So Ill Climbing Shoes
Fashion meets performance in these retro-inspired kicks
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Climbing shoes just got a whole lot better looking thanks to So Ill.
The St. Louis, Missouri-based company, which has been making climbing holds for over ten years and operates one of the top-ranked gyms in the country, partnered with a French footwear designer to create six models of shoes that bring bright colors and vintage aesthetics to this otherwise drab segment of gear. “I think a lot of brands have lost touch with millennials,” So Ill owner Daniel Chancellor, 33, told Outside. “We’re catering to a new generation.”
Of course, the shoes also perform. The main rubber compound, called Dark Matter, was originally developed for the Navy SEALs and makes the outsoles both sticky and durable. The outsoles also come in various colors, adding yet another touch of character.
So far the company has raised 800 percent of its Kickstarter goal. And there's still two weeks to go.
From $69, soillholds.com