Thursday, February 12, 2009

Real Talk Shoe Review

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After making a LONG thought-out and VERY GOOD move to La Sportiva I have noticed a different approach in my climbing. Its nothing SO profound or strength related, but rather what tools I will be using. Climbing all the time in many different areas calls for different tools for the terrain. In my 12 years of climbing I have ALWAYS thought of the most important and intimate tool for the game to be your shoes. One of the best shoes I have worn is the Scarpa Mago. Perfect for every angle and designed for the highest performance. There is usually one shoe you use over and over that you trust and KNOW how to use. I have usually just trusted in using ONE shoe and switching between pairs can be sort of confusing and take a minute to adjust to. Since I have entered the world of La Sportiva shoes I can say this with total confidence…..La Sportiva offers a top notch shoe for every climbing practice possible. There is THE shoe for whatever the job may be, each model is THE best shoe you can put to the test for that specific terrain.

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I have been overtaken by the Testarossa. The is the top dog shoe in my artillery. I prefer a super down-tuned shoe, medium soft, and allows you to grab with your toes. This is the way I climb and use my feet. The Testarossa has ZERO deadspace in the entire shoe which is KEY for fit and trust. I fit this joint as small as I can get on my foot. TIGHT. This shoe thus far is my weapon of choice. The only down-side of this shoe…..well, the Ronald McDonald colors….but at the same time, this shoe is impossible to miss.

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The second shoe I have been using is the Solution. I try to pull this one out every chance I get. I climbed a REALLY steep 5.13c in these kicks yesterday and I think I have finally leanred how the shoe works. It comes down to the strong points with this shoe, such as the TOE…and the HEEL….ABSOLUTELY SICK design. New School too. Injection molded heal that comes higher up on your achilles tendon than most do. Protection. ALSO…the heel is kind of stiff and burly, rather than soft, which slips on techy heel hooks. The toe is insane. The shoe is downturned like hell and STILL has a small downturned beak at the tip of the shoe (toe box). With the toe rubber for toe hooking and scissoring your feet this is a BOMB shoe. The only down side….it will stretch more than I thought. ALL climbing shoes stretch, it is just a matter of how much. Most size this one a half size larger than other Sportiva shoes, I would stay with my usual size. I would have to say this is my favorite as well…ON the SAME level with the Testarossa, only I would choose this joint for steeper, more hooking oriented climbing. Amazing…simply said.

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The other in my artillery is the CLASSIC Miura. This has been a HUGE breath of fresh air at the Virgin River Gorge. Everyone seems to be using this shoe for that wall. THE most popular edging shoe in the game. What I like most about this shoe is the slight downturned last with a toe that will still flatten out for standing hard on small footies. If there is a high footy the downturned last still allows you to grab and rock onto it. The only downside….NONE…. AMAZING shoe for the technical terrain that to me is the all-arounder-high-performer. The most trusted in shoe on the market.

20 comments

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peter - February 12, 2009 - 3:59 pm

Agree with everything, Joe. The Miura is also really good in techy situations where smearing is necessary. Also – as an indoor shoe the venom is unmatched for those plastic pullin’ gym rats out there. Of course, you don’t really have to worry about such things too often . Keep on keepin’ on.
-Peter

Jake AKA Dweez nuts - February 12, 2009 - 6:36 pm

Good choice Joe la sportiva is great!!! the Testarossa, solution and venom are my three favorite shoes i have ever worn. hope your doing good man!!!

Fredrik - February 12, 2009 - 11:54 pm

I agree for most part and use La sportiva Testarossa, Solution and Venom. But – what I sometimmes miss is a really good heel. The Solution heel sucks… well maybe not, but it’s just to stiff – like wearing clogs. The heel on Testarossa is often a bit too soft – and there is some air between shoe and foot so the grip is not optimal. Venom I think has the best heel f the three, but sometimes a slipper just dont do the trick when it comes to aggressive heelhooking.

Lu - February 13, 2009 - 9:19 am

Joe, I’ve been debating with the Solution for sport climbing, as all the reviews tend to focus on them in the context of bouldering..thoughts? I tend to prefer to stick to one shoe for both (for convenience and cost).

admin - February 13, 2009 - 9:27 am

These are great comments I gotta say I like dorking out on product technicality like shoes.

