I was very dissapointed with this shoe, It was not what I was expecting, and I´m going to have to disagree with a lot of climbers whom gave the solution a great review. Dont get me wrong, The Solutions are a great shoe, its great on tinny edges, the rubber is super sticky, itñs great indoors and outdoors, and it is definately worth its price. I had some issues with the solutions, It took a some time to break them in, once i broke the in I took them on a climbing trip, and the inner linning ripped out, I called sportiva and the sales rep kindly told me to send them back, I did, two days later I got a brand new pair and I was really happy, two weeks later the inner linning ripped.

This is not the shoe you want to wear for those super long routes, it is a really painful shoe, and I would´nt try to trad with them. I trully believe that the La Sportiva Solution are a great pair of shoes, but to me the La Sportiva Testarossa are the greatest shoes ever.

Before I get into any details, this is hands down my favorite shoe.

I first bought this shoe for bouldering, but it quickly took over as my default shoe. The rubber is so sticky that it virtually climbs for you. The way the shoe transfers force from your toes to your heel lets you shift your center of gravity ever so slightly for those uber-balancy moves. The heel cup in most shoes is a little too high for me, it slips around and digs in to my heel. The cup on these shoes fits perfectly, right out of the box.

There are a few cons of this shoes, which are greatly outweighed by the pros. First, this shoe doesn't smear well because of the down turn -- this is really a given for the shoe type. Secondly, the shoes start to break down ... not before the rubber is gone, but enough where you won't be resoling these shoes.

Surprisingly comfortable, these shoes are great for steep, gymnastic climbing. The shoes feel incredibly sensitive right out of the box, seemingly from having the shoe rubber stop right past the forefoot. I've climbing vertical and slightly overhanging tech routes in these, where they perform surprisingly well.

The biggest caveat to these shoes is the absolute necessity for strong feet. You do a lot of work trying to edge in them, mainly because they flex so well. At the price point, I don't recommend them to anyone that hasn't tried them out. That being said, they climb like a dream. Without a doubt, my favorite steep shoe, and a very good shoe on the technical overhangs.

The heel on these shoes was a cause for concern at the start. Didn't heel hook well in the gym (got them in the winter.) Once I got them outside, they heel hooked like a dream. If you can soften the heels by walking on them, they get even better.

Durability wise, they are a Sportiva shoe, which typically hold up well for me. I did have to modify the tensioner, as the grommets fray the strap easily. It should be obvious what I mean when you see the shoe. Simply painting the grommets with clear nail polish will take care of this problem.

Recommended, though I suggest you wait for a sale.

the solutions are amazing. sportiva made its best shoe for bouldering and even sport climbing. they have a great edge on them, they smear on anything, they also are great on steep climbing and can toe and heel hook anything. also the shoes are very comfortable. great shoe highly recommended

demoed these a few times. Love the power base. Although the toe box just doesn't do it for my foot. Definitely worth checking out.

Great shoe, fits my foot perfectly.

More Flash Than Fire?

I am a true La Sportiva fan, and have gone through many of their shoes; this one stays true to the La Sportiva name. But something I've found over the years is that sometimes the La Sportiva classic price tag that sometimes reaches the stars isn't always worth it.

I would venture to say most climbers don't have 160$ to throw at a climbing shoe. That being said, the solutions were some of the most comfortable, high performing shoes I've ever had; at least for indoor/outdoor bouldering and sport climbing. Remember, the shoe is definitely aggressive. These aren't your grandma's flat converse trad shoes; I wouldn't take these on a bigwall anytime soon. You'll have to hit up Tommy Caldwell to see how they perform on el cap and the like; I'm not much of a trad guy myself.

The rubber definitely delivers. It's sticky; super sticky. The edging is amazing, especially on outdoor rock. All in all, you're definitely getting a high performance shoe...but $160??

Just take a look at the solutions. They're badass. They're all decked out with the LS logo, nice colors, fancy strap, etc. Frankly, who gives a shit. A shoe is for performance; not for catching the eye of the first timer girlies attempting to bang themselves up a V0. Mad Rock of all people should be the ones to read this paragraph; I want shoes that get me up a 13a or a V10, not ones with little skulls on them. Grow up.

