So Ill is launching a new line of vintage-inspired climbing shoes.
So Ill is launching a new line of vintage-inspired climbing shoes. (Photo: Courtesy of So Ill)

So Ill Climbing Shoes

Fashion meets performance in these retro-inspired kicks

So Ill is launching a new line of vintage-inspired climbing shoes.
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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

 

 

Lead Photo: Courtesy of So Ill
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