Evolv Zenist
Evolv
The Zenist is a soft, moderately downturned velcro shoe from Evolv for bouldering and sport climbing. Typically sized at street size. Of 9 user reports, 7 find the heel loose and 8 rate the forefoot perfect. In stock at 14 shops from 58.07 EUR.
Completely redesigned upper for 2026 with a glove-like sock fit and a single strap. Evolv's softest and most sensitive shoe, rated PSR 1: only a 1mm tensioned rubber midsole under the forefoot, a 3.5mm EVO 74 split outsole and an oversize toe patch, built for smearing, toe hooking and heel hooking on volumes and boards. 200g per shoe. Fully vegan.
Best For
Best for bouldering and sport climbing on overhang and roof terrain. Aimed at advanced to elite climbers.
Among the 469 adult climbing shoes we track, the Zenist ranks in the top 4% for hooking, the top 8% for sensitivity and the top 9% for smearing.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Zenist strengths
- The softest shoe in the Evolv line for smearing and volume work
- Oversize toe patch built for toe hooks
- Very light at 400g per pair
Zenist trade-offs
- Almost no midsole support on small edges
- Soft rubber wears faster on abrasive outdoor rock
How the Zenist fits
Typically sized at street size.
Size for a snug but comfortable fit.
Fit profile: medium width, standard forefoot volume, narrow heel, suits egyptian toe shapes.
No stretch expected; minimal break-in.
How it fit climbers with your foot shape: fit reports from feet like yours.
Zenist fit reports
Based on fit feedback from 9 owners who measured their feet with the climbing-gear.com foot scanner and rated this shoe at the toes, forefoot and heel (tight, perfect or loose).
Typical downsize: +0.0 EU from street size (n=9).
- Fits best for: narrow forefoot, low instep, medium instep height
- Runs tight for: short toes, medium heel width, deep heel
- Runs loose for: long toes, narrow heel
- Toes: 44% perfect (n=9) - 4 perfect, 3 tight, 2 loose. Mixed signals across foot types.
- Forefoot: 89% perfect (n=9) - 8 perfect, 1 tight, 0 loose. Fits well for narrow forefoot, low instep, medium instep height
- Heel: 11% perfect (n=9) - 1 perfect, 1 tight, 7 loose. Mixed signals across foot types.
Stiffness
Measured stiffness: 0.30 on our 0-1 scale (0 = softest). Among moderately downturned shoes it sits between the EB Nebula 3.0 (0.24, softer) and the Scarpa Instinct VSR (0.38, stiffer).
Zenist specifications
| Brand | Evolv |
| Model | Zenist |
| Closure | Velcro |
| Downturn | Moderate |
| Asymmetry | Moderate |
| Toe Patch | Full |
| Heel Rubber | Full |
| Ankle Protection | None |
| Midsole | Forefoot |
| Midsole Stiffness | Soft |
| Rand | Tensioned |
| Upper Material | Synthetic |
| Weight (pair) | 400 g (14.1 oz) |
| Break-in | Minimal |
| Rubber | TRAX EVO 74 |
| Rubber Thickness | 3.5mm |
| Rubber Hardness | Soft |
| Durability | Low, Moderate |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Resoleable | Yes |
| Kids | No |
What the Zenist costs
Prices checked 15 Oct 2026 across 14 shops that currently stock it (58.07 to 150.00 EUR). Cheapest current offer: 58.07 EUR at bananafingers.co.uk, 61% below the 150.00 EUR list price.
| Retailer | Price |
|---|---|
| bananafingers.co.uk | 58.07 EUR |
| snowleader.com | 77.50 EUR |
| bergfreunde.de | 103.97 EUR |
| deporvillage.com | 104.95 EUR |
| oliunid.de | 108.90 EUR |
| epictv.com | 108.90 EUR |
| bergzeit.de | 114.95 EUR |
| sport-conrad.com | 119.95 EUR |
| verticalextreme.de | 127.50 EUR |
| skalnik.pl | 128.49 EUR |
| + 4 more shops | |
Prices by size
Cheapest in-stock price per EU size and how many shops list that size, from the EU pool. Updated daily.
| EU size | From | Shops |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 108.90 EUR | 2 |
| 35.5 | 58.07 EUR | 3 |
| 36.5 | 119.90 EUR | 1 |
| 37 | 103.97 EUR | 2 |
| 37.5 | 103.97 EUR | 5 |
| 38 | 114.95 EUR | 5 |
| 38.5 | 119.90 EUR | 6 |
| 39 | 114.95 EUR | 8 |
| 39.5 | 104.95 EUR | 9 |
| 40 | 114.95 EUR | 9 |
| 40.5 | 119.90 EUR | 10 |
| 41 | 119.90 EUR | 11 |
| 41.5 | 114.95 EUR | 12 |
| 42 | 119.90 EUR | 12 |
| 42.5 | 119.90 EUR | 11 |
| 43 | 119.90 EUR | 12 |
| 43.5 | 119.90 EUR | 12 |
| 44 | 104.95 EUR | 13 |
| 44.5 | 114.95 EUR | 11 |
| 45 | 114.95 EUR | 12 |
| 45.5 | 119.90 EUR | 9 |
| 46 | 104.95 EUR | 9 |
| 46.5 | 103.97 EUR | 9 |
| 47 | 114.95 EUR | 9 |
| 48 | 119.95 EUR | 4 |
| 48.5 | 135.90 EUR | 3 |
| 49.5 | 160.00 EUR | 1 |
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Prices, stock and owner fit data on this page update daily. You are welcome to cite these figures if you name climbing-gear.com and link to this page - see our data terms.