![]() ![]() Yet this toe may not work for everyone as a climber with wide, high-volume feet, I felt like at the size I could reasonably fit into, there was just a bit too much toebox poking out, which led to some consternation. The shoes are also incredibly precise, with a pointy toe (it seems much pointier than the old model-perhaps one of the “small, small” details Dal Prà mentioned) that digs into nubbins and micro-edges, and that we both found super useful in pockets, thin foot jams, and crack-pods. ![]() “But, if you are truly micro-edging, is there much rock to feel anyway?” wondered Anthony. The one downside here-as with any stiff shoe, really-is a lack of sensitivity 4mm of XS Edge rubber doesn’t give much opportunity to “feel” the holds, especially rounded, shallow dimples. And, as a counterpoint to the older model, the shoes have held that shape and support even after days of sweaty summer testing they have not gone soft, marking a major improvement in last-coherence and longevity. But, in the Katana Lace, you can just stand and stand and stand: The full-length 1.1 mm Laspo Flex midsole locks you in place and keeps your heel elevated so you can power down through your toes to stretch tall. Very few shoes can withstand this sort of pressure-they usually either buckle or transfer the work into your fatigue-prone calf muscles. For climbers who like to push hard down into little footholds, the Katana Lace nails it, as I found on the very first route I tested them on, a gently overhanging granite 5.12a with big, inset crimps for hands but sharp little potato chips for feet. “As I stood higher and higher on dime edges, the stiff platform kept the power in my foot and allowed me to exploit the edge for much longer than with a softer shoe.” “Stiff, downturned, and slightly asymmetric are the ideal ingredients for vertical and overhanging edging IMO,” he noted. I tested in the gym at first-for me, these new, noticeably stiffer Katanas needed more break-in-then mostly on Colorado Front Range granite, from overhanging to slabby. (Photo: Matt Samet) Edging MachinesĪnthony mainly tested in Squamish (on thin cracks/seams, a roof hand crack, brief offwidth, steep slabs, and stem corners), three days of vertical gneiss face climbing, and two days of overhanging quartzite face climbing. Notice the sharp, pointy, redesigned toe-it proved its mettle both for precision and in thin cracks, pods, and pockets, though it was a shape that took some getting used to. Testing at Staunton State Park, South Platte, Colorado, with my second-tester-in-command, Cody. For this review, my co-tester Anthony Walsh and I both tested the men’s version. I also caught a video in which the legendary Italian climber and La Sportiva shoe designer Pietro dal Prà mentioned, “We the toe simply more precise, with the small, small details in the construction so it’s even more precise than the old one.”Īlso of major note is the new, “women’s” version: the exact same shoe but with a split sole comprising the softer XS Grip 2 rubber versus XS Edge, the idea being to offer a softer version for lighter climbers and steeper terrain. On paper, per Sportiva’s literature, there are only a few differences: an “updated heel pattern” with greater coverage, made from recycled rubber a narrower outsole (the heel strip wrapping up the Achilles) to improve “heel hooking precision” and redesigned uppers, blending leather in the front with screen-printed synthetic leather (microfiber) in the back two-thirds. I was thus curious about the redesign-what had changed, and would the new Katana Lace hold its form and precision longer? They mostly sat in my gear closet after that. But then something happened: Only halfway through the original sole, the shoes got a little too comfy and soft to me, it felt like the midsole had degraded. They had all the performance attributes I valued, but with improved precision and support for long pitches, like the 40-meter Snakewatching, an unending vertical edge-fest I tested them on in the Flatirons, Colorado. In 2010, La Sportiva came out with the Katana Lace, a stiffened-up Katana with the same sharp toe and mild downturn. The original Velcro Katanas were among my favorites for this niche, and I owned pair after pair until La Sportiva stopped making them. It’s important for the way I climb (short) to feel the holds: I like digging, grabbing, and aggressive, big-toe-powered rockovers. I’m a big fan of semi-stiff shoes, i.e., 6/7-out-of-10 edging support but with 8/9-out-of-10 sensitivity. The black & yellow model retains the same stiffness as the original Katana. The split-sole black & white model is intended for lighter climbers looking for a stiff edging shoe (or heavier climbers looking for greater sensitivity). Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! ![]()
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