La Sportiva Kataki Climbing Shoe - Women's reviews and deals for sale

True to size

I mistakenly listened to some reviews that said to size down. Stick to your true size so you font have to pay return fees and wait even longer for the shoes.

great "1 shoe for all"

For reference, I use Miura (also from LaSportiva) on sport routes and Katana for the gym and long outdoor sessions (multipitch or longer routes). After several days of obsessive specs search, I decided to buy the Kataki to replace my old Katana (after >8y and several resoles, they earned retirement). I am very happy with the purchase! +comfort: virtually no break in required and… read more the lace system is great for adjusting the fit, I don't feel the need to take them off as soon as I finish a route (while I do with both Miura and Solutions): often I just untie them and keep them on when belaying. +precision: the sole is rigid, enough to assist you in lifting/pushing on small footholds even after a tiring session. the sole is slightly downturned and pointy, which makes it a good in-between aggressive/crack shoes. overall, they are a great shoe for all needs, from gym to long routes and sport routes. I would recommend it 1) if you are looking to go from an entry level to a your first "precision" shoe or 2) if you own aggressive & sensitive shoes already and you are looking for something to complement them with a "precise yet comfortable" shoe for long sessions sizing: I got the Kataki in the same size as my other La Sportiva shoes (37 - which is one full-size down from my running/street shoes, 38). So for me, the fit is "true to size" with respect to other climbing shoes.

Be careful with sizing

I ordered these shoes with assistance from a gearhead, but I definitely ordered the wrong size. These shoes are much too big for me, lots of dead space in the heel and toe box. I ordered half a size down from my street shoe size. I would probably like these shoes if I had gotten the right size (the sock liner is super comfortable), but unfortunately going to have to return.

Cheaply made

I did lots of research before buying these shoes. I was very excited about them until I opened the box. You can see the glue around the rubber. There is also a tear along the edge of one. The fit is well. Ordered my normal size.

Awesome shoes!

I had no desire to purchase these shoes, but after borrowing a friends because I left my shoes at home I realized I had to order a pair! They are comfortable and great to climb in! I felt like they didn't take as long to break in as some of my other shoes, which was really nice. I normally wear a size 8 and I ordered a 37.5 in these!

Next level.

Wow I love these things. They were my next step up from the Tarantulace. They add the perfect amount of aggressiveness to the shoe with out my feet hating me later. I stayed at my same size as the Tarantulace even though it offers more of a downturn. It took me about 10 climbs to break these in to make them comfortable. I am super happy with them and use them when bouldering inside… read more and outside, or a difficult short climb. Highly recommend these shoes.

Cinderella Slipper

PERFECT. I never expected I would have such luck on the first try with a shoe fit. I love my Mythos but after about 3 years and no longer full time in the rec industry, I'm mostly in the gym and hit a plateau trying to boulder on my poor abused trad shoes. As much as I wanted velcro for connivence in a gym shoe, some unhappy demo days with BD, Butora, and Evolv led me back to the… read more company I trust most. I'm a super standard women's size 8 and the 38 fits me perfect.

Well-balanced and sized to fit

I have a small volume heel but a wide forefoot, which makes it hard to find a fit. The women's Kataki was a great fit pretty much right out of the box, as you can loosen or tighten the laces to fit the front of your foot as needed. The sock liner (like the Solution) is also very comfortable. It took 1-2 days of climbing to break them in---prior to that they would get painful… read more after prolonged wear; now they don't bug me at all. The S-heel is great and improves the heel's structural rigidity without adding bulk (looking at you, Solutions heel tumor). I would describe this show as a more aggressive yet still comfortable Katana Lace, softened up a bit for the ladies. It is a strong, precise edging shoe without sacrificing total sensitivity. I consider this shoe ideal for steep and technical sport climbing where standing on small holds is beneficial, but for wildly overhanging routes, routes where toehooks are key, or steep bouldering I would choose a more technical shoe like the Solution, Futura, or even Skwama. Also these are not what you want for slabs or smearing. Only cons are (1) not really versatile beyond technical sport climbing, and (2) the laces are kind of short especially if you are trying to wrap them around your wide ol' feet. After much size experimentation I have found that I had the best results when I ordered 39.5, which is approximately my street size (39.5 - 40). This has turned out to be my size across all women's La Sportiva shoes but of course every foot is different!

