LaspoFlex
Super lightweight, ultra-thin synthetic fiber-laminate designed for maximum torsion rigidity.
Katana Lace Men
Description
The Katana Lace, despite its downturned shape, is a comfortable all-day climbing workhorse that performs well on slabs and can easily twist into thin cracks but excels outside on steep single or multi-pitch routes. The slightly downturned toe and subtle asymmetry ensures you can hook into pockets or exploit the tiniest edges while providing unrivaled comfort for the level that it performs at. The Katana Lace is a veritable edging machine now available in Men’s and Women’s styles.
• Revolutionary tubular construction with P3® Technology provides ultimate comfort and performance
• Highly breathable tongue works in conjunction with the shoe lining for moisture management
• Outsole design varies between the Katana Lace Men's (full-length) and the Katana Lace Women's (half-length) to support climbers of all weights and sizes
• Updated heel pattern with increased rubber coverage improves grip while heel hooking
• Narrower heel sole design improves heel hooking precision while maintaining the same known fit and feel
Retail price
US$ 219.00
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| Weight | 500 g Single : 250 g / 8.8 oz |
| Closure Type | Lace |
| Gender | Men |
| Volume | Average |
| Sizing Information |
European sizes 34-46, including half sizes. La Sportiva Shoes are built on European half sizes which are smaller increments than US half sizes.  la_sportiva_shoe_comparison_chart.jpg la_sportiva_shoe_comparison_graph.jpg
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| Best Use (Highest Performance) |
Sport / Face Bouldering Over-hanging Indoor |
| Asymmetry | Moderate |
| Tongue Details | Highly breathable tongue works in conjunction with the shoe lining |
| Last Details | Shape: Arched (technical) Construction: Slip Lasted Last : PD 55 This means the last has a pointed toe, it is arched and has medium asymmetry. |
| Upper Material | not provided by the brand Microfiber & Leather |
| Midsole Material | 1.1 mm Full-length LaspoFlex with P3® System |
| Sole Material | 4.0 mm
Vibram® XS Edge™
Rand: not provided by the brand |
| Footbed Lining | Pacific (forefoot and back) |
P3®
Permanent Power Platform used in climbing shoes to maintain the downturned shape of the shoe for the life of the shoe.
Pacific
Synthetic fiber lining material with characteristics of dynamic adaptibilty (it stretches).
Slip Lasted
The method of footwear construction in which the upper is sewn into a sock and then slipped onto the last. Slip lasted shoes normally do not have an insole and get their "stiffness" from the midsole which is located just above the outsole. Slip lasted rock climbing shoes tend to be sensitive like the Mythos and Cobra and less stiff than board lasted shoes.
Vibram® XS Edge
Developed to provide maximum edging support, the VIBRAM®XS Edge compound delivers excellent grip while adding improved firmness for the most challenging edging moves. This rubber compound is exceptionally resistant to deformation on razor sharp edges and it will not creep while smearing.
Other Shoe Versions male female
No reviews yet.
Of all the shoes in our quiver, the Katana Lace is the one we reach for most, whether we’re sport climbing at Smith Rock, multi-pitch climbing in Red Rock’s canyons, or ascending finger cracks at the Creek. What stands out most about the Katana is its ability to do almost everything well—crack climbing, smearing, technical face, slab, pockets, you name it. Sized up and worn in, you get a comfortable all-day shoe with much more precision than a flat design like the TC Pro (a liner at both the heel and toe boosts comfort and breathability, too). Worn tightly, the Katana’s edging prowess is on par with the likes of the Otaki below. And unlike many sport climbing and bouldering shoes, the Katana’s moderate downturn and wide toe box are a great match for wide feet or climbers who aren’t sold on a more aggressive design.
The Katana Lace is among the highest-performing all-around and thin-face shoes on the market, overbuilt for durability, support, and performance in that unique Italian way. Trad aficionado Clayton Laramie wore them to flash his hardest climb ever, a 5.12c gently overhanging a mixed-face-and-seam route in the Tan Corridor of Colorado’s Staunton State Park, about an hour south of his home in Boulder. “I love this shoe,” he said afterward. “It’s my personal favorite for hard trad and vertical face.” Meanwhile, Climbing’s digital editor, Anthony Walsh, lauded the thin toe profile. “Both vertically and horizontally, It provided unparalleled access to thin cracks and a ton of precision,” he said. Walsh said the shoe shone on Zap Crack, a 5.12+ crack line in Squamish, British Columbia, where the crux centers on two parallel, left-leaning seams: a right-hand seam that takes 0.1 cams and a toe jam and left-hand offset seam that you crimp. “The Katana was the only shoe that could meaningfully jam the right seam while my left foot edged hard on granite chips,” he said. The key with such a long, thin toe is that it’s also supportive, with no flex. The Katana held its rigidity and shape over months of testing, in part due to the full-length 1.1-millimeter midsole.
The new Katana Lace is an edging and micro-edging beast that is notably stiffer and pointier than its predecessor (it will especially suit climbers with long, narrow feet), and that is killer for pockets, pods, and thin cracks. Its construction feels beefed up, pointing to the shoe holding its precision and withstanding resoles longer than the old version. This is a high-end, niche shoe for thin face climbing, technical slabs with micro holds (not smeary slabs), cracks up to hands or fists, and all-day trad/multi-pitch. Even if you size big for comfort, the Katana Lace will still be stiff enough to offer traction on small face holds. This is not an ideal bouldering or gym shoe.
This shoe is stiff enough to prevent your foot from fatiguing on the big days and takes to cracks better than many specialized shoes. From the volcanic tuff of Smith Rock to granite splitters of the Sierra, the La Sportive Katana Lace can handle any route you throw it on. If you're looking for a high-end bouldering shoe, it may fall a little short, but for everything else, this shoe can do the job. That's why it wins our Editors' Choice Award as the best overall climbing shoe.
Details of Katana Lace
Katana Lace Shoes
All the details of Katana Lace Shoe.