8 May 2015

Tenaya's Tarifa

Tenaya's Tarifa

By Esteban Diez Fernández & Ignacio Sandoval Burón


8a.nu has been collaborating with TENAYA for a while and for the last 5 months we've been trying out their 2 top-performance shoes, 'Tarifa' and 'Oasi'. This time we're going to inform you on what we've experienced with the former, which has recently been released to complement the already well-known 'Oasi'. 


The Tarifa is a technical climbing shoe conceived for optimal footwork in very different kinds of routes and overhangings. They come with a downturned last, which is a little bit less pronounced than most of the climbing shoes that we've tried out lately. This is one of the characteristics that makes them a really good quality all-round climbing shoe.  


Really technical footwork on small and smearing footholds performed by Ignacio Sandoval Burón with these shoes on 'Temporal de Voll Damm' 7c in Valdehuesa (León - Spain).
Pic© Esteban Diez.

If you're already thinking about purchasing this model, you should bear in mind their adjustment. We think they'd rather be bought quite small if you want them to keep being performant after the first 2 or 3 climbs. They tend to stretch providing a comfortable feeling and a super nice adjustment thanks to a good combination of natural and synthetic leather.

All of the climbers testing the shoes for this review use a EUR 43 / US 10 in street shoes like TNF and a EUR 40 / US 7  ½ with the 'Tarifa'.    


Esteban Diez Fernández progressing on the polished footholds of 'Orient' 7c/+ in Bruixes (Lleida - Spain).
Pic© Nuria Feito.

We used them on all kinds of routes (limestone only) from steep overhangings to vertical walls where the footwork and the need of relying on the shoes is high. They excelled on all these terrains. Their new insole and midsole permits them to perform well on everything thanks to the fact that they're not too soft or too hard. We felt good stepping both on polished holds and edges, although we think they perform better on steep terrains.


Miguel Díez Trabajo using them on the super overhanging 'Aguja', 7c in Piedrasecha (León - Spain).
Pic© Esteban Diez.

It comes with laces which permits a better adjustment than the velcro system used in the Oasi. Thus, it is highly recommended for people with narrower feet —in fact, the last in both models is quite narrow if we compare it with other brands—. Their lacing system is designed so that you don't need to take the laces out of the holes when taking them off and then feeding them in again when squeezing into them. You only need to pull the laces three times plus the bow to feel all fits perfectly.

They have a deep heel box with the outer part in a classic style, i.e., with a high, narrow band which is both simple and efficient when heel hooking. The outsole is the 3.5 mm Vibram XS Grip, a thickness which seems to be the producers' favourite when it comes to high-end climbing shoes since it's an optimal equation between sensibility and durability.


Ignacio Sandoval Burón on 'Fantasma', 7b+ in Piedrasecha (León - Spain).
Pic© Esteban Diez Fernández.

The things that we liked the least, although none of them interfere with the shoe performance, are the two break-in loops at the heel, since the one in the internal side is slightly shifted towards the centre and it makes it a little bit more difficult to put them on when they're really small and you have to pull like crazy. 

Also, we've found that the internal lycra sock is a little bit bigger than the one in the Oasi. Once your feet are in, you have the feeling that there's an excess of fabric around your ankle. However, the sock has a clear function, making the feet slide in more easily by wrapping around the instep.


Esteban Diez on 'Efecte 2000', 8a in Bruixes (Lleida - Spain), a route with a wide variety of footholds.
Pic© Ignacio Sandoval Burón.


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