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Scarpa Arpia review: fit, sizing and what climbers say

The Arpia V is Scarpa's slightly downturned, double-Velcro all-rounder. It replaced the original Arpia and now has a full-length Vibram XS Grip2 sole, so it is stiffer and more supportive than before. It suits climbers moving up from flat beginner shoes who edge more than they smear, and gym climbers who want a hard-wearing training pair. Try it on first: the roomy, boxy toe fits some feet much better than others.

  • Intermediate
  • Sport
  • Gym
  • Vertical
  • Outdoor
  • All-round

Size up about half a size from your street shoe

For a snug all-round fit, a street UK 9 (EU 43) is a UK 9½ (EU 44) in the Arpia. 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 Arpia

Your street shoe size

UK9

Aggressive

Tight, hard bouldering

UK9EU 43

Recommended

Snug all-rounder

UK9½EU 44

Relaxed

Long sessions

UK10EU 44½

Comfort

Beginners, multi-pitch

UK10½EU 45
Your size in all 292 shoes

How the Arpia fits

WideMedium volume
Heel
Minimal, soft heel shaped by a ridged rubber 'mohawk'. It is fine for basic heel hooks but is not made for technical bouldering hooks.
Toe box
Rounded, roomy toe box that still bites well on small edges. The rubber toe-scumming patch on top is small.
Suits
Wide or high-volume forefeet. Reviewers with narrower feet found it boxy or loose, and Scarpa also makes a low-volume Arpia V LV.

What climbers say

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

Strengths

  • Precise, supportive edging on small footholds, especially on vertical rock
  • Comfortable enough for long sessions and several pitches in a row, with a quick break-in
  • Easy to get on and off, and the dual Velcro straps make the fit easy to adjust
  • Premium XS Grip2 rubber and a hard-wearing build at a mid-range price

Watch out for

  • The boxy, wide toe box doesn't suit every foot, and narrow feet can feel loose in it
  • Little rubber for toe hooks and a basic heel, so it's weak for modern steep bouldering
  • Less sensitive and precise than Scarpa's premium shoes because of the thicker, full-length sole
Stretch and break-in: Scarpa says the microsuede upper stretches very little, so buy the size you want to end up with. GearJunkie broke them in over a couple of evenings, and OutdoorGearLab expects 0 to 0.5 EU size of stretch. OutdoorGearLab suggests your US street size for comfort, or 0.5 to 1 size down for performance. One owner on Scarpa's site found it a little longer than the Instinct VS and would size down half a size next time.

Scarpa Arpia size chart

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

Scarpa Arpia size chart
StreetAggressiveRecommendedRelaxedComfort
UK 4EU 37UK 4EU 37UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39
UK 4½EU 37½UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½
UK 5EU 38UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40
UK 5½EU 38½UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41
UK 6EU 39½UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½
UK 6½EU 40UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42
UK 7EU 40½UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½
UK 7½EU 41½UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43
UK 8EU 42UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44
UK 8½EU 42½UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½
UK 9EU 43UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45
UK 9½EU 44UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45–
UK 10EU 44½UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45––
UK 10½EU 45UK 10½EU 45–––

– means past the end of the Scarpa size chart we have.

Specs

Upper
Microsuede (microfiber) with a stretchy, breathable tongue; M50 rubber toe patch
Lining
Microfiber footbed; Scarpa doesn't specify a lining and OutdoorGearLab lists it as unlined
Weight
244 g (per shoe, EU 40.5 (Scarpa US lists 244 g per half pair; Scarpa EU lists 250 g at 40.5))
Resoleable
Yes
Price
$179 · €145 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released
2024 (successor to the 2019 Arpia)

Compare with

Sources

  1. Scarpa US: Arpia V (specs, price, owner reviews)
  2. Scarpa EU: Arpia V (specs, EUR price)
  3. OutdoorGearLab: Scarpa Arpia V review (July 2026)
  4. GearJunkie: SCARPA Arpia V review (July 2024)
  5. WeighMyRack: excerpt of Climbing magazine's Arpia V field test

Checked 8 October 2026 (Arpia V (2024 redesign of the 2019 Arpia; the original Arpia is no longer sold)). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

More Scarpa shoes

Scarpa sizing →

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.