Lu. Solution is awesome for both. If I had to choose one for both I would most likely go with the Testarossa. If I had to choose ONE shoe…it would be that. My friend Gabor uses only that particular shoe for ALL styles of climbing and is super confident in that decision. Good luck hommie.

Fredrik…The heel on the Solution is stiff…for some reason I like it and it works well, but I have heard others say the don’t approve as well. It sounds like I should try the Venoms huh? I will forward this info man….these are valuable comments.

The folks at La Sportiva is reading this, so comment away on what you like and dislike….go for it!!!

kw - February 13, 2009 - 9:30 am

For those of us thinking of purchasing, can you list your street shoe size and narrow/wide foot along with the size of the La Sportivas you wear? It helps a ton for comparison when ordering online. Thanks for the great info!

admin - February 13, 2009 - 9:38 am

I wear a 10.5 or 11 in street shoes and 38.5 in Sportiva. My Solutions are 39.

sock hands - February 13, 2009 - 10:20 am

joe: for whatever reason, the heel on the testarossas seems to get better as the shoe breaks in. i think there may be a veneer of glue or something on the new shoes that wears off over time to make them stick better later… in any event, the muiras seem to work best for the type of insane tension heel hooking that would normall peel a shoe right off… like heel hooking a sloping rail, around an arete, or similar.

the solutions tend to excell on all terrain and seem to have the perfect balance of feel and power once they’ve been broken in. in many respects, the solutions tend to be my go-to for steep edging and powerful climbing on small holds, as well as toe-hooking intensive lines, while i use the testarossas when the heel hooking will be more severe.

i have no idea how joe wears a 39 solution with a 10.5 or 11 street shoe. rubber foot bones?

for what it’s worth, i’ve included my own shoe sizing comparison chart, below, that i’ve emailed to other folks… note that slippers and velcro shoes are sized down more than lace ups, though i wear all shoes at the tight, but comfortable level after they’ve been broken in and not the searing foot pain level. some of the models will feel tight before breaking in at the sizes listed, but will settle in perfectly. i listed non-sportiva sizes for those who looking to convert, though i’ve never broken in a pair of dragons or anything by madrock… the sizes listed are provided from short demos and trying on friends’ shoes.

For what it’s worth my feet are about 10.5 in. at the longest point and 3.75 in. at the widest point.
Street shoes 8.5 – 9.5 depending on brand. Mostly 9.0
Sportiva
Muira and Muira VS 39.5
Cobra 38.5
Testarossa 40.0
Solution 39.0
Venom 38.0
Mantra S 38.0

Scarpa
Booster 40.5
Tifosi 40.0
Vision V 40.5

Five ten
Dragon 10.0
Jet 7 9.5
Anasazi Velcro 9.0

MadRock
Mugen = 9.5 maybe 9.0

sock hands - February 13, 2009 - 10:59 am

ps: my input on sizing is not that i know better than you or anyone else, but rather to give additional points of refrence since foot sizes and fit varies so greatly for climbing shoes.

as far as geeking out on technical details… i agree that with shoes, it is very important. these are our tools and knowing when to use each tool can be almost as important as knowing how to use them!

next: i’ve given a ton of thought to the issue of climbing shoe rubber. from talking around, i know folks have very mixed reviews on xs grip, which is on your sportivas and was on the scarpas… in side by side tests, i have found it to be superior to c4, for me, without question…

i’m having a pair of solutions re-soled in HF so i can finally test it side by side with xs grip to cut trough the marketing hype and make up my own decision regarding rubber. curious what your thoughts are on it since you had been w/ 5.10, then in shoes with xs grip, etc., back in jet 7s w/ HF, now back in xs grip sportivas again!

i know the ‘real talk’ discussions do not necessarily jive w/ sponsors, but this is what gets talked about at the blocks between the kids who actually pay for product, so it seems like candor would be important to everyone, online or otherwise, to ultimately improve the products of all companies.

word

peter - February 13, 2009 - 12:43 pm

I love the heal on the solutions and the testarossas. my testarossas fit my feet like gloves. The venoms are particularly nasty for toeing in hard on wide footholds (squeezing with your toes). Glad you’re on board with Sportiva now, Joe.

admin - February 13, 2009 - 8:10 pm

Sock Hands….GREAT comments buddy. Good insight and information. I prefer my shoes pretty tight and yeah…it is kinda odd I fit into those sizes. I used to wear 8.5 in FiveTens and Scarpa 40.5. Just to compare.

