Ocun Havoc Climbing Shoes Review

The Ocun Havoc pleasantly surprised me as a reliable tool for both gym and outdoor climbing.

It’s that rare mix: secure on tricky edges, forgiving on sweaty plastic, and comfortable enough that you won’t hate taking it to long sessions. If you’ve struggled to find that Goldilocks fit between ‘slipper’ pain and floppy comfort, the Havoc should absolutely be on your try-on list.

It’s an especially good choice for anyone stepping up to their first performance-oriented shoe, or those bouldering and sport folks looking for a reliable daily driver.

It’s not the most aggressive monster for cave projects, but wow—does it eat limestone edges and techy indoor volumes for breakfast.

The Ocun Havoc caught my attention after a particularly humbling day on the gym’s new spray wall.

My old shoes were rolling off tiny footholds, and I needed something that could edge better on those awkward, sloping shapes.

Plus, the price was a lot friendlier than the “pro” models I kept seeing. I picked up a pair, determined to test them until either they or I gave up. Here’s what happened.

Let’s take a look at what makes this climbing shoe unique.

I won’t sugar coat it: I’m obsessed with good edging. If a shoe rolls or buckles on micro-feet, it’s dead to me. The first real test for the Havoc came on an outdoor limestone arete, where the footholds are about the size of a tic tac.

I remember one move in particular: pulling onto a vertical panel, trusting my right big toe on a dime-sized crimp, and just… waiting to see if the shoe would buckle. It didn’t.

The Havoc’s toe profile is pointed enough that you can really drive power through those front two toes, and the midsoles have enough stiffness to hold your weight without feeling like you’re standing on cardboard.

In the gym, I used these on the 30-degree wall for technical problems, and the shoe inspired confidence even on those nasty, slick fiberglass “chips” that love to spin beneath you.

Edging is probably the Havoc’s biggest strength, and I felt it easily held its own against some pricier Scarpa and La Sportiva models I’ve tried.

Now, to be real, the Havoc isn’t a full-on soft slipper; if you’re obsessed with comp-style smears on huge volumes, there are softer options out there. That said, I had zero issues using these on standard gym volumes and even some desperate “palming and pressing” sequences outside.

The rubber is Ocun’s own CAT 1.5, and while it’s not quite as sticky as something like Stealth or Vibram XS Grip 2, I found it very trustworthy for most smears.

I do remember one ‘uh-oh’ moment on a weird purple slab at the gym. The move was standing up, both feet on a sloping flat triangle. I fully expected to skate, but to my surprise, the shoe held after a bit of weight-shifting.

There’s just enough flex that you can smear, but if all you do is friction climbing, you’ll want something softer.

Real talk: comfort is super subjective, but let me put it this way. I sized my Havocs at EU 42.5 (US Men’s 9.5)—that’s half a size down from my street EU 43 (US Men’s 10).

At first, I won’t pretend—the toe box felt stiff and the tongue folded weird if I cranked the Velcro. But after three solid sessions (about six hours total), the leather upper softened, and I genuinely stopped thinking about my feet between burns.

A critical moment: I wore these for a full three-hour outdoor session—no shoe-doffing between tries. No hot spots, very little pinkie toe pressure, and way less pain than some of the stiffer, more aggressive models I’ve owned.

If you need a shoe for big gym sessions, or you’re moving past “beginner” and can’t stomach the full-on agony some shoes require, the Havoc is a fantastic balance. Not marshmallow soft, but not torture either.

Ocun found a nice middle ground here. The Havoc isn’t so padded that you lose all feel, but it’s firm enough that your feet don’t feel like hamburger after hard edging.

On plastic, I got good feedback for adjusting my feet, and outdoors I could feel just enough through the toe to trust placements without mashing my knuckles.

This came up during a tough techy V5 on our gym’s circuit board—lots of faint, chalky micro holds where I couldn’t fully SEE the foothold. I could actually feel the shoe searching out the pebble.

Not ballerina slipper levels of feedback, but definitely better than the classic stiff all-rounders like the Tarantulace or La Sportiva Origin.

I gave these a serious test at the bouldering gym’s overhanging section. There’s a V6 with a mandatory, heel-toe cam behind a big purple blob, and a few hard toe hooks on volumes.

First time through, the Havoc’s heel cup felt… secure. It’s just padded and shaped enough to really bite on rounded holds, and I NEVER had that slipping feeling even when I yarded down to hang. The toe patch is generous and sticky—plenty of rubber coverage so your toes stay locked in, even on indoor volumes or rock bulges.

