Product · Scarpa
Scarpa Crux: Vibram Megagrip, 358 g listed
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If the walk to the crag is short and the weather is dry, the Scarpa Crux is the kind of shoe that keeps weight off your feet and still grips rock. Amazon lists it at 358 g, with a 1.8 mm suede upper mixed with polyester mesh and a Vibram sole named Vertical Approach with Megagrip rubber. It is the lightest stated weight among the approach shoes we compare, and it makes no claim to be waterproof.
- Upper
- 1.8 mm suede and polyester mesh
- Outsole
- Vibram Vertical Approach / Megagrip
- Membrane
- None stated
- Listed use
- Not stated
In its favour
- The listing names a Vibram Vertical Approach sole in Megagrip compound, built for grip on rock.
- A 1.8 mm suede and polyester mesh upper is stated, a balance of protection and breathability.
- The listed weight of 358 g is light for an approach shoe.
Good to know
- Listed as not water resistant, so wet grass on the approach will soak through.
- The listing does not say whether the weight is per shoe or per pair.
Our take
The sole is the headline
Megagrip is a named Vibram rubber compound, and naming it at all tells you more than most approach shoe listings do. The Vertical Approach name suggests a tread pattern aimed at the scramble and the descent, though the listing itself gives no lug depth or climbing zone details. What can be said is that the sole is a named Vibram unit, not a generic rubber.
For British use, that matters most on polished limestone paths and on slabby rock at the start of a route, where the outsole does more of the work than the upper.
Upper materials and what they mean
A 1.8 mm suede is thin enough to stay flexible and thick enough to protect the shoe on rough rock. The polyester mesh panels let heat out. Together they make a shoe that breathes well on a warm day and dries reasonably quickly after a stream crossing, simply because there is no membrane holding water in.
The water resistance field on the listing says not water resistant. That is a fair warning. In a Pennine drizzle your socks will get damp; in a Peak District heatwave you will be glad of the airflow.
How the Crux sits beside the Mescalito and TX4 Evo GTX
The Scarpa Mescalito, its stablemate in the same guide, has lacing that runs right to the toe and a Vibram Dynamis LB sole, and the listing names via ferrata and technical approach as its uses. It is more of a precision tool. The Crux reads as the simpler, lighter everyday option.
La Sportiva's TX4 Evo GTX goes the other way, adding a Gore-Tex lining and a mid-top cut for wet walk-ins. If you keep a single shoe for all seasons in Scotland, the La Sportiva is easier to live with. If you want something light for summer cragging, the Crux fits better.
Care and who should skip it
Suede and mesh need little more than brushing off dried mud and letting the shoe dry away from a radiator. A proofing spray on the suede helps it shed light rain. Those who want a waterproof shoe, or a stiff platform for carrying a heavy rack over long distances, should look elsewhere in the range.
Verdict
The Crux suits climbers and scramblers who want a light, breathable approach shoe with a named Vibram Megagrip sole and are happy to accept damp feet in rain. Pick the La Sportiva TX4 Evo GTX for waterproofing, or the Scarpa Mescalito for toe-to-ankle lace adjustment on technical approaches.
Compared with alternatives in: Best approach shoes for scrambling
Amazon listing title: Scarpa Crux Hiking Shoes EU 46 1/2