Scarpa Mago Review

As a new dad, I now have a different perspective on time. A good friend once told me that when I had a child, I’d realize how much time I was currently wasting, and even before our daughter was born, I would have moments sitting on the couch when I would think, you know, I bet this is what Johan was talking about. And he was absolutely right, but the upside is that it has made me even more efficient and motivated to take advantage of every moment.

This certainly includes days out climbing, as it takes a little more planning to get out, whether it’s a family outing, or one of us going out with a friend, but the days we do get feel laser-focused, I ain’t got time to mess around!

With that in mind, I’m looking for every advantage to improve my climbing and I’ve become even more picky about what shoes I’m taking to the crag. Enter the redesigned Scarpa Mago. I picked these up in the winter, and put them through a number of days bouldering in the gym before heading out on real rock.

Most high-performance shoes these days are really soft, but the Mago goes in the opposite direction. Designed for climbs with small, precise footholds, they are quite stiff. And yet somehow, they don’t feel stiff. I don’t know how else to say this, because I’m not a fan of stiff shoes but I found myself really enjoying these. Perhaps its 3.5mm 1/3 length XS Grip 2 sole, which gives a better feel for the holds under my toes. I haven’t seen this mentioned elsewhere but most stiff shoes use XS Edge or something similarly stiff. The Mago takes a stiff midsole, with a plastic TPS insert, but pairs it with the softer XS Grip 2 rubber. Maybe this is the magic combo? Heinz is a genius, that’s for sure.

The rubber is very sticky and even when they were pretty new smearing felt OK, again not something I’d expect from a stiffer shoe. And of course, they edge like a boss, which finally is something you’d expect from them. They are very downturned, which drives an incredible amount of power into your toes. This did make them uncomfortable while standing on big ledges at rests since your foot fights curve of shoe. This wasn’t an issue while climbing and toeing into small edges, which they do with a precision that would make a top eye surgeon jealous.

Like most Scarpa shoes, I wish they came in a 45.5, which would be my perfect size. As is, they are performance tight, which means I’ll take them out when I need every advantage (which now might be all the time?) Even as tight as they are, they fit my (narrow) foot very well and were designed to fit a wide range of foot shapes, though I can’t comment on how they would be for anyone with wider feet. The microfiber and leather construction allows for stretch in some places and allows it to retain its shape in others. And can we talk about the color for a second? Straight neon goodness, all your friends will be jealous of how Euro you look. Plus Euros climb harder, so maybe that magic rubs off when you wear these shoes?

The last Scarpa shoe I used was the Furia S, which couldn’t be more different than the Mago. And I would say that the Mago is a much more versatile shoe which should appeal to a broader audience. I’m finding I throw these in my pack more and more these days, and if you’re in the market for a precision edging shoe, these are worth trying on.

For a full rundown on all the tech in this shoe, check out this link. 

Retail: $190
Sole: Vibram® XS Grip2 (3.5mm)
Midsole: TPS Insert
Upper: Suede & Microfiber
Ideal use: Sport climbing
Sizes: 35 – 45 (half sizes)

Disclaimer: Wait! Before you go handing over your credit card number, ask yourself, do you really need to buy more new stuff? If so, this product is worth a look. In the spirit of full disclosure, it was provided to SplitterChoss.com for the purpose of reviewing. Don’t worry, though, our integrity can’t be bought!