I'd rather be spending that extra buck on gas getting me to the crag, but maybe that's just me. FYI, the cool looking strap system BLOWS. That was the only trouble I had with the shoe, both straps broke with a little wear and tear far sooner than the shoes themselves blew out.

If you have some extra dough to throw around, get the solutions and ask that girl out after she gawks at the cool little mountains on the toe. If not, get out of the La Sportiva range. Go check out some 5.10's, they'll give you equivalent or close to it performance while saving the extra buck.

-wyse

once broken in these are surprisingly comfortable! size em down a bit more than usual as they will stretch. I've used these on my hardest redpoints from vertical to steep. They just suction to your feet. Some might find these shoes a little heavy and clunky but they are worth it.

a good shoe but not all its hyped up to be the ability to stick on small stuff is amazing but ur not going to smear on any thing with this shoe. defiantly not for you beginners and not for u if your only going to have one pair. the durability of this shoe is very good too it is not a fast wearing shoe still have a lot of tread on mine for the amount i climb over all i would buy another pair but would wait for the price too come down some.

I have nothing but good things to say about this shoe. Solution is probably the best name La Sportiva could have come up with for this shoe. Let me say that I am a bit of a collector when it comes to climbing shoes IE i have 14 different pairs of climbing shoes each with an indivdual purpose. The solution is my shoe iof choice for hard bouldering on steep to straight up caves or severly overhanging sport routes. The fit is one of the best i have ever experienced with any shoe before. I have a low colume foot so La sportiva shoes tend to fit me better then other companies. When it comes to toeing in on tiny chips on past vertical crimp fests there is no better shoe on the market that i have used. Pockets feel like steps in these amazing shoes. The toe box has an interesting design to it that takes a little getting used to and the break in period for these shoes is about 2 weeks of regular wear. In the gym they perform quit well although I prefer evolv ruber for gym climbing, it just seems to stick better. As far as sizing is concerned i wear a 45 in La sportiva running shoes and sized down to a 40.5 left fot and 41.5 for my right foot in these shoes. The initial break in was excruciating but the reweards after were well worth it.

Far and away my favorite shoe ever. My only real complaint with the solutions is that they felt very "clunky" the first few times I climbed in them. This may be because I'm more used to climbing in incredibly soft slippers, but they just felt heavy and clumsy out of the box. However, after about 3 days of climbing in them they fit like a glove. A really comfortable, yet high performance glove. I've used them on everything from sandstone roofs to vertical tech fest granite sport climbs. They toe in and grab like a charm on the steep stuff, and once you learn how to use them right they can edge on anything. I've even found that as they have broken in more over the past year and the toe has lost its pointy nature, they're decent for smeary friction slabs. All in all a great shoe, especially for someone who doesn't want to have to endure climbing in painful downturned shoes.

Without a doubt this is the most comfortable high-performance shoe I have ever used. For such a nice, snug fit, it is very easy to get in and out of and was comfortable from day one and they are comfortable all day long. However, the shoe does have its limitations. I find the heel cup too stiff and "spherical" - it just doesn't mold well to my heel and the consequent lack of sensitivity makes heel hooks seem more of an adventure than they out to be in these shoes. I also am not a big fan of the toe box design from a performance standpoint. It is a subtle thing but the shoes seem to edge powerfully only when I apply force at specific angles, which I sometimes feel compromises my body position. Consequently, I wouldn't give this shoe the highest marks for edging. I also don't find the rubber as sticky as Stealth. A bib improvement from past efforts, just not quite competitive to my mind. Bottom line: super-comfortable, good on steep stuff, but I spend too much time thinking about how to climb this shoe rather than just climbing.

This shoe, in my opinion, is the greatest shoe on the market. It may be a little heavy on the price but it is definitely worth it. I got a pair of size 9s in november and i still have them and the last isnt worn through yet, and i work at a climbing gym so i climb alot. They stretch a little and the sizing is definitely different than the sizing of evolvs. I think a 9 in Sportivas is about the same size as a 9 and one half in evolvs so be careful when you buy. They are glorious shoes and the heel is amazing for heel hooking the smallest things. the toe box may be a bit weird but once you get used to it, i find that it is actually a much better position. They do kind of turn your feet yellow because of the inside of the shoe is yellow and they leave some black stuff around your toes for a bit when the material on the inside starts to erode but these are the greatest pair i have ever worn.

