La Sportiva
Python Climbing Shoe

Sizing: I have owned 4 pairs of Sportiva shoes and I think the best sizing is to go 2 European sizes down on their shoes that are made of leather. This was good for my Miura VS, Solution, and no the Python. I went 3 sizes down on another pair of solutions, and my foot was way too cramped. All of this is my preference too, so take with a grain of salt.

Performance: First off let me say that I was never a person that though a shoe was a game changer for climbing - meaning I didn't think a shoe would help me in any particular way that was really noticeable. However, this shoes heel is so spectacular that I have to comment. I have been working on a pretty tough boulder problem in my gym with a really technical heel hook that required a lot of pulling with the heel on a small hold, far away, and around a little arête. The solution heel was too big and always slipped off, My Evolv Predator G2 heel was way too loose and held only once, and the Miura heel just plain slipped. After receiving this shoe I got on the problem and stuck the move the first time I tried and it shocked me so much that I fell off the problem. I repeated and heel held solid, time after time after time. Bottom line, the best heel I have felt so far.

Comfort/Feel: The shoe is very comfortable and pretty sensitive through the toe. I love the feel and feedback I get from the shoe and the Vibram Grip2 rubber is awesome. I would not recommend these for slab climbing unless your toes are uber strong as they do not provide a lot of support like a Grandstone would.

Overall: a great bouldering/steep climb shoe. I would buy again and would definitely recommend to anyone looking such a shoe. Slip on feels great by itself and the backup of the strap is a nice feature. Wish I could have this heel on a solution platform.

- They fit slightly larger than my last pair of La Sportivas', so my sizing is a little off. I am climbing great in them anyway.
- The flexible arch makes steeper climbing a little more strenuous, but barely noticeable.
- The sharp toe is awesome
- The rubber on the heel paired with the fit of the shoe is making for the most stable heel-hooking I've done to date.

As advertised, this is a an ultra-sensitive shoe for steep terrain. To make the most of it, you will need lots of toe strength. If this is your first pair of sensitive shoes, you will have to be patient until your toes get stronger. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Because they are made in leather, they stretch quite a bit (size them tight, but not painfully tight). But after the break-in period, these shoes will be perfectly molded to your feet! As a bonus, leather shoes don't smell nearly as bad as synthetic ones.

In a nutshell, I love them for steep terrain. Because they are so soft, they are not ideal for slabs. I have another pair for that.

I took my time and really tried to size these bad boys perfectly, and I am really glad I took the time to get it just right! They fit my feet like a glove and even make a suction cup noise everytime I slide them off (and it's been over 6 months now). They are also great for toehooking because of the added rubber on the toe of the shoe. The heel fits me perfectly, and I feel more comfortable heel-hooking than I ever have before. They are great for overhung problems, roofs, and even slabs. Don't expect to do much edging in them though.

Bought Pythons in the same size as my Cobras. Overall, I am very pleased with the shoe - I only boulder. I should have gotten 0.5 sizes larger since the Pythons don't seem to stretch as much as the Cobras did. There is a definite improvement in toe/heel hooking (as in, heel hooking is possible). Shoes feel a little more sensitive than the Cobras. Still feel like a slipper but the velcro ensures that my feet stay snug. Love the shoes!

They're a solid 1 size larger than Solutions marked at the same size, otherwise, i love them

I love climbing shoes. I have too many climbing shoes. And of all of the ones I've had so far, these are definitely my favorites. I've been a huge fan of the La Sportiva Miuras, and these are a step ahead in my book.

Sizing:
Python Size 39

Other shoes:
- Street shoe 9.5 -- slightly narrow/low volume foot
- Evlov Talon G2 - 9
- La Sportiva Miura - 39*
- 5.10 Projects 9
- Mad Rock Demon 2.0 - 9.5
* probably a half size too small

===== Pros =====
**First thing I noticed out of the box was that the leather on this shoe is extremely soft. Immediately after putting this on, it felt more friendly towards the foot than my Miuras did out of the box.

**Sensitivity has been pretty good. Not quite as sensitive as the 5.10 Projects or Blackwings, but better than the others listed, and any other shoes I've used.

**After a week or so of climbing, shoe seemed to have stretched and fit to foot. Hasn't stretched much since then.

**Heel-hooking is STELLAR. I was skeptical, but my current project requires a good amount of left and right heel hooks, and I'm amazed at how tight the heel holds to my foot. When I remove the shoe, there's a *suction* sound that comes when it pops of my heel, probably due to the slingshot rand.

===== Cons =====
**Height of the heel is just a little high, and if I set the heel in the shoe wrong, it puts pressure on my Achilles. A quick adjustment fixes this.

**The part where the velcro straps are sewn on on the inside of the shoe protrudes about 2mm, and the corners of the square leather piece can occasionally put pressure on the inside of my heel, below the ankle-bone.

===== BOTTOM LINE =====
Love these shoes, and the sizing was perfect. The Miuras in a 39 will go on my foot, but it's rather unpleasant even after break-in. Got these the same size, and they fit perfectly. Still a shoe that I'll take off after 2-3 climbs, but not uncomfortable on the first time in a session. After a long night of climbing and foot-swelling, the shoe gets tight, but, again, not too uncomfortable. Awesome heel-hooks, and sensitive enough for overhangs.

Typical bleeding of the dye onto my skin, just a slight orange hue.

Definitely will be buying more of these shoes, they're the first ones I reach for in my bag (that has too many shoes...) and the last ones I take off every day.