Scarpa Mens Men's Vitamin-M

Ok, so I am going to try and write a review for these as it seems to be very difficult to find information on these shoes and I went through a lot of time and effort trying on a lot of different shoes and ended up with a pair of these.First let me start with the contenders:Scarpa Vitamin, Scarpa Zen Pro, Salewa Wildfire, Salewa Mountain Trainer, Salewa Firetail, La Sportiva Boulder X, La Sportiva Xplorer, Asolo Salyan, Aku Sl Approach, Adidas Terrex Solo, 5.10 Guide Tennie.I ordered all of these shoes in various sizes and while they all have their merits the Vitamin fits me best and matches my needs. Also, I have an extremely difficult foot to fit, 14 AA. I have a very hard time finding any shoes that fit me well but I decided to take the time to try and find the best approach shoe for me. I purchased a size 47 and 48 in many styles including the Vitamin and ended up going with the 47 after trying numerous insoles in both sizes. I do truly wish that shoe manufacturers would make 1/2 sizes between 13 and 14 but until demand catches up with my desires I suppose I will just have to choose between the lesser of 2 evils.I chose the Vitamins because they fit me the best, probably due to the extremely versatile lacing systems which actually extends all the way to the toe unlike many competitors, and because it is a very solid all around shoe. It hikes very well with a 40 lb. pack and I can also climb some 5.9 and easier boulder problems in them without switching shoes. I have hiked an 11 mile approach in these and they felt very comfortable on my feet with no hot spots and provided good support. I don't know about their durability but they are very simply constructed which leads me to hope that they will have some longevity. I am not sure that it really matters, but out of all the shoes I tried these are the only ones made in Italy, ( not Romania or China) and perhaps that bodes well for their construction but time will be the ultimate judge of that.These perform very well on the trail and are extremely comfortable while on approach and laced fairly loosely, and have been very solid on slabs and easier pitches when I crank the laces a little tighter to get any minimal slop out of the shoe. The heel cup conforms to my foot very well and I have very little movement in the shoe no matter how they are laced.I actually ordered 4 different pairs of Scarpas (Vitamin, Zen Pro, Margherita, and Mojito) and the Comfort Fit system really does seem to be just that, Comfortable. I really liked the Zen Pros but they were a little too roomy in the toe box for me and one of the biggest benefits I found to the Vitamins is the very slim and narrow profile which allows for good crack climbing and a very performance fit style of shoe that is not overly bulky. I also appreciate the fact that the upper extends a little further than a lot of other low top approach shoes, but without being bulky and getting in the way. This gives added protection to my ankles when jamming in them as well.These fit me very much like a climbing shoe in that they are narrow, and also the low profile gives me confidence in placing my foot on a hold and moving on as I can see and feel where my point of contact is easily without having to kick around and guess a little.The fit is very precise and again, supremely comfortable.While all of the shoes I tried had their merits, the fit and performance of the Vitamins for my foot were on a completely different level when compared to the others. I tried to hate these shoes and didn't take the tags off for 2 weeks in the hopes I would find something better (and cheaper) but in the end these are the very best for my needs.I don't really know if I would pay $200, but they are made in Italy. Luckily Amazon had a sale a with 20% off on these and I think that for $159 they are well worth it, especially if they hold up to some serious abuse. The suede seems like it will take a real beating, and the simplicity of design leads me to hope that they will stand the test of time. Perhaps I will revisit this review in the future to update their durability. Also, I don't know how these would hold up on a wall aiding a lot of pitches and jugging but I didn't buy them for that. They seem solid but I don't think they would endure a lot of big wall abuse for an extended period of time. I might be wrong but I will have to put them to the test in order to have an informed opinion on that.For the record what I really wanted to try was a pair of Zamberlan A95 Calanque RR's or a pair of Aku Rock II GTX's, but alas, they are not available in the States. I tend to gravitate toward Italian shoes due to the fact that they usually manufacture them on a narrow last which fits my foot so much better. I do wear La Sportiva technical climbing shoes, and liked the X's but I didn't feel like they were very versatile as they were somewhat bulky and more like a hiker to me.Hope this review helps someone considering approach shoes as there are a lot of choices out there but not so much info on these.

These are super comfy! I've had a few short hikes in them and have worn them around town as well and they are just an all around good shoe. I even did a little bit of climbing in these and they were ok on the rock as well. The sensitivity is nowhere good enough to make them a true rock climbing shoe, but that's not really what they're intended for. They are pricey, but I really like them a lot. I've not had them very long so don't feel qualified to comment on durability, but build quality seems top notch and I would expect the shoe to be in service for a long time.

True-to-length fit. Narrower in the toebox than the Scarpa Zen Multisport I had previously, grippier rubber, less forefoot padding, a slightly more technical shoe overall. Color warning: the tongue leather color in the picture is misleading - it's hunter-warning bright orange in real life.

Bought as an approach shoe, became my daily shoe. I think they could use one more eyelet at the top, but Scarpa kicked butt again. Nice last, good laces, seem like they'll last.

Love this company's products, I own at least 5 pairs of their shoes .

Bought these for my husband and he won't take them off except for a few things...

Great shoes..They may cost a bit more but they last longer. My last pair of like shoes lasted 2 years and i still wear them to work in the yard.

Incredible shoes. I have had mine for about a year now and they look brand new. Obviously they are kind of pricey, but it is money well spent.