High Top Shoe Recommendations?

[Pellucid Wombat]

So I fell in love with the high top features of the TC Pros. However, the lace area in the toebox of my TCs desintegrated after about 4 months of frequent climbing (NOT the laces, but the stitching came out and the laces literally cut through the material and ripped out of the holes!). Sadly this makes for very squishy toes and is starting to let crud in.

Naturally I don't want to spend another +$150 for shoes that don't last me a season climbing hand cracks and wider. The only other shoe I see on the market is the 5.10  Grandstone climbing shoe.

I have wide feet so I often need to get sizes larger than most people just to accommodate my toes. I'm fine with the shoe being more specific to the wyde and moderate cracks e.g. nice & stiff soles. Good heel & toe support to avoid hot spots when stacking & bridging. I'm thinking I'd get a specialized shoe for the hard thin stuff.

Does anyone know of some other shoes to consider or does it really just come down to the TC Pros and the 5.10s?

Would the Grandstones possibly be better for climbing lots of hand cracks and wider? (considering how high laces start it seems like the laces & lace area wouldn't wear away in the crack as much?)

Or should I stop my whining and just get another pair of TC Pros?

[RussWalling]

Get your TC's fixed at a shoemaker.  They can sew on a new set of eyelets for sure.  Oh... and 4 months is a long time!  My last pair of shoes lasted 11 days before I retired them.  And that was 90% face climbing!

I'm using the Grandstones at the moment..... so far so good but I only use them for wide.

[pjw]

I thought Grandstones were quality for the wide. Maybe don't keep their stiffness for as long as you want but depends how much abuse you put them through.
cupped hands and fist cracks grandstones are still fine. no way would I wear them on any cracks thinner then this though, just to stiff. A thinner softer shoe would be way more effective

[Jaybro]

Yeah have a cobbler rebuild your TC's and work on your footwork. My two year old pair are doing great and only on their first resole. My smaller less used six month younger pair are just approaching resole   1.

Hey you five ten types. Have you tried the Anasazi high tops? Looked at a pair Recently. They are stiffer than grans and have a narrower toe.  Someone should try them!

[caughtinside]

Yeah have a cobbler rebuild your TC's and work on your footwork. My two year old pair are doing great and only on their first resole. My smaller less used six month younger pair are just approaching resole   1.

Hey you five ten types. Have you tried the Anasazi high tops? Looked at a pair at OR. They are stiffer then grans and have a narrower toe.  Someone should try them!

Are those the hideous orange things? 

[Jaybro]

Maybe, I was thinking they were green though. But it was a hectic weekend.

[pjw]

if you're thinking of the 5.10 Eclipse, with the 3 velcro straps, (not sure if you mean those or not, the orange ones anyway) i didn't rate them for offwidths, (better for vertical mileage). As soon as you invert or stuff them into a crack, the metal bits holding the velcro straps dig into the side of your foot. Ankle protection and toe rubber is no way near as good as the grandstones. Just my opinion but thought i'd let you no seeing as though i did try them. for 5.10 shoes, Grandstones all the way 

[Jaybro]

Aren't the grandstones discontinued?

[Willoughby]

Never used 'em, but I know you can still get Boreal Ballets.  Stiff and board-lasted and all that.  Probably a decent choice still, no?

[Jaybro]

Yes, if they fit your foot.

[goatboy]

Aren't the grandstones discontinued?

Hopefully knot, they are still listing them on their website and I know Neptune's has plenty in stock.
Might need to start hording tho just in case.

[Jaybro]

If they fit me, I'd stock up....

[Pellucid Wombat]

I went ahead and got some Grandstones, just to try them for comparison. I can tell I'd use them as a niche shoe already, which might not be such a bad thing, esp. if they hold up better while I learn better technique. One plus for me is the high top hugs my ankles better. The TC Pros flared out a bit, sucking in grit & twigs like a vacuum cleaner.

Sadly other parts of the TCs started falling apart, too. About 2 months after the resole, the rubber resoles started separating from the shoe & splits & holes appeared in the thinner rubber higher in the shoe (in the tip of the toe and sides just above the resole around the toes & arch of the foot). Shoe goo seems to be slowing the decline of my TC Pros, so I'll just run my current pair into the ground as I (hopefully) develop better foot technique. Maybe I'll get a dedicated thin crack-slab shoe to cover the other end of the spectrum, and leave the shoe goo'd TC Pros for the more generic 5.8 & under routes.