As far as rubber goes. This is a good topic man. The most sticky rubber I have used is likely MadRock rubber….no joke. It is VERY sticky stuff and the lack of design in the shoes is made up for by having sticky rubber. It is soft though, and wears out fast.

FiveTen Rubber is Flawless….DAMN sticky and has always been trusted time and time again….compared to XS Vibram, I really don’t notice a difference.

I am a firm believer in the essential component in the shoe is the shape and the last. ALL the rubber out today is sticky, it has come SUCH a long way. The shape and design of the shoe however….THAT….is the most important part of what makes an amazing shoe.

To Peter…we got some good shoes on our feet huh? Sportiva is a prime choice and I believe that.

dave - February 14, 2009 - 4:37 pm

Good stuff! If the folks at sportiva are reading this, I would add:

I love the XS grip. It’s sticky plus it’s firm, I think it’s a better edging rubber than C4 and lasts longer.

Things I don’t like:
the stamped in “XS Grip” on the soles!! This is RIDICULOUS. I looked at a couple pairs, it was stamped right under the big toe on the front edge, worst possible spot. PLEASE stop doing that, the rubber wears out faster that way, and I just won’t buy a pair that has it in that spot.

New logo dot in middle of sole. Why is it there? It’s just an extra glob. No reason to add it. minimal weight addition, but there it is.

Finally, the Katana is my favorite sportiva shoe. I would like to use it in cracks, but have wrecked a couple pairs because the front velcro crank loop is on the outside of the foot, a high contact area in cracks. You can get them restitched, but cracks just eat them up, so I’ve had to go to other shoes for cracks.

Sean - February 14, 2009 - 5:21 pm

I love the Testarossas. I still have one pair that is super tiny, but needs to be resoled.. I had another pair that were even smaller and had been resoled already and ended up giving them to a friend and she loves them. I got a great deal on these and didn’t have to pay full price, so they were worth every penny. Unfortunately, getting them resoled just doesn’t yield the same shoe and the price to get a new pair is way too high for me.

I’ve tried the Solutions and I thought they were great, but felt like weights on my feet compared to the Testarossas.. Great for bouldering, but not something I’d want to be sport climbing with (personally). They seemed to be a bouldering version of the Testarossas.

I also had a pair of the Barracudas years back (which as I understand, is the lace up version of the Katana) and they were alright..but my foot was wide around the toes, so they just didn’t jive well with my feet and I gave them to a friend in the end.

Never gotten the chance to try the Miuras.. Lots of my friends climb in them and absolutely love them. The higher price turned me off after I found that the Evolve Sharma-designed shoes fit my foot perfectly (wide toe box, narrow & very high aggressive heel)… The Pontas was a great all around shoe, and the Optimus Primes were great for the really steep stuff. That being said, I’d love to try the Miuras someday. Everyone seems to love them. The price is the main deterrent for me since I found a cheaper shoe that fits my foot well.

kw - February 14, 2009 - 8:18 pm

Joe and Sock Hands: thanks for the sizing info. I’ve been climbing in 5.10s for a long, long time (you don’t really want to know how long), and I’ve been absolutely sold on the rubber right on up through present-day Onyx. But when the Scarpa Magos got all the awards after they came out, and seeing them on the feet of climbers like yourself and Dave MacLeod (I guess sponsorships work, eh?), I became interested enough to try a pair. They have absolutely blown me away. I’ve never been so impressed with a shoe’s fit, as well as that Vibram rubber. The Vibram has a really different feel than 5.10 rubber. It seems harder, and at first I thought it wouldn’t be as sticky as the 5.10, but somehow it is… maybe even moreso. Crazy. And I can’t seem to wear it out. So this has brought me around to considering La Sportiva as well. Sock Hands: glad to see you show a wide range of sizes in the 5.10s. I own a variety and they are so inconsistent. I even have two pair of Galileos that vary dramatically from each other. Go figure. Oh… I have fairly wide feet and wear a 10, sometimes 9.5 street shoe. My Galileos are 9.5 but after stretching, I wish I had 9 or even 8.5. My Magos are 42 and are really tight. Wish I’d gotten next size larger.

