Unparallel Flagship Review: The BEST All-Round Climbing Shoe

[@jeffhussey8]

I’ve worn Scarpa shoes for nearly 20 years. Though I own every high end Scarpa and love them I have completely switched to unparallel since winning a pair. Dragos were my former favourite for indoor, bouldering and steep, Instinct vs for support to to fully weigh crystals and micros outside. Though my experience with the new shoes is more limited I now use Neutros for anything and flagships for indoor bouldering. It’s hard to pinpoint why I feel stronger in these: better stick and precision without being too soft and I find the heel cup suctions to my foot better than anything I’ve experienced. I do find them very hard to get on which may explain why the heel fits me better. I also find them about a quarter size tighter than Scarpa shoes (size 43; my street shoes are 44). If I could only find a dealer with stock-I’m still using Scarpas just to save the rubber on my new favs.

[@BeorOng]

Sounds like youre one of the rare few that the shoe is designed for haha, I mean thats a great thing for you I think that the shoe is amazing not gonna lie. The quality is above and beyond most other shoes that I own and I wish it actually did fit me better because of that.

[@voldigoad7902]

What kind of foot do you have?

[@andrewpoon3080]

nice detailed video. You should do more shoe reviews! You do a really good job on explaining all the aspect of the product!

[@BeorOng]

Thanks man, yeah planning on making more and more. Obvioisly just takes time and money but hoping eventually the channel takes off enough i can keep dping this a bit more sustainably

[@billyelliot78]

I went half down from my exact shoe size and it is pretty numbingly tight. There’s even a couple of hotspots. I do believe that it’ll break in and feel like an absolute custom fit after a while but man is it tough to put on and take off. I would not try a whole size down especially If you’re buying online. 99% chance you’re shipping em back.

[@josephclimbs9495]

How are they now!?

[@billyelliot78]

@@josephclimbs9495 they feel a lot better now. I think after about 10 sessions I would say it stopped stretching but I definitely can’t leave em on for more than 3-4 climbs. I usually take em off right away. I do still have to give it a pretty hard tug to put em on and taking them off takes some effort as well but it’s certainly not a PPV event either. If you have fat toes or hammer toe or wide foot, anything irregular at all, I would not recommend going half size down. In truth I do regret somewhat doing it myself. I don’t think it needs to be as tight fitting as it is, even if I was a comp climber. In fact I think there’s better utilization of foot muscles in not crowding the feet so much. The shoes perform well. I don’t outdoor much but indoor bouldering and lead climbing, they feel great. I’ve not encountered a style of climb that causes the shoes to fail other than maybe in slab climbing, I for some reason don’t have a lot of confidence in standing on very low angles, though it’s not from slipping off a lot. Probably more of a mental thing because the shoe is aggressively angled. Keep in mind that I’m a v5 boulderer and v11.c-d climber so by no means a pro. Hope that helps! Overall I’m ver satisfied with the shoes. I see more people wearing them at the gym.

[@x3i4n]

i went with a full size down from my street size shoes. (8.5US MEN street and these in 7.5US MEN) Two first sessions were kinda painfull, but after that, they were super comfy for me. After 8 months of climbing (4 times a week in a gym), they are pretty stretched and they showing sign of used on the big toe. Very happy with this purchase. Will buy again.

[@jamessmart2190]

On a scale of 1-10 how painful would you say the first couple sessions were?

[@thiagof.6132]

@@jamessmart2190It's hard to give a number cause it's very subjective. But in my case I went half a size down from my street shoes, which is my usual size for most of the rock climbing shoes I had and it was hard to even put my feet in them. Had to use a plastic bag. I wore them for a feel minutes at home a few days a week to break them in before I had my first session. Did that about 6-8 times before my first session with them and until I didn't need a plastic bag anymore. After my first two sessions I started to think I bought the wrong size. However, somehow in my third session they suddenly went from tight and painful to tight and comfy. I have wide feet and they are narrow, but they fit great now (or as great as they could for someone with wide feet). Heel's a bit baggy though, at least for me. But so far I've had no problem with them in terms of performance.