Great shoe. Rather specialized for the steep stuff. I wouldn't want to take this on anything that wasn't severely overhanging. Very well constructed.

it took all summer to break these in. other than that then fit the shoes are almost perfect, a little stiff for my taste. however, still an awesome rock shoe.

The extraordinary features in this shoes are the heel and the rubber part over the big toe.. so its possible to make the best heel and toe hooks ever! Not for high level slab climbing

Pro's
Most durable shoe i've ever worn. I go through most shoes in 3 months, but these tend to last me 5-6.
Best downturn toehooking shoe i've ever worn
Very comfortable even for a downturn shoe
Stays downturned forever. I've owned 4 pairs and none of them have become less downturned than when i got them.
the built in sock makes these things super comfortable.

Con's
The yellow band that keeps the shoe tight across your heal slips a lot on big jugs when you heel hook and it makes contact with the rock.

They aren't the most sensitive shoes. But while you can't always feel every pebble and bump on the foothold, if you set your foot on it, the solutions will stick.

The velcro strap will break if you aren't carefull with it. Don't just try and torque the thing down as hard as you can, use the actual laces to tighten down the shoe, and then put down the velcro to keep them tight.

I've done a little trad and these, and while they work alright, just by nature of being downturned, toecamming isn't as comfortable as it would be in something like a pair of barracudas

Sizing tip

Size them TIGHT, my first pair was a 38, and since then i've owned 2 pairs of 37.5, pairs of 37's, and soon here i'm going to get a pair of 36.5's. I wear a men's size 8.5 street shoe, and have been climbing for about 5 years, so i'm pretty used to downsizing my shoes tight.
The more you downsize the more incredible these shoes are. They are really comfortable, even when downsized severly, and when you first size them, take in to account that they stretch like mad.



these shoes are a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for, Super durable and incredible performance. I prefer them over any other sportive, fiveten, or evolv shoes.

This is the shoe that comes out of my bag when I'm staring at a bouldering problem I can't possibly do. And then I do it.

They are *extremely* well-suited to bouldering, and were designed as such. They're less than adequate for sport, though they're usable there are better-suited shoes.

They edge very well, they retain center-flexibility, and the toe/talon makes overhangs and weird little stretched out footholds a breeze. They're very aggressive and your arches may scream, but once you're weighting them on rock they're soft enough to relieve some of the pressure. I love using these shoes and they inspire confidence on the rock. I've used them at many comps and am consistently happy with their performance - if I fail it's definitely not because of the shoes, lol.

It's an interesting shoe in how it trades off some areas of performance for really high performance in other areas, and has stiffness in some places but retains flex and softness in others. It also proves to me that there's no such thing as a 'perfect' shoe, because if there were this would be it, and it really isn't perfect for anything outside of what it was designed for.

That said, it is an amazing bouldering shoe. Expensive, yes, very much so. But very well put together, durable, and in my opinion worth the money.

HOWEVER: if I was going to buy only one pair of shoes, these would NOT be the ones. Look at some of the more 'all-around' style shoes out there. This is really a purpose-built shoe that does what it does really well, and does what it doesn't pretty well, but there's much more cost-effective solutions that will give you better overall performance.

These are generally my go to shoe for any of the harder climbs that I have done.

Now I don't subscribe to the "I cant climb it with out this bit of kit" argument because you only have to have a look at what some of the old timers did in the gear they had available, take Wolfgang Gullich and Punks in the Gym (32) at Mt Arapilies, in the day THE Hardest climb in the world. Climbed in ankle high board lasted boots, with socks. And look at what Sharma pulls out on most climbs, the Pontas. BUT that said, I do believe that even if its only in your mind you think they are better, then they are, because you are going to trust to stand on your foot harder and get to the next hold.

