La Sportiva Katanas questions.

A friend of mine bought a pair of Katanas. He got the same size as his Muira lace ups, size 44. After about ten days, five outside and five at the gym he's ready to throw them in the garbage. My TCs are 43.5 so I figured the 44 Katanas would be perfect, maybe even a tad big. The best part is they're free!

I borrowed them last night for two hours at the gym. At first I thought the 44s would be fit well. The Katanas feel stiff and edge great. The toe box is very sensitive... I love that! What I didn't love is after about 30 minutes my big toe starting hurting and the toe box felt cramped. After two hours I was done with those shoes! I can't imagine wearing them as a all day trad shoe. I'm just looking for a gym shoe so I don't ruin the edges of my outdoor shoes.

Does anyone else have these issues? Do you think a 44.5 would do the trick? I love the way the Katanas climb. I'm wear a size 46 boot and running shoe, an 11 5.10 Pink and 43.5 TC. Thanks for any help guys.

I'm no help on the sizing having never owned them, but just curious what your friends complaint about them was?

I can't help with the sizing either, but are you talking about the Velcro or the lace-up version? Two different types of shoe, with substantially different stiffness.

I have used the Velcro for some years and like them (except in cracks)

I wear a 38.5 Miura lace, a 39 tc and a 39 katana lace. After about an hour in the katanas I get a painful rubbing on the knuckle of my big toe. They're my hard climbing shoes so it's no big deal for me. I've tried on a 39.5 with the intent for trad and they seem much more comfortable although I haven't climbed in that size. That will probably be my next shoe purchase.

I do not know much about Katana Velcro but I am on my third season with a pair of Katana Lace. The KL did not stretch much at all. Mine is sz 38.5, likely could have gone with sz 39. My street/approach shoe sz is 39.5/40. I save the KL for cooler/cold weather to coincide with harder and more technical climbs.

I just bought a pair and have worn them a handful of times now. I experienced similar issues except both my big and little toes hurt. I'm still hoping that they break in. They killed my feet on one hot day. Last week when it was cooler, they weren't too bad.

I followed everyone's advice on Sierra Trading Post and ordered a size smaller than my street shoes and my feet wouldn't fit. I ordered my Katanas the same size as my street shoes and they're much better.

Thanks guys

Nick, my friend hates them because of how much pain he feels after the more he wears them

Frank, lace ups

Don, my Muira VS do that to my big toe after an hour. Those Katanas would be gym shoes so I'm thinking of just dealing with the small amount of pain afterwards. I love the Katana lace ups for the gym! Can't imagine what they would be like outside.

The TCs will always feel more comfortable as an all day shoe. I keep thinking the larger size Katana lace will feel better too and keep up sizing but I've nothing is the same as the TC.

Katana lace sizes I've own 41.5, 42, 42.5, 43
TC size I own 43

I'm all in on the TCs now but should probably size down to 42.5.

Some text

WTF just happened, I saw JCM's reply & now it's gone?

reboot wrote:WTF just happened, I saw JCM's reply & now it's gone?

I know. I thought all the razzing here is all in good fun. I mean shit J, just kidding

Hmmn, we cross posted. I posted, decided it was doucey and deleted. You must have quoted while I was deleting.

I just bought a pair of Katana Lace in the same size as my Nagos, which I will have to return. They seem to run much smaller. I wear a size 11M regular shoe, and feel like the 43.5 Nagos are pretty comfy and could even go a half size smaller. With the Katana Lace, the 43.5 was just way too small, though I could get my feet in. I'm thinking a 44 or even 44.5 might be best now.

JCM was pretty much spot on. In addition, Katana lace, with the slight downturn, just doesn't work that well as an all day, don't take off, type of shoe. Not to mention walking around in a good pair of edging shoes ruins the last; you can forget about resoling them.

Short, non-doucey reply: If you can wear your rock shoes while belaying in-between routes in the gym, you can probably think about going a tad tighter for better performance. If you are wearing your gym shoes for two hours, them complaining about foot pain, just take them off between routes. Flip-flops for in-between routes are mandatory gear in the gym.

Your Katanas probably are about right for gym shoes. Try a session where you take them off between routes before judging them.

Well shit, now that we're being civilized I'm learning something. So JCM and Reboot, you're saying performance shoes need to be taken off when not on the wall. Otherwise it's a waste of a good shoe. I can sorta wrap my head around that but don't know if I want a shoe like that over one I can wear comfortably. Well then again I should buy them and start to take them off considering how confident my feet feel.

Oh JCM, I get to the gym, do my thing then pee and wash my hands on the way out. While I don't care about carrying pee and poo onto the holds I do care about putting pissy poopy shoes in my gym bag.. You're right Gross!

Bill, with my "Sportiva" feet, the Katana Lace is the best shoe I've ever had for outdoor "cragging" in 25 years. It is very good indoors too as you have found out but its advantage is not as obvious while climbing indoors. I've resoled it three times, every time with Five Ten C4. Totally works for me.

Bill Kirby wrote:Well shit, now that we're being civilized I'm learning something.

Strange how the internet sometimes works that way.

Bill Kirby wrote: So JCM and Reboot, you're saying performance shoes need to be taken off when not on the wall.

In short, yes. But there always is that performance vs. comfort tradeoff. How much comfort you want to or need to sacrifice to get acceptable performance depends on the shoe, on the person, and on the routes you are climbing. For those interested in moderate cracks and multipitch trad climbing, the balance of course shifts toward a more comfortable shoe. The more your interests shift toward harder routes with more technical footwork, the more comfort you are willing to sacrifice and the more necessary it becomes to accept the (minor) inconvenience of taking off your shoes between routes. It is all about finding the right balance for you.