ProView – Evolv Oracle

Outdoor Prolink and Evolv were gracious enough to give me a pair of Oracles for testing and these are amazing lace-up performance shoes. I’m currently living in LA and try to make it out to climb every weekend and to the gym at least twice a week.

Evolv Oracle

Product Description: The next step in performance. Utilizing the "Love Bump" and "Knuckle Box" for maximum edging power and comfort, coupled with an all-new high-tension heel rand and "Dark Spine" heel midsole, the Oracle gives the highest level of fit and control available on the market. Speed laces run through the FSS Heel Tensioner giving unparalleled support, locking the heel into maximum power on any angle.

Offer price: MSRP $175.00

• Style
  (4.5)
• Fit
  (4.5)
• Durability
  (5)

Summary

I would rate them a 4.5 out of 5 with a minor miss of a perfect score due to the aesthetic design. They’re a little bland and generic, which stinks because they’re an amazing shoe and I’m very happy to have them in my arsenal.

Overall

4.7

Pros

• High performance
• Easy to put on/take off
• Fit

Cons

• Aesthetic design

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Fit

The shoes first outing was to echo cliffs, a local LA crag in the Santa Monica mountains. I decided to boot up and get on a climb that I had never been on but heard great things about, Chop top (5.12c). I had tried the Oracles out a few days before at the gym and putting them on at the crag reiterated my feelings about them; they do and should fit you really well right out the box. At least for me, the Oracles fit every part of my foot without being too constrictive or painful. Often I don’t even have to tie the laces and the shoe has hold of my foot. The only time I make it a point to lace up is when I know there is going to be a heel hook that I don’t even want to think about slipping out of my shoe. That being said, I think the shoe itself holds my foot in place enough that the laces are only helping with ease of mind.

They are not the softest shoe I’ve ever worn, so if you’re hoping to feel the rock that may not happen, but when I put my toe on something and push I can feel the sole acting as a platform to use the base of my foot as support on even very small holds. Usually, I wear a size 40 or 40.5 but I got the oracles in 41.5 and am super happy with them. They have held up very well and have minimal stretch as far as I can tell.

Anyway… back to the climb. I took an exploratory burn, putting the draws up and taking frequently. My second go I fell going to the anchors and sent on the third attempt, all thanks to the Oracles.

Performance

In all seriousness, the oracle is a great high-performance shoe that also happens to be comfortable and doesn’t tweak your feet in strange ways. It has ample room for my big toe and heel without that painful break-in process. I would recommend it for any sport climbing or bouldering outing. The only time I don’t have them on my feet climbing is when I’m going to do a multi-pitch or climb that I know I can wear an even more comfortable slipper and not have to worry about performing at or above my limit.

In the past few weeks, I’ve taken them out in the Santa Monica’s a few times, to Bishop, Red Rock, and even bouldering in Joshua Tree. At first I was a bit worried that I would have to be dealing with the laces so much having only worn velcro or slip on shoes for the past seven years, but taking them off is a breeze and, as I stated before, I rarely even spend the time to tie them up because the form hugs my foot so well.

Room for Improvement

I would rate them a 4.5 out of 5 with a minor miss of a perfect score due to the aesthetic design. They’re a little bland and generic, which stinks because they’re an amazing shoe and I’m very happy to have them in my arsenal.

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Brian has been climbing for the past ten years, focusing mainly on sport climbing and bouldering, but has been dabbling in trad climbing recently. He has worked in the indoor climbing industry for the past four years wearing many hats. He is a climbing instructor, coach, setter, and (most importantly) friendly desk staff at The Stronghold Rock Climbing Gym in downtown LA. Reach him on his Instagram: @Islandclimbing.