Mad Rock Drone HV Review - The Best Vegan Friendly Climbing Shoes?

Review Summary

TOP PERFORMANCE MEETS COMFORT!
The Mad Rock Drone HV climbing shoes are a perfect combination of performance and comfort. Their wide toe box is perfect for those with wide feet, who are looking to still have a performance shoe for hard climbing.

• Wide toe box for climbers with wide feet
• Molded midsole for increased support and power
• Downturned toe profile
• 3D molded heel for locking your heel into place
• Vegan friendly
• Versatile - a great choice for short and long routes
• Has a black colored version
• Has a low volume version for climbers with narrower feet
• Affordable compared to competitors

Check Prices On Drone HV

From the moment I first put them on, the Mad Rock Drone HV climbing shoes felt different. As someone with wider feet who also looks for vegan-friendly gear, finding a shoe that offered both comfort and genuine performance was a challenge. But after three years of consistent use, multiple resoles, and countless hours on the wall, I can confidently say the Drone HV has been a game-changer for my climbing. They truly are a perfect combination of comfort, sensitivity, and durability, making them my top choice.

Mad Rock Drone HV: Key Features and My Take

The Mad Rock Drone HV boasts several features that make it stand out in the crowded climbing shoe market. Here’s a breakdown of what makes them so special, from my personal experience:

High-Volume Toe Box for a Comfortable Fit

One of the absolute standout features of the Drone HV for me is its high-volume toe box. Having wider feet than most climbers I know, I've always struggled immensely to find climbing shoes that actually fit properly. With most other shoes, my feet feel excessively cramped, far more than they should be, leading to discomfort and hindering my performance.

My Experience
The Drone HV shoes have genuinely provided me with the most comfort, all without any reduction in performance. This high-volume design means ample room for wider feet, ensuring a comfortable fit that doesn't compromise the precision needed for hard climbing. For anyone with wide feet, this feature alone makes them worth considering.

Downturned Toe Profile for Versatile Performance

Beyond its comfortable fit, the Drone HV shoes feature a distinct downturned toe profile. This aggressive shape provides excellent edging capabilities, making it surprisingly easy to tackle steep routes and overhangs. This versatility makes the Drone HV a fantastic option for climbers who want to tackle a range of routes, from technical slab climbing to demanding horizontal problems.

My Experience
For me, the Drone HVs are my absolute go-to shoes for any difficult overhanging routes. Out of all the climbing shoes I own, I genuinely feel they give me the best performance and ability to stick to the wall, even on those truly horizontal problems where every bit of downturn and stickiness counts.

Molded Midsole for Increased Support and Power

The molded midsole is another prominent feature of the Drone HV. It delivers increased support and power, which allows me to push myself to my limits. This extra support makes it easier to stand on tiny holds and maintain my balance, even during the most strenuous bouldering sessions or challenging sport climbs. The shoes' sleek design and high-quality construction make them a popular choice among climbers of all levels.

My Experience
Most of my climbing is bouldering, but for sport climbing, I typically alternate between two shoes: my Evolv Supra and the Drone HV. While my Supra are flat and supportive—great for longer sport routes where comfort is key—they do lack the aggressiveness and grip that downturned shoes provide. This is precisely where the Drone HV steps in and excels. Their molded midsole provides the needed support, and their downturned profile gives me the crucial performance and grip. So, while I might use my Supra for easier climbs, when it comes down to sending those harder projects, I invariably reach for my Drone HV.

3D Molded Heel for Enhanced Support

Another unique feature of the Drone HV is its 3D molded heel cup. It contains a slight "lip" down its middle, designed specifically to help climbers lock their heels into footholds and edges, ensuring you don't pop off the wall during a heel hook.

My Experience
To be honest, the 3D molded heel seemed a bit like a gimmick to me at first, and I even thought it might cause some discomfort. However, after using it for a while, I've actually found it quite helpful. That subtle lip on the heel truly makes a difference in situations where the hold you are hooking your heel on is very small. If there’s any groove or tiny feature in that hold, the lip on the heel will often catch onto it and effectively 'lock' my heel into place, providing surprisingly solid security.

Vegan Friendly Climbing Shoes

For me, being vegan, finding truly vegan climbing shoes was a bit of a challenge. Many shoes are marketed as "synthetic," but upon further research, I often discovered that the glues or other manufacturing materials weren't entirely free of animal products. The Mad Rock Drone HV stands out because it is genuinely and completely vegan, meaning it contains no leather, and the glues used in its manufacturing process are entirely plant-based.

My Experience
Being vegan myself, I found it a little bit difficult to find shoes that were fully vegan, meaning, that do not contain leather, and that don’t use glues containing any animal products in them. There are quite a few shoes that are synthetic, but, upon further research, use glues and other materials that are not synthetic or plant-based. The Drones were one of the first shoes I found that were actually fully vegan, and that actually fit my wide feet.

Affordability and Value

When I compare the Mad Rock Drone HV to other high-performance climbing shoes with similar features, such as the La Sportiva Solution or the Scarpa Instinct VS, the Drone HV consistently stands out for its affordability. In my experience, these shoes offer comparable performance and comfort to their significantly more expensive counterparts. This makes them an excellent value for climbers who are looking for a high-quality, aggressive shoe without having to break the bank. You truly get a lot of bang for your buck with these.

