock HQ today and got a rundown and the fit sits higher so less of this feeling like itll come off but only slightly, and they definitely are muchhhhh stiffer in comparison. Also if youre interested in the black drone 2.0 they are coming so bit of insider secret for ya ;)

[@marcussandell1]

How would you compare these shoes to the likes of Scarpa Drago or La Sportiva Mantra? I'm looking for something soft to complement my Evolv Phantoms for slabs and dynamic stuff. Awesome review as always!

[@BeorOng]

honestly if you compare them to the phantoms id say they are comparable in terms of softness, dragos would be softer and id opt for those if youre looking for a soft shoe

[@robertarmour9572]

So the sole/rand/toe rubber is one compressed unit? Can these be resoled? Im assuming not.

[@BeorOng]

Im visiting the madrock HQ in a couple of days, let me get back to you on this when I ask them directly

[@robertarmour9572]

@@BeorOng that would be great.

[@madrockclimbing]

@@BeorOng Can't wait to see ya and talk tech!

[@BeorOng]

Thanks @madrockclimbs for all the insights...loved geeking out over all the gear, updates and future projects... @robertarmour9572 so according to madrock companies dont quite yet have xtreme friction rubber available but resoling is indeed possible. They cut away the old part that needs fixing and meld the new rubber in, just like current resoling, it just wont have that compression mold onto it, more of a fix to keep it going longer

[@robertarmour9572]

@@BeorOng thanks for the feedback. Good to know from a cost/environmental perspective.

[@ascentionism]

4:22 dynoing to the top when there's a beautiful handcrack to the right, rip to my boy he doesn't know how to jam 😰 (idk what the grade was there but v2 at my gym) Awesome review as always, some day you'll have to teach me how you get so much b-roll while also crushing

[@BeorOng]

Haha you do use the crack but if you dont make it your fingers are stuck in there pretty tight but yeah i think irs a v2 or maybe a soft v3 cant remember now, kinda just went to get the footage haha, I generally invoke the friend card and get ppl to help for footage its cheap (read free) Hope the big trip was amazing dude, photos looked sick on IG

[@galaxyguy4522]

I’m curious about these 😯 I tried Thoery’s and they’re good, but don’t quite fit my foot. I want a super soft shoe in my quiver though…this may be it!

[@tomascelis3036]

These shoes are not super soft. Tbh they’re on the stiffer side of comp shoes.

[@william9394]

A little out of context, but what is your opinion on the normal five ten hiangle? (The black and white one)

[@BeorOng]

so I find the sensitivity of the pros too much personally.... its super soft so this is a personal preference thing but Id prefer to climb in the normal hi-angles JUST to kill the sensitivity a bit and give me a bit more support, I like flexibility and softness... but there's this sweet spot that I like that I think the theorys personally hit nicely. If you want the super soft and the super sensitive the pros... otherwise as long as it fits your feet, the normal would be a good choice that Id probably personally opt for over the pros

[@william9394]

@@BeorOng Okay, im currently using the Drago's but want something stiffer for lead climbing, and old school boulders where the Drago's are generally too soft. Do you think the normal ones would be a good fit then?

[@BeorOng]

@@william9394 yeah should be fine for you. Depends on level of stiffness you want, i think it would be fine for you though...otherwise the solutions or even katanas are a good stiff shoe

[@incandesent4392]

my toe patch has started delaminating 6 mnonths in and the heel is probably too soft. those are the only complaints i have.

[@RinKenRyou]

Sorry for the late sub, dashing out great content as usual! Also, def interested in that injured climbers tshirt :D

[@BeorOng]

Tsk tsk...trying to be late legend i see

[@ClimbingEasy]

Midsole; I asked Mad Rock when they released the CS; they stated the Sharks have a zero midsole and might be seeing the compression mold rubber update.

[@BeorOng]

If they get the compression mold rubber update I am 100% down and might even find my new favourite

[@Jackwithoneeye]

Really useful review I was considering getting a pair but I need a shoe with a deep heel it sounds like this will be way to shallow and low volume for me . Cheers Beor saved me some $$

[@BeorOng]

if its shallow or me its probably shallow for a lot of ppl too so happy to help

[@drawingcandy7644]

if my scarpa size is 41， it is also buy 41？

[@dominicyau9005]

Yes! More single strap closure, death to thin straps!