[@TiagoRosado]

@@thiagof.6132thanks for sharing your experience, I just bought them and my first session was very painful, had to stop using them after 3 or 4 climbs. I got my street size. I’ll try to do the same as you to see if they stretch a bit

[@Alessandromarangoni123]

I have 3 pair now of unparallel shoes, vcs rise, TN pro and the Flag and I love them, very comfortable out off the box and the rubber it’s fantastic

[@the.Aruarian]

Great vid, per usual, Beor! The heel has always been my main beef with old-school 5.10 and now UP. I don't think I've ever actual met a human with the heel shape/volume required for a lot of their designs.

[@BeorOng]

I actually had the same problem with the old school hi angles, i tried them on cause I had heard so many good things and the heel just felt so baggy that I was pretty dissapointed. Quality of the materials and construction are in my opinion probably the best out of all the brands, but definitely need to rework the last for a better fit (by the sounds of it for most people)

[@the.Aruarian]

@@BeorOng I have an older model as well, the blue/grey model, and those have quite a small and narrow heel. But I've tried a bunch of Anasazi's (now Niad) and those were all absolute trash.

[@the.Aruarian]

@@BeorOng My money's still on Scarpa's Instinct line for the overal best heel design. Guess that's why LaSpo is copying Heinz's newer design with their Solution Comp. ;)

[@BeorOng]

@@the.Aruarian ive been meaning to add the instinct line into the testing field, ive been told theyre quite good so wouldnt mind putting it through the ringer

[@the.Aruarian]

@@BeorOng For me they’re very comparable to the Skwama. Having had multiples of both (9 Instincts, 4 Skwama), the Instincts are slightly more supportive, ever so slightly narrower and have a much nicer heel. Plus the ability to go between soft (VSR), moderate (VS) and stiffer (Lace) with the same last is a plus.

[@cillijed4291]

great vid, the reason your heel doesn't fit, is not because it is too narrow, but actually too wide. This is because the heel is too wide to sink to the bottom of the heel cup. I had trouble with unparallel heels in the past for this reason they all seem impossibly narrow.The new hiangles are good (but terrible quality), VSR's and mastias are good for people with this problem.

[@Phampham453]

I've had the same realization!! Ive tried on so many la sportiva and evolv shoes and none sucked onto my heel. At some point I realized it's because my heel actually can't sink all the way to the bottom. Funny enough, I have both the instinct vs and the mastia and they're both a dream. Id be happy with those 2 models for the rest of my life.

[@thiagof.6132]

I think i'm having the same problem with my flagships. Wide feet and heel but the shoe is narrow. Although it is narrow for my feet, it fits like a glove when broken in except for the heel. There's a bit of dead space. After reading your comment I'm thinking about buying a new one half a size up too see if my heel can sink in to the bottom of the heel cup, but I don't know if that's gonna solve the problem. I'm loving the shoe's performance and durability so far. If it wasn't for the dead space in the heel it would be nearly perfect for me.

[@jonasrogn1216]

Thanks! Been waiting for this :)

[@BeorOng]

Sorry for being so slow! Trying to keep up with the demands between this, climbers crag and my other part time jobs

[@lidontlo]

The RS rubber is very focused on indoor/volumes or for use on smears. Shoes like the TN pros use a full RH which is much better for edging and out door routes on granites or limestone. The flagship is very comp focused. You should get a pair of TN pros or another UP shoe with RH rubber. They also have the Souped UP coming out soon which has redesigned entry and smaller heal. Seems like that new entry and heal will go on the new shoes from now.

[@BeorOng]

Yeah its interesting that the tomoa signature shoe is the stiffer one when hes primarily an indoor climber

[@Aashishkebab]

I'm actually considering these. Right now I have the Leopard II and I absolutely love them.

[@SiJerrySam]

My favourite part is when he called me a camper knowing I'm fully about that indoor life.

[@henderjenkins2467]

just got a pair of these, have had about 3 sesh's in them, i went with my regular streetwear shoe size and it was very toe numbing and painful at first but i'm beginning to feel them stretch, I think its gonna workout well

[@TiagoRosado]

@henderjenkins2467 How do they feel now? I just bought this shoes today exact size as my street shoes 43european and they are quite painful on all my finger knuckles. Specially my left foot, I can’t even put him on without plastic bag even with the plastic it’s quite a struggle. I’m worried they don’t stretch too much because they’re synthetic?

