Ive been climbing for about 8 or 10 months now, its July now, and my first pair of shoes were the Evolv Defy VTR... i wear a size 11 in regular tennis shoes and when i got the VTR's i bought them in a 10.5 (which stretched to about a size 11-11.5... i have come to like my shoes tighter for heel hooks and more "overhangy" routes, so i went and got some of these Pontas in a size 10. these shoes are GREAT! they do stretch (as all Evolvs do) more than i would like but the edging is great in these shoes. I try my best not to smear too much to save the rubber, but i have climbed in these shoes 3-5 days a week for about 4 months inside and outside and the fit is perfect (while just barely loose in the toe box but NO heel slippage) and the rubber on the toe is still in great shape. the back of the heel is quite high and snug and when i first got them i had blisters on the back of my feet on my achilles but the shoes broke in very well and that is all gone now.i wouldn't recommend these as a FIRST shoe (kinda pricy and break in took a while), but they are a great shoe for me climibng V2s and 3s in the gym and outside.