Last updated on April 8th, 2023 at 05:30 am
Part of what we do here at Climbing Shoe Review is to shed light on what shoes the professionals wear; Honnold, Ondra, Sharma – if you can name them – we probably know every shoe they have worn.
But in this day and age, it’s not just the pros that are making headlines for their ascents. Some of the biggest names Hollywood has to offer have been tying in and chalking up. Do names like Zac Efron or Jared Leto ring any bells?
Some movie stars have taken their passion for climbing even further. So iLL, an apparel company, announced in 2018 that they were teaming up with Jason Momoa, also known as Aquaman or that big dude from G.O.T, to work on some climbing-related collaborations.
Momoa is a big guy, so I doubt we will be seeing him crushing 5.15 any time soon but this Hollywood A-lister seems to be into his climbing. His love for climbing started after his mom took him camping in The Needles as a young Dothraki. Momoa’s passion grew from there and continued to boulder in Colorado while in college, as well as he was backpacking around the world.
What climbing shoes does Jason Momoa wear?
As of 2018, Momoa has his own climbing shoe line, the So iLL Momoa Pro.
The So iLL x On The Roam collab has an interesting backstory. Jason met Dave and Daniel Chancellor, the brothers that founded So iLL, while climbing in Red Rocks. This was before either Momoa or the brothers had found mainstream success. They reconnected latterly and brought together this awesome collab.
Correct me if I’m wrong (seriously, drop a comment or shoot me an email) but this is the first time I can recall that a Hollywood A-lister has teamed up for a climbing collab. That in itself is a small testament to how big climbing has become. Pretty cool right?
To mark the occasion, we have had a look at Jason Momoa’s climbing shoe collection. Let’s get started.
SPOILER ALERT: If you are looking for anything other than climbing shoes on this list, you will be disappointed. Here are the links to his other So iLL merch:
– Eco Camo Dirt Bag
– Chalk Bag
– Bouldering mat
– Masks
So iLL x On The Roam
Momoa Pro
Let’s kick this list off with the Momoa Pro, Jason’s signature shoe and a cornerstone of this climbing collab.
The first thing that jumps out about Jason Momoa’s climbing shoes is how great they look. Like the rest of its gear, So iLL shakes off those old-school mountaineering vibes and brings a bit of street cred to the climbing scene. Although style should never be the most important decision on which shoe you buy, this one certainly does tick that box, wherever it lies on your priority list.
Because the shoe uses a neutral last, a still midsole and Dark Matter rubber, the Momoa Pro seems to be made for beginners or gym rats looking for a workhorse shoe. This style of shoe will naturally lend itself better to edging and smearing.
Although I can’t promise you they were made by the big guy himself, every pair is handmade in California, which is pretty cool.
DISCLAIMER: We haven’t had a chance to try these shoes out, so we can’t give you a real insight into these shoes’ performance. The shoe seems to share some of the winning qualities of the Anasazi Blanco, but I have seen some questions raised about the quality of the Dark Matter rubber. Hopefully, we will have a full review for you soon!
Evolv Agro
The days before Aquaman’s fishy feet were wrapped in So iLL, it seems like Momoa was a fan of the Evolv Agro.
Momoa is known for his sharp fashion sense, so his choice of shoes really doesn’t surprise me. Hell, I bought the Agro for the exact same reason. These are one of the coolest looking climbing shoes ever IMO.
The Evolv Agro seemed to be Momoa’s go-to shoe between 2016 – 2018. He even did a photo shoot for GQ where the Agro’s made an appearance.
If you know anything about Jason Momoa’s climbing interest, then you probably already know that he and climbing legend Chris Sharma are pretty tight.
I assume this probably influenced his decision to don a pair of Evolv climbing shoes (Sharma’s sponsor at the time) because there is plenty of video of these two crushing ascents together. Bouldering in the Buttermilks, working some routes at Sharma Climbing in Barcelona, or just messing around on his home wall, the Agros were there for it all.
I have personally used these shoes extensively both indoors and outdoors, and while the upper rubber is probably a bit overkill, this shoe left plenty to be desired. Unfortunately, the Agro didn’t make the cut for Evolv’s 2021 collection, but we still think this is a great shoe nonetheless.
Five Ten Moccasym
The oldest evidence I could find of Jason Momoa climbing seems to start around 2015.
In the early days, his shoe of choice was the Five Ten Moccasym, a shoe that has been powering climbers for decades. This shoe might not have the modern features of the So iLL or Evolv shoes but the Moccasym shouldn’t be underestimated.
This shoe has pretty revolutionary when it was first leased in the mid-’90s and is one of the best slipper climbing shoes ever. The legendary stealth rubber has powered climbing legends like Dean Potter, Tommy Caldwell, and even Chris Sharma for over two decades.
There’s plenty of evidence of Momoa putting the Stealth C4 rubber to good use, including a family bouldering trip in Spain, a climbing comp at Sharma Climbing, as well as messing around on his home wall.
Jason Momoa FAQ
Is Jason Momoa a good climber?
For being such a big guy, Momoa is a pretty good climber. Let me be clear, he won’t be crushing any double-digit bouldering problems any time soon. Considering how much he weighs (214 lbs!) it’s pretty impressive that he can drag himself up an overhang.
I mean, look at the size of him next to Alex Honnold!
The real ones to watch out for are the young Momoas, from what Jason shares on Instagram, they seem like a couple of little crushers!
Sam Laird
A lifelong climber and shoe geek. His first shoe was the OG Scarpa Helix, although his shoe collection has grown to unhealthy levels in the last 20 years. When he’s not getting shut down on V2 gym slabs, Sam is backpacking around the world in pursuit of his next big adventure.