Katana lace stretch?

I tried on a pair of katana laces yesterday. They were "kind of uncomfortable" but didn't really hurt at all during the 10 minutes I was wearing them. Are they going to stretch much? Seems like if I want them to be really dialed in in a few months, they need to be uncomfortable now? (I have next to no experience with "high performance" shoes, I normally go with flat toes, or close to it)

See sizing TC pros, they are pretty much the same shoe.

I have two pair and they have not stretched a whole lot. They have mostly expanded in the toe box to allow for my knuckles to sit a little more comfortably. I didn't size them overly tight to begin with, but certainly had a little pressure on my knuckles. "Kind of uncomfortable" sounds about right. Certainly not the foot-binding torture that I have seen some of my friends go through with their shoe choices.

1/4 a size .... Maybe 1/2 a size after quite a while at most

I would not expect much stretch to them, just them forming to you feet

The uppers are synthetic leather

On a side note they keep their shape quite well on resoles if you have a good resoler

;)

Don't get them too tight. I can fit my feet into 42's but actually climbing in them for a few weeks gave me some nasty pain in my big toes. I bumped up to 43, pain is gone, and I don't really feel like I lost much if any performance.

FWIW I take that same 43 in Miura VS and Testarossa, but the Nago and Mythos I can comfortably go down to 41.5. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

that guy named seb wrote:See sizing TC pros, they are pretty much the same shoe.

Could you explain what you mean? Having been wearing tc pro in the same size for years, the katana sure didn't feel like a tc pro...

For comparison, does the katana stretch less than tc pro? Tc seems like natural leather, yes? I've had 2 pairs of tc pros now, and each pair I've ultimately wished was a little smaller

My Katana's (velcro, not lace) did not stretch as much as my TC pros.

Optimistic wrote: Could you explain what you mean? Having been wearing tc pro in the same size for years, the katana sure didn't feel like a tc pro...

Different shoes but many people, myself included wear the same shoe size in the Katana Lace as the TC Pro. The TC Pros have some stretch to them while the Katana does not.

Don't go too far down...the katana is a stiff shoe that doesn't stretch and with the P3, you'll edge great without having to footbind. I wear 12.5-13 street and tried to break in a pair of 44.5s...they broke me instead, lol. The leather stretches a bit and conforms but the toe box does not...I would weight each foot on the toe (preferably on actual climbing holds, but a staircase would work); if you feel sharp pain when you weight it, size higher! I ended up relenting and getting a new pair sized 45.5 and they are perfect...my go-to trad shoe. Sizing the Katanas aggressively is pointless...you may as well get a pair of Miuras or Solutions if you're going to do that.

Optimistic wrote: Could you explain what you mean? Having been wearing tc pro in the same size for years, the katana sure didn't feel like a tc pro...

They are made on the same last (PD 55). Look at the tech specs on Sportiva's site.

They're spec'd as having the same last, but the katana has more room to box/knuckle up the toes (vertical toe box room) with a pointer toe (narrower side to side). I like mine a half size down from my all day flat toe TC pro fit. This gives me a moderately knuckled big toe fit.

the upshot is, your big toe will sit in the same place in the shoe in both katana and tc pro; but the toe box IS a slightly different shape.

I find mine have "softened" to be more comfortable, without the actual fit changing much.

Both great fitting and performing shoes, but be forewarned that Katana Lace shoes will tend to delaminate.

Lothian Buss wrote:They're spec'd as having the same last, but the katana has more room to box/knuckle up the toes (vertical toe box room) with a pointer toe (narrower side to side). I like mine a half size down from my all day flat toe TC pro fit. This gives me a moderately knuckled big toe fit. the upshot is, your big toe will sit in the same place in the shoe in both katana and tc pro; but the toe box IS a slightly different shape. I find mine have "softened" to be more comfortable, without the actual fit changing much. Both great fitting and performing shoes, but be forewarned that Katana Lace shoes will tend to delaminate.

the miuras and katanas have that issue ... velcro and lace

not to mention the premature velcro strap wear

weirds how this is pretty well known on da intrawebs with quite a few folks experiencing it, but it is never mentioned in the climbing media, just like fixes alien issues

as to the katana velcro .. i find it stretched around 1/2 a size, more than the lace overall

;)

La sportiva had a batch of bad glue and a while back and allot of the shoes are still in circulation i personally haven't experienced any issues at all with any of my la sportivas over the last 2 years.

csproul wrote:My Katana's (velcro, not lace) did not stretch as much as my TC pros.

+1

The Katanas don't fit me well. I own a pair of 43.5 TC Pros. A friend gave me a a pair of 44 Katana Lace. At first I thought I hit the lottery. After a few days I cried!

Katanas do NOT fit the same as TC Pros.. Try on both shoes and see.

Took the plunge on the 45 which is the same as my tc pro size but obviously a very different shoe. My main concern was that in the TC Pro I wish now that I was in a 44.5 rather than a 45 because they stretched quite a bit, and now I have to crank up laces if I want to get the best out of them.

Only one gym session so far on the Katanas but quite happy with them for the small edges that were available, including a little 1.5mm ripple in the concrete. Very glad I didn't go for the 44.5 in the Katana, if in fact they don't stretch I definitely wouldn't want them any tighter. They climb quite differently than the TC, but I think I'm going to really like them once I figure out how to use them.

Thanks to everyone for the sizing thoughts, very helpful!

I wear the same size in K-lace as I do in other sportiva shoes (TCP and Nago). They were snug and just a tad uncomfortable at first; after a few gym sessions they're perfect now. Stretch was minimal/comparable to those other shoes. If you already wear one of sportiva's less agressive shoes (except mythos), I'd go with that size.

I am shopping around for a pair of shoes right now and deciding between the TC Pro and the Katana Lace. I just tried them both on 20minutes ago, so they are fresh in my mind. They definitely do NOT fit the same. The TC Pros are completely flat and slightly stiffer in the sole. The Katana Lace are very slightly downturned, but because the sole is so flexible, it molds to your feet and flattens out when you put them on. I felt that the Katana Laces were slightly more sensitive. But if I can see that the TC Pros would be better for crack climbing.

Also for what it is worth, the guy at the store said he thought the TC Pros would be better at smearing then the Katana Laces.

They are both really nice shoes.

A question I have - I noticed for me the heel rand on the Katana Lace is very stiff and sort of feels like it is poking into my skin just above the heel bone. It doesnt hurt but its not comfortable either. I havent had this issue on any other shoe. Has anyone else had this experience and if so did it soften up?

If the heel issue wasnt there these would be my top pick, so Im trying to figure out if they would soften up or mold to my feet at the top of the heel.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

I haven't found the heels on my katanas to ease up much over time. They're great shoes, but they do kind of beat my heels up after a while  

You might look into the Kataki. They seem to basically be a Katana with an updated heel, which may be work better for your foot. I've got a pair on the way right now, and am hoping they'll work better with my heels than my Katanas. 

Katanas have very narrow/low volume heels and high heel tension, which might be why they're digging in there, especially if you have wider/higher volume feet.  They are amazing edgers but the downturn and stiff rubber make them poor at smearing.  For that, you need a flat sole, which is why the TC Pro is better at it.  Neither shoe is particularly sensitive, as with most Sportiva shoes that aren't no-edge.

I bought a pair that fit nicely out of the box last year and found they stretched quite a bit. I bought them because they felt ok in the heel, as I was having achilles tendon problems at the time. They have stretched enough that they are not really useable for me on anything technical/challenging, although the first day or 2 I loved them (5.10-11 City of Rocks, ID). I'd love to sell them if anyone is interested. I think they are 43s and in very good condition.

Joe