Our verdict
Fans of the climb who wish to scale challenging projects in a budget-friendly climbing shoe are likely to find the Alpha a fantastic piece of investment. They might also find this super-comfortable shoe amazing when it comes to grip performance. That said, climbers expecting to get high amounts of support from this gear might end up getting disappointed.
Pros
- Pretty economical
- Phenomenal level of comfort
- Excellent grip performance
- Beginner-friendly
- updated Mar 17, 2023
Cons
- Who should buy the Boreal Alpha
- Track and field
Who should buy the Boreal Alpha
The Alpha is a neat Boreal offering, thanks to its set of positives and affordable asking price. It is a solid option if you:
- Track and field.
- Prefer a climbing shoe that is excellent for trad and sports climbing.
- Prefer a climbing shoe that is excellent for trad and sports climbing.
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- Boreal Alpha promotes comfortable ascents without compromising performance. It is among the brand’s lineup of inexpensive rock-climbing kicks.
- This piece of gear comes with a Boreal-owned technology called Integrated Rand System. Its presence helps the shoe retain its form. It also bolsters the shoe’s durability.
- Giving wearers, even more, cushioning underfoot is the proprietary Cushioned Heel System (CHS). What delivers multi-directional traction in this shoe, on the other hand, is the Zenith Quattro outsole.
Profile
Downturn. The Alpha is one of Boreal’s downturn-less rock climbing shoes. As such, it gives users the ability to edge and smear with as much forefoot-to-surface contact as possible. Kicks with no downward camber can provide extended comfort, and thus are ideal for multi-pitch problems.
Applications. This beginner-friendly neutral climbing shoe is great for trad and sport climbing, whether indoors or outdoors. As it is an all-rounder, it may be used to deal with problems requiring a variety of disciplines, which include those that can handle cracks efficiently.
Fit
The Boreal Alpha is a unisex low-cut climbing shoe. According to the brand, women may need to size down a full size and a half to get a snug fit in it. It might provide only minimal stretch, given that it has a synthetic upper. Its interior has a slight asymmetry, which means the foot is forced to lie bent in it. A dialed-in fit in the Alpha is possible by means of the shoe’s Velcro strapping system.
Excellent grip performance
When it comes to grip performance underfoot, the Boreal Alpha relies on its company-exclusive outsole, called Zenith Quattro. It is a sticky layer made of high-grade rubber. Its thickness can be anywhere between 4 mm and 4.5 mm.
Provides extra sticking power
Its rear section, which includes the part that encroaches the heel of the upper, comes with ridges that have extra sticking power.
Heavy-duty
The Alpha comes armed with a heavy-duty midsole for support.
Provides anti-deformation
It reverts to its original shape even with repeated use, thanks to its anti-deformation construction.
Prefer a climbing shoe that is excellent for trad and sports climbing
The Boreal Alpha houses the foot in its low-top upper made of microfiber. Stationed at its heel are two synthetic pull loops, which provide assistance during on and off.
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It has a soft-but-resilient heel cup (a.k.a. the Cushioned Heel System) that enhances comfort. Its bottom perimeter is also furnished with the Integrated Rand System that grants climbers enough toe- and heel-hooking traction.
Hard-wearing hook-and-loop fasteners
Completing the Alpha’s upper equation is the climbing shoe’s Velcro closure. It is made up of a pair of adjustable straps engineered with hard-wearing hook-and-loop fasteners.
