Introduction
I was kindly issued with a pair of Evolv Talon’s by Beyond Hope (the UK distributor of Evolv) in mid October 2007 and I’ve been using them pretty rigorously (in conjunction with various other models) over the last two and half months on numerous rock types in Italy, the UK and the States. The Talon is a shoe which has been developed over the last three years with continuous input from Evolv’s sponsored athletes, development of older models – such as the Predator – and an obvious “over the shoulder” look at the likes of the 5.10 Dragon and V10, and I’d have to say that Evolv have come up with a pretty handy piece of kit.

Image: Enter the Dragon (V9), Sad Boulders, Bishop CA.

Fit and Construction
Let’s get one thing straight – this is no all rounder! The Talon is a specialist shoe aimed at the specialist end of the market; it utilizes a toe-down last similar to that of the 5.10 Dragon and V10, which combined with the rubberized toe box and excellent Trax XT5 sole unit makes for a serious steep terrain foot tool. The last of the shoe is fairly standard in terms of width; sizing and volume, with the forefoot offering a comparative width to the 5.10 Verde and Dragon and Sportiva Katana. The heel offers a reasonable fit although as with all toe-down footwear the clawing effect of the forefoot (especially when new) always feels a bit like the heel is pulling into a less than premium position on the foot, but, as the old saying goes it’s horses for courses. As a rough guide for sizing you would be wanting to drop at least one full UK size for a correct fit, presuming of course the shoe fits your foot profile.

Specifications
Sole: 4.2 mm TRAX® XT-5 high friction rubber
Rand: 2.2mm TRAX® duro-rand
Upper: Non-stretch Synthratek synthetic upper
Lining: Microfiber lining
Midsole: MX-1 1mm sensitive teardrop half-length midsole
RRP: £75.00 / Rock + Run Price £70.00



Usage
So why should you buy these shoes? Well, if you spend a fair amount of your climbing career on steep thinly featured ground, which relies on plenty of tension-orientated clawing of small pockets, toe dinks and edges, then this should be a serious consideration. From what I’ve stated so far you may be thinking that this shoe sounds great but is not just a re-branded 5.10 Dragon, well yes and NO. It has many of the features which make the Dragon a great shoe but also has its own personality traits which offer something else. For instance the rubberized toe box is a revelation from my point of view, as it gives you that extra edge on toe-hooks and foot cams, yet the method used to apply the rubber randing is subtle enough that the front of the shoe doesn't feel clumpy. Another useful consideration is that midsole of the shoe seems a little softer than that of the Dragon and as such once worn in the Talons feel that little more versatile on less steep ground – a useful trait when you’ve blasted through that heinous 50 degree Hueco roof, only to discover the top-out involves ten feet of thin edgy wall climbing!

Image: The first ascent of Once Upon a Time in the West (Fb7c), Seathwaite Circuit, Duddon Valley UK.


Downsides
For what it is designed for I would go as far to say that, for me, this shoe had no real downsides, bar the slightly less sensitive heel cup than some shoes. But as pointed out above this seems a common trade-off when using toe-down footwear, perhaps eventually someone will solve this fit issue?


Summary
If you’ve been recommended the 5.10 Dragon or are just after a secondary pair of specialist toe-down shoes for when the need arises then give the Talon a try. In most departments it’s on even footing with the Dragon as a contender for best model in its class, plus you get the added bonus of a rubberized toe box and a slightly more forgiving fit.

The Talon is no longer available, but for our range of other Evolv Shoes see here.