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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 17, 2005 - 01:45am PT
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OK, I admit to being really hard on my gear, but the pair of Mythos that I have been using for the last 5 months are in tatters. The right one has two holes blown in the area along the ridge down from the little toe, and the left one has stiching blown out along the lacing leather seam, and is just now blowing out in the same place that the right one has. Also, the laces are totally abraided and I've had to tie them together (the lacing system is totally unforgiving).
Much of this climbing has been in Tuolumne Meadows, not too many miles there in cracks (though some) and now getting going in the Valley. But they are now essentially dead, I can't even justify taking them to the cobler for another patching, and they're not going to last to a resole.
While I like the shoe for a broad spectrum of climbing, at least in the past, it seems these shoes are no longer functional for me... they just don't last long enough to justify a $150.
Anyone else experience problems with this shoe? I know that they have a loyal following. I'll probably end up sending them back to La Sportiva just to vent...
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Dec 17, 2005 - 07:36am PT
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They seem to develop a hole at the rand and sole. Mine and several other people I know. Otherwise good shoe, but mine also went too early. No warning sign either. You look down to place a foot and see a hole.
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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Dec 17, 2005 - 09:33am PT
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Ed,
I am a mythos wearer (is that a word?), any how, over the last few years I've noticed a steady decline in the factory quality of mythos. The edge tend to roll out from under my foot, they dont seem to resole as well as the older pairs, the rubber seems a little different. I've bought atleast 6 pair of mythos over the last 7 or 8 years (maybe more pairs than that). Foutunatley the price of the mythos has dropped to $120.
I would like to find a good alternative. I like the Splitter by montrail, but I dont like the feel of thier sliptonite in the store, it almost feels oiled... But I also think the Sportiva rubber is not as sticky as a few years back.
I suppose that with the increase of climbers the manufacturers have to make more shoes, and that often means they cut quality in the process..
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Hootervillian
climber
Hooterville
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Dec 17, 2005 - 11:37am PT
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mythos have been my trad shoes for for about the last 12 years or so, and i have had several pair. my conclusions are the same. in fact i have an older pair with a resole that i can still throw in the washer with no side effects. the newer pairs 'roll over' on the outside edge and seem funkier to me in the toe box.
i've never been a big fan of sportiva rubber but the stuff their throwing on now is weak sauce. unfortunatley i don't generally like the way even a good resole rounds the toe, so throwing on the C4 right out of the box is sketchy.
i hope this thread leads somewhere because i need some new crack shoes.
ps. what do you'all do with that 'barrel 'o ol shoes'?
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Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
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Dec 17, 2005 - 12:25pm PT
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The uppers on mine completely blew out before the sole did. La Sportiva quality and customer service has been going downhill for years. JMO.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Dec 17, 2005 - 01:28pm PT
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I don't know about Mythos, but the Megas have a big problem with the rands coming unglued.
I also agree that Sportiva rubber does not seem so sticky as it used to be.
About resoling-- if the resoler has the correct last for the brand and model and size of shoe you want resoled, then it should be OK, but what are the chances of that happening?
I knew one professional resoler who used lasts from one company for all their resoles no matter what kind of shoe.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Dec 17, 2005 - 03:02pm PT
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I've used mythos almost exculively since they came out (90)? Suplemented with Kaukulators for the dedicated wide adventures.
They do wear fast but I seem to get more life out of them than that; multiple years and up to five resoles. When Testarosa's came out, I made the switch (pro deall didn't hurt) and find them a killer jam shoe,and sturdier.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Dec 17, 2005 - 03:32pm PT
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I'm kind of surprised. I was using cheaper shoes that would shred elsewhere fast enough to make resoling impractical. When I got the chick mythos, I changed my ways. I got through 4 resoles w/o any problems. Eventually the stitching started to come out around the ankle, so I took them to cobler for a $10 fix. They're still going strong nearly 2 years of bad foot work in the wide later.
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Jay
Trad climber
Fort Mill, SC
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Dec 17, 2005 - 03:46pm PT
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That's why I don't buy Mythos anymore... they were my favorite shoe from 95-00. Went through 3 pairs, 2 lasted 3 resoles and the last ones streatched out so much I decided to try something else. I haven't notice the full downspiral of quality since I jumped ship a while back.
