Are you looking for an all-day comfort shoe that is affordable and can perform indoors and outdoors? Perhaps you’re a new climber looking for a pair of beginner shoes. Our gear reviewer, Brigitte, climber of ten years, recommends the La Sportiva Finale shoes. Here is her review of the La Sportiva Finale climbing shoes for women.
It has been a while since I have worn La Sportiva shoes. When I first started looking into more aggressive bouldering shoes, I had turned to the Muiras for its high ratings and excellent teal color. Unfortunately, the La Sportiva Muira was not compatible with my foot shape. Years later, a friend of mine gave me a pair of La Sportiva Finale, and I thought, let’s give it another try. Despite being unable to find a suitable La Sportiva shoe, I was stoked to give the Finales another chance. After all, La Sportiva has the best climbing rubber on the market.
Affordable Price
Priced at $109.00, the La Sportiva Finale makes for a great shoe at a great price point.
La Sportiva Finale Performance
These are not aggressive shoes by any means. I would put the rubber on the softer side of the spectrum, making these a fantastic slab shoe.
Edging
The rubber on the La Sportiva Finale is soft, which is not what you want for aggressive edging. The rubber will grab onto the rock features to comfortably keep you on the wall, but if you are looking for a shoe with stiff rubber for those micro edges, this is not it. That isn’t to say you can’t use these shoes for that style of climbing; I’m just saying the soft rubber may deform, and you’ll roll off the edge.
Smearing
The rubber will grab on to any and every little crystal you send its way.
When it comes to friction climbing, this shoe gets a thumbs up. The softness of the rubber molds into the irregularities of the rock and allows for maximum contact points for those slabby days.
I put the Finales through a slab climbing test when I wore them on an insecure slab route in Tuolumne Meadows. From a friendly and secure foot crack, I stepped out onto a shallow, green/orange specked dimple on the wall and prayed to the rock gods that it would hold. Lo and behold, after bearing full weight on to my foot, I didn’t get sent on a wild ride. Trust in the rubber.
Crack Climbing with La Sportiva Finale
Unlike the La Sportiva TC Pros, which is a board-lasted shoe and has a stiff toe box, the Finale’s will bend under your fingertips, as shown in the picture below. You can crack climb in the Finales, but the rubber is soft. Because the rubber is soft, your foot will mold into the crack with the shoe, and the weight falls onto your bones, which can be quite painful. But at least you know you’ll be solid! For crack climbing, you’ll want shoes with stiff toe boxes like the Butora Alturas, Evolv Generals, Black Diamond Ascent, or La Sportiva TC Pros.
Pockets
The toe area’s tip is pretty thick, so it does not fit in small pockets well. The Finales are flat shoes, so they are hard to hook into pockets. You may have to put in a little extra effort to stay on if you’re climbing on pockets.
La Sportiva Finale – An All-Day Shoe
These babies slip on like butter. As mentioned above, these are not aggressive shoes, nor are they designed to be. I’ve worn these shoes on a full day multi-pitch without having to take them off once. These are my current go-to comfy shoe for those long days. As the day progresses and your feet start to swell, and the shoe starts to feel tighter. From the shoe becoming tighter, you’ll be secure wherever you step.
The flatter sole is designed for an all-day comfort shoe. The Finales are great for the crag or the gym.
Sizing
I sized a half a size up for a comfortable snug fit.
- The lace-up design allows for adjustability on tightness depending on how wide or narrow your foot is
- I wear a street shoe size of 37.5 (European), and I wear size 38 for the La Sportiva Finale
- The 38 is nice and secure in the toe box, but the heel was insecure.
Larger heel cup
This may be a common thing with La Sportiva shoe’s construction, but once the Finales are broken in, the heels become quite floppy for the lack of a better description. Combined with my small heels, the situation becomes quite a pickle when I’m trying to pull a heavy heel hook and can visibly see (and feel) my heels, in slow motion, sliding out of my shoe. It is not a pleasant or confident feeling knowing that your foot will blow under your weight.
La Sportiva Finale Comfort
If you have made it this far in the review, you already know how comfortable I found these shoes to be. They feel like slippers giving my feet a cozy bear hug. Tight but not suffocating. I won’t be sliding around in the shoe (other than the heel), but I can still wiggle my toes enough for the circulation not to be cut off.
Pros
- A comfortable shoe for all-day climbing
- Snug toe box and soft rubber for your smearing pleasure
- Lower price point
Cons
- An enormous floppy heel that is difficult to trust
Bottom Line
Besides not being able to trust the heel, I trust everything about the shoe’s front end. All-in-all, I would recommend these shoes to anyone looking for a comfortable all-day shoe that does most of what you need. At a reasonably low price point (as far as climbing shoes go) of $109, you get the benefits of La Sportiva’s top of the line rubber and comfort that won’t break your bank! I think this shoe would be great if you are a newbie starting or a seasoned climber. Of course, this is my own opinion based on my experiences. If these end up being the perfect all-around shoe for you, then fantastic! Happy Climbing!
La Sportiva – A Reliable Brand
La Sportiva is top of the line in terms of climbing shoes and is one of the most well-known brands. Founded in Italy in 1928, La Sportiva has plenty of knowledge and expertise in the industry and deserves the title of being one of the most consistent and reliable outdoor brands. It is no wonder La Sportiva is such a sought after brand on the market.
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