What’s up with the Miuras?

What is up with the extra material that bows out around the ankle of the newer Miuras? This is my third pair of Miuras, and my first two (older versions) do not have the extra material around the ankle, as seen in the picture. It’s not the sizing, they are all the same size and fit the same heel to toe. Has anyone else noticed this?

Not to be too obtuse, but are you sure you didn’t just tighten the left shoe more?  The space between the two sides looks much closer, suggesting it was pulled tighter.  A lot of times new leather is stiff and needs to break in before becoming supple, which might make it easier to pull closer.

Ted Pinson wrote: Not to be too obtuse, but are you sure you didn’t just tighten the left shoe more?  The space between the two sides looks much closer, suggesting it was pulled tighter.  A lot of times new leather is stiff and needs to break in before becoming supple, which might make it easier to pull closer.

lol yeah man, i’m sure. i can pull the laces as tight as possible on the newer shoe and the material still bows at the ankle. the older pairs were never like that, even when they were brand new. 

I just bought a new pair and noticed something pretty similar. I have been buying those shoes for 20 years now, and I do think something changed about the fit.  Mine also no longer fit like a glove, and I don't think it's my foot or tightening or break in.  

In my experience, the sizing has changed on all the Sportiva models that have received upgrades recently, and they are all running larger than they did before. I now wear smaller sizes in Solutions, Miuras and Testarossas. Maybe you need to size down some?

I’ve also noticed a difference in sportiva shoe sizing and a overall lack of consistency even among new models.  I’ve been climbing in them almost exclusively for 20 years and feel like I have a pretty good idea how they should fit.

The black liner is not to my taste.  Preferred the white canvas. Bleach the cotton white and rinse out the bleach. I like that. Even better don’t color treat the cotton at all.  Having dye stain my feet is creepy even if it’s supposedly nontoxic. 

I just got a new pair of TC Pros size 44.5 and they are def bigger than the last pair of the same size i got 4 years ago. 

I have the same thing with velcro Miuras

Most US-sold La Sportivas are made either in Colorado or China/Vietnam.  Over the years there have been increasing amounts of QC issues with LS shoes in the US - size, fit, delaminations, etc.  Conversely, most LS shoes sold in Europe are from the Ziano de Fiemme factory and other regional Italian factories.  There have been less issues with those made in Europe, still under the more strict QAQC procedures of the original factories.  If you can, buy your LS's from Europe.  I am fortunate enough to travel to Italy on a regular basis, so I buy a few pairs directly from the factory shop whenever I'm in the Veneto region.

Gross photo.

Julian H wrote:

Made in Colorado? Where/who makes climbing shoes in Colorado. I though  LS only the cheaper models are made in China/Vietnam. 

Correct

https://www.sportiva.com/faq

I had a pair of velcro miuras that i climbed in over 3 resoles and fit my heel and foot perfectly. Tried on the new model, and they didn't fit at all.  The bow, and also my heel lifted up.  

Mike wrote:

Correct

https://www.sportiva.com/faq

They aren't made in CO.

They are repaired in CO (Rock and Resole handles all Sportiva warranty claims). The only factories making climbing shoes in the US are in socal. The asia factories handle all trail running and hiking product, with maybe the exception of the tarantulas/ super cheap climbing product. Italy does climbing shoes, mountaineering boots, and ski boots.

Source: Been to those factories (in socal and asia) and know people who work at Sportiva and Rock and Resole.

Julian H wrote: I would say that the shoe on the right is bigger. At least the size of the laces is much bigger. Put the soles together on the and see if they are the same length.  Unless they changed the laces a couple of year back when they redesigned the shoes. 

It is not extra material. It is caused by the stretch in the rand around the heel. When they take the shoe of the last the stretched rubber goes back to the original size  and bunches like it does in the photo. What you  are looking at is what La Sportiva calls P3. The only difference is that the do it with the bottom of the shoe at the arch.  It could be that LS started to stretch the rubber in a different way on the newer shoes. My fiends shoes are the same. 

Good catch. This photo is cropped to show the ankle portion, but when I look at the original that shows the toe, I can see that the newer Miura is bigger, despite being the same size. I could size down, but I am sure the smaller shoe would still bow out at the ankle. It’s weird and i wonder if it would affect performance in cracks or in general. Kind of a shame, because it has always been my favorite shoe. 

My velcro Miuras do the same thing, and it impacts performance a bit. Not a huge deal, but I wouldn't buy another pair that fit like that. My older lace ups fit perfect.

I found poor quality in the sportivas I bought at REI but much better fit and quality in the same style size I bought at a good rep local shop. Is that because of the difference between factories producing sportivas or because REI negotiates quality for large runs? I've found that difference in other products sold at REI under the vendor brand.

Vince Buffalini wrote:

Good catch. This photo is cropped to show the ankle portion, but when I look at the original that shows the toe, I can see that the newer Miura is bigger, despite being the same size. I could size down, but I am sure the smaller shoe would still bow out at the ankle. It’s weird and i wonder if it would affect performance in cracks or in general. Kind of a shame, because it has always been my favorite shoe. 

Not sure I’d want to climb anything wider than hands in those, but I’m also not sure I would want to do that with ANY low-top shoe, lol.  Learned that the hard way...

I had this happen when I bought the LS Women's Miuras last year. I'm a big fan of the LS Katakis (which fit great), but I had to return the Miuras due to the strange bowing of the material around the ankles.

I tried some on the other day and was highly disappointed.  Even went a full size smaller than my previous pair but they have the same issue around the ankles.  You would have to have pretty big 'cankles' for them to fit.  Too bad they managed to screw up a classic shoe.

Lots of miuras with minimal use for sale due in part to this issue: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/118250259/fs-miuras-sizes-405-435-minimal-use