The Katana Laces remained a wizard at a variety of styles of climbing and was a veritable edging machine. Anyone should check out the women’s Katana if they’re looking for a more sensitive shoe with a softer midsole than the men’s version (photo/Miya Tsudome) Sized smaller, you would be able to stand on the most diminutive edges or pockets on your single-pitch project. Sized slightly larger, it would be an excellent multipitch shoe that will give you confidence on long routes. This shoe performed exceptionally well in addition to being incredibly comfortable. Its mildly aggressive shape was at home on steep single-pitch routes, smearing on granite slabs and toeing in on small cracks. The Katana has always excelled as one of the best all-around climbing shoes. A narrower strip of rubber hugged the heel from the midsole, allowing for increased sensitivity. Gone is the rubber bulb on the bottom of the heel that always felt like it held too much air. La Sportiva has finally updated its heel design to make for a narrower, tighter-fitting heel for improved heel hooking performance.
#KATANA LA SPORTIVA UPDATE#
As with all footwear, you should try a pair of these on if you have the opportunity (photo/Miya Tsudome)Īnother noticeable and more welcome update to this shoe is its heel construction. The updated fit was reminiscent of the La Sportiva Kataki with its low-profile toebox. If you have long and narrow feet, this toebox might be a great fit and may not require you to size down.įor those with wider feet, however, the longer toe will require you to size down for the same longitudinal fit as the older version. The new shoe features a longer, thinner toebox that will make you want to size down a half size from your old fit if you are looking for optimal performance. The sizing of the new women’s Katana was noticeably different from the previous model. They performed well on this terrain, and I know they will keep doing so as I transition to climbing pocketed limestone later this season. I tested the Katana Laces around various areas in California, from the steep granite found in Lee Vining Canyon to the finicky knobs of Tuolumne Meadows, and took them up multipitches outside of Bishop. It had increased performance in thin cracks and small edges, justifying its high price tag for more experienced climbers who can benefit from these abilities. In short, this updated Katana Laces is still my favorite all-around climbing shoe.
#KATANA LA SPORTIVA PLUS#
The women’s model features a new design and color scheme, with a sleek white and black look plus a split sole for more precision and flex for lighter climbers. While the old Katana Laces came in one unisex version, the new Katanas come in a men’s and women’s version.
La Sportiva has updated the classic with a men’s and women’s version, giving the shoe some markedly different qualities. My confidence automatically increases when I have them on. It is the shoe in my quiver I find myself reaching for the most often, as they excel in so many styles of climbing and types of rock. The Katana Laces has been a tried and true climbing shoe. An updated version of a classic, the women’s La Sportiva Katana Laces is a shoe that continues to excel on various terrain from slabs to overhangs, with improved edging and heel hooking capabilities.
0 kommentar(er)
