In 1928 a small shoe company was founded by Narciso Delladio to provide footwear for the local lumber-jacks and farmers of the Fassa and Fiemme valleys in northern Italy.

With a focus on hand-crafted wooden leather boots, it didn’t take long for Narciso to make quite a name for himself. After World War II, the demand for his reliable boots grew exponentially.  It didn’t take long before the good name of “Calzoleria Sportiva” flew through the hills and valleys.

It wasn’t until 1981 and the release of the Mariacher that the first La Sportiva climbing shoe was born. The shoe followed a similar style to the hugely popular Boreal Fire, a revolutionary shoe that had hit the market less than two years prior, with the addition of a softer rubber and a more precise edge.

The Mariacher marked the start of a long line of revolutionary La Sportiva climbing shoes. Over the next two decades a flurry of exciting designs were released, some of which are still in production to this day. The Ballerina, the first slip on climbing shoe, was released in 1984, and the Mirage, the first aggressive shoe hit the market in 1994.

Of all their creations, the Mythos (1991) and  the Miura (1997) were important pre-turn of the century milestones for the Italian company.  Both these shoes marked a huge step forward in shoe design and technology.

La Sportiva Today
In 2019 the company opened three new retail stores: one in Spain in the Siuriana climbing mecca, two in Italy in Pozza di Fassa and in Trento, the regional capital, brining the their total number of European stores to 10 locations.

Like a lot of companies, La Sportiva did their  bit to help fight the global pandemic. Their factories were used to make surgical masks, and even proceeded to create their own masks, that are great for active wear and daily use.

There’s no doubt that La Sportiva climbing shoes are world-class. This company’s dedication to creating high-quality climbing shoes is shown by the number of athletes that choose to use their shoes on a regular basis.

As of 2021, there are 62 La Sportiva ambassadors that specialize in rock climbing. Their ambassador program includes everyone from rock legends like Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, Olympic hopefuls like Margo Hayes and Adam Ondra and even social influencers such as Kimmie Tu and Jeff Yoo.

These athletes have an endless list of impressive ascents and awesome adventures under their belt, but here are a few of our favorite moments of La Sportiva athletes crushing:

• Check out this video of Alex Honnold rocking the Solutions on “Atonement” in south-central Utah. Beautiful location and very challenging wall.
• If the Theory’s stood out to you at all and you’re looking for some inspiration, here is Adam Ondra absolutely destroying “The Edge Problem”  in Brno, Czechia. This problem is rated at 8b+ (V14).

As with any shoe brand, you should put some thought into how to size La Sportiva climbing shoes. Historically, La Sportiva sizing has had a reputation for creating narrow shoes, although this is certainly no longer the case. As you can see from the graph below, they have something to fit every foot type.

Once you have decided on a shoe that is the right width for your foot, all you need to do is find the right size.

Generally, LS recommend downsizing  your climbing shoes to get that glove-like fit, although knowing how much to downsize by is the trick. Their shoes are made using European shoe sizes, as this allows for more size variations compared to the US or UK shoe size guidelines.

If you are trad climbing, or spending extended periods of time on a wall, you will want a little bit more comfort out of your shoes, compared to boulders who won’t spend more than a couple minutes at a time climbing. A softer shoe might also need to be sized slightly smaller than a harder rubber compound, as these style of shoes reply on that snug, ‘elasticated’ fit.

Most people will find that the right La Sportiva climbing shoe size for them will be be within one or two (European) sizes of their street shoe.

Remember: Leather shoes will stretch considerably more than synthetic shoes, so bare this in mind. You feet should never be in pain! You can learn more about sizing climbing shoes here.

Even if you are an experienced climber, finding the perfect size climbing shoe without a ‘try before you buy’ opportunity can be a pain in the ass. When buying new shoes online, I almost always buy a couple of different sizes. Having multiple sizes to try helps me distinguish which size feels the best on my feet. The ones that don’t make the cut just get returned!

Do you have some more burning La Sportiva questions? Here’s a few FAQ’s!

Q:  How do I choose La Sportiva climbing shoes?
A: Choosing La Sportiva climbing shoes will ultimately come down to your foot shape and what type of climbing you will be doing. If you have narrow feet and can’t get enough of technical vert climbing, then the Katana could be the right shoe for you.

If you have wide feet and plan on predominantly gym climbing, then the Skwama might be the right choice for you. If you are really struggling to pick a shoe, why not try out climbing shoe test?

Q: Are La Sportiva shoes vegan?
A: Some, not all, of La Sportiva climbing shoes are vegan. While the majority of their shoes use leather, there are a handful that doesn’t. Keep an eye out for their ‘Eco’ alternatives to classics designs of Mythos and Cobra. Not only do they not use leather, they also use a recycled rubber compound to help reduce waste!