How to Choose Rock Climbing Shoes

Combining unlined uppers, sticky Vibram® XS Grip2 outsoles and moderate downturn, the women's La Sportiva Kubo climbing shoes deliver precision, power and plenty of comfort for long climb sessions.
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Imported.
View all La Sportiva Women's Climbing ShoesBest Use | Rock Climbing |
---|---|
Climbing Shoe Type | Moderate |
Last | Slip-lasted |
Upper | Leather |
Lining | Unlined |
Outsole | 4 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber |
Footwear Closure | Strap |
Can Be Resoled | Yes |
Gender | Women's |
Weight (Pair) | 11.8 ounces |
Sustainability | From a Climate Neutral Certified brand |
33 EU | 33.5 EU | 34 EU | 34.5 EU | 35 EU | 35.5 EU | 36 EU | 36.5 EU | 37 EU | 37.5 EU | 38 EU | 38.5 EU | 39 EU | 39.5 EU | 40 EU | 40.5 EU | 41 EU | 41.5 EU | 42 EU | 42.5 EU | 43 EU | |
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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 |
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 |
Mondo | 24 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 |
For boots: Add one half size to your street shoe size. You should be able to slip one finger behind your heel when you are standing up with the boot unlaced and your toes touching the front. If the boot is too short, your toes will get smashed walking downhill. Too long and your heel will slide up and down and give you blisters.
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These shoes broke in easily and have been great on indoor walls. This is my first moderate shoe. They are much grippier than my beginner tarantulace and overall have been great. However, they are falling apart after only3 months of use. I've already had them repaired by a cobbler once (top strap, interior side) and now the velcro affixed to both shoes is coming unstitched. I live in SouthAfrica so returns aren't possible within the allowable window. I'm really disappointed in the quality of.
I have had these for 8 months and they are still dying my feet red. Even washing them out the color just does not stop coming. The dye also comes off on other parts of the shoe, so the gray section has purple/pink/black streaks over it. Otherwise they are good shoes if they fit your feet right. Narrow heel and medium wide toe box and medium wide arch.
Great shoe if you are looking to transition out of beginner gear into more advanced shoes but you're not trying to be a pro/hardcore competitor. My street shoe size is a 9 and I got these in a 40.5 EU and the fit feels perfect. They are snug and my toes are just a bit curled in them, which for me is exactly what I was looking for. I do take them off every 2-3 climbs to give my big toes some relief but that is just a fact, not a complaint. They were going to be gym-exclusive shoes but I like them so much I use them for all things indoor and outdoor. Slight curve to them is nice for bouldering but I sport climb in them all the time as well.
I’ve been indoor climbing for over a year now and decided it was time to replace my beginner shoes with a moderate pair. I tried on so many different shoes by all different brands and none of them fit me right or were comfortable. The heel pocket was too big, the toe box was way too snug, the arch of the shoe was painful, etc. I eventually got around to trying these on and WOW. They are so so so comfy and the rubber is very sticky, which is perfect for indoor climbing. They are also so flexible and mold to my feet so well. I can wear them for hours and not be uncomfortable! Honestly, these shoes make me feel so confident on the wall and I already want to buy a second pair just in case these are taken off the line up!
To start with sizing - I'm a 9 in street shoes, and the 40's were perfect for me. Just snug enough in case they stretched out a bit, but not too much where my toes were uncomfortably curling under. The rubber is excellent and super grippy. Tiny little foot chips? No problem. Heel hooks? Easy peasy. Roofs? Well it's not the shoes that will prevent you from finishing that route, cause they'll be stuck on there while your arms give out. These are strictly gym only shoes for me since I prefer neutrals for outdoor climbing, but they are excellent, and a great option for someone who wants to graduate from everyone's first gym shoe, the Tarantulace. There was no long break in period (having switched from the Scarpa Veloce's where it took weeks to finally be comfortable), and they were perfect right out of the box.
These were a great step up from tarantulaces as I became a more advanced climber. (V4-5). However, I was disappointed at how quickly I went through the toe (well before the sole wore down). I started to go through the toe on one shoe in less than 3 months of using the shoes about 3 times a week for indoor bouldering. I haven't had this experience with other shoes so I'm pretty sure it's not really related to how I climb. The velcro straps also stretched out a ton, I expected a little bit but not as much as they did. Overall, I liked the fit but the durability is sending me to a different pair of shoes after this. I wear a street size 6.5 and was wearing a 37.5 in these, my tarantulace were a 37, I am a 38 in Scarpa, a 6/6.5 in evolv.
These are my second ever pair of climbing shoes. After 5 years, my first pair was getting way too slippery. These are a nice step up in terms of aggressiveness and grip but not at all painful. I am able to walk around the climbing gym in them without being in pain. My feet are very flat, wide, and I have bunions on both of my feet, so it was wonderful to feel so comfortable in these climbing shoes.
Let's start with sizing. I am a size 8 in women's street shoes and have a slightly wider foot than average. I am typically a 37.5 in La Sportiva climbing shoes and this holds true to this shoe. Very snug but not painful. I wear the same size in the Miura. Always try on climbing shoes before buying. These shoes are very precise and sensitive. They are slightly aggressive giving them a nice power on the toes. I was pleasantly surprised on the edging abilities of these. My foot stayed put on tiny footholds. The soul is split in two and is very flexible and doesn't offer much support for the feet. The only thing i wish was better about this shoe is the heel cup. It is very baggy as other reviews have said. I did try on a tighter size to see if that fixed the problem however it was still baggy even with a smaller size. A weird heel design for La Sportiva since my heel fits perfectly in the Miura. Even so, these shoes perform excellent for a moderate climbing shoe.
I have a hard time finding a climbing shoe I love, but this one is it. I have climbed for years in 5.10 Moccasym's and this is the first shoe I've found that I love just as much. It fits well on a wider foot without leaving large gaps in the toe space or in the heel. It has stretched slightly overtime and I can generally heel hook without the heel sliding off too much. They are extremely comfortable for a slightly more aggressive shoe and I tend to wear them for a whole session without any problems.
I absolutely love these step up from beginner shoes. I boulder, and have only had neutral shoes and was looking for an additional more moderate/aggressive shoe for smaller foot holds and more technical climbs. I've been eyeing these for a while because I'm a huge La Spor fan as they always fit my narrow, high arched, Egyptian feet well. I even got these before in a size 38 online because my local REI doesn't carry these, but they were painfully too small. A few months past, and I saw these on the resale in a 39.5 and decided to try again. After a long session in the 39.5 kubos, I can say they're breaking in nicely. They're still very tight, but not painfully tight and started molding nicely to my feet. I really trust them on smaller foot holds, and the rubber sticks to the wall so well. If you're looking for comfort as well as technical shoes, these are your shoes. If you have longer toes like me, I suggest going closer to street shoe size as I'm a 7.5/8 and the 39.5 fit me best.