Solution Men

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.

Any intermediate or advanced climber looking for a high performance shoe that could serve as a “one shoe quiver” should consider the La Sportiva Solution. However, climbers who prefer softer shoes should know that compared to most other drastically downturned, aggressive shoes on the market, the Solution is substantially stiffer.

While the Solution is a bit stiff for me, it is still a durable, high performance shoe that excels on a variety of terrain: from the world’s hardest boulder problems, to sport routes that range from the steepest endurance pitches to more vertical affairs requiring precision edging.

I reviewed the Solutions a few years ago and thought they were great: I loved them for their comfortable fit and downturned, aggressive last and crazy precision. I originally noted that the shoe didn’t smear well, and it took a long time to break in. However, after a year of hard use, my opinion of this shoe has grown fonder, and I now regard the Solutions as one of the best high-end slippers on the market.