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Evolv Shaman review: fit, sizing and what climbers say

Evolv's long-running Chris Sharma model is strongly downturned, with three Velcro straps, a 'Love Bump' midsole that keeps your toes curled in a powerful position, and thick 4.2 mm TRAX SAS rubber. It is best for steep sport routes and bouldering on edges and pockets, for climbers who want power and durability more than sensitivity. Evolv currently lists it as out of stock.

  • Advanced
  • Sport
  • Bouldering
  • Steep
  • Outdoor
  • Gym

Size up about one size from your street shoe

For a snug all-round fit, a street UK 9 (EU 43) is a UK 10 (EU 44½) in the Shaman. Go half a size smaller for hard bouldering, or bigger for long days. It's a starting point: feet differ, so try them on if you can.

Your size in the Shaman

Your street shoe size

UK9

Aggressive

Tight, hard bouldering

UK9½EU 44

Recommended

Snug all-rounder

UK10EU 44½

Relaxed

Long sessions

UK10½EU 45

Comfort

Beginners, multi-pitch

UK11EU 46
Your size in all 292 shoes

How the Shaman fits

WideMedium volume
Heel
Deep, secure heel cup with full rubber coverage. Most testers praise it, though GearJunkie noticed slight slip unless the top strap was very tight.
Toe box
Downturned, asymmetric toe with a 'Knuckle Box' for the big-toe knuckle and a rubber patch on top for toe hooks. The patch can press on the toes when the fit is tight.
Suits
Medium-wide forefeet, including Morton's toe. People with very low-volume heels may notice some space; a Shaman LV exists.

What climbers say

From independent reviews and buyers' feedback; each point is backed by at least two sources.

Strengths

  • Powerful, precise toe for edges and pockets on steep rock
  • Comfortable for such an aggressive shoe, and it keeps its downturn over time
  • Durable build and rubber that resole well
  • Three straps make it easy to fine-tune the fit

Watch out for

  • Stiff with thick 4.2 mm rubber, so it lacks sensitivity on slabs and technical faces
  • The heel can slip slightly on hard heel hooks
  • Toe rubber is firm, can press on the toes and is modest for big toe hooks
  • Poor for cracks, and Evolv currently shows it out of stock
Stretch and break-in: The synthetic upper stretches only a little: OutdoorGearLab expects 0 to 0.5 EU size, though testers say it relaxes over the shoe's life. Evolv sizing runs close to street-shoe sizing. OutdoorGearLab went half a size above street size, and Zappos buyers report a true-to-street fit, so don't downsize as you would with Italian brands. Expect a few stiff sessions before the rubber and upper soften.

Evolv Shaman size chart

Your street size, then the size to get for each fit. From Evolv's size chart and how this model runs.

Evolv Shaman size chart
StreetAggressiveRecommendedRelaxedComfort
UK 4EU 37UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½
UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40
UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41
UK 5½EU 38½UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½
UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42
UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½
UK 7EU 40½UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43
UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44
UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½
UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45
UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45UK 11EU 46
UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45UK 11EU 46UK 11½EU 46½
UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45UK 11EU 46UK 11½EU 46½UK 12EU 47
UK 10½EU 45UK 11EU 46UK 11½EU 46½UK 12EU 47UK 12½EU 48
UK 11EU 45½UK 11½EU 46½UK 12EU 47UK 12½EU 48UK 13EU 48½

Specs

Upper
Synthratek VX synthetic (vegan)
Lining
Unlined
Weight
269 g (per shoe, US men's 9 (9.5 oz, Evolv))
Resoleable
Yes
Price
$219 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released
Original Chris Sharma model; this redesigned version reviewed by GearJunkie (Feb 2023) and OutdoorGearLab (Jan 2024)

Compare with

Sources

  1. Evolv: Shaman (specs; out of stock)
  2. OutdoorGearLab: Evolv Shaman review (Jan 2024)
  3. GearJunkie: Evolv Shaman review (Feb 2023)
  4. Zappos: Evolv Shaman customer reviews

Checked 8 October 2026 (Shaman (latest Velcro version, reviewed 2023–24). Evolv now shows it out of stock with no price; the newer Shaman 2S, Shaman Pro and Shaman Trance sit alongside it.). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

More Evolv shoes

Evolv sizing →

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.