REASONS TO BUY
Wide toe box
Comfy fit
Super sticky rubber
Versatile for steep climbing
REASONS TO AVOID
Wide toe box is lacks precision
Super soft rubber folds easily over small edges
Evolv Shaman Trance Review
If other shoes crush your feet, this high-performance shoe is what you've been waiting for
The Evolv Shaman Trance is the high-performance shoe that climbers with wide feet have been waiting for.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
By Dom Rickicki ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ October 30, 2026
Our Verdict
Climbers with wide feet, rejoice! The Evolv Shaman Trance delivers high-level performance without crushing your toes into a pointy toe box. Beyond the fit, the Shaman Trance features supremely sticky Evo 74 rubber on the forefoot for excellent purchase on smears, plus a supportive midsole for fairly solid edging. The synthetic upper is completely vegan, so it won't stretch much, and it also comes in a low volume (LV) version if the regular volume we tested isn't the right fit. These attributes all point to a steep climbing shoe, and this is definitely where the Shaman Trance shines – it's designed to be a sort of 'one-shoe quiver' for climbers focused on hard gym climbing, bouldering, and overhanging sport climbs.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Evolv Shaman Trance | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best For Climbers with Wide Feet |  Best for Sport Climbing and Bouldering | Best for Sport and Trad Climbing |  Your First Outdoor Shoe | Your First Gym Shoe |
| Price | $239 List Check Price at REI | $219 List Check Price at REI | $239 List Check Price at REI | $139 List Check Price at REI | $139 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Climbers with wide feet no longer need to crush their toes for the sake of a high-performance shoe | A nearly perfect shoe for sport climbing and bouldering, this slipper is your one-stop shop for steep climbing | An awesome shoe for long climbs requiring a variety of crack climbing and edging techniques | A bargain price for a respectable climbing shoe makes this an easy choice for beginners | Sticky rubber and a comfy fit come together at an affordable price, making this an ideal entry-level shoe |
| Rating Categories | Evolv Shaman Trance | La Sportiva Skwama | La Sportiva Katana Lace | La Sportiva Finale | Evolv Defy Lace |
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Smearing (20%) | |||||
| Edging (20%) | |||||
| Pulling (20%) | |||||
| Cracks (20%) | |||||
| Specifications | Evolv Shaman Trance | La Sportiva Skwama | La Sportiva Katana Lace | La Sportiva Finale | Evolv Defy Lace |
| Sizing Recommendations | Comfort Fit: up 1 EU size Performance Fit: true to EU size |
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 EU size Performance Fit: down 1.5 - 2 EU sizes |
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 - 1 EU sizes Performance Fit: down 1.5 EU size |
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 - 1 EU sizes Performance Fit: down 1.5 EU size |
Comfort Fit: up 1 EU size Performance Fit: true to EU size |
| Expected Stretch | 0 - 0.5 EU size | 0.5 - 1 EU Size | 0.5 - 1 EU size | 1 - 1.5 EU size | 0 - 0.5 EU Size |
| Downturn | Aggressive | Aggressive | Moderate | Flat | Flat |
| Asymmetry | High | Moderate | Moderate (sharp toe) | Moderate | Neutral |
| Closure Style | Velcro | Velcro | Lace | Lace | Lace |
| Upper | Synthetic vegan | Leather / Microfiber / Rubber Toe Cap | Leather / Microfiber | ECO Leather / Microfiber | Synthetic vegan |
| Lining | Unlined | Unlined | Pacific (in forefoot and back) | Unlined | Lined |
| Volume Options? | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Regular |
| Rubber Type | EVO 74 Front | Vibram XS Grip2 | Vibram XS Edge | Vibram XS Edge | TRAX SAS |
| Listed Rubber Thickness | 3.5 mm | 4 mm | 4 mm | 5 mm | 3.5 mm |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Shaman Trance has a stiffer flex under the toes but a softer midfoot, adding to its versatility. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Comfort
Among all of the high-end, aggressive shoes we've tested over the years, the Shaman Trance is one of the comfiest. The uppers are soft, and they feel like they mold to your feet right out of the box. They have a particularly broad toe box, giving ample room for wider feet. (They're also a great fit for anyone whose second and third toes are as long as their big toe.) Even though they're offered in a low-volume (LV) option, our lead tester felt like the regular, mid-volume shoes even worked pretty well for his relatively narrow foot.