I've used the Dominator ever since, not quite as sensitive but make up for it in edging and they hold up much better and don't stretch out so much; great for trad climbing. And recently I've started to use the Katana too. I've fallen in love with my Katanas! They aren't for everyone though, narrow fit and funky heal box. The rubber seems pretty good though. I bought them to repace my boudering shoe the Anasazi V (which were damaging my toe nails after a number of years) and was surprized to find that they are awesome for thin cracks and edge pretty good too.
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ladd
Trad climber
near Fresno - land of fruits, nuts and flakes
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Dec 17, 2005 - 04:18pm PT
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Ed... from reading yours and other's threads, it sure sounds like the Mythos aren't so mythical anymore - a bum deal.
I'm looking for a new boot, and have been looking at the 5.10 altia - a revival in high top trads? Although, the Altia reviews of old don't bode well - revamped, the newest Altia looks like a high top version of the Anasazi? For a curious ole trad'erer, have you considered these - or better yet, does anybody have a word (yeh/ney) on the newest Altia?
cheers
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 17, 2005 - 09:18pm PT
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Well all is not lost, I just got my old Newtons back from Marmot today, half resole and a little rand work. They should be good for a year or so (wear like steel). They were going to be my backup shoes... now they're off the bench and on the A squad.
In the meantime I'll be looking for a new boot. I emailed and called Gary Mekan, but he is in some sort of transition, not sure I'll get him to craft a custom pair for me anytime soon.
I used to like the Dominator, until they went aggro with the canted toe thing for the sport climbing crowd. Maybe I can get the chick Mythos and hope for Melissa's good karma... but who am I fooling?!
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mike hartley
climber
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Dec 18, 2005 - 11:24am PT
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Ed,
Ditto on your experiences. My Mythos separated at the mid-sole under the balls of both feet. And I used to love the Dominators (and Aces) until they cranked the heel so tight that I couldn't stand the pain. So I'm back to looking again.
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426
Sport climber
Another slopey nightmare, GA
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Dec 19, 2005 - 11:16am PT
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Hooterville, "ps. what do you'all do with that 'barrel 'o ol shoes'?"
Wear them out clubbing, they are perfect for "Hey Mr. DJ"...all the rage!
http://www.nextag.com/puma-klim-shoes/search-html
(Check out the R Wns)
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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Dec 19, 2005 - 11:25am PT
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why not try and return your Mythos to REI? they will take just about anything back. they exchanged a well worn alien that the braided trigger came apart on, and that was a year after I bought it.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2005 - 11:48am PT
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I bought the shoes from Shoreline when they "moved"... and stockpiled them for a year or so.
I am unhappy mostly because a good shoe is not a good shoe anymore and I have to find something else. It is the price to pay for leaving in a society dominated by commercialism and markets. Change is required because it keeps the manufacturer in the eye of the consumers, not because change is required.
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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Dec 19, 2005 - 12:18pm PT
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Ed, I know a guy found a pair of shoes and returned them to REI.
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Forest
Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
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Dec 19, 2005 - 02:02pm PT
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Return them. A friend of mine returned a bum pair of mythos to La Sportiva and got a brand new pair from them. I'm just starting on on my 4th pair of Mythos in 7 years or so, I think. Been my staple shoe. Averaging around 2 years a pair, with lots of use, so no complaints from me. I really hope my next pair doesn't turn out to be crap, tho, based on all these posts.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Dec 19, 2005 - 03:27pm PT
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As a long time Sportiva user, I sent Sportiva USA a link to this thread and they just responded saying they've read it and are passing it up the chain there, so if you have anything constructive to say, do it now...
