La Sportiva Katana Lace
La Sportiva
A do-everything lace shoe with XS Edge rubber and full midsole with P3 System. The lacing runs the length of the foot for precise fit - great for long trad days, multi-pitch, and outdoor sport. Suede upper is durable and moulds to your foot shape.
Best For
Best for sport climbing and trad multipitch on slab, vertical and overhang terrain. Aimed at hobby to advanced climbers.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Full-length lacing for precise fit
- P3 System maintains shoe shape
- Versatile - works on most rock types
- Not too aggressive, not too flat - just right for most climbing
- Lace-up closure dials in a precise fit
Trade-offs
- Slower to put on than velcro
- Heavy for bouldering
- Takes time to break in suede
Sizing & Fit
Leather will stretch roughly 0.5 EU; consider sizing down 0.5 if between sizes. True-to-size for average feet.
Fit profile: medium width, standard forefoot volume, medium heel, suits egyptian toe shapes.
Expect roughly half a size of stretch; moderate break-in.
Stiffness
Measured stiffness: 0.74 on our 0-1 scale (0 = softest). Among moderately downturned shoes it sits between the Five Ten NIAD VCS (0.65, softer) and the EB Django 3.0 (0.82, stiffer).
Specifications
| Brand | La Sportiva |
| Model | Katana Lace |
| Closure | Lace |
| Feel | Moderate |
| Downturn | Moderate |
| Asymmetry | Moderate |
| Rubber | Vibram XS Edge |
| Rubber Thickness | 4mm |
| Weight (pair) | 500g |
| Vegan | No |
| Kids | No |
Prices
| Retailer | Price |
|---|---|
| epictv.com | 141.34 EUR |
| bergfreunde.de | 152.96 EUR |
| rockrun.com | 157.58 EUR |
| bananafingers.co.uk | 159.12 EUR |
Cheapest current offer: 141.34 EUR at epictv.com, 11% below the 159.00 EUR list price. 4 shops currently stock it (141.34 to 159.12 EUR).