[@SpeciesV1X]

Been thinking of these ever since my local gym has a demo! Vid came at the perfect time

[@BeorOng]

Did you get a chance to try em?

[@George-nx8zu]

Just gave these a shot, sized down by a full size from my street size and they are really painful in the toebox. Hope they flex

[@jasonetchingham9587]

The second I saw the heel hook it was a no for me. Thank you for doing these honest reviews. So many reviews on KZbin just seem like adds to sell shoes.

[@BeorOng]

I want to try and stay independent so I can review the shoes honestly. I feel like whats the point of doing a review if youre not gonna be honest about it. People are looking for the information so they can make an informed decision and if you rob them of that youre just selling and your videos are an ad not a review. Thanks for the love my man

[@jeffhussey8]

I wouldn’t assume you’d have the same issue with the heel. These shoes fit my heel perfectly though I have to work to get them on!

[@inksoldier19]

Thanks for this review! I really wanted to try these on especially the lv version. How does this shoe compare to the theory for outdoor and project climbing?

[@BeorOng]

I mean my theorys are my #1 by far, the rubber i prefer on the unparallels primarily because i like the softer stickier stuff over harder edging performance but thats just me. Both have their place depending on the climb though, but overall when I need the shoe to perform without having to worry about whether itll do its job, my theorys above all my other shoes

[@inksoldier19]

@@BeorOngOh man, I really want to try on the theory especially now! I've been climbing primarily on the genius which are on the same last. Like in your genius review I initially hated the no-edge tech and basically shelved the shoe for like 3 years. After trying them on again and sending some of my hardest indoor climbs, I actually love them now. I'm starting to lean towards softer shoes

[@ClayterBob]

The TN pros are super sick, probably my favorite shoe beating out the solutions, and squamas. The new souped UP is super cool for indoor climbing. I’ve been loving them so far!

[@ljp3639]

Where have you gotten the souped up from? Thought they weren’t released yet

[@georgebaldwin5456]

Would have loved trying the Souped UP, but they aren't manufacturing at this time. This Flagship is DEF better than the Skwama.

[@munromunnik7541]

How do you size your TN Pros (street shoe size to climbing shoe size)?

[@jaxom97]

Wonderful review, I was curious if you have any experience with Evolv shoes, specifically the Shamans? as I've heard their shoes tend to be on the wider side.

[@BeorOng]

I do have the shamans, its on the to review list but still running em through. Anything in particular your curious about? Tldr i think theyre a "will fit almost every foot" kind of shoe, but overall they feel like blocks on my feet. Not heavy but just feels chunky. It still performs pretty well, and I like it for edging but yeah just feels kinda clunky

[@crimpchimp]

Been using both the oracle (lace, discontinued) and shamans (the older red& blue model) - I have quite flat feet and can use barely any velcro models but shamans work well. I have an „Egyptian“ foot shape I guess. I find their stiffness great for edging and like the downturn, still fairly comfortable while aggressive, due to the toe box. I use them mostly outdoor single pitch but recently even on a multipitch. Painful, but they performed well ;) Rarely use them indoor, obviously they’re not the best for volumes etc but smear ok (I only weigh about 60kg). Another plus is the rubber seems sticky and durable at the same time and I doubt they’ll loose much of their original shape (just got the Oracles resoled and they felt basically the same). Understand what Beor means though - they’re definitely not sensitive shoes🤣I mostly wore Tenaya oasis before and there’s no comparison there. Tried on some UP models recently including the flagship, but the shape of the toe box wasn’t for me at all…

[@BeorOng]

@@crimpchimp love how comprehensive you were for this haha thanks for chiming in and I feel ya on the foot shape issue. Ive bought a few scarpas recently and unfortunately its a case of narrow shoes are painfully tight for me, but been doing it just for the reviews haha pains my feet and my wallet

[@thess0414]

I have the shamans and I am pretty happy. Especially on the comfort side. I want to buy these ones but can't find them easily. I wonder how much of the uniqueness of a shoe is gone when you need to put a new rubber, which is not the authentic one.

