Should Red Chili’s New Clue Be Your Next Gym Slipper?

Our Thoughts

Red Chili’s Voltage 2 had been my go-to gym shoe for years, so I was excited to test the brand’s first-ever slipper. Crafted for optimal sensitivity, the Clue features a single-strap closure and an aggressive, moderately asymmetrical downturn. Red Chili describes it as “the ideal choice for bouldering problems, slabs, and demanding overhang climbing,” and our testers agree that if you are looking for a performance gym slipper, the Clue is a solid choice. “The design of the shoe creates a noticeable tension, achieved through the midsole, without employing stiff edging rubber. This tension provides decent edging without causing discomfort to the Achilles tendon,” says Logan Dirksen.

While the Clue’s Vibram XS Grip rubber performed passably on slabs, steep volumes, and dihedrals, testers said they preferred the feel of Vibram’s XS Grip 2 compound. This higher performance rubber, which is only available in Scarpa and La Sportiva shoes, felt anecdotally stickier than the Clue’s XS rubber.

Across the brand, one of Red Chili’s strengths is the design of shoe’s tongue (the Voltage 2’s polyester knit tongue is a standout), and the Clue continues this trend. The elastic, webbed fabric allows for ample ventilation and slight cushion should you cinch the closure strap extra tight for a send go. The strap and buckle avoided any pain points that testers experienced with other single-strap slippers.

In Climbing‘s yearly review of the best new shoes, tester Justen Sjong—a climbing coach and impressive all-around climber who has established 5.14 big walls on El Capitan—noted the shoe’s great grabbing ability—an 8 out of 10—thanks to its ample flex (you can manually sandwich the Clue both upward and downward) and sticky, and half-length sole. “This is a great shoe for the intermediate to advanced climber who climbs in the gym 80 percent of the time and 20 percent outside on 10-degree or steeper rock,” said Sjong. The semi-stiff midsole also offered some edging/jibbing bite, enabling us to climb indoors up to V7 and 5.12+ on semi-small to small jibs.

Comfort

The comfort level of this shoe is highly dependent on your foot’s shape. Testers with average or wide, square feet found the Clue painfully narrow. “Even though I tend to downsize my shoes quite aggressively, the discomfort on the sides of my feet emerged before any pressure on my toes did,” Dirksen says. The thin layer of rubber on the heel also makes it difficult and uncomfortable to heel hook securely. “The heel cup is very tight and shallow; it’s the worst part of the shoe for me,” tester Ozzy Vega says. We can only recommend the Clue to people with pointed, slender feet.

Sizing

Size down from your typical Red Chili size. I wear a 40 in street shoes, a 41 in the Voltage 2, and a 39 in the Clue. Our testers found that they wore the same sizes in the Red Chili Clue as they did in La Sportiva’s Katana and Theory.

Buy the Clue on Backcountry.com for $165.

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