Approach shoes for Rock people

FEDERICO – I am 25 years old, I live in Bedollo, a small village at 1250 meters above sea level immersed in the Lagorai. After two hard but exciting years of courses and exams around the Alps, I realized my dream of becoming an Alpine Guide. Of all the aspects that the mountains can offer, I prefer ski mountaineering in Lagorai in the winter and climbing in the Dolomites in the summer. This for me is the perfect mix!

I used the Rock DFS in different environments, even climbing up to 4+ and I really liked it. The strong points are certainly the compound of the sole , really very "grippy" even on smooth rock and the truly remarkable lacing! The buttonholes behind the heel are very useful for attaching the shoes to the harness when wearing climbing shoes.
I also used it on difficult trails, with a heavy backpack it defends itself well. Downhill, on gravel or dirt, I noticed splendid cushioning and grip , with great stability and little slippage, comparable to a boot. Very good waterproofing when walking on wet grass.

FRANCESCA – She combines her love for the mountains and nature with that for writing and photography. Not always, not necessarily following an order. He is an environmental hiking guide and promotes the valorization and knowledge of the parks and reserves of the Central Apennines for the Walden Guide Center.

I wore my Rock shoes for the first time in the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, up to the highest peak (Mount Velino at 2487 m), in a circular route of over 20 km, on various types of terrain. The Dual Fit System double lacing system allowed me to adjust the comfort during the stages of approaching the summit, obtaining a light and flexible fit on the initial and comfortable trail. When the terrain became rough and irregular I used the precise climbing lace, increasing sensitivity and precision at the tip for a firm and stable support on rocks and grade 1 walls. The ability to adjust the space around the forefoot, thus creating a more or less snug fit, depending on your needs, makes the Rock my favorite adventure companions.

ELIO – National mountaineering instructor and free climbing instructor. A freelancer and therefore a mountaineer only in his free time, he has been climbing since 1978 and has opened new routes on both rock and ice, some of which in the company of the unforgettable Gian Carlo Grassi.

The Rock accompanied me easily both on Saturday towards the cool crag of Simplon Dorf at the Simplon Pass and on the long approach, partly on a fossil glacier, to reach the beautiful Hannibal Turm, the granite tower that dominates the Siedelenhutte above the Furka Pass .
The shape of the upper allows for a very comfortable fit and at the same time its progressive lacing allows for precise closure, both on the forefoot and on the heel. This solution makes the foot-shoe assembly a truly solid and precise whole. Swiss granite, smoothed by thousand-year-old glaciers, is known for being particularly smooth, but here too the sole did not disappoint expectations and reaching the base of the route safely was child's play. I really think it will be a long summer in the company of my Rocks.

MATTEO – A high school student, he grew up imagining being able to live the thousand adventures he read about in the many books he has devoured so far. A hiker since he went trekking on his parents' shoulders, he loves the snow-capped mountains equally, if not more. His first pair of skis were free heel skis and since then he has continued to ski according to the ancient telemark technique. He hopes soon to be able to leave for a crossing with his father, perhaps pulling a sled through the snows of the Arctic Circle.

Already dry, tried at home, the Rock immediately amazed me with its great comfort. I used it immediately during the summer holidays with my parents in Alpe Devero, on medium difficulty excursions and even on some easy mountaineering routes. The Rock has proven to be robust and able to withstand the stress of routes with large differences in height and which require precise supports and constant grip on the rock. Even on short, easy climbing itineraries, the excellent concept of this model was demonstrated: on low difficulties (up to grade IV) the shoe works well, allowing for peaceful climbing on both slabs and crimps. It is certainly not a climbing shoe, but the double lacing undoubtedly allows for great precision, plus the Rock is soft on the sides and therefore comfortable and light. Softness that does not come at the expense of climbing precision, given that the Precise Climbing system makes up for lateral rigidity when necessary. The sole has a compound that grips well on both wet and dry surfaces and the tread drains mud very well, cleaning itself almost instantly.

ALBERTO – He lives in Feltre (Belluno), is a national ski mountaineering instructor and director of the CAI Feltre Mountaineering and Ski Mountaineering School. He frequents the mountains in all its forms and seasons, spending beautiful days trekking or climbing in his home Dolomites and in the Western Alps. In winter he is enchanted by ski mountaineering which he loves madly.

I tried my Rock Mid during an educational mountaineering activity on the Sass de Mura route and a few weeks later on a trek in Tuscany on Monte Amiata. I was very satisfied, in particular with the double closure in the front which eliminates the gaps that are always created, having a narrow sole of the foot. The sole has excellent grip even on wet rock and stones, the difference in structure between the front and rear part of the sole is also very interesting, the tread of the rear part is excellent in the presence of slippery foliage. The Gore-Tex upper held up very well despite being left in the rain for a couple of hours. I also used them on long stretches of asphalt and appreciated their comfort.