Butora  Rubicon Wide Fit Climbing Shoes

I've been looking for a comfortable climbing shoe that doesn't slack in performance and this shoe does just that. After trying several other brands I decided to give Butora a shot and was recommended the Rubicons by a friend. It's very comfortable for a climbing shoe and has a nice medium flex which is perfect for the gym. The heel fits great so I can heel hook without the shoe feeling like it's getting pulled off and there's enough rubber on the toe for toe hooking. The fact that this shoe is under $150 blows my mind and made it that much better. Highly recommend!

I've been using the rental shoes at my local gym for a few months and finally decided it was time to buy my own pair of shoes. I typically climb in the V4-V6 range so I decided to give the Rubicon's a try because they seemed like a great intermediate shoe. The first thing I noticed was how comfortable they are. I went with my street shoe size and they fit great and I can keep them on for long periods of time, but they still perform really well on steep and technical climbs. I recommend these shoes to anyone looking for a new climbing shoe.

These had a great toe and helped me stick to the wall. I loved the experience of climbing in them. I'm giving a low rating because they started to fall apart with rubber separating in several places on both shoes after less than 6 months of indoor climbing 4-6 hours a week. I also thought the opening was uncomfortably tight, and I had ankle soreness after wearing them for too long which I've never experienced before. I'm not someone who goes for super downsized climbing shoes but I did go down a half size because my street size was too roomy, although I kind of regretted this because they were uncomfortable for long sessions. Note they do not stretch at all over time.

tl:dr - buy them if you're moving into intermediate climbing or want a pair of warmup shoes I've been indoor climbing for 6+ years and moved through Black Diamond (beginner years), Scarpa (beginner-intermediate transition years), to now (advanced-maintenance years). I exclusively use Butora because of my wide feet and daily drive the Gomi but also rotate the Narsha (discontinued), Acro, and Acro Comps depending on the climb. For reference - I max top-rope 5.12b, lead 5.11d/12a, and boulder v5-v6. I also wear half-size bigger than street shoes so I'm not jamming or squeezing toes. I tried the Rubicon on 5.10c-12.a top rope and 5.11b-11d lead. Using the Rubicons: Pro: Super comfortable out of the box Didn't need any time to break in Secure with the double-strap velco Solid for slab or easy smearing Cons: They don't focus power on one toe "Medium-stiff" feels much softer, especially after warming up Not great for toe-hooking - took a lot of tries to get a secure hook They can feel unstable on jibs and when needing to put power behind a smear Overall, Rubicon is appropriately priced and placed between Endeavor and Gomi. If you've moved past beginner shoes, Rubicon is a great pair to learn and practice more intermediate-advanced techniques. I'll probably use them during warmups and switch back to Gomi for harder routes or projects.

As Climbing Magazine said, these are great shoes for intermediates (but can also be used by more advanced climbers). They are sensitive so I can feel the wall, helping me with toe placement. Compared to other moderate shoes I tried - 4 pairs of La Sportiva and Scarpa before settling on these - the sensitivity of the Butoras helps me figure out how to put my foot correctly the first time, improving my efficiency. And they heel took well and are grippy on slab. They are also more comfortable on my wider foot. As a note, the Climbing Mag review said these don't stretch much and I've found that to be true. I sized half to a full size up from my street shoe.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this shoe, but I ended up loving them! They are a really great intermediate climbing shoe and the rubber feels so much stickier and more precise than the shoes I was using before. They fit really well to my feet and I feel like I can trust all the tiny little foot holds that made me nervous before. Not to mention the colors are fantastic!!