Another Katana Lace Question - Heel

I have the Katana laces and have worn them a few times around the gym and the crag thus far. Toe box and arch feel pretty good.

They fit great aside but keep getting alot of pressure about an inch above the base of the heel (achilles point),

Will this stretch out a little in the break in period - anyone have a similar experience?

They have very low volume heels, so if yours are not, that could be why.  They don't stretch much so I wouldn't count on it, but it's possible.

My Katana laces stretched a bit - maybe half a size. The heel still bothered me and after a couple resoles stil do. They're certainly not my "all day comfort shoe!"

For the record I have TCs and they fit like a dream... so i am a little confused lol

My sense is that the Katana Lace has much more heel tension than the TC Pro in the same size. If it bothers you now it probably always will. I have a pair on its 3rd sole and the heel band is still tight.

Yeah the heel on a tc pro and the heel on a katana lace are very different. I would also agree that the pressure you are feeling won't go away. 

Well this is helpful (hope it's helpful for the OP as well).  Been having a really tough time dialing in the fit of a more aggressive shoe (have been climbing in the LS Taruntulace and Scarpa Force X), and had tried a pair of TC Pro's that were flat out the wrong size (too small) and then Katana's, which were horribly uncomfortable in the heel, even though I went up in size from the TC Pro's. Sounds like my foot may never like the Katana's (sad), but I really liked the TC Pro's so just need to figure out what size is going to work.

Indeed, the heel tension is much higher in the Katana (slingshot rand).  This gives you more edging power and keeps the shoe from rolling under pressure, at the extent of all-day comfort.  FWIW my Katanas are on their 3rd sole and have flattened/softened up substantially, but the heel tension is still there.

Katanas also tend to run small.  I sized up a half size from my Miuras and they fit very similarly size-wise, albeit totally differently (different last).

Aaron Guillotte wrote:

Been having a really tough time dialing in the fit of a more aggressive shoe (have been climbing in the LS Taruntulace and Scarpa Force X), and had tried a pair of TC Pro's that were flat out the wrong size (too small) and then Katana's, which were horribly uncomfortable in the heel, even though I went up in size from the TC Pro's. Sounds like my foot may never like the Katana's (sad), but I really liked the TC Pro's so just need to figure out what size is going to work.

Aggressive for trad? or sport/bouldering? Steep or vert? Don't overlook Five Ten. There are pros and cons with all brands, and new brands = new lasts. I currently fit well in any Anasazi, Hiangles, Otakis, TC Pros, and *some* Scarpas. At a recent shoe demo, most of the more aggro Scarpa's didn't jive with me, even though Vapor Vs do. The Otaki works well (albeit it's sized tight for performance), but I didn't love the Skwama's (even though it's supposed to be the same last), and didn't like the feel of appropriately sized Genius's either. I've tried on Tenayas and they felt good, but never pulled the trigger.

Lastly - while Anasazi's and the Hiangles feel good - most of FiveTen's aggro shoes feel like murder on my foot, especially the Team series. Try on as much as ya can!

Sean H wrote:

Aggressive for trad? or sport/bouldering? Steep or vert? Don't overlook Five Ten. There are pros and cons with all brands, and new brands = new lasts. I currently fit well in any Anasazi, Hiangles, Otakis, TC Pros, and *some* Scarpas. At a recent shoe demo, most of the more aggro Scarpa's didn't jive with me, even though Vapor Vs do. The Otaki works well (albeit it's sized tight for performance), but I didn't love the Skwama's (even though it's supposed to be the same last), and didn't like the feel of appropriately sized Genius's either. I've tried on Tenayas and they felt good, but never pulled the trigger.

Lastly - while Anasazi's and the Hiangles feel good - most of FiveTen's aggro shoes feel like murder on my foot, especially the Team series. Try on as much as ya can!

Trad. Still a pretty new climber (5.6-5.7 in the Gunks is probably my comfort limit at the moment). Aggressive might not have actually been the best choice of words (actually it wasn't at all).  Upgrade maybe? Yeah, I plan to try a bunch of shoes this year before pulling the trigger and committing (including brands/shoes not normally available at my local stores).    

Anyone have experience doing this to the katana?

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/111024622/modify-shoes-to-reduce-heel-rand-tension

The answer is: Shoe tree.

 TC pro is my all day long trad route shoe. I wear them in my street size, and they work great up to 5.11's. Then I wear the Katana lace for more aggressive pocketed steeper routes. I too had a heel issue, not so much that i felt it was the wrong shoe, (or posted about it), but there it was, not as comfy as the TC. 

AND THEN i put them on my shoe trees. I buy them shoe trees) when i see them at the thrift shops. You can get them online. Position the heel portion of the tree where the heel of the shoe is bothering you. This of course will stretch the toes, but c'est la guerre. Voila, c'est bon!

Did you notice any performance decline when you did this?

Ted Pinson wrote:

Did you notice any performance decline when you did this?

Nope.

btw, this was not intentional, i keep my 'working' shoes on shoe trees, they have been known to come home damp. Just a quirk that it happened. 

Caz Drach wrote:

Anyone have experience doing this to the katana?

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/111024622/modify-shoes-to-reduce-heel-rand-tension

Not to the Katana--though I have a pair and also experience the same heel pain as the OP is describing. I did cut the rubber bands on a too-small pair of TC Pros which gave me similar heel pain. It definitely improved the comfort. I thought about cutting the rubber bands on the Katanas, but I think I'd rather try selling them than modifying them like that.

Aaron Guillotte wrote:

Trad. Still a pretty new climber (5.6-5.7 in the Gunks is probably my comfort limit at the moment). Aggressive might not have actually been the best choice of words (actually it wasn't at all).  Upgrade maybe? Yeah, I plan to try a bunch of shoes this year before pulling the trigger and committing (including brands/shoes not normally available at my local stores).    

I'd add in there: Anasazi Pink/Verdon Lace (sized so your toes are flat for both), Butora Mantra and Altura (both available as a wide and narrow version as far as I know), and the La Sportiva Mythos. Good luck!

edit to add: Scarpa Techno X.

Sean H wrote:

I'd add in there: Anasazi Pink/Verdon Lace (sized so your toes are flat for both), Butora Mantra and Altura (both available as a wide and narrow version as far as I know), and the La Sportiva Mythos. Good luck!

edit to add: Scarpa Techno X.

Thanks, man.  Appreciate the thoughts and recommendations!