Intro/Background:

Ocuns intermediate offering at a great price designed to cover all angles.

Ocun have been making the Jett LU, and QC it’s velcro sibling, for a few years now and it has been a popular model with their range their vast range of climbing shoes. Coming in at a great price point of £70 at the time of this review, they certainly appeal where most climbing shoes are often well above the £100 range these days. 

How do they stack up with Ocuns ambitious aim of providing us all with an affordable and functional option?

Function:

Medium stiffness, lace up customisable fit and Ocuns own CAT 1.5 rubber coming together for versatility.

The Jetts are designed to work across the board from Indoor sessions at your local wall to Trad Multi-pitch routes giving you a one pair option to give you what you need. Functional climbing ability.

They are definitely more in line with slabby and vertical face climbing over super steep terrain but precision is a benefit across all angles of climbing which the Jett focuses on.

Fit/Sizing:

A narrow-medium width with customisable lace up design for a great fit and adjustability.

The Jett LUs come in similarly to many of Ocuns shoes which are fairly parallel  in width along the length of the shoe with a more pointed toe box. Ocun describe them as a wider fit but I personally feel these are more a narrow-medium fit which is quite similar to the fit of Unparallel shoes. A flat last also offers an increase in comfort and smearing ability.

I went down a full UK size from my street shoe size for my pair which offered a tight enough fit for me to feel confident edging whilst comfortable on longer trad routes. I do have wider feet but could still get a good fit at this sizing though wouldn’t be able to go down anymore due to the width of the shoe. Having spoken with multiple other climbers who have worn the Jett LUs and QCs for a while it seems a full size or one and half UK sizes down from street shoe would be perfect for most climbers out there.

The Jetts are lower profile vertically in the toe box than a lot of shoes out there giving them a benefit for those wanting to go for a more comfort orientated fit as it keeps the toe box snug around the toes without having to downsize to eye watering levels.

A synthetic upper offers comfort with minimal stretch of approximately half a size over time, alongside a leather insole which increases this further for the sole of the foot. Due to the insole though, this is not a Vegan shoe.

Forefoot:

A pointed toe box, CAT 1.5 rubber and a great low volume crack climbing profile give a precise feel to the Jett.

Starting with the unsung hero of the climbing shoe world in my eyes. Ocun make their own sticky rubber compound called CAT 1.5 which stands for Climbing Adhesion Technology with the 1.5 referring to their performance compound. Ocuns rubber is very sticky and on the softer end of the spectrum leading to the rubber moulding well around footholds as you edge and smear. It isn’t too soft though to roll giving stability alongside its great adhesion. I found the CAT 1.5 to be a top performing rubber compound that features on both the Jett LUs as well as their top of the line Nitros which were worn by Kyra Condie in the Tokyo Olympics to show it can truly perform at the top levels. 

The profile of the toe box is quite pointed with a focus on the second toe giving it a profile well suited to getting into marginal pockets with ease. It is also quite low volume which increases the performance for foot jamming within thinner crack features as there is nothing worse than realising those hyper downturned shoes you always wanted are too big to get into that foot jam when above gear or the bolt. I found them to be precise when standing on edges giving me confidence to stand on all the edges I could find in them.

A medium stiffness midsole provides a steady platform to hold on the smaller edges out there whilst allowing enough flexibility to smear really well with the flat last also helping here. I enjoyed the Jetts on slabby terrain for this reason as covering a range of foot holds felt great even on the mirror like limestone quarried walls of Fairy Cave Quarry in Somerset. Running out above gear left me with no doubt in my shoes for confidence meaning I was just left with my doubt in my own ability instead…

I have used these in a wide range of angles including steep bouldering where they performed better than expected though some will find the lack of a toe patch restrictive. I do not hold this as a negative as they just aren’t the shoes for super over hanging technical toe hooking but standing on holds at all angles still felt just as good throughout my time with them.

Heel:

A solid comfortable fit from a minimal and basic construction.

Now the heel cup of the Jett fits my feet well with no bagging to the sides of my foot which can often plague the more affordable shoes out there. This is a massive benefit as there’s nothing more annoying than excess fabric or rubber sticking out away from your heel full of air making you wonder if the original designers know what a human heel is actually shaped like. It turns out the team at Ocun are in the know and the Jetts did not suffer from this at all!

Now there is no hiding that it is a more minimal design than some of the more higher end shoes out there from both other brands and Ocun themselves. The heel is consistent and performs well, sticking nicely in use. You can tell that this is possibly where Ocun have saved some time to keep the price at a nice low point in the market as the spine of the heel is clean cut on either side leaving it smooth and possibly slightly less grippy as a result. I never noticed this in actual use and it seemed to stick perfectly well for all I could throw at it both indoors and outdoors but something I have to mention. For a more comfortable and less aggressive offering all round it still holds its own in this department giving Ocun plenty to hold their head high about with the Jetts Heel.

Conclusion:

A very solid performer that performs well above its price point.

It must be said that I was really surprised at just how well the Jetts performed. The rubber is genuinely incredibly sticky, the fit/comfort are spot on around my foot whilst remaining precise and the durability held up throughout my time in them perfectly.

At a price point just above that of most beginner shoes out there they come in offering an affordable option whilst maintaining quality and performance. Face climbing is where they perform at their best though they are still more versatile than you might imagine. They are not an out and out aggressively down turned shoe and you know what? That’s just fine by me as they still hold up.

Ocun seem to be gaining popularity over the last couple of years with their top of the line models such as the Nitro and Bullit but make sure to look up the Jetts which could save your wallet and do everything you need from them. 

I prefer the lace up closure system for the more adjustable fit a lace up provides but the QC velcro version is just as good and look just as striking with its bright green accents.

Now you know the Jetts are a great bet all that’s left is for us to all know how to say the brands name properly…Let me hear you say it…OAT-SOON!

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Manufacturer Description:

The Jett LU climbing shoes combine precision with the comfort you will appreciate on long climbing day. It has a perfectly fitting shape and thanks to the lace leading to the tip, you can tighten it exactly according to your needs. It has a sticky CAT 1.5 outsole and full-length rubber sole for added performance. Seamless heel and breathable tongue ensure your comfort.

• Asymmetrical last with roomier instep and toe box
  • Lacing down to the toe gives a perfect fit
  • Lacing on the toe is covered to protect from abrasion
  • Full-length rand and highly adhesive sole with our sticky CAT 1.5 rubber mixture
  • Stiff insole for greater stability on small footholds
  • Breathable tongue and seamless heel for greater comfort