As the weather conditions worsened, we spent a fair bit of climbing on Tonsai Roof which stayed mostly dry. Here is where the Shadows really come out into the light (pun intended). With its varying thickness midsole, I felt that the shoes allowed me to use my feet like an extra set of hands – grabbing and pulling at every feature. On Gaeng Som Pla (7c+), I could heel hook and pull into the stalactite mound, bicycle the large flake, and heel/toe cam with ease, thanks to the flexibility and sticky rubber covered toe. Speaking of the toe rubber, the Shadow has a large toe patch, with painted on recycled rubber covering the rest of the toe area. I think BD made the right decision here – it gives greater flexibility in the toe box, allowing you to really pull back on those toes when you need to without any restrictions... Now, the big question: Where does the Shadow fall in my line up of existing shoes? I’d say that they’ll be happily living on my feet most of the season for most things that are past vertical. Although these shoes are fairly all rounded, slab lovers and face climbers, you might want to look elsewhere for a more supportive shoe. Derek Loh

 8 prices   $133 →190

 EpicTV   $133.35

 BananaFingers   $134.03

 Outdoorplay   $151.96

 Camp Saver   $155.76

 EMS   $179.95

 Gear   $179.95

 GearX   $189.95

 Backcountry   $189.95

Aggressive  Soft  Sensitive