How to Choose Rock Climbing Shoes
La Sportiva Mandala Climbing Shoes
$229.00
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Facilitating the fluidity of natural climbing movement, the La Sportiva Mandala climbing shoes offer optimized performance on complex routes while establishing supreme grip on the worst footholds.
Key Details
Climbing Shoe Type
Aggressive
Last
Slip-lasted
Can Be Resoled
Yes
Upper
Microfiber
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- Single-strap slipper design for optimal foothold security when heel hooking
- Rounded toes allow for enhanced sensitivity, precision and grip as feet conform more closely to the irregularities found on footholds
- High performance heel shape to confidently heel hook and heel-toe cam
- High-coverage area and ultra-grippy rubber at the toes for the most extreme toe hooks
- Patented No-Edge™ technology provides the ultimate rubber-to-foothold contact area for maximum friction on the widest variety of foothold shapes
- No-Edge also provides increased rubber longevity as the toe profile spread wears more evenly
- Balanced mix of support and sensitivity even when faced with micro footholds
- P3 System™ maintains the shoe's shape through prolonged use without compromising performance
- La Sportiva recommends sizing down 1 to 3 sizes from your typical street shoe size
Imported.
View all La Sportiva Men's Climbing Shoes| Best Use | Rock Climbing |
|---|---|
| Climbing Shoe Type | Aggressive |
| Last | Slip-lasted |
| Upper | Microfiber |
| Lining | Unlined |
| Outsole | 3 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber |
| Footwear Closure | Strap |
| Can Be Resoled | Yes |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 1 oz. |
| Sustainability | Contains recycled materials From a Climate Neutral Certified brand |
| Climbing Shoe Volume | Low |
La Sportiva Footwear - Unisex Adult
| 33 | 33.5 | 34 | 34.5 | 35 | 35.5 | 36 | 36.5 | 37 | 37.5 | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 39.5 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 47.5 | 48 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Men's | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5+ | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.5+ | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 6.5+ | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 |
| U.S. Women's | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 5.5+ | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 7.5+ | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 14 | ||
| EU | 33 | 33.5 | 34 | 34.5 | 35 | 35.5 | 36 | 36.5 | 37 | 37.5 | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 39.5 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 47.5 | 48 |
Buying Advice
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Surprisingly comfortable for a performance shoe
SubaRx1 year ago
Received free productSo far I've used this shoe for gym climbing, but haven't been outside yet. The shoe performs as well as my current downward-last performance shoe. I typically project V7-V8s at gyms.
Sizing: street shoe 10, sized to a 9 and this felt correct
Fit: Aggressive downward-last, but not uncomfortable as the sole is well formed and doesn't "crunch" into your foot. The shoe conforms quite well and the upper is soft without hot spots, even under the forefoot where the rubber wraps around. The toe box has the typical Sportiva toe box found in the Solutions shoe model. Heel cup is narrow and close fitting. Support strap has some adjustability, which is nice, but I found myself strapping it closer toward the heel of the shoe to further support the upper (caveat, I am flat footed with thinner forefoot volume than most people).
Use: very easy to edge on steep terrain, the wrap around rubber at the toe is great for edging. The forefoot rubber is excellent for bicycles and toe hooks.
Overall: probably going to be my new aggressive/overhang shoe!
SubaRxReceived free product
TN
6 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Shoe is likely better than REI fulfillment
smh1 year ago
I've tried these on they have a great fit for me and am eager to see if I like climbing in them. I made the mistake of ordering through REI. Ordered a size that was in stock and it hasn't been delivered—just two weeks so far of "processing"
Feels a little scammy to put things on sale and then not deliver.