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Jay
Trad climber
Fort Mill, SC
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Dec 19, 2005 - 04:40pm PT
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'bout time someone actually did something thoughtful... thanks
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Klienaman
Trad climber
Flagstaff, Az
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Dec 19, 2005 - 06:30pm PT
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My girlfriend and I had similar problems with our Mythos a few years back. After a few month of climbing in them, mostly at paradise forks or the draw both of our shoes developed holes in the toes. Funny how shoe companies always blame that on poor technique. Anyhow rather than going straight to Sportiva, we sent those shoes in for a resole, about a week after getting those shoes back, holy crap the other shoe (for both of us) began to delaminate, really I couldn't make this up. Now I went to the company and was greatly dissapointed. Whoever I talked to was incredibly rude, burning me off with tales of how when he freed moonlight in a day he blew out a pair of shoes. I explained to him that I was hoping they might help up fix the falling apart shoes and he basically laughed in my face. Telling me there was no way they would help us due to the fact that we had resoled the other shoe in the pair. I expressed my dissatisfaction and asked if he even cared about me as a customer and if he was concerned with losing me as a customer. The answer was a flat out no I don't care about losing you as a customer. So basically that was the last pair of Sportivas I have ever owned and I would encourage others to spend their money wisely and purchase from other companies with better customer service. Sorry for the rant but when you spend 300 dollars (2 pairs) for shoes they should at least last 6 months, unless of course you are freeing moonlight, in which case hopefully you work for a manufacturer. Good luck
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 19, 2005 - 06:37pm PT
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i go through 2 pairs of mythos each year ..
i dont like the way the resole feels .. (and from my experience the resole lasts even less) ..
.. i love the shoe though -- (mostly because its comfortable enough to wear all day long -- and still perform) .. so i will keep on putting up $240/year for shoes ..
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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
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Dec 19, 2005 - 06:49pm PT
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Scarpa used to make a climbing "shoe" that weighed in at about 4 pounds per pair, 8mm soles, 4mm rands, leather uppers. Cracks sent nearly pain free! and 5.11 edges, like standing on BRICKS!!!
And they were so beefy I don't recall ever fixing a single pair of them, man they wore and wore and wore. Just one little detail, they WERE bricks! You could feel nothing through those shoes, 2 x 4s were more sensitive.
I have not seen a Mythos recently, don't own a pair, and connot comment on construct, but here are some thoughts on lightweight shoes in general.
Nearly every time a shoe gets lighter, it also becomes less durable. It's not that tough to figure out. If you want killer sensitivity, and amazing edging, and your budget is unlimited, go with 5mm resoles instead of 7mm, they won't last as long but oooh baby.
If a shoe delaminates, ok bad construct, but if it pulls seams apart because the seams were abraded, sewn into thinner material that blew under load, at least some of the failure can be attributed to the fact that lighter shoes simply do not wear as well as heavier ones.
If you want beef, buy it, if you want a slipper, don't expect it to wear like a pair of plasticoated lava domes.
How many climbing shops carry the LaSportiva Tradmaster??
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2005 - 07:18pm PT
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my experience with Mythos is that they went from a 3 resole shoe to a no resole shoe... the uppers used to last long enough to climb in them for about a 2 years...
The pair I have now really went to hell fast. People at the gym were asking me how old they were, expecting me to say 5 years and were shocked with disbelief when I said 3 months.
If Sportiva is interested, I could probably give them a pitch-by-pitch account of how I used the shoe. My technique has only gotten better over the time I've been using Mythos, the lifetime of the shoe has been falling.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Dec 19, 2005 - 07:41pm PT
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IF sportiva is really listening, well,
WHY did you stop making the Mega???
AND WHY did you replace it with a shoe that has no ankle protection???
Maybe it is not the cool, in style thing to have right now, but some people who put their feet in cracks like to have their ankles covered.
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Forest
Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
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Dec 19, 2005 - 07:42pm PT
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Maybe it is not the cool, in style thing to have right now, but some people who put their feet in cracks like to have their ankles covered.
Seem pretty likely to me that "some people" were not enough people who actually bought the shoe...
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Ed Bannister
Mountain climber
Victorville, CA
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Dec 19, 2005 - 07:47pm PT
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Mariacher, killer crack shoe, gone the way of the discontinued shoe.
Anybody tried the Sportiva Tradmaster?
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ladd
Trad climber
near Fresno - land of fruits, nuts and flakes
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Dec 19, 2005 - 07:51pm PT
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YES...I'll second that - Sportiva back the Mega! I'm looking for a high top to replace a fine ole pair of Kauknlaters ;) hence my interest is now swayed in the direction of a 5.10 Altia boot.
cheers
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Dec 19, 2005 - 08:04pm PT
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I got essentially a new pair of blue Kaukulators off ebay earlier this year and they are back to being my primary shoe. Didn't care for the brown Kaukulators, and I posted instructions on RC.com for removing the achille's rand from Megas so you could actually wear them all day without cutting you in half - but they still don't hold a candle to the original blue Kaukulators. So skip the Megas and just bring back the blue Kaukulators...