[@BeorOng]

*grabs my pitchfork* Lets go take them down!.... or cut everyones straps with scissors.. (PS please dont do that haha)

[@v0atmygym734]

Loved it bro! Question: How would you rank rubbers in terms of stickiness? And then how would rank them in durability? And lastly, how would you rank them in terms of you preference?

[@mrmonsterhunter808]

I use mine a lot so I'll give you my answers. I have climbed for roughly 4 months in my drone CS's as my indoor gym shoes. The rubber is incredibly sticky, when first using them my toe would get caught on incut foot chips that I would normally slide off of when moving my feet intentionally. The rubber is thick, so despite it being softer than the normal drone compound it lasts a while. However, this thick 3d molded toe design combined with the polycarbonate insole makes them less sensitive than some traditionally "stiff" outdoor shoes I've climbed in, most notably both my old pair of normal drones AND evolv phantoms that were broken in were much more sensitive on small edges (my phantoms are still my outdoor shoes). So far they have held up well, though the fancy toe cap design with protruding hexagons has worn down and tore quite a bit as my gym likes to set toe hooks using volumes. I have not used them outdoors so I can't comment on that.

[@BeorOng]

monsterhunter answered quite nicely and I have an agreement pretty much on all his comments, but i guess in my own words... probably the stickiest of all the rubbers Ive used, clean them often and they maintain that stick, otherwise the chalk and stuff kinda reduces it. it probably just beats the likes of unparallel, the durability on the other hand beats them cleanly, soft rubbers usually mean less durability but I've found these to have quite the staying power. If the toe box was slightly wider, and the actual rand rode to a more normal height Id still say it only hits second or third, Id want the heel to be tighter as well for it to beat my current top picks, but as it stands it probably sits 4th or 5th in my current line up... I might make a ranking video...that's not a bad idea

[@v0atmygym734]

@@BeorOng hell yea man. Make a list ranking the rubbers you’ve used. And maybe think about reviewing an Ocun performance bouldering shoe such as the fury or bullit🤔🤔🤔 so that we can see where their proprietary rubber stands

[@BeorOng]

@@v0atmygym734 yeah ocun just havent released a shoe im super keen on trying, but yeah if you want those reviewed ill line it up

[@SWPJR]

thanks for the great review! am i crazy or is the shoe not very sensitive at all? i only tried it out on a couple boulders but it felt dead. might just need to break in

[@BeorOng]

you are not crazy, its the midsole... its the MIDSOLE, Id almost be willing to let the other flaws go if the midsole was taken out (the other big flaw is how low it sits but that's a me thing not a shoe thing lol)

[@ikarosdream5971]

When looking for shoes on the internet, iv3 always found myself wondering who these people are wearing size 6 in mens. Cause ladies would probably wear smaller and most guys are bigger. Finally found em!

[@BeorOng]

You know what they say about people with small feet..............................Small socks

[@ikarosdream5971]

@BeorOng hahahahaha small feet, precise footwork. That's what I've heard hahaha.

[@BeorOng]

@@ikarosdream5971 haha that bodes well for me than the alternative

[@the.Aruarian]

Mad Rock heels always make me go haiyaa.

[@BeorOng]

Sorry children

[@anthonyng2224]

5:35 ?

[@BeorOng]

you heard me

[@SiIentAzn]

you injure yourself on purpose otherwise you'd be too strong omg 😂

[@BeorOng]

It would be unfair to climb that strong and look as good as I do...thats why God made me short as well...thought I should play on hard mode to give others a chance

[@jonahcarpenter6580]

Only the 5,800 true legends can like this comment

[@BeorOng]

The other 94% can go suck my petzl lol

[@seanlim5447]

Early!

[@BeorOng]

2am early lol

[@seanlim5447]

Extremely early

[@codeword8424]

More then 20% of the video: Crying about the non subscribers and advertising for BS. Such a shame.

[@shaggy6249]

Too many side tangents