2022 Katana Lace Pictures and Impressions

Picked up the 2022 version and wanted to share some pictures and observations.

May 19th Update:

I found a new pair of the old model in 43.5 and they seem to be a lot bigger than my current pair of the old model. Not sure if this is just pair to pair variance or if my shoes shrank when they got re-soled, but I recall my current pair fitting about the same as my previous pair of 43.5 when I got them..

Here's the two different 43.5s compared, seems to be about at least a half size difference?:

And here's the old model in 43.5 compared to new model in 42.5:

This makes me believe the old model and new model might not be that different after all? Hope more people can chime in over time. 

- Original Post - 

LENGTH:

The new version, in 43, appears a few mm longer than my once-resoled 43.5 older model. I assume the new pair will stretch a bit.

HEEL:

I loved the old heel of the KL aside from the extra leather that bulges/ruffles out. The actual fit of the old heel though was perfect and I always felt secure and locked into the old heel. The new heel, as advertised, does have more rubber surface around the heel which should be nice for heel hooks, but I did find the heel to feel slightly less secure. A little more slippage than I had in the old heel. I also believe the new heel to be deeper than the old version, moving in the direction towards say Scarpa Instinct or even the Solution Comp, but not as wide as the Instinct. S-heel LaSpos typically work well with my heel.

FOREFOOT:

The most noticeable difference for me in the NEW version is that my three smallest toes lay flatter in the new KL. In the old version I always had some toe curl, especially my 2nd toe, but also in the three smallest. This was very noticeable when I climbed the fingers to tight hands crack (at the gym). I had done this crack multiple times in my older Katanas and Skwamas, and this was the easiest it had ever felt for my footwork. Rand smears in the .4/.5 section seemed to have extra purchase and for the .75/tight-1s section I could get far more of my toes/foot in than typical, making for a much more enjoyable experience on my ankles. When measuring the forefoot with a ruler, the OLD version toebox is actually a couple mm wider, but when putting my old pair on after the gym sesh for reference, it was obvious how much more cramped my toes were in the OLD version. I think that the NEW version has more asymmetry compared to the old, which could perhaps explain this flatter toe profile since my foot is more on the asymmetric side. 

SIZE REFERENCES:

I’m a 44.5 in LaSpo trail runners and approach shoes. My “all-day comfort” fit has been 43.5 in the previous Katana Lace model, but since the new TC Pro model seemed to grow a half size, I opted to downsize a half size to 43 for the 2022 Katana. 

My other LS shoes sizes are Katana Lace 43.5 previous model (all-day comfort, thin cracks), TC Pro 43.5 previous model (all-day comfort) Skwama 41.5 (performance yet comfy fit after stretch), Kataki 42 (performance yet comfy), Otaki 41.5 (performance/tight).

OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

One gym session is not enough to judge a pair of shoes.. but,

I was originally bummed at the way the heel felt when I did my first couple climbs. When I moved to the slab wall and tried a route with lots of smearing on volumes, I was impressed at how secure I felt on everything despite the rubber being brand new (and XS EDGE). The finger/hand crack was definitely the highlight since that is a typical situation I would reach for my Katanas outside. The new version might be a little tighter through the midfoot, but my old pair could just be stretched out more also. 

One of my shoe laces already had the inner core poke through the end of the lace, just from trying to push it through the last eyelet one time. This happened to one of my older version pairs as well.

I've never experienced de-lamination issues like other have mentioned with the KL, and like I have with ALL my TC Pros, but hopefully that won't happen with these either.

I wouldn’t say any of the changes make that much impact, except the looks.

I doubt anyone is excited about the updated look, or the $210 price tag, so if you need a new pair of Katanas and can snag a pair of old ones at a discount, I think you are winning. 

If you want a Crayola Yellow Crayon that everyone will notice and comment on and claiming it looks like you have bumble bees on your feet (as was the case with me), then the new ones are most definitely where it's at.  

TLDR:

Slightly longer. Slightly more roomy toe-box (width). Slightly more asymmetric? Slightly less secure heel. Slightly uglier. Slightly more expensive.

*** UPDATES ***

I picked up a size 42.5 in the 2022 version and it seems that this size is much closer to my old version in 43.5

Here is the old version in 43.5 next to the 2022 version in 42.5.

