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Scarpa Instinct VS review: fit, sizing and what climbers say

A moderately asymmetric, aggressively downturned Velcro shoe with a stiffer XS Edge forefoot and a softer XS Grip2 heel. One of the best one-shoe options for bouldering and steep sport, indoors or out: it edges well, hooks well and is comfortable for its class. It is not a crack or long vertical multi-pitch shoe.

  • Intermediate
  • Bouldering
  • Sport
  • Steep
  • Gym
  • Outdoor

Take your street shoe size

For a snug all-round fit, a street UK 9 (EU 43) is a UK 9 (EU 43) in the Instinct VS. 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 Instinct VS

Your street shoe size

UK9

Aggressive

Tight, hard bouldering

UK8½EU 42½

Recommended

Snug all-rounder

UK9EU 43

Relaxed

Long sessions

UK9½EU 44

Comfort

Beginners, multi-pitch

UK10EU 44½
Your size in all 292 shoes

How the Instinct VS fits

WideMedium volume
Heel
Snug heel pocket with thin, sensitive 2 mm XS Grip2 rubber that stays put on heel hooks; a few low-volume feet report looseness after break-in.
Toe box
Tall, roomy toe box with an aggressive toe angle that suits crimped toes, plus a large textured toe patch for hooks.
Suits
Wider forefeet; it is one of the easier performance shoes for wide feet. Low-volume or narrow feet should try it first (or look at the lace version or the women's/LV lasts).

What climbers say

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

Strengths

  • Supportive XS Edge forefoot gives real edging power on vertical to overhanging footholds
  • Excellent heel and toe hooks thanks to the sticky heel and large toe patch
  • Versatile: one shoe for gym, bouldering and steep sport
  • Comfortable for a high-performance shoe, especially for wider feet

Watch out for

  • Painful and awkward in cracks because of the high toe box
  • Soft midfoot tires feet on long vertical pitches and slabs
  • XS Edge sole is less sticky than softer rubbers on big gym volumes
  • Aggressive toe angle may be too much for newer climbers
Stretch and break-in: The microsuede upper and big toe patch barely stretch, about 0-0.5 EU size at most. Reviewers size about one US size down for performance and true-to-size or half a size down for comfort (or for jamming). Expect around a week of break-in.

Scarpa Instinct VS size chart

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

Scarpa Instinct VS size chart
StreetAggressiveRecommendedRelaxedComfort
UK 4EU 37UK 3½EU 36UK 4EU 37UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38
UK 4½EU 37½UK 4EU 37UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39
UK 5EU 38UK 4½EU 37½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½
UK 5½EU 38½UK 5EU 38UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40
UK 6EU 39½UK 5½EU 39UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41
UK 6½EU 40UK 6EU 39½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½
UK 7EU 40½UK 6½EU 40UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42
UK 7½EU 41½UK 7EU 41UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½
UK 8EU 42UK 7½EU 41½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43
UK 8½EU 42½UK 8EU 42UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44
UK 9EU 43UK 8½EU 42½UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½
UK 9½EU 44UK 9EU 43UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45
UK 10EU 44½UK 9½EU 44UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45–
UK 10½EU 45UK 10EU 44½UK 10½EU 45––
UK 11EU 45½UK 10½EU 45–––

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

What Scarpa says

“SCARPA size chart: for climbing shoes, downsizing (1 size) depends on the desired fit”

Quoted from the Scarpa product page

Specs

Rubber
Vibram XS Edge, 3.5 mm
Downturn
aggressive
Asymmetry
moderate
Made for
sport, bouldering
Upper
Microsuede + leather
Lining
Lined (per OutdoorGearLab; Scarpa doesn't list the lining)
Weight
230 g (per shoe, size 40)
Resoleable
Yes
Price
$219 · €180 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released
2014

Same sizing: Instinct VS Women's

Compare with

Sources

  1. SCARPA US: Instinct VS Men's
  2. SCARPA EU (AT store): Instinct VS
  3. OutdoorGearLab review (Nov 2025)
  4. OutdoorGearLab: best climbing shoes (Jul 2026)
  5. Climbing House: Instinct VS review

Checked 8 October 2026 (Instinct VS (current men's/unisex, Black/Orange; design largely unchanged since 2014)). 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.