[Review] The Masai Climbing Shoes by Tenaya

My sweaty feet had finally done my old climbing shoes in. The rand was coming apart and the glue was finally deteriorating after a couple of seasons. I was now on the search for a new pair of climbing shoes. Did I mention how much I hate this search? I despise getting a new pair of climbing shoes and breaking them in. I had really formed a bond with the old ones and we knew each other well. I knew how they would react to each type of rock and what they were capable of. 

So I set out on my journey to try something new. I came across the Tenaya line of shoes and I was intrigued. What caught my attention was the Masai. A shoe they claimed was something you could climb all day in but at the same time could hold dime size edges. This intrigued me as it sounded like my type of climbing. Some days it’s trad in the morning and sport in the afternoon. A shoe that could maybe do both and keep your foot comfortable the entire day? I was excited to give them a try. 

I’m used to sizing down quite a bit for my climbing shoes but I was told to order my street shoe size. I usually wear a 10 or 10.5. So I went with the 10 and I was impressed with how they fit right out of the box. They claim the shoe will not stretch much and after wearing them for a couple weeks through heat and sweat I am able to agree with that statement. I really haven’t noticed any stretch from them. I was nervous when I first put them on as I thought they may be too big. But the fact they have not stretched lends to a very nice fit. I think in the future, I would step down a 1/2 a size with the Masai because I like my shoes to fit really tightly. If you’re like Cally (likes to be comfortable) then ordering your street shoe size would be perfect. Even with how comfortable the shoe is they are still very high performing – which is something that I am not accustomed to! 

I’m used to shoes in this category being on the “frumpy” side of things. They are a shoe that I maybe wouldn’t choose for a technical vertical sport route but the Masai outperforms every time. They eat up the rock in a crack, on a slab, or a vertical face. The heel fits great and I found it stayed tight on heel hooks as well as small edges and pockets. To me, the last seems a bit stiffer so the only thing they may not lend themselves to is overhanging routes where it may be tough to keep your toes on the rock.

Overall I was really impressed with the Masai. I was definitely hesitant with the sizing but they proved to be a great size and a comfortable fit. They are a very confidence inspiring shoe. If you’re like me and you absolutely dread the new climbing shoes headache I would highly suggest getting into the Masai. The break-in period is virtually non-existent and you won’t miss out on fun climbs because your feet are swelled with blisters. 

No matter what type of climbing you’re doing, be sure to check out the Tenaya line because they truly have something for everyone.