Instinct VS Climbing Shoe (Men's)

The SCARPA Instinct VS is a serious upgrade for a climber who already knows what they're doing. It's a single-strap performance shoe, meaning it uses one quick Velcro closure instead of laces. It's built for precision, so it helps the climber stand on tiny holds and trust their feet on hard moves.

This is a great gift if your climber has been at it a while and talks about "projects" or sending harder grades. It does well on bouldering (short walls climbed without ropes, over a crash pad) and on steep sport climbing, which means longer roped routes up a cliff. The stiff edge gives power on small footholds, and the grippy heel helps with heel hooks. A heel hook is when a climber latches their heel onto a hold to pull themselves in on overhanging rock.

It has a slightly downturned, aggressive shape that fits snugly and is meant for performance rather than all-day lounging, which is just what a dedicated climber wants. As an Editor's Pick around $199, the Instinct VS is the kind of rock climbing gift an intermediate or advanced climber grows into and keeps coming back to.