Description of Evolv Stryker Approach Shoe - Men's:
Mountain goats got nothin' on the Evolv Men's Stryker Approach Shoe. Climb right along with those furry horn-headed scramblers—a TRAX high friction rubber sole uses a toe edging platform to give you purchase on narrow lips and grippy traction on slippery rocks. The leather upper and gel insole of the Stryker Approach Shoe comfortably sustain you through long approaches. A rubber toe and heel rand offers grip when wedging your way up a chimney, and stub protection when navigating through a boulder field.
Bottom Line: The Rocky Mountain Goat dwells in high alpine environs. Join him.
Extremely comfortable on-trail, and around town. So much so, that it seems to be the only shoe I've been grabbing off the rack every time I'm out the door, no matter what activity I'm heading out for. The fit is spot-on. I wear an 11.5 dress shoe, and an 11.5 in this shoe places all of my toes right above the working area of the sole. Not much wiggle room, so expect a close but not uncomfortable fit in the toe. The stock honeycomb insole is as good (maybe even a tad better) than some of the aftermarket insoles I have gone through. Having suffered with plantar fasciitis for several years now, I've come to expect very little from stock insoles in most shoes that I have purchased. So, the comfort of these insoles was a very pleasant discovery. Additionally, the TRAX outsole is aggressive and grabby. An extra plus: When I was digging my shoes out of their box, I noticed an advert printed on the box stating that Evolv provides a re-soling service through their website. VERY reasonable prices for a re-sole or re-rand, whenever that time comes. Turns out that this wasn't just a great purchase it was a great investment.
I have had a few approach shoes in my time and the Stryker is my favorite so far. I put some "super feet" arch supports in them and DAMN they are comfy. I live in the Boulder Colorado area which has some pretty burly approaches. I mainly boulder, so hikes to Mt. Evans, Rocky Mountain National Park and front range areas tend to be long, steep and rocky. These babies have been able to handle snow pack, mud, talus and the occasional bar. They look cool and can handle anything in my opinion.
The fit in the toe box is a tad wide - I have a medium width foot. I just sized them down a 1/2 sz from what I normally wear and that snugged the shoe up. If you are gonna be stomping a lot of flat ground this shoe will start to hurt your feet a bit. If your rock hoppin' this shoe is the best!!
