What makes the perfect approach shoe? Well, it needs to be sticky and durable, sturdy but sensitive, comfortable for walking yet precise for climbing. It must have enough cushion that joints are supported while approaching, but a sensitive enough sole that the climber can feel the rock while climbing. The perfect approach shoe needs to be both a good climbing shoe and a comfortable hiking shoe. That’s a tall order.

SCARPA manufacturing team in Italy, under the direction of Climbing Line Manager Heinz Mariacher, made the Gecko Guide to truly meld a shoe that hikes well with one that climbs well.

The result does indeed achieve all those things, according to Alpinist Magazine’s Mountain Standards program and reviewer Erik Lambert. Alpinist gave the Gecko Guide five stars and, thus, its Mountain Standards Award this week. Mountain Standards taps mountain guides and avid climbers to review what they feel are the best climbing products on the market, bestowing the award on those that earn five stars.

“The Scarpa Gecko Guides are light on the foot, but built like granite; climb like a trad shoe, yet are comfy hiking long distances,” the review said. “They are the most impressive all-around approach shoes I’ve ever worn, and they’ve spoiled me rotten.” Continue reading...

In its 2011/12 Buyer’s Guide, Powder Magazine named three SCARPA ski boots winners of its annual Skier’s Choice Award, an accolade that denotes products that Powder Magazine’s editors and contributing writers feel are among the best in their class. Boots that won this year’s award include the Mobe, T-1 and Maestrale.

The SCARPA Mobe is a freeride boot with tech fittings, so it works with any alpine-touring binding, including tech bindings like Dynafit and the G3 Onyx, or with bindings like the Marker Duke or Baron. As Powder’s Editors noted, it may be an AT boot, but it’ll drive any board – inbounds or out. “Very few boots do it as well as the Mobe,” Powder wrote. Continue reading...