La Sportiva Katana
La Sportiva
One of La Sportiva's most popular all-rounders. Velcro closure, XS Edge rubber, full midsole with P3 System. Moderate downturn handles slab through vertical with confidence. A proven choice for intermediate to advanced climbers who want one shoe for gym and crag.
Best For
Best for sport climbing and bouldering on slab, vertical and overhang terrain. Aimed at hobby to advanced climbers.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Versatile moderate downturn
- P3 System maintains shape over time
- Quick velcro on-off
- Full midsole supports on longer routes
- Enough aggression for hard moves, enough comfort for the rest
Trade-offs
- Not aggressive enough for steep overhangs
- Can feel stiff when new
- Velcro wears over time
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 |
| Closure | Velcro |
| Feel | Moderate |
| Downturn | Moderate |
| Asymmetry | Moderate |
| Rubber | Vibram XS Edge |
| Rubber Thickness | 4mm |
| Weight (pair) | 470g |
| Vegan | No |
| Kids | No |
Prices
| Retailer | Price |
|---|---|
| hardloop.de | 93.90 EUR |
| outdoor-climbing.de | 119.75 EUR |
| funktionelles.de | 120.00 EUR |
| barrabes.com | 122.01 EUR |
| epictv.com | 124.75 EUR |
| deporvillage.com | 124.95 EUR |
| snowleader.com | 126.90 EUR |
| schwanda.at | 134.90 EUR |
| kletterbude.de | 134.95 EUR |
| bergfreunde.de | 134.96 EUR |
| + 6 more retailers | |
Cheapest current offer: 93.90 EUR at hardloop.de, 41% below the 159.00 EUR list price. 16 shops currently stock it (93.90 to 153.99 EUR).