In getting back to climbing, I’ve been trying to climb in my La Sportiva Solution Comps and have had excruciating pain in my feet after every session. I decided to pull out my La Sportiva Katana Laces this morning to “start at the beginning”, so to speak. Even though they were just as difficult to get on as my Comps, I had a much better session with them. Today is a cranky day weather-wise, so my wrist is acting up, and my fingers were stiff after about five problems, so I hung it up for the day. I was impressed with the performance of my Katanas, as I had forgotten that they were the first semi-aggressive climbing shoe I had ever tried when I first began climbing five years ago. After a year off from climbing, I realized I needed to re-acclimate my feet to climbing shoes and condition them to that stress again. I’m so glad I tried my Katanas today. I won’t be limping the rest of the day!
A note on the Katana Laces: when I began climbing, they were $165 USD. They are now nearly $200 USD, not because of inflation, but because they are such an impressive and popular climbing shoe. The Vibram XS Edge rubber may deter some at first from using it as a bouldering shoe, but it is a good all-around climbing shoe if you want an all-in-one type of climbing shoe. I am a big fan of the Katanas and they are a favorite go-to in my arsenal. Try a pair out next time you go to the climbing gym and see what you think!
CLIMBING 4 THE REST OF US 