Testarossa vs. Solution

I am looking to get some new Sportivas. I have worn Miuras in the past, and am looking for something a bit more aggressive. I have narrowed it down to the Testarossa and the Solution. Before spending the money, I wanted to get some opinions. I am primarily bouldering, due to the season, but once the snow melts I will be clipping bolts. I'd be psyched to hear what you guys think!

Tobin

I have Testarossa's but have never climbed in Solutions so can't really compare. However, I can't say enough good things about the Rossas. They edge beautifully, eat anything overhanging, and I find them quite comfortable as well due to the padded tongue. For bouldering, I may be more temped to go with Solutions due to the ease of getting in and out, but anything longer than a boulder problem, I would definitely reach for the lace ups instead.

Both are priced about the same, although a bit on the higher side, in my opinion.

+1 for the Testes.

Try both of them on. Just because Muiras have worked for you doesn't guarantee that either of them will fit your foot well. That said, if the Testarossa fits your foot, it is the best shoe on the market, in my opinion. Solutions are really well suited to very steep climbing, and are much easier on/off due to their lack of laces. Testarossas also climb steeps very well, but are better suited to vertical edging. They are a softer, more sensitive shoe.

I have worn both shoes as well as many of the Scarpa's that were done by the same designer. Here's my breakdown:

A lace up is a lace up it obviously gets more points for fit because, ahem, it has laces. That said the Solution has incorporated rubber on the toe (similar to the old V10's and new Team's) which adds more for toe-hooking (which you'd be more likely to do bouldering). +1 Testes, +1 Solutions

The strap on the Solutions is prone to break. It happened to my pair and I have seen it happen to others. You can repair it by resewing the lace put if the velcro piece breaks, I do believe you are screwed. -1 Solutions.

The heel cup on the solutions is more bulky than the Testes. That said the rubber on the heel of the testes does not go around the whole of the heel. I'd take the Solutions any day over the Testes for heel hooking. +1 Solutions

The toe box on the Testes has a dimple (that was incorporated and I think perfected in the Scarpa Mago line) which fits and supports the knuckling that your toes do in aggressive shoes. I found the dimple more pronounced in the Testes than in the Solutions. +1 fit, Testes. That said the I'm not a fan of sensitivity in my shoe when I want power and the Solution absolutely had more power to it. +1 Solutions.

That said, its a tie. But hopefully I've given some information on the two shoes that might help fit you style of climbing, or what you need to improve upon. Power and Bouldering = Solutions. Senstivity and Sport Climbing = Testes. Note that if you're switching over from the Miura's the fit on these two shoes is a bit different since the lasts were made by a different designer.

If La Sportiva fits your foot well or you have some deal go with that brand. But in all honesty I really like the new Team 5.10's and Scarpa's Mago line (Mago, Booster, Styx). I put on the Team's or sending, train in the Styx and sport climb in the Mago.

this is an interesting thread because I have solutions and muiras and want to get the testarossas.

My muiras are my go to shoe. My solutions are great too. They are my choice for bouldering, hooking, and overhangs. That said, they aren't as good as muiras on anything sub ninety degrees. I want to get the tests becausee I think they are agressive like solutions but more geared to edging than overhangs.

Then, I'll have the array, and my only excuse will be rope drag. ha!

Just my 2 cents.

Evan

tcamillieri wrote:Note that if you're switching over from the Miura's the fit on these two shoes is a bit different

Big fan of the solutions. I am on my second pair of them. The only thing i don't like about them is the heal. If you heal hook alot you may find it a problem.

Aaron S. wrote:Big fan of the solutions. I am on my second pair of them. The only thing i don't like about them is the heal. If you heal hook alot you may find it a problem.

mcdbrendan wrote:go with Solutions due to the ease of getting in and out,

I really like my testes. Once I finally got them, I started climbing more than a number grade harder.

And, I like my testarossa's too. They've helped my climbing a bit as well. In all seriousness, I do think the more aggressive shape of the shoes has helped my climbing. I'm able to apply more force to smaller edges, making them feel like larger holds than they do in flatter, more symmetrical shoes. And, they're the most comfortable uncomfortable climbing shoe I've ever worn.

The shape of the shoes coming out of the box is glove like and the combination of materials conforms to the foot wonderfully. After wearing them for 20-30 minutes on 4 or 5 occasions, they went from toe-numbing to the best fitting shoes I've had.

I would agree with the complaints about the heel hooking. I've peeled off a couple problems that I know I wouldn't have in other shoes w/stickier rubber on the heel. But, I still think the testarossa's are far superior.

I haven't worn the solutions so I don't have any experience to share.

All this talk about ease of entry and getting out.

The Solutions, when new are about the most difficult shoe on the market to get into. They are however surprisingly comfortable once you get in.

The Testarossas are comfortable right out of the box and easy to get into. Testarossa owners, how often do you actually take time to really lace them up? I know that in the pair I had I rarely tied them as the fit was really go without tying them. The Mago's which are basically the same shoe, same designer, same concept but small patch of rubber over the toe are made with a stiffer material and thus much less comfortable out of the box.

Toe hooking. In many situations laces are great for toe hooking if the rock has texture, on smooth stone toe rubber rules. If toe hooking with laces you need to tie them, I've gotten them stuck to the point I could not release a toe hook without down climbing a move.

The sizing is pretty different if the Testarossas have not changed since introduced, mine are 41's and fit great, while in the Solutions I would wear a 39.5. This may be due to the Testarossas having laces as well and just not needing to down size them as much to get rid of any dead space. As far as sizing the Miuras goes I wear a 40 in those, with most of the current LS shoes I would go with a 39.5 or 40. Full disclosure on fit, Branock sz 42, b width, low volumn, nnarrow heel, street shoe sz 10.

All of this is beside the point though really. Many people who have not worn an aggressively down turned shoe before find the fit agonizing and get cramps in their arches so you should at least try something downturned to see if you can deal with the position. Fit really is king when it comes to climbing shoes and what works for you. If you don't have a shop near you it might be best to wait till you are on a trip somewhere that you can try the shoes on.

In the end Testarossas are more versatile, I've worn mine on everything from short steep power problems to 7 pitch trad routes, though they don't crack climb particularly well. The Solutions excel at what they are made for which is steep bouldering and sport climbing.

Testes, Testes, Testes. And it's not just because of the name.

I've been sporting the Testes for 3-4 years now and absolutely love this shoe. It is quite possibly in my opinion, the best shoe for steep climbing ever made. Now of course, if Sportiva's don't fit you well in general, you may not agree. They mould perfectly to my foot and offer so much feel and power aid, it's insane. Great for heel hooks.

I have tried on the Solutions and didn't like the way they felt off the bat. Too stiff and too much heel and toe rubber for my taste. Plus, they didn't fit my arch as well (too much extra room). A good buddy of mine has them and said they were terrible for certain heelhooks because of this little nub thing that's on the heel. It appears though, that the most recent model no longer has that nub.

I've also recently been considering something similar and less aggressive for routes. I tried the Miura and the fit is nearly identical (to the Testarossa).

Good luck!