These things fit my foot brilliantly. And if your fortunate enough to have the same, then you too will know the pleasure. You can fit them pretty tight and they still feel good. Don't go too over board though, as I have seen them so tight that the rand is poking out over the sole rubber.

I have to agree with those that say they aren't that durable. I broke my strap on my 1st pair after 12 months. I believe its due to the metal ring coroding. I'm trying to put some barrier on it to stop it doing it on my 2nd pair. Saying that I'd by a 3rd and a 4th even if they did.

The toe power is great, excellent for when it gets steep, or you realy need to pull on pockets or chips. I don't think they edge as well as the shoes lasted more like the Miura last. The down turned shape of it affects this slightly.

The best point though is the heal. IT IS GREAT. I heal hook a lot, especially when bouldering and of course steep routes. You can crank off them. They hold onto rely bad holds, when the going is insecure, and give you the little extra support when on sharper ones. I don't know about the rest of you but my heal hurts sometimes on some hooks in most other shoes.

I know they aren't the cheapest (they are one of the mos expensive) and I know they snap the strap after 12 months or so, but when I slide them on its sending time.

Most comfortable aggressive shoe I have ever worn but it probably could be a little cheaper. All in all i have never bouldered in a better shoe. I always feel confident with my foot placements which in turn helps me out with my hands because I don't have to worry so much. It definately helps if you have the right foot shape for the shoe though. I have experienced any hot spots in mine but if you are going to buy them your big toe needs to be longer than your second toe for sure and probably average width feet is best.

I absolutely love these shoes. Great high perfomance shoes; these were definitely made for people who do the more advanced boulder problems. I bought my first pair of these about 2 years and they lasted me for a good year; but if you drag your toe, they will definitely open alot faster then some other shoes. i bought my second pair of these a little while back but i had to drastically down size by two sizes because they do stretch, but not too much. Great for heel hooking and definitely a great agro shoe.

You've read all the good points, so I won't rehash them.

When it seems like every climber you see in a magazine is wearing a pair of these it's easy to get starstruck, but I'm really surprised few have mentioned the downsides of these shoes. You should be aware of these points before you buy.

1. Durability. The thin strap breaks. Over and over again. I've seen it happen to several people at the crags, and these same people have had it happen on multiple pairs. The fact is, it's not a durable design. The strap is simply too skinny and wears out. As a sport climber (rather than a boulderer) I would love to see a lace-up design.

2. The toe position. The toe box design is a significant departure from the Muira toe box we all know and (most) love. The very point of the shoe (i.e. the most important part) has been shifted towards the second toe, rather than being completely over the big toe like in the Muira. I have no idea why La Sportiva have done this. In my view, it compromises edging, perhaps for the sake of better pocket pulling?

At the end of the day, I don't like the toe box or the durability. The best feature is the heel. I now only use these shoes at my extremely overhung local crag that contains constant heelhooks.

Lee Cujes
www.upskillclimbing.com

This shoe is made for climbers who want to take their climbing to the next step. The edging capability of the solutions is by far the best, they are so precise they could be used in surgical procedures for gods shake! I like my climbing shoes to be tight and when you pull these babies on its game time, for me there were no strange pressure points or pinching anywhere although I don't have a super wide foot or a super skinny one either if that helps at all. The rubber on the shoes is good I would argue that five tens rubber is a little more sticky BUT because of the P3 technology and the Vibram rubber these shoes hold there shape through out the lifetime of the shoe. The only thing that I have a concern about is the heel it is not soft like most climbing shoes it is a little more stiff and because of that it takes some time to get used to how the shoe heel hooks. Overall a great shoe if you have got the bones to throw down for them you will be psyched for sure.

Best. Shoe. Ever.

Best shoe. End of story.

When I received my first pair of Solutions three years ago, I wasn't sure if they were going to be the next great thing or just a passing fad. I am currently on my 5th pair and absolutely love them! At first I thought they were only going to be a steep climbing shoe, until I sent my project that had a ton of face climbing. Definitely the best pair of heel hooking shoes ever not to mention toe hooking. I can't comment on trad climbing performance because I have trad climbing shoes, but I am sure they would still hold their own. Bottom line, I will always own a pair of solutions in my arsenal!

