21-9-2006

Mammut Goblin

Perfect scratch?

Mammut Goblin: perfect scratch?

Forget the first missed attempts of Mammut in making climbing shoes. Leave your passed deceptions you had a couple of years ago when the doubtful rubber and the trendy model made us doubt on the brand?s skills to get among the best. One collection later, our dear Swiss definitely got things back to their places. No doubt, the new Goblin surprised us. There is now a new actor in the climbing shoes sector already full.

First important observation. There where its scratch opponents have a lack of comfort and precision, the Goblin marks points by offering a good compromise between these two characteristics often criticized by climbers. With an asymmetric form, it could be thought it is only for high level. Not at all. Even if much arched, the filling on the "edge of the foot" and the heel very deep assure an excellent bearing. You can keep it indefinitely on your feet with any pain. And without having the feeling of floating in a slipper... In a 5b, a 6b, a 7b same feeling! For sure : nothing to say about the posture. The pressure on the holds is maximum and it isn?t the tiny lack of edge the will hide its precision qualities.

What a grip, it will never be said, the Vibram® has nothing to prove. The rubber is like glue!

If we had to find a small imperfection, it would be the inferior closing tongue a bit too long. A little centimeter you would much like to see disappear when it gets stuck in a sharp hold and that it rips off the whole tongue.

Beside of this, nothing but superlative. Difficult to see why a beginner or a confirmed climber wouldn?t definitely adopt them. Well... Maybe its cost slightly higher than its direct opponents. Even though a slight reduction is promised for 2007.

Technical details

Hubert