smh
11 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
Wilf
Received free product
Houston, TX
Good climbing shoe but not essential for beginners
1 year ago
La Sportiva Mandala is a pretty aggressive shoe. Like most bouldering shoes, you need to wear it for at least a few weeks to break them in. Here are the things I like so far: - Strap instead of shoe lace for quick on/off - Good support on really small foot holds - good balance between both indoor and outdoor climbing - rubber in toe area which allows easy toe hook Things I don’t like: - It runs even smaller than I thought - can be uncomfortable but the strap makes this easy to overcome
Age:25–34
Used for::Bouldering
Yes , I recommend this product
RadZach
Received free product
Missoula, Montana
Great high-quality shoe - worth the money
1 year ago
Note: I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I used to climb a LOT in college - the gym was like my second home. I was there probably 5 times a week on average. During that time, I went through climbing shoes surprisingly quickly - call it lousy footwork or just too much gritty material on the climbing wall surfaces. So, when I wore through a pair, I would usually just buy whatever pair of shoes was on sale or the cheapest. This was my mindset when searching for a pair of shoes recently - just find a pair of cheapies - they're all the same. Nope. They really aren't anymore. The cheapies are not what they used to be. Most of the ones I tried on were "baggy" in the toe box or heel, pinched my skin if I bent the shoe leather, or had some other goofy detail that bothered me. So I was psyched when I had the opportunity to try out the La Sportiva Mandala climbing shoes. Over the last few weeks, I've been using them in the climbing gym, and overall, I'm really impressed with their performance. First off, I love the single strap design for securing the shoe. It’s simple and effective. The shoes are quite aggressive, featuring a nice fat piece of rubber for toe hooks. Despite their aggressive nature, they were surprisingly comfortable right out of the box. However, with the amount of rubber on them, I think they will need some time to fully break in. Once they do, I expect they'll fit like a glove. I was curious/skeptical about the No Edge technology and worried that edging might suffer. Surprisingly, it works really well, providing great support and precision. This technology, combined with the thicker rubber over the big toe, might also prevent the shoes from de-laminating, potentially reducing the need for a re-sole as soon as my other shoes have needed it. Which is great, because while I love to re-sole/reuse shoes rather than buy new, they are just never the same again post-re-sole. The fit is excellent, with no noticeable air gaps. The heel cup and toe box are snug and secure. These shoes are clearly well-made and high quality, and you definitely get what you pay for with them. Overall an awesome climbing shoe, and I’m super excited to get outside to try them on real rock this summer!
Age:35–44
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
ttback22
Received free product
Chicago, IL
Does it get any better than La Sportiva!?
1 year ago
I've got La Sportiva trail running shows and hiking boots, so I figured I would give these sport climbing shoes a try. I've only used them indoora few times, but I love the ability to get these on and off quickly with the fast lacing system. Two 'finger pulls' at the heel make it easier to get these on, since they seemed to run about a full size smaller than I expected. This made for some uncomfortable moments, but I guess that is expected when they are intentionally smaller than normal street shoes. All in all, these are probably a bit too high-end for the indoor climbing that I do, but if you are the very knolwedgable type that climbs 50+ times a year, I bet it is a more justified investment.
Age:35–44
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
Whit
Received free product
Atlanta, GA
Overall great climbing shoe!
1 year ago
Overall it’s a great climbing shoe. The quality is nice and it has great foot support. Sizing wise the adjustable strap was great however it was a little tighter than I expected in the toe area. I am a women’s size 6 in regular shoes and ordered a 6.5 in these climbing shoes. This was too tight in the toe area so I went up to a size 7. I do love the shoes though, it’s good for both indoor and outdoor climbing and is just a great all around shoe for people who like no edge. The toe rubber is great for toe hooking as well.
Age:25–34
Used for::Bouldering
Yes , I recommend this product
SubaRx
Received free product
TN
Surprisingly comfortable for a performance shoe
1 year ago
So far I've used this shoe for gym climbing, but haven't been outside yet. The shoe performs as well as my current downward-last performance shoe. I typically project V7-V8s at gyms. Sizing: street shoe 10, sized to a 9 and this felt correct Fit: Aggressive downward-last, but not uncomfortable as the sole is well formed and doesn't "crunch" into your foot. The shoe conforms quite well and the upper is soft without hot spots, even under the forefoot where the rubber wraps around. The toe box has the typical Sportiva toe box found in the Solutions shoe model. Heel cup is narrow and close fitting. Support strap has some adjustability, which is nice, but I found myself strapping it closer toward the heel of the shoe to further support the upper (caveat, I am flat footed with thinner forefoot volume than most people). Use: very easy to edge on steep terrain, the wrap around rubber at the toe is great for edging. The forefoot rubber is excellent for bicycles and toe hooks. Overall: probably going to be my new aggressive/overhang shoe!
