La Sportiva  Skwama Lite Climbing Shoes - Men's

Tight and could use a good stretch but way more precise then my mithos where worth while investment

Fits my foot great and so far is what you would expect for a softer moderate aggressiveness shoe. My only issue is that the stitching has completely failed after 2 short sessions. I've never had any la sportiva or for that matter any climbing shoe do this. It's a shame because the shoe is perfect for me. I just can't rate it well if it's not going to hold up. Reliability is everything in climbing

This shoe is a gem right out of the box. The softer, lower volume design instantly molded to my long, narrow feet. The regular Skwama in the same size is baggy in the toe box in a hands on comparison. I climb outdoors on mostly technical pockets and edges at vertical to 30 degrees overhanging. I love the pointy toe of the Skwama Lite for small volcanic pockets and divots. Edging power on the toe is surprisingly good depending on how hard you strap them on. Heel hooks feel good and secure. Strap ‘em loose for a more slipper feel. They’ve become my go to for many of my most favorite routes up to a certain grade or style. If this shoe design was paired with XS rubber, these shoes would be amazing outdoors! Would love to see the Skwama Lite DeluXS at a higher price point. I’ve been with the brand for 33 years. Trust me on this.

I think this would be a terrific shoe for a fast learner who's quickly grown out of their first pair of shoes, like Tarantulaces or BD Momentums. You can start working on your foot placements on smaller pieces and get used to a more performance fit. The low toebox tells you not to downsize too much, because there's no room for your toes to "knuckle". Maybe drop a half size from your beginner shoes, or even one full size. The Frixion rubber is not as sticky as Vibram XS Grip, but intermediate climbers probably won't notice that until they learn to Smear or Smedge. And finally, not everyone can afford the skyrocketing cost of top end Climbing Shoes; so these fall into an exceptional price:performance niche. I have a love:hate relationship with regular Skwamas. I love the way they perform but I hate how soft they are. I will probably get a pair of these for the gym since they have 4mm of rubber up front, for a little for stiffness and a lot more durability. For the $$$ this is a unique, darned good shoe!

I love the overall disign of this shoe its a very nice build perfect for someone who just bought a pair of tarantulas and is looking for a new shoe or just a upgrade

Needed to size down half a size. Aside from that it fits like a sock, extremely comfortable. Without a doubt my absolute favorite intermediate shoe