Cmi - February 15, 2009 - 4:40 pm

Joe , first of all kudos on the blog and the new sponsor. Also thanks for hopefully providing a direct channel for consumer input to La Sportiva. Since 1993 when I bought my first Kendo I’ve owned most of their high end climbing shoes ( Tao , Mirage , Mythos etc) and tested quite a few of their competitors so I’ve seen the evolution on my “toes ” so to speak. I can truly say that for us euros the choice was easy, nothing climbed like a Sportiva in limestone so I was amazed to see they weren’t as popular in US 10 years ago when I moved here. I’m happy to see things changed in this 10 years. Down to business, the Miuras are the best allarounder in my book and best slab shoe ever not to mention that my ’96 pair took 3 resoles like a champ. The Testarossas and Solution are some amazing shoes with the last one beeing probably one of the most comfortable glovelike fitting downturns on the market while having the easy access of a slipper. That said here’s my beef with La Sportiva: since most of the heel hooking part happens on the internal (inside of the shoe when seen from the back of the shoe) part of our heel why on earth would you mold the heel of the Solutions to bulge on the outside of the heel instead of the inside where it could add a bit of pressure to the heelhooking? That’s the main difference people, take a Solution and a Testarossa (or Miura, Venom for that matter) put them side by side look at them from behind and you’ll see they bulge to the inside of the shoe not out like the Solution does. Second tell Vibram to stop branding the damn soles for reasons very well mentioned higher up on this thread. Find a different way to mark your territory Vibram, get back to stickers or paint , branding interferes with our climbing so is that sculpted Sportiva logo on the Solution’s heel althought it looks cool. And maybe the most important question since you have the most expensive shoes on US market how come my ’93 Kendo’s original rand is still thight on the shoe like a sticker after 3 seasons and two resoles while my 2007 Testarossa and 2008 Solution are coming apart after a season considering that I never pierced through a rand in my life so don’t trow that bad feet technique crap at me. So IMHO the Testarossas are the king except for the “necessary evil” lacing that takes forever. I don’t know if this helps others but beeing a 41.5 EU/ 8.5 US street and old school used to have them about three sizes smaller 96 Miuras and previous in 38.5 EU. Nowadays can’t stand that thight so I’m on Venom 39, Solution 39, Miura 39 and Testarossas 39.5. Also Scarpa Booster had to go 40 and maybe 40.5 and Jet7 8/8.5 US the only Five Ten ever not to torture my feet or fit for that matter. Thanks for allowing my rant Joe and let me know how the Speedsters feel, any thoughts?

admin - February 15, 2009 - 7:21 pm

CMI….GREAT post man…well spoken and deliberate. Good form.

The “stamped logos” in the Vibram rubber has gotten lots of negative response from the beginning, there is NO question there. Personally I haven’t notice it ever interfering with friction, and edge holding or really anything, but I will say that it is not necessary.

As far as the heel goes…this is something I have never noticed, but I will pass this info on, trust me.

Thanks for the rant man…I enjoyed it. And thanks for checking out the blog.

sock hands - February 18, 2009 - 9:55 am

word to cmi’s input… i talked to a few resolers about the delamination of climbing shoes and they mentioned that upgrading the glue used in the manufacturing process could help substantially. my main gripe is that i heel hook so hard with the muiras and the design is so solid, that the one thing to blow is the glue… i start to rip the heel rubber right off my shoes on really powerful hooking moves. the testarossas and solutions have no exposed seam to catch and rip, but the heel cup of the muiras fits me a bit better and yields much greater horsepower on tense moves… anyway, resole shops have been very cool about gluing down the heels or toe delams if you catch them soon enough… the cost is minimal if they even charge you for it.

Matt - February 19, 2009 - 12:16 pm

I’ve had probably 3 or 4 dozen pairs of shoes from almost all manufacturers. I’ll say La Sportiva has the best construction by far of all the shoes I’ve tried. My gripe for sure is with the heels. I’m just spoiled from climbing in madrocks, their textured heels are the best out there. Put their heel on a pair of solutions, and I’d never buy anything else.

Morgan Woods - June 30, 2009 - 10:36 am

i have a high regard for sportiva shoes so find it frustrating they discontinued the barracuda. aside from the fact there seems very little justification (i’m sure it sold reasonably well), it was very well designed and there doesn’t even seem to be a replacement.

foot wise it had a fairly neutral fit which the 3 yes 3 (solutions, tetsies & velcro miuras) asymmetrical ones can’t match.

cheers
Morgan

Aga - July 17, 2009 - 8:45 am

By the way, could anyone of you tell me whether testarossas of 2007 have already had the P3 system in them?

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Real Talk Shoe Review