Definite the best bouldering shoe I've ever owned. I have gone through 3 of these and I'm likely to buy another pair soon. The fit is great, the rubber on the toe is amazing for hooking, and the single rubber heel is awesome for heel/toe camming. My only gripe with this shoe is the velcro strap system. Every pair I've owned has torn on the thin webbing that holds the velcro. The problems is from the metal grommets that rub on the same location over and over again on thin webbing. If la sportiva figures how to make that stop happening, then I'd order 2 more today.

I love these shoes for very specific slightly overhangins edging; however, my bulllegged self tends to use the outside/insise edge of the toebox which is completly useless on the solution.

I bought my first pair a year and a half ago, and at first the comments I had heard on being chunky felt true next to my testarossas. After a bit of use the heel would hook anything and was really comfortable considering most of the time time heel hooks are painful in any other shoe. The shoes were doing their job but were a half size too big and started to feel loose, so I sold them to a friend. He loves them and I'm getting a new pair in a few days b/c I finally got sick of not being able to heel and toe hook well in my other shoes. Some say clunky/chunky, I say rubber everywhere which allows for some amazing foot work I haven't been able to get with any other shoe.

A friend of mine bought a pair of these that ended up being too big for him. He let me try them and I haven't gone back. The heel cup and arch are designed as well as any shoe I've ever used. The toe box is in tradition of La Sportiva's which is that if you have long toes and particularly if the toe next to your big toe is as long or longer than your big toe Sportiva's will generally fit really well. I wear an 11.5-12 street shoe and use a 42 in the Solution and it fits perfectly. I've always had to size my Five Tens to my street shoe size to even get them on my feet, this of course is my foot's fault and not Five Ten's. The well designed toe box and arch provide enough power to the shoe that I think I could go up to a 43 and not lose any performance. They don't stretch much at all so a conservative down size would be 3 sizes below your street shoe. I have noticed variation within sizes for Sportiva shoes. Sometimes their 42's feel like a 42 other times they feel like a 40 or a 44.

Edging: I gave the shoe 3 stars for edging because on sport routes the down turn puts a lot of weight onto the toes (particularly the big toe) so after being on the wall for a few minutes my feet get tired and the shoe begins to role a little. On boulder problems though this doesn't seem to be a problem and I use these on any boulder problem that's vertical or steeper.

Pockets: Fairly narrow toe allows them to fit well in pockets and get the weight on the big toe.

Overhang: Bar-none the best shoe ever for toeing in, heel hooking and toe hooking on steep routes or problems,. The heel fits perfectly and has enough rubber to be sticky all over but not bulky or clunky. The down turn on the toe can make some toe hooks difficult, but that's the case with any down turned shoe and the rubber on the toe is again sticky and not bulky.

Indoor climbing: Again the arch and down turned toe really work well for keeping the feet on the wall.

Bouldering: Because of all the above, this is the best shoe for bouldering on pretty much any type of boulder problem.

Sport climbing: Again, the design of any down turned soft shoe will not be very good on longer less steep sport routes but of all the shoes in this category, I think these are the best. If the route is pretty steep or reasonably short there are no better shoes out there.

Trad climbing: Do not try to stick your foot in a crack with these shoes on.

Friction: I have not noticed a difference between these and my Five Tens. There might be one but I haven't noticed it.

Durability: They're durable enough for a high performance slipper.

Value: All climbing shoes are too expensive.

Comfort: Here the shape of your foot will determine the comfort of these shoes. If you have long toes and a skinny foot, they'll be really comfortable. If you have short toes and a wide foot they will probably not be all that comfortable. I find these things comfortable enough that I can walk from boulder to boulder, even though they're sized 4 sizes down.

Perfect for me!

These are without a doubt some of the best fitting high performance shoes I've ever owned. The shape of the toe, the heel, and the arch are ridiculously refined.

The only drawback, which is a dealbreaker for me, is the rubber. I know the marketing says that the Vibram is just as good as 5.10 Stealth... but i just don't feel as confident on slippery footholds or steep smearing. I still can't get over the fit, but when it's time to actually send something, I reach past these. Maybe if these were resoled with the 5.10 rubber they'd be the real Solutions.