My 3-Year Review of the Mad Rock Drone HV: Durability and Consistent Fit

I bought my first pair of Mad Rock Drone HV shoes about six months after I started climbing. They were a much-needed replacement for my old beginner shoes, and the difference was immediately apparent and hugely impactful on my climbing. As I mentioned, I have pretty wide and flat feet, so finding climbing shoes that actually fit me well was not an easy task. I tried on quite a few different shoes from various brands, but they just didn't accommodate the unique size and shape of my feet.

The Drone HV shoes, however, were a great fit right from the beginning. They were still very tight, as performance climbing shoes should be, but the wide toe box made a huge difference. My feet still had room to breathe a little and didn't have to be extremely cramped up, which was a huge relief.

After three years and three resoles, I can genuinely say that these shoes feel like they have the exact same fit and comfort level as they did when I first bought them. I can confirm this because about two years into owning my first pair, I bought another pair—the Mad Rock Drone HV Black shoes, which are simply a black-colored version of the same model. When comparing my two-year-old resoled pair with the brand new ones, the fit and comfort were remarkably consistent. This makes sense given they are synthetic shoes, which tend to retain their original shape and size much better over time compared to leather shoes that stretch significantly. While individual experiences can vary, my Drones have held their integrity exceptionally well.

The molded heel, initially a bit strange, quickly became a feature I appreciate. I can definitely notice the difference and the potential performance gains from it, especially when heel hooking or pulling on very small holds or edges. They also feature a pretty large honeycomb pattern toe pad, which is very noticeable and sticky when I'm toe hooking, providing excellent friction and security on overhangs.

Black Drone HV - Review Summary

TOP PERFORMANCE MEETS COMFORT! - Black Drone HV
The Mad Rock Black Drone HV climbing shoes are a perfect combination of performance and comfort. Their wide toe box is perfect for those with wide feet, who are looking to still have a performance shoe for hard climbing.

• Wide toe box for climbers with wide feet
• Molded midsole for increased support and power
• Downturned toe profile
• 3D molded heel for locking your heel into place
• Vegan friendly
• Versatile - a great choice for short and long routes
• Has a low volume version for climbers with narrower feet
• Affordable compared to competitors

Check Prices On Black Drone HV

Conclusion: Invest In Your Climbing with the Drone HV

In my opinion, the Mad Rock Drone HV shoes are a top-tier choice for any climber who prioritizes a blend of comfort, sensitivity, and durability. With its high-volume toe box, supportive molded midsole, and effective downturned toe profile, the Drone HV offers truly versatile performance that is perfect for a wide range of climbing styles and body types. Whether you're a beginner looking for a comfortable yet capable first performance shoe, an experienced climber needing a reliable workhorse, or a vegan climber searching for ethical and effective gear, the Drone HV is a shoe that, based on my extensive experience, is sure to meet your needs and exceed expectations. I wholeheartedly recommend giving them a try.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Mad Rock Drone HV

Are the Mad Rock Drone HV good for beginners?

As a reviewer who started with basic shoes, I can tell you the Drone HV might feel a bit aggressive for a complete beginner, but if you have wider feet and are looking for a performance-oriented shoe that's still quite comfortable, they can be a fantastic choice. Their high-volume toe box makes them much more forgiving than other aggressive shoes. I personally upgraded to them after about six months of climbing, and the difference was transformative.

How does the Mad Rock Drone HV compare to other aggressive shoes like the La Sportiva Solution?

From my perspective, the Mad Rock Drone HV offers a level of performance that's very comparable to popular aggressive shoes like the La Sportiva Solution or Scarpa Instinct VS. The key difference for me, especially having wider feet, is the fit. The Drone HV provides a more comfortable experience without sacrificing that aggressive downturn for overhangs and edging. Plus, the affordability of the Drones is definitely a big bonus in my book!

Do the Mad Rock Drone HV shoes stretch much?

In my experience, no, the Mad Rock Drone HV shoes don't stretch much at all. They're made of synthetic materials, and like most synthetic shoes, they retain their original shape and fit really well over time. I've had my first pair for three years and three resoles, and they still fit almost exactly like they did on day one. This consistency is something I really appreciate.

Is the Mad Rock Drone HV truly vegan?

Yes, absolutely! As a vegan climber myself, this was a huge selling point for me. Mad Rock explicitly states that the Drone HV is made without any animal products, including the synthetic upper materials and the glue used in construction. It's one of the few performance shoes out there that genuinely checks all the boxes for a fully vegan product, which was a difficult thing for me to find initially.

What is the ideal sizing for Mad Rock Drone HV?

Sizing can be tricky with any climbing shoe, and it's always personal. For me, with my wide feet, I found that sizing them quite snugly, almost uncomfortably so at first, allowed them to break in perfectly without becoming too loose. I typically wear my street shoe size, or maybe half a size down, but definitely rely on trying them on to ensure the wide toe box feels right for your foot's unique shape without excessive cramping. They should feel very tight, but not painful to the point of cutting off circulation.