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 The Genius 2023 is technically retired but it's still sold online.The Genius 2023 is no longer produced by La Sportiva. We're showing it as "available" on WeighMyRack because you can still find it at trustworthy online retailers.

La Sportiva Genius Climbing Shoe
  • La Sportiva Genius Climbing Shoe
  • La Sportiva Genius Climbing Shoe

Genius 2023

Rating

My vote: None ( 4.8 avg )

Description

A High-end lace up climbing shoe with No-Edge™ technology. The highest performance climbing shoe on the market.

No-Edge™ technology delivers unparalleled edging performance on the rock.
P3® patented technology delivers mind bending power.
Lace-up comfort makes this shoe fit every type of foot.

Retail price

US$ 219.00

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Award Image
Weight 440 g

Single : 220 g / 7.76 oz
Pair : 440 g / 15.52 oz

Closure Type Lace
Gender Unisex
Volume High
Sizing Information European sizes 32-46, including half sizes.

La Sportiva Shoes are built on European half sizes which are smaller increments than US half sizes.


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Best Use (Highest Performance) Sport / Face
Over-hanging
Asymmetry Aggressive
Tongue Details not provided by the brand
Last Details Shape: Downturned (performance)
Construction: Slip Lasted
Last : PD 85 This means the last shape has a pointed toe, it is downturned and has high asymmetry.
Upper Material not provided by the brand  Suede Leather / Micro fiber
Midsole Material 1.1 mm  LaspoFlex with P3®
Sole Material 3.0 mm  Vibram® XS Grip2
Rand: not provided by the brand
Footbed Lining

Unlined

LaspoFlex

Super lightweight, ultra-thin synthetic fiber-laminate designed for maximum torsion rigidity.
No Edge Concept™ Technology

No Edge Concept™

The No-edge concept eliminates the traditional "edges" of the sole. This allows the foot to come into closer contact with the rock surface. Thus enhancing foot sensitivity and allowing optimum contact on the hold. With the No-edge construction, climbing becomes more fluid, instinctive and harmonious.
P3® Technology

P3®

Permanent Power Platform used in climbing shoes to maintain the downturned shape of the shoe for the life of the shoe.
VIBRAM® XS Grip2 Technology

VIBRAM® XS Grip2

Represents the natural evolution of VIBRAM® XS Grip, the new XS Grip2 delivers highly improved grip, while maintaining consistent performance in all temperatures. XS Grip 2 is the best solution in pure friction situations while remaining durable and even-wearing.

No reviews yet.

Climbing Shoe Review logo no rating given just a review

A lace-up version of the pre-existing Speedsters (slipper) and Futura (velcro), the Genius is a classy piece of engineering. The No-Edge technology that LS pioneered with these three shoes is at its best in the lace-up variant, which vacuum packs your foot into an unbelievably sensitive yet aggressive shoe. Climbing in it, you can tell it’s a bit different to almost everything else on the market. At home in whacky, 3D climbing or on disgustingly steep board problems, the toes seem able to stick to the glassiest feet, even in a roof.

Switch Back Travel Gear Review rating 4.5/5

The La Sportiva Genius is purpose-built for the rigors of steep climbing, and in our testing it performed exceptionally well on this sort of terrain. We wore it while bouldering, sport climbing, and even ascending bouldery overhanging trad climbs, and loved the generous downturn and incredibly sensitive construction. On steep limestone, the shoe was responsive on toe and heel hooks. While edging and toeing in on steep conglomerate and sandstone, the Genius stuck well to miniscule footholds. Finally, though not designed for less-than-vertical terrain, we even found it to be surprisingly adept at climbing slab and thin cracks.

Blister Gear Review no rating given just a review

The La Sportiva Genius is a specialized, high-performance shoe that excels at difficult face climbing, performing exceptionally well on smears, pockets, and most edges. It takes the No-Edge design of the Futura and combines it with an even more aggressive last, making for a shoe that inspires confidence on the hardest routes. And while it has a very asymmetrical, downturned shape, the Genius is surprisingly comfortable thanks to its higher-volume fit and soft rubber. The Genius’ high degree of asymmetry is a hindrance on straight-in cracks, but that’s no surprise. And while the Genius toe- and heel-hooks well enough to be a high-end bouldering shoe, the P3 platform under the toe tox means that it lacks some of the sensitivity that many climbers prefer for really steep boulders. But if the Genius’ high price isn’t a dealbreaker, it offers excellent performance on all types of face climbs.

