Hi-Tec Scimitar Shoe
9 out of 18 people found this review helpful
Summary: Nice, light and durable.January 11th, 2007
I got a pair of these about the time of the 06 Summer Nationals. I really liked the look as I think they are a bit better looking than the Blades or the new Adidas. They would not be my first choice in style, but considering that "new age silver" or "70's bowling shoe" seem to be the only two looks in fencing shoes nowadays, I will take these and be happy!
These shoes are very light and breathable. The light weight gives a very close feel to the strip. The tread pattern and sole material gives very good grip on wood or metal surfaces and allow for very fast direction changes. If you do fence on a metal piste, the extra protection of the expanded "abrasion zone" will increase the life of the shoe. Also, the fact that this area is a hardened synthetic and not leather means you can wear the shoes outside from the salle to the car without worrying about them getting wet and dissolving on you.
Another nice feature is that the insoles are easy to remove and replace. They just lift right out and you stick you new ones in. A nice feature since I usually wear out the insides of my shoes before the outside and a great benefit for people who use inserts or supports.
The stability of the shoes is great, and given how light they are I am actually a bit surprised that they give you as much support as they do. The rounded heel is great for fencing footwork and the slightly flared outside lip/edge of the sole has kept me from rolling an ankle a time or two on an action that went bad.
There are only two downsides I have found may be "me" specific. I have found them to be a little looser/roomier in the toe box than the blades, and if I fence all day in them I will get a nasty blister on the top of my toe even though I wear two pairs of socks. The other downside is that I rarely fence on cheese grader strips and am getting a little old to move really, really fast. As such, for me I am not sure the extra money is worth it over the Blades. However if you fence on metal pistes more than 4 times a year or like a lightweight shoe that can really move you, they are a very good choice.
These shoes are very light and breathable. The light weight gives a very close feel to the strip. The tread pattern and sole material gives very good grip on wood or metal surfaces and allow for very fast direction changes. If you do fence on a metal piste, the extra protection of the expanded "abrasion zone" will increase the life of the shoe. Also, the fact that this area is a hardened synthetic and not leather means you can wear the shoes outside from the salle to the car without worrying about them getting wet and dissolving on you.
Another nice feature is that the insoles are easy to remove and replace. They just lift right out and you stick you new ones in. A nice feature since I usually wear out the insides of my shoes before the outside and a great benefit for people who use inserts or supports.
The stability of the shoes is great, and given how light they are I am actually a bit surprised that they give you as much support as they do. The rounded heel is great for fencing footwork and the slightly flared outside lip/edge of the sole has kept me from rolling an ankle a time or two on an action that went bad.
There are only two downsides I have found may be "me" specific. I have found them to be a little looser/roomier in the toe box than the blades, and if I fence all day in them I will get a nasty blister on the top of my toe even though I wear two pairs of socks. The other downside is that I rarely fence on cheese grader strips and am getting a little old to move really, really fast. As such, for me I am not sure the extra money is worth it over the Blades. However if you fence on metal pistes more than 4 times a year or like a lightweight shoe that can really move you, they are a very good choice.
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