My Sportivas - Climbing Edition
We asked a few athletes what their favorite climbing shoe is, why they like it, and where they use it
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Do you have a pair of Sportivas in your quiver that you turn to religiously? We asked a handful of La Sportiva athletes what their favorite La Sportiva climbing shoe is, why they like it, and where they use it.
What is your go-to shoe?
My go-to shoe is without question the Testarossa.
Why do you like it over other models?
The Testarossa fits my foot really well. I love the support and the adaptability of a lace-up, plus how sensitive this shoe is - which is mainly why I switched from the Solution, which was my go-to for many years. The heel cup is soft and conforms to small edges or big features really well. And lastly, they look awesome.
What is your favorite place to use it?
My favorite place to use this shoe is on overhanging terrain, which is the majority of my climbing. When I need a powerful edge, I grab a very new pair of Testarossas and lace them tight; when my project has more smearing I intentionally use a little more broken-in pair. Really the only times when I use a different shoe is when toe hooking is mandatory (laces are not good at this - Solution or Genius is best) or on lower angle terrain or extreme edging, then I reach for the Muira VS or the TC Pro.
Describe your foot.
My foot is not super wide at 4.25 inches at the ball of my foot. My heel is relatively big at 2.5 inches wide. My toes are on the shorter side and I have a well defined arch. I wear size 42 in Sportiva approach shoes and size 38.5 in all of my climbing shoes.
“I’m going to answer this twice, since I love 2 kinds of shoes:”
What is your go-to shoe?
Why do you like it over other models?
It's the ultimate trad climbing shoe. Amazingly stiff for slab climbing and comfortable in cracks.
What is your favorite place to use it?
Yosemite. The TC Pro was designed for Yosemite and it definitely shows when you use it. Everything just feels easier. You can stand on the smallest edges yet still wear them all day.
Describe your foot.
No idea. Average form, well shaped toes. I've been told I have pretty feet for a climber.
What is your go-to shoe?
Why do you like it over other models?
I like the downturned toe and the high performance fit. And they're amazing for heel/toe hooking - it's rare that a shoe is great at both.
What is your favorite place to use it?
Steep sport climbing of any kind. Limestone especially, but really I use them for pretty much anything other than trad climbing.
What is your go-to shoe?
TC Pro for trad, Solution for bouldering and steep sport climbing.
Why do you like it over other models?
The TC Pro is a clear stand out as the best trad shoe ever made (in my biased opinion). It performs well when sized for comfort. It also edges better than any other shoe I have worn. The Solution is versatile and comfortable.
What is your favorite place to use it?
TC Pro... any Trad or multi-pitch area. Yosemite, Patagonia. RMNP alpine. Wendenstock Switzerland. Solution... all indoor training, Ceuse, all bouldering anywhere.
Describe your foot.
A little wide, Giant big toe, lots of fungus.
What is your go-to shoe?
Why do you like it over other models?
They’re versatile. I can edge really well with it, on the gnarliest slabs with invisible holds. Or, I can have a great time climbing overhanging sport routes with them because I still feel like I have the power to pull hard with my toes.
What is your favorite place to use it?
Yosemite granite: they’re perfect for the hard slab climbing, those bouldery sport pitches, and can handle themselves in the cracks as well.
Describe your foot.
Narrow foot, small heels, big bunions on the big toes.
What is your go-to shoe?
I can't say I've found a shoe that is best for everything. But I can say that after starting to use the no-edge shoes I've grown to become a big fan of the Futura.
Why do you like it over other models?
They're incredibly sensitive and I find the rubber to be surreally sticky. I tried them for the first time on a trip to Mallorca. I was climbing on a variety of angled limestone with pockets, edges and tufas. My jaw dropped and I started laughing out loud because I felt like I had put on some sort of Spiderman grip -- no joke! After trying them out on different rock, I'm surprised how well I can stand on tiny edges, and I also found that the no edge leaves room for a little less footwork precision during onsight climbing.
What is your favorite place to use it?
Kalymnos is my favorite place to use them so far. The Futura rocks on overhanging limestone routes with small pockets, edges and for smearing on tufas.
Describe your foot.
My feet are medium wide, asymmetric with a quite high arches.
What is your go-to shoe?
Why do you like it over other models?
The TC Pro is the ultimate offwidth shoe - it' one of the only mid-height shoes on the market which is crucial for protecting your ankles on wide cracks. While there other shoes on the market that are great for inverting or for vertical wide crack climbing, the TC Pro excels for both styles as well as other types of climbing which may come up on wide pitches. The flat and chiseled toe profile is ideal for the most technical wide cracks and it's comfortable!
What is your favorite place to use it?
The TC Pro excels in the offwidth mecca of Veduawoo, WY where I often need a combination of technical edging on the outside foot and an interior heel/toe in the wide crack. The mid-height is indispensable for protecting your ankles on offwidths from the sharp granite crystals. The shoe also performs exceptionally well for the inverted style of climbing - stiff enough to hang from your feet, yet flexible enough to remove from the inverted position preventing the dreaded foot-stuck-over-your-head. It's also an excellent shoe for sandstone towers in the Creek and Zion where pitches may switch up from offwidth, to thin crack, to face climbing - this shoe excels at all styles. The padding in the ankle and above the toes is helpful in reducing the pain component of offwidth. Also, it's important when buying an offwidth shoe to have that flat fit in the toes for the optimal heel-toe as well as inverted position.
Describe your foot.
My feet are a bit on the narrow side, but other than that nothing too unusual.
Photos (in order of appearance): © BearCam Media, © Chris Noble Photography Inc,. © Brett Lowell/Big Up Productions/Aurora Photos, © Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11, © Nathan Welton, © Jason Gebauer