Epic TV Gear Review no rating given just a review

This is a high performance shoe, with remarkable straight out of the box comfort. Whilst they are comfortable and secure, I wouldn’t use them for day to day training or general sport or trad climbing and on certain routes, but as a high performance red-point, bouldering and hard-trad shoe, La Sportiva Genius are exceptional.

Climb ZA Gear Review no rating given just a review

In short, La Sportiva’s “No Edge Technology” is amazing! It has sped up my footwork and given me more confidence on tiny footholds. The Futuras are the best fit for me, and have become my favourite shoes for crimpy climbs. The Geniuses offer all the benefits of the “No Edge Technology” but with more comfort (and they look like friggin’ Ferraris!). I still use the Solutions on overhanging climbs when I need that little bit of extra power on my toes, or when I need to hook my toe on a hold in the roof, but for everything else I prefer the “No Edge” shoes. If you have good footwork, but are still struggling to trust your feet, or if you just need a new pair of shoes and can’t decide whether to edge or not to edge, then I suggest you give these shoes a try.

UK Climbing Gear Review no rating given just a review

The Genius are a unique pair of shoes to climb in and despite my original cynicism regarding the no-edge design it worked well in practice, particularly on steeper ground. Obviously they are a shoe for a more technical/advanced user and as a result are best suited towards higher level bouldering/sport climbing. As a final word, these are without doubt a shoe I will re-buy after my existing pair wears out and are likely to become part of the collection of rock boots I regularly use.

Outdoor Gear Lab Gear Review rating 5/5

Whether or not you're a believer (or have yet to permit yourself to be converted, go on test your conviction) in No Edge shoes, the worthiness of the Genius is hard to deny. A fusion of many inspired designs, the Genius blends the best aspects of some tried and true favorites to create a unique and very complete package.

Splitter Choss Gear Review no rating given just a review

The only downside is that they retail for $190, which makes them the most expensive shoe on the market. However, climbing shoes are the only piece of gear that can really affect your climbing, and if you are looking for a precision tool for your latest project, these are worth checking out.

Switch Back Travel Gear Review no rating given just a review

You’ve probably heard people say, “buy nice or buy twice.” The Genius is expensive—prohibitively so for many people. But if you think about it, is the $20-40 extra you spend on something you’ll wear every time you climb really all that much money? If you love steep rock climbing, you’ll love this shoe. You’ll probably forget how much you spent on it not long after you start using them. Meanwhile, you’ll also probably use them and love them for months to come. One possible problem is that it appears that resoling the shoe will be difficult to impossible. I can’t imagine how it would be done, and it’s sure to be more expensive in the end. That said, the No-Edge concept is designed to last a lot longer than regular shoes, so you may not need to resole nearly as often. When all the cards fall, we’d say that if you’re reaching for your wallet, just pull the trigger. You won’t regret it.

Climbing Report Gear Review no rating given just a review

The La Sportiva Genius is not your hang out at the crag all day or multi-pitch shoe. It is a shoe you should give a serious look at if you’re working steep sport or boulder routes and trying to get that red-point. The fit is spot on for medium-narrow feet. The sticky sole with the no edge design do a great job at deforming just enough to give a 3-D grip on all available surfaces. Check them out. They are a tad pricey, so just like you expect to pay a premium for a sports car that holds the ground, so you should with climbing shoes as well. MSRP $190 (though we see them for $155 at many online retailers – snatch them up if you can get them at that price).

Details of Genius Shoe

All the details of Genius shoe, a very well discussed review of Genius shoe.

Features of Genius Shoe
Testing Genius Shoe

Watch Joe Kinder testing La Sportiva Genius shoe.

No-Edge Technology

This humorous video explains La Sportiva's No-edge technology. If you want just the details and no fluff, skip to 1:32 in the video.

Genius Shoe Review
All Around View of Genius Shoe
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