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La Sportiva Solution Question (Yes, another one - i'm sorry)

Original Post
James Macari · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2025 · Points: 0

Hello! I've done quite a bit of research on this forum and reddit. Nothing quite seems to answer my question. I'd say I have a slightly wider foot than it is narrow, but I don't buy wide shoes. I wear a size 43 in Blundstone boots, 42 in birkenstocks, and size 44 in Salomon hiking boots which affords a nice roomy toe box (to mitigate toe bang). My first pair of climbing shoes were Butora Endeavors in a size 43 - I could walk around in these no problem. Comfortable right out of the box, like slippers. I wore them out and bought LS Katana Laces in a 42.5, they were more aggressive and tight to start, but never uncomfortable. I can wear these shoes for hours with no discomfort, and can wiggle my toes ever so slightly after breaking them in. I figured it was time to downsize again so I bought the LS Solution's in a 42 and have climbed in them 3 times - probably 10 or so boulder problems. They fit my left foot okay, the heel fits amazing on both, but the toes on my right foot SCREAM on small, high pressure holds. I've been knocked down a few grades in some instances. I normally climb V7-V9's. On ropes i'm climbing 5.12's and currently working on a 13a project - i've been climbing for 5 years.

TL;DR The toes on my right foot are smashed laterally, with the pinky toe feeling like it's being forced under the toe next to it. The big toe screams at me, and after this mornings session has developed some discoloration (a bruise, kinda like toe bang) under the toenail. Did I size too small? Should I get them in a 42.5? I tried them on and the heel doesn't fit as well but provides more room to the toes. Are my feet too wide?

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236

Ur feet are different sizes. Find a person with the same problem as you but opposite feet or upsize a half size. 

Jacob W · · Richmond, VA · Joined Jun 2023 · Points: 0

I wear 42 in katanas and 42 in my solution comps and they are perfect. Break in always sucks and definitely takes more than 3 times but if it sucks that bad, try a half size bigger or a pair of scarpa instinct vs. I wear those in a 43 and absolutely love them, maybe even more than my solutions. Some people buy two sized shoes as well if you feel the need to. I’ve spent far too much time hyper fixating on shoe size and if I sized down enough vs did I buy too tight, ultimately, buy what you’re actually going to want to climb in. If it hurts so bad you don’t want to climb, then what performance gains are you actually gaining? That’s my philosophy.

Frank Stein · · Picayune, MS · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205

I find that the Genius, Futura and Testarossa work really well for my very wide feet. The Mantra and Miura VS are pretty good also, but as for the Solutions, I just cannot make them fit well. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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