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 19, 2005 - 08:32pm PT
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Trivia time ....
Anyone want to know how the kaukulator got it's name? We're at the climb that's now called the kaukulator, and bachar says I kaukulate that kauk will do this in fine style.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2005 - 08:39pm PT
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I have a pair of blue Kaukulators... perhaps it's time to bust them out and get a C4 resole for them...
...remember, never through anything away!
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Dec 19, 2005 - 09:08pm PT
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Blue kauks W/c-4 are THE WIDE RIDE. T-War, random Lucille & Squat repeats, The Belly, various desert epics, uncountable B.A.M. & Genrator solos and everything @ Patterson flake.
ON-1, count'em 1! resole!!!!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Dec 19, 2005 - 10:11pm PT
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I think the most I got out of a pair of Kalkulators was about six resoles, I'm going to try to revive an old pair out of desperation.
Mythos used to be good for three resoles and then just got to baggy to be worth another one. The present pair has completely structuraly failed near the end of the first resole. I'd concur that the quality has taken a dump.
Forget about bringing back the Mega unless it's a reincarnation of the original. (the one with the gel heel, although not for that feature, for the fit). In its last form it was a clodhopper. Wish I hadn't bought them.
A rencarnated blue Kalculator?
Now, that would be worth it!
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caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
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Dec 20, 2005 - 07:43pm PT
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Ok, this is about the Katanas, in the hope Sportiva is reading this.
I've got the yellow ones. Within 5 uses, the sole started delaminating on the inside of the foot, at the front of the arch. Fortunately, this isn't a critical area, but it looked like pretty poor workmanship. Can't cite poor footwork (which I have) since you don't stand on or drag that part of the shoe.
But, I noticed when they introduced the women's katanas, the velcro is backed with leather. This is a good idea, and I think this should be done on the yellow/men's version as well. I've been stuffing those shoes into cracks (bought them for sport, but they're surprisingly good crack shoes) and the plastic strap velcro backing wears really fast, I've blown half the stitches, and I've thrashed the strap. The lips of cracks really dig in, and saw at the strap. I think it would hold up much better if backed with leather.
Oh, and send me free shoes.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Dec 20, 2005 - 09:15pm PT
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What loves gas said!
Buy mythos painfully small and they won't stretch on resole.
"SPORTIVA: Re-INTRODUCE THE BLUE KAUKS!!"
Carlton, are you listening???
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Jay
Trad climber
Fort Mill, SC
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Dec 21, 2005 - 09:56am PT
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Lovegasoline,
I normally wear a US 12 1/2 A or B; very narrow foot wouldn’t you say? Of all the climbing shoe makers Sportiva generally fits me best too. I’d usually buy a size 45 Mythos or 45.5 Enduro and Kaukulator. The last pair of Mythos I purchased back in 98 (which I still have in reserve) are size 44.5. In less than 2 months (used 2-3 times a week) my friend noticed that my climbing shoes were a little floppy. I told him they were the tightest fitting boot I’d purchased at the time (key word being ‘were’). By the next climbing season they had stretched out so much I needed socks to make them snug again. Another few more months and a resole later they simply were too wide for my foot even with cotton socks.
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Jay
Trad climber
Fort Mill, SC
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Dec 21, 2005 - 09:58am PT
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Believe me, if I could get the Mythos that I used to know and love back it would mean a lot. As far as I know she is gone.
Father La Sportiva, if you can find her please bring her back to me. As far as the imposter, our relationship is without hope due to irreconcilable differences. Now I’m seriously courting the semi-old Dominator and the Katana. I’m hoping one of these will be a lasting relationship.
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Dec 21, 2005 - 12:11pm PT
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Original Megas' were the bomb. Resole with Onyx for the perfect Tuolumne shoe!
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 21, 2005 - 01:11pm PT
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so i have 3 pairs of mythos that could be resoled .. and i am going to send them to get them fixed ..
.. where do you guys get your resoles .. (or is there a good place to take them too in northern cal?) ..
