Review of Scarpa Men's Epic Alpine Cross Shoe

Customer Ratings:

These shoes look good and perform as advertised. Soles are more sticky than most hikers. This is my first shoe from this company and it appears to have earned the solid reputation. Only downside is the fit. They are narrow and run a little bit long so it was tough to find one that fit. I took the advice of the other reviews and ordered a half size smaller but wound up ordering a larger size after the first one was too tight.

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I ordered these shoes to replace a pair of Adidas trail running shoes that are to be decommissioned soon. These Scarpa shoes did not disappoint!

+ tight and secure fit: I would recommend that you look at European size equivalence charts to better pick the right size for these shoes. I've got narrow feet, and it's the right amount of room. For someone with large feet, you may feel squeezed. The tongue of the shoe is noticeably thicker than other similar shoes. Not everyone may like this but I do: the tongue does not slide easily, and this is a good protection padding when scrambling

+ excellent grip: the sole is very well made and while it is not made of a known / branded material such as vibram, it is super sticky. Did hike on slick granite, very sandy and steep slopes without an issue; metal ladders were no issue either. I am yet to test it on wet rocks though

+ good protection/foot support: the shoe is not exactly lighweight but it's the price to pay for a good protection. After all these are approach shoes. As for foot support, they're great at molding your foot. Keep in mind that if you carry heavier loads, you'll need ankle support. No blisters to report after a week of daily use for 8+ hours every day.

+ virtually no break-in needed: I had walked in these for a few hours before hiking with them. They fit/feel great right away.

= the shoes feel a bit hot after a few hours, especially if you hike in warmer environments. Probably not your best best in the desert. I therefore do not recommend going for the gore-tex version as this is known to make the shoe less breathable.

? durability: not sure how long these will last, but they are well made, and look quite sturdy. After a week of daily hike and rock scrambling, I am yet to see a scratch on the shoes..

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I'm on my 2nd pair of the Epic. My main use for the shoe is my 3 day a week cardio hill climb. It performs well for the 660 ft. vert. rocky climb and descent. I have narrow size 13A feet. The size 47 (Euro.) fits me well. (true to size) It is one of the very few shoes I've used in these conditions that doesn't rotate and twist on my foot despite being laced to the maximum snugness. The approach style lacing that extends farther down toward the toes combined with a slightly narrower toe box is a huge plus in my case. In a market where 99.99% of shoes are marketed to folks with average to wide feet this shoe makes it possible for me to be more safe and surefooted. The Epic is a so-called hybrid approach/ trail runner. This type of shoe should fit snugly. If your're looking for an all day "cushycomfort shoe" made to look cool, this ain't it. The only real negative I have with the shoe is the lack of arch support. ( I interpret arch support to mean a more contoured footbed that is slightly raised under the arch. ). These shoes have a virtually flat footbed. The stock insole doesn't add any either. I compensate for this by using Montrail's Endurosole heat-moldable insoles. These work well for me in shoes with a flat footbed. The Epic has a rather thickly padded tongue. A few have reviewed this as a negative. Personally, I like it. It reduces the effects of pressure points points when lacing the shoes tighter for steep rocky descents. The padding does compress with time and for me it isn't an issue. The top of my feet are very sensitive to pressure points and with this shoe, it is minimal. Like any cushioned athletic shoe the cushioning properties of the Epic's midsole do decrease with use. I wore my first pair of Epics for about 8 months of 3 day a week use. I recently switched to my new pair and I notice the difference in cushioning. ( easier on my feet and knees) The Epic is not a super cushiony shoe but is more so than many trail shoes and more than a dedicated "approach climbing shoe". It is a very stable shoe. For me this is not a shoe for all day comfort on hard surfaces and I didnt buy them for that. But for navigating rocky, steep, uneven terrain at a quick pace they. are my current choice. I have worn them on longer hikes with a light pack and I was less impressed. Also, I don't find them to be as grippy as they should be on slick rock. In cool, wet weather, I have to be especially careful. I' d like to see a slightly softer rubber compound if there is ever an Epic 2. For me, the cushioning has degraded far sooner than the outsole has. Bottom line: Because of the narrow fit, I'll continue to wear the Epic until something better comes along. While I have noted the Epic does work well for my narrow foot, I believe it should fit most with a medium width foot as well. I still have to cinch up the laces quite a bit to get a secure fit. Sidenote: I also have the Epic Pro. It too has a good snug fit, though a slightly wider toe box. It is Goretex (waterproof) and has a softer, stickier Vibram sole that seems to be slightly grippier on slick rock, though I have't really tested it in those conditions yet. The Epic Pro seems to have a firmer footbed with a higher arch support which I actually find to be a bit too much and slightly irritating even with the stock insoles. Not sure if they are going to work out for me yet. It does seem to be a better built, more durable shoe than the reg. Epic. Anyway hope this helps.

Honest reviews on Scarpa Men's Epic Alpine Cross Shoe

It takes an exceptional product out of the more than many i purchase on amazon , for me to write about it . The design and quality are exceptional. I have a large collection of top brand similar shoes and this one was my best purchase to date.

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I would suggest to anyone not ordering in EU sizing to go 1/2 size larger that US-EU sizing equivalent. While I wear a 11.5-12 in US sizes, depending on the brand, I have almost always found that EU primary sized shoes are 1/2 size up from what I wear in a US, so I always get a 46. Of course, as with any shoe, each brand fits a particular way so this is of no fault to the manufacturer whatsoever. I have been an ice climber for years and have had much experience with Scarpa boots. This is my first pair of shoes and initial impressions are just what I expected; uncompromising high quality. You will not be disappointed!

On a side note: it does seem that the arch is a bit lower than I expected. These are replacing my second pair of Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultras, which do have a rather uncommonly aggressive arch.

UPDATE:

I am a little disappointed that the sole is already separating from the toe on one shoe. This is hardly a defect worth sending the whole shoe back for a replacement and I will try and repair it myself.

I have not put these shoes through any real stress and unfortunately they have rarely seen any trails this season, so I wonder if there are other issues I may have noticed earlier, had I pushed the design.

I am still overall happy with them, and Scarpa as a whole, but I am bringing my review down to 4 stars.