The Blackwing is a more comfortable velcro version of the highly aggressive, , for those of you that aren't quite ready to tame the bouldering beast. Still highly asymmetric, heavily downturned, and with only a thin 3.5 mm layer of Stealth® HF™ rubber that makes it incredibly sensitive, the only differences from the Dragon, other than the velcro closure, are the wider toe box and perforated tongue. Whereas the Dragon's fit extremely tight (everywhere), the Blackwing doesn't compress the toes as much, and the perforated tongue increases breathability and comfort in the forefoot. This makes the Blackwing slightly heavier and bulkier than its purist brother, but its easier on-offs and more foot-friendly design make it ideal for climbers on longer boulder problems or very technical sport routes where comfort comes into play.

With a synthetic upper, the Blackwing will have the absolute minimum amount of stretch. They are intended to be fit extremely snugly to achieve the highest level of performance possible, so bear that in mind when sizing. You can always use our size comparison chart to help you.