La Sportiva
recensioner:

A bit of background first: I have a quite narrow foot in the rear (very narrow heel), and a bit wider in the front, but with an overall low volume. I wear men's 44.5 EU in approach shoes (La Sportiva TX Guide) and 45 in other brands/models. My normal downsize for La Sportiva climbing shoes is: Otaki - 42, Kataki - 41.5, Skwama - 41. Over the course of the last two years, I've found my foot shape to fit perfectly with the last of the three models. Having already used Kataki in the men's version for almost 2 years now, I've always craved a softer rubber, especially for more sensitive footholds, as the men's version comes with XS Edge, and aside from very technical edging on minimal holds on slabs and vertical walls, I've always felt a lack of sensitivity on other types of climbs. And also wanted a bit of added comfort, especially for warmer days, therefore I purchased size 42. As expected, just as with my first pair of Kataki, these were comfortable right out of the box, adapting to the shape of my foot after warming up in just two 10-minute wearing sessions. After a short gym session and a bit of route climbing, the fit was perfect. Although I'm on the heavier side of the spectrum as a climber (1.86m/74-75kg), I've found that the XS Grip 2 on the woman's version of Kataki to still provide support in comparison to the XS Edge, but at the same time provide much more sensitivity, especially for any smears or footholds that require a bit more of an active pressure. The combination of the softer rubber, with the already comfortable inner sock of the Kataki, also results in an even more pleasant climbing experience, without sacrificing on performance. Despite being softer, the woman's version still edges perfectly, especially on tiny nubbins, but with an added sensitivity. It is worth mentioning though, that being XS Grip 2, the rubber will wear down faster, but this is highly dependant on your footing technique and precision, and after all, let's face it, you buy the Katakis for their precision, not for smearing on big volumes or sloppy footwork. I expect a good experience for the following years and plan on resoling the shoes once necessary, as my previous pair reacted very well to a proper resoling process.

Shoes over my expectation, it fits perfectly! Thank you.