[@andrelopez9023]

Great video! Would love to see you review the FiveTen HiAngles

[@BeorOng]

Actually the next one on the list =)

[@thesii213]

Love these Beor! I know you probably have a lot on the docket already, but have you looked at Acopa? They're just starting to release some more modern options.

[@BeorOng]

This brand actually looks pretty sick, thanks for letting me know about it, ill add it into the list

[@thesii213]

@@BeorOng Yep. Long history there, cool story with local craftspeople, and their own rubber formulations? Plus lots of love on Mountain Project. The Gama or Nova could be a good shout.

[@BeorOng]

@@thesii213 oh man...so many shoes to purchase haha, as long as ya'll keep watching my vids I can keep up with the shoe purchases so much

[@Czab]

I agree with you. These are otherwise great shoes but there's a ton of dead space in the heel for me too.

[@thess0414]

I bought them in Europe. Not easy to find and a big bet with online ordering. But going for street size paid well. Not as comfortable as the evolvs (shaman's) for sure. Hard to put on but getting better at it. On a hindsight, so far, I would have rather bought the evolv zenist to see if they improve on my shaman's.

[@peakispieck]

Can you do Solution vs Solution comp :(

[@bratislavkrstonosic720]

Solution is better for outdoors but its not that comfortable like solution comp.

[@bratislavkrstonosic720]

I will go for performance sacrificing some comfort.

[@peakispieck]

@@bratislavkrstonosic720 just that solution comp is sold out everywhere :( will they restock?

[@BeorOng]

Haha interesting idea though

[@bratislavkrstonosic720]

@@peakispieck idk, in Serbia we have some in store but its just 40.5 and bigger sizes .

[@AdamFoster]

I just wish they would email be back and let me know where I can try the things on. Do people buy climbing shoes without putting their feet in them first?

[@BeorOng]

I do, i just compare my current shoes on rock + run

[@AdamFoster]

@@BeorOng Thanks for that idea. Do you happen to know of a climbing shoe company that makes a more straight, inside toe box? So that the point lines up better with the natural shape of your foot, instead of drawing the big toe outside?

[@rhyhl]

@@AdamFoster Flagships, TN Pros, Shamans aren't too shabby (will still be abit pointed), but has a boxier forefoot and straighter fit (not a fan of my gomi's because its super pointed) - otherwise take a look at the 5.10 Aleons or crawe, I believe these were design to be straighter rather than curving out to the big toe (like an arrowhead).

[@catsaur]

I would really like to try more unparallel shoes but it's pretty hard to find them in shops.

[@BeorOng]

I havent found em anywhere at all, like even overseas....Ive had to epictv it and just hope for the best

[@joosemoose1727]

souped ups are my favorite rn

[@viniciuscardoso1827]

how does it compare to the la sportiva theory?

[@BeorOng]

heel is the biggest problem, the toebox is slightly more narrow as well

[@royceblech1349]

Loved the video man! I previously had a pair of the flagships and loved them but was really disappointed by the heel. I decided to take a chance and get a pair of the lv flagships. I've found that they generally fit my foot profile a bit better and the dead space in the heel is almost entirely gone. If you're having that issue with the heel you should for sure at least test the lv model! *edit/ps:I didn't notice much of a difference in comfort in the toebox between lv and normal

[@rhyhl]

good to know - the blue in LV also looks very nice. I did the same with the evolv shamans, I sized slightly for comfort (ss size) but the heel was letting me down. Bought the LV in the same size and everything just fit that tiny bit better.

[@thiagof.6132]

Which size do you wear in the LVs vs the normal Flagships?

[@royceblech1349]

@@thiagof.6132 I wear the same mens size as I did in the normal version, I was worried at first but when I tried them on they weren't too small. If you wanna play it safe try to find a demo they do quite a few.

[@thiagof.6132]

@@royceblech1349 Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately I can't try them on anywhere. I live in Brazil and basically the only option we have is to buy climbing shoes online and we don't have a lot of brands and models available if we buy them from local retailers. But I'm thinking about giving the Flagship a shot and if the heel is to big I'll send them back and try the LV version!