Age:25–34
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
Wendy
Received free product
Seattle, WA
Aggressive sticky climbing
1 year ago
While these shoes are going to take a little while to break in, I know it’s going to be worth it. I ended up not sizing up or down (reviews seem really split) and it seems to be just right. I have a somewhat wide foot and while the toe box is snug, it’s not a deal-breaker. I’ve only used them indoor climbing so far but they have been very “sticky” and has great support on small holds. Another bonus is the ease of putting them on: I really like the straps and the double heel pulls. Overall these are a pretty aggressive shoe. Nice, but probably overkill doe the casual indoor climber.
Age:35–44
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
Jeff
Received free product
Cincinnati, Ohio
Aggressive, soft, low volume and VERY STICKY
1 year ago
The first thing I noticed was that this shoe is very soft due to the split sole. Not a bad thing, just very noticeable. The fit is that of a low volume slipper style shoe. While it does have a velcro strap, I don't get much added security from it. I fit my shoes very snuggly, so someone who may prefer a looser fit would probably get better use of the strap. The loops at the back make getting the shoe on pretty easy. The rubber is extremely sticky. Some of the stickiest I have felt. Felt very secure on small footholds. The No Edge Tech. isn't super noticeable in my opinion, but I do see it being beneficial to protecting the rand of the shoe. The only thing I would change would be maybe one more strap to get a little more adjustability.
Age:25–34
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
Pickleballer720
Received free product
Chicago, IL
Super Comfortable - A Bit Hard to Put On
1 year ago
I've been climbing for over 20 years with the same semi-aggressive shoes and have been very reluctant to change. This is the first time I've used Sportiva Mandala and I am very happy to say I am pleased. I'll start from my initial impression, I think the design looks SUPER aggressive and I was skeptical of it's fit. It was a bit hard to put on at first due to it's small opening but once it slid onto my foot, the biggest difference I noticed was that it was actually comfortable. Any new climbing shoes I put on prior to this would take months to break in and be extremely painful until it molded to your feet. With the Mandala I was immediately able to walk around with no pain. Once that was done, I tested these out for a few days at a climbing gym and was happy with how it performed. I slipped a couple times but that was due to either my inexperience with the fit or just new rubber. Once it was worn in, I was very confident doing any type of move; smearing, crimps, etc. The only downside to this shoe in my opinion was that once you put it on, it wasn't an easy slip-off. I prefer taking my shoes off between climbs and with this tight cup feel and one strap velcro, once you put it on it was meant to stay on. However, added points for being comfortable right from the first climb which is not an easy feat.
Age:35–44
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
Steve
Received free product
WA
Great shoes for performance.
1 year ago
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I was recommended to size down three sizes from my street shoe (10.5-11 depending on the type/brand) and I went to a 9.5. They are just in that maybe too snug, but if they loosen a bit they'll be great category. I would not recommend sizing this way, or maybe even this shoe in general, for a first shoe or beginner climber. I've mostly climbed on them indoors so far due to weather, but got my first trip outside with them recently and they did really well on granite. In terms of fit, they are a challenge to get on but you can heel hook in confidence, they're not going anywhere! I usually find the heel of shoes to feel all but ready to slide off, but the shape and fit of these did not give me any doubts. A slightly bigger loop on the tongue would have been nice - after jamming my foot in, sometimes I have to unscrunch the tongue and the small loop isn't super helpful. The toebox is narrow, but not painfully so, and the overall shape really lets you get power into the big toe, without really crunching the toes up, even with the smaller size. I wouldn't do long sessions in these, at least until they break in, but I find that I lean towards pulling these on more and more, especially as footholds get smaller and smaller.
Age:35–44
Used for::Bouldering
Yes , I recommend this product
mw8962
Received free product
Asheville, NC
These will make you feel like a pro!
1 year ago
These shoes fit like a snug glove. You can tell there was a lot of thought put into this design from the way they slide on, to the toe shape, to the pulls at the heel. Wearing these gave me a lot more confidence on the wall. Highly recommend!
Age:25–34
Used for::Gym Climbing
Yes , I recommend this product
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