La SportivaKatana Lace Climbing Shoe

I'll open with a little context on my journey to get these shoes:I own a pair of La Sportiva Nago and La Sportiva Otaki, both in 44 (I am street size 10.5). The Nagos were my first pair and the have been my all-around indoor climbing shoe and fit somewhat loose (they 'fart' when I walk due to small air pockets in the heel) but they are grippy enough and I could wear them all day. They have a few months left in them but are starting to wear. I had purchased the Otaki as my second pair, and for a few months they felt great--tight but doable and great as progressed from beginner to beginner-intermediate. But then one day, I don't know if because of an injury or what, the left shoe became unbearable to wear. I don't quite have Morton's foot, but my second toe is a little long and in the toebox of the Otaki it would bend and hinge and at the joint it felt painful, so much so that I had to stop wearing them.After a failed attempt at Scarpa's instinct VS size 44, I checked out a few brands and models at my gym store and arrived at the conclusion that for more aggressive shoes, my fit was more of a 44.5Enter the Katanas: I ordered these in 44.5 and they are amazing. I've just started wearing them today, but they feel great in every sense. Tight but not painful, as a climbing shoe should be. And they look fantastic too!These are really what I needed as I'm occasionally trying some 5.11 and 5.12 routes at the gym, as well as some bouldering requiring a slightly aggressive shoe. These are aggressive enough, but very comfortable. The lace is a great plus as it helps the shoe conform to the foot much better, and the shoe's tongue is slightly padded, which makes them a little warm (not necessarily good--I don't like sweaty feet) but also very comfortable to wear. My only negative is that they can be a little scratchy at the heel, but I've used them a bit and so far nothing serious (such as blisters or soreness) have resulted so I'm thinking that as they break in this issue will likely subside. In any case, it is not something that bothers me too much.

Toe engagement is great. I sized down and the break in process sucked. Way worse the beginner shoes. Climbing they are great for small holds and general precision. Smears are not so good, that's not what these shoes are for. They have forced me to learn to be more precise with my feet.Priced high but I feel tou get what tou pay for with them.For breaking in shoes I had ti use the plastic bag on my heal trick to get then to slide on and off. Really strong attachment of heel onto foot great for heel hooks. Very happy with shoes.

These shoes will climbing the smallest little footholds and give you absolute confidence you aren’t gonna slip. I’ve been climbing a few years now and I’ve never felt so solid edging. I’m using them to Boulder and sport climb and have found them to be extremely versatile. The only place they may fall behind on is toe hooks and steep overhanging bouldering. I used mountain footwear project to size these correctly and they are my new absolute favorite climbing shoe. 10/10 recommend buying these

I like the shoes very much. But I got some dead space in the heel now, so my heel hooks suck :) bec I don't feel anything. The shoes stretched a bit, my heels hanging in an air pocket, but the shoe still cuts into my achilles making a blister.I couldn't go half a size down, because I would die, so laces compensate for that a little bit. I am going to use them only for sport climbing now, where I didn't get to too many heel hooks level yet. The shoes helped me to improve my feet placement precision a lot.I gave 4 stars because the shoes wouldn't stretch enouph in my toe box so I couldn't go a half size down. I also have a bit trouble smearing, they are not very flexible, but it's a very minor issue. The shoes weren't obviously intended to do a lot of smearing.

Great shoe. On my 3rd pair.Something I learned about climbing shoes, sizing isn't just about length but foot volume. In-general, if you have a low-volume foot you'll likely want to size down. If you have a high-volume foot, it'll fit true to size. I'm a 10.5D in brannock and a 11D in mot athletic shoes. This fits perfectly in a size 44.It's lined and made from synthetic leather which means it'll stretch very little. (Unlined shoes made from natural leather will stretch a lot by comparison). You'll want it to fit comfortably when you try it on.The shoe itself is excellent all-around but best on tiny edges and crack climbing. Most boulderers prefer a less-structured and more agile shoe.

Cons: These shoes really dig into the back of your heel and the sides around the opening flare out even if you lace up very tight.Pros: Very good grip and high quality construction. These shoes are pretty easy to put on with the two tabs in the back and can be laced up to be tight were you want them and looser where you need it.

Grips to everything! I wanted more technique than aggression, and this is just what I needed. My buddy wears the Miura, and whether it's the aggressive styling of the shoe or how much he's downsized, he has to take it off frequently. At first this felt a little narrow on my feet, but after wearing them for a few sessions, I can wear these comfortably for 3+ hours at a time. Get the lace! It doesn't take much longer to put on/take off than the velcro.

Maybe go up a size! I had another La Sportiva shoe and bought the same size. They are so tight I don't know if I can pull them off :(