Birth of a Classic
Named after the legendary Japanese samurai sword, the Katana has proved to be one of La Sportiva's best and most popular climbing shoes. Created to meet the performance demands of the vast majority of climbers, the Katana has become a benchmark shoe for its comfort, sensitivity, precision and ease of use with its Velcro fastening. A shoe equally likely to be seen on the feet of top climbers, as weekenders at your local crag.
The Katana Evolves
Two years ago La Sportiva set to work to produce an upgraded model of the classic Katana, and the new Katana Laces is the result.
The first thing to say is that the Katana Laces is a very different shoe to the existing Katana, tuned for higher performance. The shoe uses a 'tubular' construction method which inserts the lining between the leather uppers and the rubber rand, bringing together the structural advantages of a lined shoe and the breathability and precision of an unlined shoe.
The patented P3 Permanent Power Platform randing system is the active part of the shoe, retaining the downturned shape that gives better traction on steep ground. The toe has a slimmer fit and the heel has been revised with the aim of providing greater precision and safety on holds. The tongue is made using a soft and breathable material and the lacing system allows for optimum regulation of the internal volume of the shoe.
This combination of a 'tubular' construction, a Laspoflex 1.1 mm midsole, the P3 System and Vibram's stickiest XS Edge rubber gives the Katana Laces excellent performance on smaller holds.
Weighing just 470g per pair, the Katana Laces is available across sizes 33-46 in half sizes.
They are being talked about on the forums already: Topic - La Sportiva Katana Lace-ups
See the UKC review of the original La Sportiva The Katana Rock Shoe
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