So, the La Sportiva Finale Climbing Shoe..
Let’s take a minute and talk about climbing shoes, shall we? Finding the right shoe is important. If you’re a seasoned climber, you understand the difficulties of this task. Normal shoe sizes go out the window. We’ll order 4 pairs in different sizes, just to send back the three that didn’t work. After a few weeks testing out the La Sportiva Finale Climbing Shoe, I believe I’ve found the perfect climbing shoe for the entry to moderate level climber.
If you’re interested in an in depth guide to finding the perfect climbing rope that meets your needs, read Top 5 Best Climbing Ropes for Beginners.
La Sportiva Finale Climbing Shoe Features
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Toe Box
Not as pointed as some, with a relatively symmetrical toe box, it doesn’t shine at pockets or overhangs. But it also doesn’t cram your piggies together. The front third of the shoe is flat as a pancake with no downturn. You wouldn’t describe it as a precision tool for toeing. It’s ok for toe-hooks but there’s noticeably less rubber on the top of the shoe than models that are meant for bouldering or aggressive sport climbing.
The shape of the toe box makes it less than ideal for steep pitches, but it does help the shoe with smearing. It also helps with sticking the shoe into cracks. Cracking climbing is another mode where this shoe is not a bad performer. The Finale has a moderate amount of rubber on the side, which helps to stick the shoe into cracks and gain some purchase. The shoe has enough padding that the potential pain of cracks is blunted.
Technical specs
| Best Use |
Rock Climbing
|
|---|---|
| Climbing Shoe Type |
Neutral
|
| Last |
Slip-lasted
|
| Upper |
Leather/microfiber
|
| Lining |
Unlined
|
| Outsole |
5mm Vibram XS Edge rubber
|
| Footwear Closure |
Lace-up
|
| Can Be Resoled |
Yes
|
| Gender |
Men’s
|
| Weight (Pair) |
1 pound
|
Size chart
| 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 47 | 47.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Men’s | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 |
| U.S. Women’s | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | |||||
| EU | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 47 | 47.5 |
| Mondo | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 |
My Experience with La Sportiva Finale Climbing Shoe
I picked up these bad boys a few months back. I’ve been searching for a good, durable climbing shoe that can get me through the day. One that doesn’t require me to carry a couple pairs of shoes in my pack every time I go climbing. I will say that they aren’t my La Sportiva TC Pros, but they are my best all around shoe that I have at the moment. My TC Pros are so comfortable that I’ve almost left a climb forgetting to take them off. I’ll use those on my longer multi-pitch days, but my Finales have proven to be a shoe I can take from the climbing gym straight to the crag.
I used to use some older Evolvs as my all around shoe, but once I made the transition to the LS Finales they certainly out performed. The Finales have a slightly narrower toe box and sharper point at the tip. I found this a lot more helpful on the foot work and edging on tiny foot holds. They even do impressively well on moves from toe camming to smears. I definitely don’t feel the need to carry multiple shoes with me anymore.
Sizing Tips
If you’re a climber, you know the drill. When trying on new climbing shoes for the first time, they are going to be uncomfortable. I wouldn’t even waste your time trying on a climbing shoe that is the same size as your everyday town shoe. Everyone is different and has their own methods, but I typically like to start trying them on at one whole size down and go from there. After trying on three different sizes, I found that two full sizes down worked for me. I wear a 45.5 in La Sportiva’s trail running shoes, but I wear a 43.5 in their climbing shoes. The leather did stretch out a bit to my comfort after a few sessions with them, so be sure to factor that in.
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