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caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
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Dec 21, 2005 - 01:19pm PT
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ricardo, Yosemite Bum and Positive Resoles both do great work, the shoes come back looking new. I think YB only uses Trax rubber now though, if that makes a difference. It's good stuff.
I've had a pair done at a shoe repair shop in Davis, with less than stellar results, and a partner had a pair of mythos done at Marmot in Berkeley, that looked like hell. They pretty much ruined his shoes.
Maybe just drop them off at Nomad's next JTree trip, and have positive resoles mail them back to you.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Dec 21, 2005 - 02:28pm PT
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The rubber room in bishop, I've had dozens of steller resoles from them.
My newest Mythos are almosttwo years old, did they 'go bad' since then?
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Thom
Trad climber
South Orange County, CA
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Dec 21, 2005 - 09:26pm PT
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Well, I'd like to see the Blue Kuakulators re-introduced also, but...
Good luck on any real resolution especially if Sportiva actually reads this thread.
The "problem" with new shoes these days is a direct result of the old shoes: how is a company expected to stay in business when a relatively small customer base buys your product once every 10 years? My blue Kauks are 10+ years old and my Aces are just under 10. Both have been resoled countless times and neither have any problems with the uppers (I've even thrown them in the washing machine). Both of these shoes have worn like iron. I've purchased one pair of shoes from Sportiva in over 10 years and have no need to purchase another anytime soon; they need more business than that to stay around, thus, the disposable shoe concept.
Mind you, I'm not defending Sportiva's shoddy workmanship, just (perhaps) offering a reason for it. Hopefully, they'll get the message.
I think they should produce a tough-as-iron blue Kaukulator and Mythos and just charge more ($200?). The masses and cheapskates could continue buying the low-end, semi-disposable crap; those of us who climb often and hard would cough up the extra dough for the killer shoes knowing we wouldn't do it again for a decade ($20 per year vs. $120+ sounds good to me, excluding resoles, of course).
My $.02
t.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 21, 2005 - 11:04pm PT
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Lovegasoline asked: "What the hell are you folks doing to your shoes?? "
Which is sort of my take when I posted, I wondered what it was I was doing to my Mythos. It turns out that some people here have experienced the same thing.
It is possible that there are stocks of the "old" Mythos out there still being sold. As was pointed out, they probably aren't flying off the rack. One distinguishing difference between the old ones and the new ones is the "air holes" in the rand on the outside at midshoe. This wasn't on the old models.
And my experience with the shoe was that they lasted a pretty long time, not so with this latest pair, now "circling the drain". My normal "bad technique" is from face climbing, where I drag my right toe, and have the resulting hole in the rand/sole junction of the Mythos. But my crack technique isn't any more brutal than anyone elses, and not only that, I had Mythos stand up to my bad habits before.
I don't mind La Sportiva making a buck selling shoes. Just that for my current usage, I can't afford to buy a shoe that doesn't perform very long. I'll find something else to wear.
Ironically, I have resoled an old pair of Newtons and repaired various bits on those, and I am about to have my Blue-Kaukulators resoled. That should do me for a year or so I suspect (unless I get fired and can climb all the time).
Of course, this only delays the angst of finding a new shoe...
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Dec 23, 2005 - 11:59am PT
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If you like the Mythos, get a pair of ACOPA AZTECS - they're way mo' better!
acopausa dot com
Cheers, jb
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Dec 23, 2005 - 12:27pm PT
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jb, Why do you guys stop at size 13? What is a 14-15 wearer supposed to do, amputation?
According to a local retail shoe store they typically only get a single shoe in these sizes per shipment. Which basically means that at any given time, you can walk into the store and they are out. And guess what? Shoe stores do not stock by size, nor do their computers answer the question "What models do you have in stock in size 14?"
Sorry for minor thread disruption. Source of pain. 15 year old son wears size 15 sneakers, and is just about to quit climbing, for lack of being able to get the kinds of shoes he learned on.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2005 - 07:25pm PT
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I looked for the Acopa's at REI Berkeley today and they weren't there....
where would I find them around the Bay Area?
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Chris W
climber
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Dec 23, 2005 - 07:42pm PT
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My mythos gave me toe problems. Or maybe it was those shoes with reverse camber in them??? Jaybro come to Vedawoo and then we go to the Valley for those offwiths!!!!
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