[@BeorOng]

Thanks for the input dude, now Im thinking whether its worth me dropping the cash for the lv to try...

[@Hsiaoty]

Love your reviews but I would appreciate if you could compare each shoe to the other shoes in your collection in terms of stiffness, precision, heel hooking, toe hooking, etc. All the high-end, aggressively-downturned shoes essentially advertise the same performance and features but I'd like to see how they really stack up. I'm still wondering how the Flagships compare to the Drago, Theory, Hiangle, etc.

[@BeorOng]

Interesting point, i usually compare it only to the ones i prefer since theyre the things that stand out. For example regarding stiffness most of my shoes are similiar other than my furia airs and boostics which are specialized and mostly because i like softer shoes with a tiny bit of stiffness. Heel hooks as well i usually compare against my strongest performers if i think its relevant, but generally its a case of if i think its bad theres no real reason to compare it to the theorys which ive already stated in that video feels amazing. But will definitely keep this in mind to try and make it more direct to addressing it. Thanks for the feedback!

[@Hsiaoty]

​@@BeorOng I realized it would be onerous to make a comparison for every single shoe since you already go into detail talking about heel/toe hooking, smearing, etc for all your reviews. What I really mean is a comparison of their stiffness. For the most part these shoes are on the soft side as you noted, but even among the same brands, there are variations e.g. LS Solutions > Skwama > Futura > Theory. It's harder to find some brands/models in person so I'm curious how they feel in general compared to the more "popular" brands before I commit to the purchase (and it's helpful to see if they're also good for lead). Appreciate your response!

[@benstewpanada]

really hard to find these to try one unfortunatly, in australia atleast

[@BeorOng]

Yeah, sucks how limited we are because distributers are limited on who gets to sell em

[@mikafull]

Scarpa Instinct is still one of the best shoes out there, and at the end it is not the shoe what make the difference. And the price is not accessible.

[@BeorOng]

Instinct seems to be the shoe of choice according to a lot of comments so far, will have to get it for an upcoming review

[@punkkabestia]

Lot of persons have experimented lot of space in the heel ....

[@thesovereignonion2283]

I got the lv version which fits my heel better

[@BeorOng]

Do you have a wide toe box? And if so how is the fit there?

[@thesovereignonion2283]

@@BeorOng toe box is similar to solution comp so fairly middle ground. I sized down to a 7 (street 8) and they are very comfortable compared to most other High end shoes.

[@spidery1700]

Hi beor nice vid it's elijah

[@BeorOng]

👋

[@ethanfrost7204]

this or theory

[@AnonymousOtters]

That heel..... WTF. And I'm unimpressed by how chunky the toes are. They look like they are meant to be fit in a full toe crunched position. Not a fan. Would like to try some, but unfortunately almost nobody carries them

[@BeorOng]

Toe hasnt been so much an issue other than the more center focused curvature which personally i just prefer more assymetry. But yeah heel is just a....meh

[@AnonymousOtters]

Oh, good to know on the curvature. Probably a skip for me then, I tend to like a wider asymmetric toebox as well. Thanks

[@BeorOng]

@@AnonymousOtters sounds like you'll prefer the same shoes I do then haha Theorys #1, honestly phantoms and skwamas are probably equal 2nd -- should get the solutions to give them a proper go to.. but im dreading it just due to the strap issues

[@dominicyau9005]

That nasty 4:45 drop knee 😭

[@BeorOng]

haha its not that bad i swear

[@JonPMelly]

Unfortunately they het super soft super fast, and then they are pretty useless anything thsts not super steep

[@BeorOng]

theyre like my go to shoe for just "I cant be bothered thinking" but definitely not my projecting shoe by far

[@JapanErrant]

Grade A+ rubber, great shoes in general...worst customer service, responsiveness and production ever. Hall of Fame crappy customer service, actually.

[@ocarinhalogoali8723]

lombra

[@yarpenzirgin1826]

Would never buy this shoe for the simple reason. Would not be able to pronounce the name of the company.