And here is the actual measurement of the 2022 Version in 42.5:

So, I would recommend going down a full size from your original Katana Lace size. Cheers.

Updated Update: Maybe only go down a half size or stay the same. 

Where’d you find them?? I’ve been refreshing the Sportiva website everyday. 

https://www.bananafingers.co.uk/ has em in-stock, but don't tell anyone   They typically won't ship La Sportiva to NA, but they must have overlooked this listing.

Thanks! This was a really helpful post for all of worried about the update.  Hopefully we can get some more comparisons once more people pick them up and get some miles outside crack climbing. 

I am not sure if Trekkinn ships La Sportiva to the states but they have them in stock last time I checked. 

Bryce Ungersma wrote:

Bless you, Bryce, for taking the time to record your observations. This was a huge help.

May your projects fall before you like sheaves of wheat under the Assyrian scythe.

May crag dogs immediately be rendered mute and subservient in your presence.

May your cams be as stationary as American citizens after 8:00pm and strong as Aleks Zebastian in the face of many kilonewtons of multidirectional pull.

May your hydrolyzed collagen smoothies never clump into indigestible lumpy masses.

May your chalkbag always be open on your route and closed in your pack.

May you booty a black Totem and a pink tricam on the same pitch.

May Mark Hudon look with favor upon the efficiency of your latest, greatest 2:1 haul kit.

May your grinder overflow with the bounty of the earth and never run low.

And most importantly, may the gotez ever be in your favor.

Thanks for the shoe beta (again!) Bryce. Unfortunately I'm not surprised and was kind of expecting this (and I'm not sure why La Sportiva is putting that heel rand on all their models now). Climb On Squamish here in Canada has the old model on sale (for those looking), but I slept and they sold out of my size before I could get them.

There should be an entire thread for such pleasant wishful statements.

From the shape I don't think I will be able to wear the new one.  Is the old style in 43 available anywhere?

I hate that sportiva did away with the peanuts theme 

Leave it to a climbing shoe company to ruin a good thing and charge $15 more for it… actually, I’m surprised they didn’t discontinue it altogether!

The length difference can also be due to production imprecision. I have had cobras in 37 that were quite a bit larger than those I had in 37.5 or previous size 37s, and similar issues with miuras which I always buy in the same size.

After a full day and 9 pitches on SoCal granite, I feel like the observations I made initially were pretty accurate but a couple updates.. 

In the cold morning, partly because they are new also, they felt wider and clunkier than the older Katanas. . Once the day warmed up and they broke in a little they started feeling better but still feel roomier in the heel and toe box. (Reference: I'm wearing 43 in new model vs 43.5 in old model).. About the same roominess in the mid-foot. 

One positive thing I noticed was that the tip of the inside edge of the big toe does feel more powerful and precise, but this could just be from them having more of its downturn/shape being so new.

A negative thing I noticed was the yellow leather in the toe box and the black leather that surrounds the ankle area seems to be cheaper than previous model. After just one day of jamming and climbing, it has a felt-like (as in felt material) appearance and texture to it. My old model that has hundreds of pitches on them don't even look like that. 

Bryce Ungersma wrote:

After a full day and 9 pitches on SoCal granite, 

You're doing the Lord's work, good sir.

Thank you so much for this! 

The old KL is the only shoe that works well for me for sport climbing because it's narrow, symmetrical and supportive - so based on your impressions and the pictures I just got myself another two pairs of the old model, if it's really true that thet changed something about the shape & heel. 

Bryce, do you think some of your complaints about the new shoe would have been mitigated had you downsized further? You described them as larger than the old version but also "wider", "clunkier", "clown-shoes", "sloppier", "noticeably roomier in the heel and toe box". All of those things seem like they could be due to a sizing change between the models which would make me optimistic that they're still good shoes... but it could also be true that the version now sucks regardless of sizing changes. Certainly not stoked about lower quality materials (leather and laces). Regardless, thanks for the detailed review.

