SCARPAWomen's Helix Lace Rock Climbing Shoes for Trad and Sport Climbing - Low-Volume, Women's Specific Fit

First off with any climbing shoe it’s a matter of how it fits YOUR feet… you might have to try a few sizes to find the right one… these are European made so keep in Mind the size changes are based on centimeters difference not half inches. I wear a 7 in US standard shoes but a 8.5 in climbing shoes( note I wear a thin sock for comfort.)

Tight

Right after opening the box, I immediately reached for my phone to take photos.Right out of the box, these shoes were covered in chalk and fingerprints, and had debris on the soles.If the shoes were used, this should have been disclosed in the description and the price should have been adjusted accordingly.Edit:I gave these a try anyway on an indoor wall, and tried them alongside a pair of La Sportiva Tarantulace, and honestly I was hoping the Sportivas would work better, since I found them on sale.... Although the Sportiva Tarantulace seemed more like the proper size, I found them too hard and inflexible, and my feet were starting to hurt in the soles and arches. In comparison, this pair of Scarpa Helix seemed to conform/flex better and offer more comfort despite being too small.I wore them with thin socks (especially since there is a possibility of me returning them, I didn't want to wear them barefoot just in case because, well...ew) and there was a little pinching in the toes. I will try the next size up. For reference, I normally wear either 7.5 or 7. I ordered these in 39, equivalent to a 7.5 according to the box, but I think it will be worth trying the 39.5.I'm also a beginner climber: As of this review I've only visited my climbing gym a handful of times, and have only worn their rentals before. I'm told that as you advance, you want a much tighter fit, so perhaps they run true to size if this is your preference.I wiped them down with a damp cloth, and was able to remove the chalk, fingerprints and debris. Perhaps they were previously tried out with a few climbs, but not worn extensively.Edit:I went ahead and ordered these in 39.5/8, and gave them a test run, and it seems they'll work. It's still snug around my feet, but I have a little room. It may not be as tight of a fit as a more advanced climber would prefer, but I figured since I'm a beginner that I would opt for comfort for now.

I’m an intermediate climber and I love the fit of the Scarpa Helix. Being a laced shoe, you can customize the fit a lot more than one with a Velcro closure. These neutral shoes are very comfortable; I sized down only 1/2 size from my street shoe size because I wanted these shoes to me more comfortable than my other climbing shoe (the moderately aggressive Scarpa Arpia). Since this is a leather shoe, I expect it to stretch 1/2 to 1 size. My toes are slightly curved in the toe box, filling it completely but not painfully. I recommend these climbing shoes for beginners and seasoned climbers needing a more comfortable, neutral shoe.I purchased these shoes from Backcountry and shipping was fast and the product was perfect!

This is my third pair of climbing shoes. I am an intermediate climber and climb mostly indoors, but sometimes outdoors. As any climber knows, climbing shoes are supposed to be tighter than a regular pair of shoes. These shoes fit as I expected because I already owned and had worn through a pair in a size 37.5 (6.5). My normal shoe size is 6.5, and I know that people usually size down with climbing shoes, but the size 6.5 was very tight. I believe that's why I wore holes into that pair in a matter of months! This time around I've purchased a size 38 (7) and hope that this pair will hold up longer than my last. With that said, I do really like these shoes and think that they are an excellent climbing shoe.

This brand does run a whole size smaller, hence the 4 stars. I take a 7 1/2 street shoes but have bought my regular size street shoes for comfort. I've had bunions and a neuroma surgery on both feet, so my feet swell up,even after 4 years. They do run narrow and I have low volume and a regular (b) wide feet. I bought 39 1/2 European size. ( I plan on buying a 40 1/2 for gym and trade climbing) These are however, comfortable when my feet are not swollen. They are excellent for edging and when I need super crimpy holds. I was really surprised how sticky the rubber are since I only bought 5-10 brand for the sticky rubber!

I work at a climbing gym and often wear our rental shoes. We have a few different brands of climbing shoes. Based off wearing different brands, I would say that the Scarpa Helix is true to size. I wear a 41.5. Now, weather you like your climbing shoes loose or crazy tight is up to you to decide but these shoes are true to size.The material is sturdy. My foot is comfortable in the helix bc they are not an extremely aggressive climbing shoe.They stick / grip really well.I enjoy lace instead of velcro bc as the shoe material stretches over time, laces will keep the shoe fitting tight wear as velcro will stretch and wear out with the rest of the shoe.In our gym, many of the teen climbing team wear the helix as an indoor shoe or have them as an additional shoe. Sort of the same way a photographer always carries a 35m lens in their lens case.

I love these as my first pair of climbing shoes. It took no longer than a week to break them in. I think next time I would size down. But other than the leather stretching out by the heel, I'd recommend it to beginner climbers.For my street shoes, I wear a size 2.5 kids or 4-4.5 women's. I bought this pair in a size 34.5 or 4.5 women's. It fits well, but it's too roomy for a climbing shoe. Only my big toe is slightly bent when I wear them.