I do wish the toe rubber was a tiny bit softer for true comp hook moves, but honestly—I wasn’t expecting the Havoc to nail these moves so well.

It’s a nice surprise, especially for a Ocun shoe at this price point.

What surprised me most? The lack of drama. The break-in period was short, and I wasn’t in a rush to rip them off between burns.

I sent a V6 on a steep wall in these—my actual softest send shoe yet. I spent zero time taping my toes or complaining about dead spots, and that alone is worth a round of applause.

The biggest change was trusting my feet again. I used to waste so much energy worried about rolling off edges.

With the Havoc, it was one less thing to think about. I even started volunteering these shoes to friends who “hate tight shoes” just to watch their face light up after a few catches.

Here’s where the Havoc really stands out: it’s built with medium volume in mind, but the toe box is a bit wider than some shoes, which actually works great for me (I have a Roman/Egyptian foot, which means my first three toes are about the same length, but my big toe is slightly longest).

If you have very narrow feet, you might feel some dead space, but the double Velcro straps let you fine-tune things. The fit feels forgiving for most medium to slightly wide feet, and the shape is snuggly pointed (technical, but not banana-shaped).

• Wide toe box is a plus for Roman and square-ish feet.
• Not ideal for super narrow or super pointed “Greek” feet, unless you size down hard.
• Roomy through the ball, but still holds the heel well (no flop).

Best for Roman and slightly Egyptian foot types. The toe box has a straight edge and isn’t ultra-pointed, so climbers with similarly long first three toes (Roman) or just slightly longer big toe (Egyptian) will love the fit.

If your second toe is way longer (Greek), you might notice bunching.

Best for medium to wide feet—the toe box is roomy enough that wide feet don’t get crunched, but the adjustable dual straps let you dial in the fit for most volumes. Narrow feet might feel some extra space, especially in the toe box.

The Havoc is a unisex shoe, available in both men’s and women’s sizes. As a guy with street size 43 EU (US 10), I easily found my fit, and friends with smaller feet (down to EU 37) found sizes available. It’s a good option for most climbers regardless of gender.

I made the classic mistake and went too tight at first—EU 42 (US Men’s 9). My toes were DYING.

I switched to EU 42.5 and it was perfect: snug, but not sadistic.

• My street size is EU 43 (US 10). I went half a size down for a performance fit, which worked out great.
• If you have a super wide foot, consider your real street size or even half up—you’ll still get performance without the pain.
• For pure comfort or mostly indoor climbing, true-to-size is totally viable; for bouldering and sport, half down is my pick.

The Havoc seems to stretch about a quarter size after break-in—enough to make it comfy, not enough to get baggy.

I’ve now put in about three months (roughly 40-50 indoor and 8 outdoor sessions) on one pair. The sole is showing normal wear, but the toe rand and upper are solid—no delams, no weird holes, no funky smells. The stitching is still tidy, and the Velcro is very grippy.

I did notice some very slight bagginess in the upper after lots of toe hooks, but nothing that changed the performance.

For the money, this shoe lasts longer than most budget or midrange options, as long as you’re not always dragging the toe.

I’ll say it: in a world of $200+ shoes, the Havoc is a bargain for what it delivers. If you’re looking for a dependable shoe that can do hard edging, indoor volume hooks, AND not kill your wallet (or your feet), this is a better ‘daily driver’ than the marketing darlings.

I don’t always recommend “one shoe for it all” but if you’re on a student budget, or just starting to push V4-7 or 5.11-5.12, the Havoc is way more than enough.

If you need max performance on extreme overhangs, you might size down more or grab something more specialized. But for 90 percent of us, it’s a killer deal.

As with anything one size doesn’t fit all. Here are my recommendations.

You’ll want to skip the Havoc if:

• You have extra-narrow or super “Greek” feet (2nd toe much longer than big toe)—it may feel baggy.
• You only climb on mega-steep cave routes (you’ll want a more aggressive downturn).
• Your obsession is comp style, super soft smearing (look for a softer, slipper-like shoe).
• You need max stickiness rubber for glassy granite (it’s grippy, but there’s stickier stuff out there).

If any of this sounds like you, the Havoc is worth a try:

• Intermediate or ambitious beginner climbers ready for real shoe performance.
• Climbers with medium to wide feet, or those who like a roomier toe box.
• Anyone doing a mix of sport climbing and bouldering.
• Those bumping up grades who need serious edging, but are afraid of ‘pro’ shoe pain.
• People who value comfort and value—not just the logo club.