The only gripe is the lacing system. While this highly adjustable strap system lets you dial in a precise fit, it's a bit finicky. We could never quite get the adjustment buckle to stay in place – it always slipped while we tried to tighten the shoe. Instead, we had to pull on the large tab and the tiny adjustment strap at the same time, so the strap wouldn't slip.
The strap system would loosen up when we pulled only on the tab, so we had to do this to keep it tight. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Smearing
Without a doubt, the super-soft, super-sticky rubber on the Shaman Trance lends itself to great smearing performance. On polished, flat footholds, we could cover the surface area in sticky rubber and feel pretty confident it would hold us. Even training on a Moonboard, we always had a good grip on the sloping starting feet.
Aggressive shoes like these tend to be great for gym climbing, but lack the stability to smear up rock slabs. We would never point you to the Shaman Trance as a specialty slab shoe, but they do have a pretty supportive midsole – we'd go so far as to say that we actually enjoyed climbing slabs in them (at times). We do worry, though, that the super-soft rubber won't last long if you're smearing up long pitches of rock all day.
The Shaman Trance is ideal for overhanging boulders and steep sport climbs. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Edging
The Shaman Trance presents a bit of duality when it comes to edging. On one hand, it has a very supportive midsole, much more than shoes with similarly soft rubber, which gave us the confidence to power down onto small edges – we were actually surprised by the range of holds we could edge into on overhanging walls. But as the walls get more vertical, the softer rubber starts to give way.
On vertical routes where we really needed to put weight into our feet, we could feel the rubber “ooze” out from under us, even though the shoe still felt supportive – this keeps us from trusting the Shaman Trance as a pure face climbing shoe. The other downside is that the broad toe box reduces precision. As our lead tester shared:
Climbing in the Shaman Trance taught me that I may rely too heavily on my big toe for power. The broad toe box forced me to use the outside edge and my other toes, especially on a step-through. Which was cool to adapt to, but I felt like I lacked the precision of a pointier shoe when I wanted to grab with my strongest toe.
The aggressive downturn is great for toeing into edges on steep terrain, but less ideal for vertical walls. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Pulling
The supportive flex of the Shaman Trance, combined with its ultra-sticky rubber, made it a tester favorite for overhanging routes. We knew we would stick to sloping or small footholds, but the rigidity made it easier to hold tension without our feet fatiguing. Really, we think this is where the Shaman Trance shines – it just makes steep routes just feel easier.
We loved climbing training boards in this shoe, especially Moonboards, but anyone climbing boulders or routes that demand creative footwork won't be let down either. The toe patch has plenty of surface area, and even though the uppers are soft, we could power into toe hooks with very little discomfort. The heel pocket is pretty traditional, which adds sensitivity. Compared to a molded heel cup, you can really feel where you're placing your heel, and the hold is excellent – we never hesitated to crank down on the heels of the Shaman Trance.
There's plenty of rubber covering the Shaman Trance, making it great for toe and heel hooking. Credit: Dom Rickicki
Crack Climbing
Aggressive downturn and soft rubber generally make for a shoe that's wildly uncomfortable for jamming crack – your knuckled up toes will get mangled as you torque them into the crack. So we wouldn't recommend the Shaman Trance for crack climbing. That said, some climbers may find its other attributes useful for specific, technical trad climbs.
Should You Buy the Evolv Shaman Trance?
If you have wide feet and you've been waiting for a high-performance shoe that won't crush your toes, the Shaman Trance is it. Even climbers with narrow feet can jump into the low-volume (LV) version and benefit from the Shaman Trance's super sticky rubber on their next board project.
What Other Rock Climbing Shoes Should You Consider?
The Shaman Trance fits into the same category as other versatile, high-performance shoes like the La Sportiva Skwama or the Scarpa Instinct VS. Comparing those three shoes, the Instinct VS is better at edging, the Skwama is better at smearing and a bit more comfortable in cracks, and both have more durable rubber. If you stumbled into this review as a climber looking for a comfortable shoe to fit your wide feet, but you're not yet climbing at such a high level, check out the Evolv Defy Lace – it features the same sticky rubber and wide toe box, but with a flatter shape and a more affordable price tag.
—Dom Rickicki
You Might Also Like
