After two weeks of wearing Evolv's new
Rebels, the latest addition to their "performance lifestyle" lineup, I think I'm in love. For me, they're a solid step up from the Zenders and the Cruzers, which says a lot considering the Zenders have been my everyday shoe this past year both at work and around town, and the Cruzers have been my shoe of choice for gym workouts. Like their predecessors, the Rebels find that sweet spot of comfort, functionality, and style, while also addressing the few issues I've had with this style of shoe in the past.
For me, the thicker sole compared to previous models is a game changer. I know a lot of people wear thin-soled approach shoes, and maybe this is just me being an old man, but my feet can't do it. Ever since pulling a tendon in my foot five years ago, which kept me from climbing for a month and derailed any chance of cardio for far longer, I've been way more protective of my feet. Like I said, I loved the Zenders and Cruzers, but I also needed an $80 pair of insoles that I switched into whichever pair of shoes I was wearing at the time. The added support of the Rebels has meant those pricey insoles are now unnecessary for me, and they've taken me through two weeks of long days on my feet with absolutely no discomfort.
Even better, I'm way more inclined to actually use these as approach shoes. Just to clarify, most of my climbing is in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and our approaches aren't over nice desert sand or soft beds of pine needles. We walk through dense woods, usually without trails, frequently over minefields of talus or fallen trees. Okay, a few of our areas do have trails, though many of those turn straight to mud once it's above freezing. And since my best bouldering happens when it's below freezing, I spend a lot of time running, jumping, and otherwise flailing about to keep my core temperature up so I can feel my fingers well enough to climb, again something that becomes difficult in thin shoes. Add in the Rebels' water repellant upper, and finally I feel like I have shoes that can truly take me anywhere I want them to.
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| Photo: Mark Profeta |
With dry weather in short supply recently, I tried climbing in the Rebels at the gym before I managed to get them outside. I was amazed at how well they performed, and I think what impressed me most was how good they felt on one of the volume climbs. I had already done in my favorite smearing shoes (oversized X1s), and when I went back to try it in my Rebels, I was shocked to find that they felt every bit as secure. I also took them over to the system board (set at vertical) and they were able to handle even the worst of the footholds. On top of smearing well, the sole of the Rebels comes straight down instead of at an angle, preventing the rubber from rolling away on small edges.
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| Photo: Mark Profeta |
I've only gotten them out on rock once so far, on a small riverside boulder near home. While I won't say they felt as precise as the Kronos I eventually put on, the Rebels made easy work of an old circuit that I hadn't climbed in years. The boulder I was on didn't have many edges, but as with the volumes at the gym, I felt like I could smear on anything. Even the shallow dish/pockets felt totally solid. So yeah, if I ended up climbing somewhere and didn't have my actual climbing shoes with me (as if there aren't at least five pairs in my car), I could still have a totally enjoyable day just wearing these.
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| Photo: Pennie Close |
I feel like even if Evolv did nothing else new this year, the Rebel alone already has their 2019 going strong. But that's entirely hypothetical, since they've already updated the Kronos and Kira, and their highly anticipated Phantom is still to come. Yeah, it's gonna be a good year.
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| Photo: Pennie Close |
*Note: Originally posted 3/10/19, and updated 3/17/19.
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