La Sportiva Katana Lace

I just recently purchased the Katanas after trying the Solutions for a week of climbing and i must say i am impressed at how dynamic the shoe feels for how simple it looks. Amazing edging power, super sticky rubber and an easy going fit add up to fantastic shoe.

They fit my feet very well (i am medium to large width, low volume, narrow heeled foot shape), perfectly snug when sized a full size down from my street size. They are in fact a fairly aggressively shaped shoe so don't be fooled by the images provided. I thought i was going to hate laces but they really do offer a more customizable in fit. The internal lining and unique tubular tongue design is snug enough to allow my foot to breath and still offer enough support for easier routes without having to fully lace up.

The toe shape is similar to the Solution and Miura's but without the rounded aspect to them so the Katanas smear much better than those shoes yet offer enough down turn and point to keep you from cutting your feet in caves and overhangs. Surprisingly thin soled, they have great sensitivity while offering good mid sole stiffness as well as keeping the overall weight of the shoe to a minimum.

It's the perfect shoe for anyone looking to upgrade from a beginner shoe. I haven't seen too many people wearing the lace up versions which makes me think this shoe is going unnoticed as a high performance shoe when compared to other brands and other performance oriented La Sportiva models.

First: this is an incredible shoe, one of the best I've used in 30 years of climbing. Details: The Katana lace up is a significantly changed design, and a great improvement on the older Katana velcro. The P3 last is much more down turned, to the level of the Miura VS or the Solution. Interior finish of the shoe is very very comfortable, the last shrink wraps the foot, almost like a slipper. But there is enough stiffness in this shoe to use for vertical edging on multipitch routes. Closest fit for me to compare to is the Sportiva Testarossa, but the new Katana Lace is a more robust and much stiffer shoe. The new Vibram XSEdge rubber is harder than previous XSGrip rubber used by Sportiva. Personally I find XSEdge excellent outdoors on a range of rock textures, with good friction, but on some gym surfaces it is too firm. The lacing system really locks this shoe into place. I've used it for intensive heel hooking- it is terrific, and I have a low volume heel. For several reasons- the last, the lacing, and the fit- I could see this shoe replacing the old standard Miuras, as it does nearly everything they do, but better. It won't replace the Miura VS, however, as that is a softer shoe and more suited to very overhanging terrain. In summary, an extraordinary shoe. Can't speak highly enough of it.

The Katana is a truly excellent shoe. I previously wore the Muira VS and wanted something that I could walk around in and wear for longer periods. The Katanas give me nearly as much power as the Muiras while being significantly more comfortable. They still have a pointed and turned down toe, but I can still walk in them. A thick, narrow strip of rubber on the heel makes for good hooking, and the edges have a nice bevel on them which, once you're used to it, helps a lot. The upper material on the inside feels great on the foor and wicks away moisture quite well.

On sizing, they are true to La Sportiva's size profile - small. I wear a 42-43 shoe, and the 40.5 was perfect for me. I was a bit worried when I first got the shoes that they were too small, but they stretched about a half size and are now perfect. I do find them a little bit wide around the middle of the foot, but that doesn't seem to affect the overall fit at all.

In summary, the Katanas are a well designed aggressive shoe best suited for bouldering or cragging. The are comforable enough to wear for several hours at a time, while still having an aggressive toe.

I absolutely adore this shoe. I am a female climber, and this is the only truly "unisex" shoe I have ever come across. The width is a bit narrower and the heel cup is smaller than most men's shoes, and the fit is excellent. This is the first high-performing shoe I have owned that is also very comfortable!

I also tried the normal Katana (men's and women's), and the lace-up is a very different shoe. It seems to have more internal padding and a lovely wrap-around foam "tongue" similar to the Solution.

I wear a men's size 9 street shoe (42) and bought these in a 40.5. They were comfortable the instant I tried them on, and remain perfectly comfortable today, 10 months later. They did not stretch. I climb regularly with them in the gym, and I have climbed outdoor sport and trad routes with them, including a very long multipitch trad climb where I never took them off. (I don't think I have jammed in them - that's not really their strength).

It's now about 10 months since I bought the Katana lace and the toe is showing some wear. No holes yet, but I am getting them resoled soon.

I highly recommend the Katana lace to women and men alike!

I am completely satisfied with this shoe. Im still pretty new to climbing, and I can definately say that this shoe has helped me overcome some obstacles. This isn't entirely the shoe, but now I'm working on 5.10b's, and 3 weeks ago I couldn't do a 10a. Bouldering is quite a bit easier than before, mostly noticable on very steep sections. This shoe outsticks all of my buddies sub-$100 shoes, and now they are thinking about getting some upper-end sportivas like this despite the fact that their shoes are still new. Smear with confidence, stand on chips previously thought to be useless. Only one complaint, the upper heel portion of the shoe is a little rough, which isn't necessary but is a small price to pay for such a high performance shoe that is otherwise very comfortable for its purpose.

I bought these shoes for face-climbing/edging. As other reviewers have noted, the toe box is very low on these, owing to the 'love bump' in the sole. Most climbing shoes have enough vertical space that the toes curl, but these don't, so sizing is really critical. I had to try 4 different sizes before I found one small enough to sufficiently push my heel in to the cup. The sole is stiff, so breaking them in has been a little uncomfortable. But having climbed on them 3 times outdoors and 10-15 times indoors, I really do like them, and am looking forward to getting them broken in and ready. Sizing: LS Cobras 41, 5.10 Rogue 10, LS Katana Lace (these shoes) 40.5. Five Fingers M42. I don't know what my 'street shoe' size is.

I wear a size 42 street shoe and the 40.5 fits comfortable enough to wear for 60-90 min at a time. I definitely could have gone for the 40 to be more agressive, but I could not have worn them for extended times.

The shoe is great for edging, has a nicely pointed toe for more agressive climbs. Really nice shoe to fill the slot between a super agressive shoe and very comfortable all day shoe. The only issue I have is that I really have to crank it down for good heel hooks, but I have skinny heels, so could just be me.

I also prefer the lace up on these shoes for much more adjustable fit.

The best shoe I've ever tried. It fits perfectly for my wide feet and is super reliable. Great grip when smearing slabs and super solid on the tiniest footholds. The heel is also very snug and works perfectly for heel hooks.
The only downside is that the rubber wears out very quickly. I have to re-sole at least every 6 months and once the rubber has worn down they obviously does not perform as well any more.
If you're on a budget I would not recommend this shoe since it doesn't last, but if you want the best performance - this is the shoe.

This is a great overall shoe. Excellent for sport and trad alike. Very comfortable for all day climbing.

I was a huge fan of the La Sportiva Barracudas for years until they stopped producing them. The Katana lace-ups have all the features I liked about the Barracudas and a few other nice additions. Especially nice is the extra padding around the tongue that keeps your feet happy on those all day climbing marathons. The elasticity of the tongue also helps for getting the shoes on and off quickly.

Sleek lines and great rubber make for yet another excellent product from La Sportiva.

We'll start with the good... one of my friends ordered these and she likes them. They fit her foot well and she hasn't complained about them. I also tried these on. I thought the toe box felt really odd. It's hard to explain but it's almost like the front end of your foot is being compressed from the top and bottom. I went with the Miura Lace instead and love them. Bottom line, try them on, they fit differently than other shoes.