Great shoes for picky feet.

I purchased these for my wife and our roommate, and they're both big fans of this new Sportiva offering. They say that the toe-box has the feel, and precision of the women's Solutions, the midfoot fit and comfort of the men's lace-up Katanas, and a heel cup that fits, uh, actual human beings. Both of them have medium-width, lower-volume feet and preferred the Katakis to the Otakis.… read more Our roommate wears a W's 7.5-8 street shoe and chose a 38.5 for a snug but mostly comfortable daily shoe. My wife, who wears a W's 9 and a 39.0 tight-fit women's Solution, says she'd go with 38.5 for a TIGHT fit, 39-39.5 for a performance fit, or a 40-40.5 for a daily comfort fit.

Katana + Otaki = happy climber

I wanted a sticky shoe that would toe in on overhangs and accommodate my weird shaped foot by virtue of laces. I also really like to be comfortable. These are doing the trick. I got the same size as I’ve worn in Muiras for years, and they’re feeling great so far.

Versatile High Performance

Check out La Sportiva's look into the Kataki climbing shoe.

I love these shoes!

I was looking for something aggressive yet comfortable. The Kataki is it! From the box I was able to wear these shoes all day. No longer am I ending my climbing sessions because my toes are in pain. They are very snug, but seem to fit my foot just right. I've worn them on rock and at the gym and they perform well for each. I had to order a few pairs to get the sizing right, but… read more returns with Backcountry are super easy.

Wanted to love these

I usually wear a size 33.5 in the Miura and ordered the same in these. Way too small! Backcountry is awesome and of course sent me a size 34. These were too big : (. The shoe itself is nice. I really like the padding. One really bad thing is there is a yellow embedded "sticker" at the bottom of the shoe that is really slippery. I tried to grab a few times and my… read more foot slipped of the wall. Sent both pairs back and will be ordering another pair of Miura.

Good Shoes

Aggressive shoe, Sizing is hard to get and I would suggest buying a couple pairs to find the right sizing. Gave as a gift, ended up returning.

Fantastic low-volume shoe!

I've worn these a few times now, and other than a little heel rubbing, they're fantastic right out of the box. I have average width, low-volume, long feet (size 41.5) and it has been impossible to find a great fitting, aggressive women's shoe...until now! Unlike the Muira and Shakra, this shoe doesn't have a bunch of extra leather/rubber in the toe box (the lack of rubber hinders… read more crack climbing though). Also, the midsole on the Kataki is noticeably firmer than the Shakra, allowing for more stable backstep and edge performance. The toe has a stronger point to it as well, allowing for a more solid toe in on small nubbins. With other new shoes I've tried it's taken several days to feel confident with my feet, but not so with the Kataki. I'm in love! Sizing seems to be pretty on par for LaSportiva.

Awesome aggresive but comfortable shoes!

Climbing V4/5.12, I wanted to move to something more aggressive than what I had (flat multi pitch style shoes) but without getting something super aggressive (pointless for 5.12). I really LOVE the Kataki. They are aggressive for sure but also super comfortables, mainly because of the material of the tongue, and the overall shape of the shoes. The lacing system is very precise too,… read more putting the bottom of the foot tight. On the wall, they won't move. They are super precise, you can stay on a tiny little crack with confidence (for ex, compared to the 5.10 verdon they are better for that). They are also good for heel hook. The rubber is very good too, very sticky. I briefly tried them outside and can't wait to try them for a multi pitch route. For the sizing, I am a 41 in LaSportiva approach shoes, generally 40.5 UE, 9/9.5 US for street shoes. I ordered multiples sizes to try (I must say that Backcountry was AWESOME with returns) and finaly stayed with a 39 (40 was way to big, 39.5 not perfect). They fit "normal", not especially narrow (but works very well for my narrow feet). I would say that they might fit half a size larger than other LaSportiva climbing shoes.