Josh Janes wrote:

Bryce, do you think some of your complaints about the new shoe would have been mitigated had you downsized further? You described them as larger than the old version but also "wider", "clunkier", "clown-shoes", "sloppier", "noticeably roomier in the heel and toe box". All of those things seem like they could be due to a sizing change between the models which would make me optimistic that they're still good shoes... but it could also be true that the version now sucks regardless of sizing changes. Certainly not stoked about lower quality materials (leather and laces). Regardless, thanks for the detailed review.

To achieve the same secureness in the heel of the new model as my older model, yes I would probably have to downsize another half size to full size, so from 43.5 old model to 42.5 or 42 in the new model. But I think I would be losing the “all-day comfort” fit length wise. Which was one of the main reasons I loved the older model. Downsizing more would also make the rest of the shoe tighter all around, including the toe box and all other parts.

I have no problem wearing smaller sized LaSpos like my 41.5 Skwama and 42 Kataki. But those are for a different purpose. If I started going down to those sizes in the new KL model I’m sure it would reduce some of my complaints with the new KL, but that’s specifically why I loved the old KL is that I didn’t feel sloppy or bulky or clown-like in an all-day comfort fit. I know if I wore a 43 or 43.5 in Skwama I would for sure lose all the performance in the heel and toe box. 

Hope some of that makes some sense.

I could also just be forgetting how insensitive and stiff a new pair of KL are in general. It’s been awhile since I had a new pair of the old model. My goal is not to dismiss the new model as a bad shoe. But I do have high expectations coming from the old model which I loved. 

Josh Janes wrote:

Bryce, do you think some of your complaints about the new shoe would have been mitigated had you downsized further? You described them as larger than the old version but also "wider", "clunkier", "clown-shoes", "sloppier", "noticeably roomier in the heel and toe box". All of those things seem like they could be due to a sizing change between the models which would make me optimistic that they're still good shoes... but it could also be true that the version now sucks regardless of sizing changes. Certainly not stoked about lower quality materials (leather and laces). Regardless, thanks for the detailed review.

So I just measured and tried them both on again. The new KL in 43 is significantly bigger than the old KL in 43.5, like you were saying. After a few days use and some stretch, it's apparent the sizing has changed. As far as length measurements I got:

Size 43.5 OLD Katana Lace: 27cm

Size 43 NEW Katana Lace: 27.5cm

Definitely contributing to why I feel the roomier toe box and less little toe curl in the NEW version. 

Also the old KL is noticeably more snug in the area below my ankle bone protrusion, between the heel and the arch of my foot, and in the arch area itself. The old KL feels like it has a higher natural arch to the shoe which matches my high arch. 

Per my observations, according to the size of the shoes I received, the NEW Katana Lace would probably closer to the OLD version by downsizing 1 to 1.5 sizes. 

Very curious to see other people's comments and findings once more people get their hands on the new ones. 

There is always some variance in each shoe's size even among the same advertised size. 

I hope the 46's fit 1/2 to 1 size bigger - that would be a dream scenario for my curled toes.  Thanks for the detailed reporting!

Thanks for the heads up. I had been talking myself out of replacing my old KLs and just panic purchased a pair of the old style.

Josh Janes wrote:

Leave it to a climbing shoe company to ruin a good thing and charge $15 more for it… actually, I’m surprised they didn’t discontinue it altogether!

Lol, Charlie Brown got the axe or in this case the sword/blade 刀.  I didn’t notice that the Charlie Brown stripes were replaced with hundreds of little swords until I saw the La Sportiva propaganda video.   I didn’t mind the stripes, but I know a lot of people loved them.  

I do think they should make the softer white half sole version in a full range of sizes if they are going to make a big deal about it being a gender neutral shoe.

Tyler Bjorkman wrote:

 I do think they should make the softer white half sole version in a full range of sizes if they are going to make a big deal about it being a gender neutral shoe.

La Sportiva: Releases a commercial making the point that shoes are gender neutral and applauding themselves for being progressive

Also La Sportiva: The new low volume (cough: women's) Katana Lace is only available up to size 42, sorry we're still a business and need to maximize profits

If anyone sees the old version on sale anywhere let me know. I know Oliunid still has them, but they ship UPS and I always get dinged hard with brokerage fees (I know you can self declare, but I'm lazy). I might have to be that guy and post another WTB for a pair.