I have been climbing for fifteen years now and I must emphasize that climbing shoes are a vital part of climbing. It’s not just a mere accessory or piece of equipment that one could buy off the rack, selecting a climbing shoe takes a great deal of examination. That’s why I was privileged to be given the opportunity by OutdoorUAE to test a pair of Millet Hybrid climbing shoes, one of their best pairs currently available in market.
A little historical info: Millet is a French brand of hiking, climbing and mountaineering equipment that has been around as early as the 1930’ – starting out as a humble company of 10 people that made quality Millet bags. Millet gained widespread success creating backpacks for mountaineering and extending its catalogue to offer shoes, jackets and other mountaineering and climbing equipment until today.
Their catalogue describes the Hybrid as an all-purpose climbing shoe for varied practice, with rising difficulty capability. It’s a shoe that they say is at home everywhere. I was keen to discover this for myself. With the shoes in my hands, I decided to take it out for the day. Since the summer heat is already upon us, it was almost impossible to climb the mountains, as it would spell certain danger for me! so with this in mind, I decided to take the shoes to one of my favourite indoor wall climbing venues in Dubai to test its mettle.
“I was very impressed at how the Millet Hybrid tackled climbing problems with ease while keeping my feet comfortable.”
I wanted to push the shoes to its limits so I did some advanced techniques such as bouldering and heel-hooking, I was very impressed at how the Millet Hybrid tackled climbing problems with ease while keeping my feet comfortable. Since the shoes are brand new and not yet “broken-in”, they got a bit uncomfortable after climbing some routes. Since climbing shoes have to be very tight to be able to put the full body weight on for example, one toe; the tight shoe needs time to perfectly adapt to the anatomy of your foot. So it is normal that shoes get uncomfortable at the beginning until they are broken in.
As I climbed on and on, I soon became aware of how surgically precise these shoes are. It remains on point even in the face of the toughest climbing problems and to say that the toe is ultra-precise is an understatement. I also found out that despite the narrow profile of the shoe, it accommodated my wide feet comfortably.
The shoe has excellent design ensuring that the toes and heels don’t feel as stressed unlike other rock climbing shoes I have been using. It’s ultra-robust leather, padded tongue and collar ensures a smooth climb. The inner reinforcement inside the Hybrid also gave me more confidence as I tackled problems of higher difficulties.
In conclusion, I was more than satisfied climbing in the Millet Hybrid. It enhanced my climbing experience all the more and I’d love to take them out again once the climbing season begins. Its setbacks such as the upper strap biting into my feet and the time needed for it to adapt to my feet is minor and should not be a deal breaker. The Hybrid remains true to its name being a solid all-purpose climbing shoe that is definitely at home anywhere whether it be climbing the cracks and cliffs of the Hajar mountains in winter or taking on indoor walls in summer. It’s a pair of shoes that can make all your climbs worthwhile by keeping your feet comfortable and fully supported as you take on climbing problems of any kind.
Pros: Great precision, aggressive, down-turned toe tip, great toe and heel hooking, precise fit and comfortable out of the box.
Cons: The strap can be uncomfortable sometimes and it needs some time to break-in.
Rating: 4/5
Words + Photos By: Roy Antipala
