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La sportiva Ganda is no more?

Original Post
Vanilla Drilla From Manila · · Goiter, CO · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 50

Did la sportiva stop making the ganda approach shoe?

K B · · SLC, UT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 70

I believe they did.

Marc Squiddo · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 15

Yep they did. I Imagine it was the $$$. Loved mine but the whole argument of "can be resoled multiple times" hasn't proven true...not holding up on some fabric and leather spots enough to spend past one resole. Solid shoe and very nice but so much $$ must have scared people off.

Don Ferris III · · Boulder, CO · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 186

Apparently someone stole the molds to make the mid soles from the factory in Italy. Guess it would cost too much to replace them.

Ty Falk · · Huntington, VT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 280

^I heard the molds got stolen aswell but have a hard time believing that it was the real reason they stopped production. Seams like between cost to make and people trying to warrantee them for various they made no money off the shoe. Although I do not use mine all the time I feel that they are holding up fairly well and should take a resole. Hopefully if enough of us complain that there gone la sportiva will start making them again. They are the best climbing approach shoe I have ever used.

Bob A · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 50

I heard there was a fire at the factory that made them...no more molds.
I guess they were made at a different place than their climbing shoes are.
Love mine for slab climbing

WadeM · · Auburn, Ca · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 481

They are gone

Bentgate has a pair on sale size 39.5 brand new

Marc Squiddo · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 15
Bob A wrote:I heard there was a fire at the factory that made them...no more molds. I guess they were made at a different place than their climbing shoes are. Love mine for slab climbing
Like fire and brimstone! Ha!
Mark NH · · 03053 · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

...it looks like the TX 2, TX3 and TX4 are the replacements.

Marc Squiddo · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 15
Mark NH wrote:...it looks like the TX 2, TX3 and TX4 are the replacements.
Ugh, not even close! Nice shoes but more running like than approach and not as burley. I'll blow that heal out reading the damn paper
Ty Falk · · Huntington, VT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 280

^ Ya they don't really seam close. They claim to be wider in the toebox which would likely be better for hiking but climb worse. The toe on the Ganda can get into some small cracks but can hurt on long steep descents.

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236

Any chance of the Arc'teryx Acrux FL being a suitable replacement for the Ganda? The top down toe profile looks pretty similar but not sure about the height, also from what i have heard the materials are more durable than leather (huge break in time though).

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236

Also just been looking at my La sportiva hyper mids, they have a pretty good toe profile and i have climbed up to 5.9 in them, need some more experience in cracks in them but i think they could be pretty good.
Just cranked down all the laces while posting this and holy shit, it's actually really solid, half a size smaller i could see my self climbing some hard stuff in these.

Ty Falk · · Huntington, VT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 280

From what I have heard from buddy's who have gandas and the new arcteryx is that the sole on the arcteryx are not as good. Sounds like between the rubber compound they used and the tread pattern they don't climb as well. Although they probaly hike better. They do not have a smooth dot sole like the gandas they have a hybrid type sole with a climbing section and further back lugs and cutouts which probally handel loose terrai better but I am sure are worse for slab climbing.

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236
Ty Falk wrote:From what I have heard from buddy's who have gandas and the new arcteryx is that the sole on the arcteryx are not as good. Sounds like between the rubber compound they used and the tread pattern they don't climb as well. Although they probaly hike better. They do not have a smooth dot sole like the gandas they have a hybrid type sole with a climbing section and further back lugs and cutouts which probally handel loose terrai better but I am sure are worse for slab climbing.
How the hell do you walk heel to the floor on anything remotely steep, i mean sure drop your heel not all the way to the floor though!
Ty Falk · · Huntington, VT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 280

^ ah what??

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236
Ty Falk wrote:^ ah what??
how does dot rubber in the heel help you climb slabs?
Pete Spri · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 347
that guy named seb wrote: how does dot rubber in the heel help you climb slabs?
I thought the point of the ganda was approaches as well as some technical climbing. On class 4 stuff, I imagine you are using the whole sole for traction.
that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236
Pete Spri wrote: I thought the point of the ganda was approaches as well as some technical climbing. On class 4 stuff, I imagine you are using the whole sole for traction.
On class 4 I wouldn't imagine it would matter what tread it had providing it was sticky rubber.
Pete Spri · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 347
that guy named seb wrote: On class 4 I wouldn't imagine it would matter what tread it had providing it was sticky rubber.
Maybe not, who knows if there is any actual research on treading at all.
Ty Falk · · Huntington, VT · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 280

I think for any type of climbing 3rd, 4th or 5th class dot soles would help. I feel like crack, face, or wet alpine granite all would be better with a full dot sole. Seams like you need to be a scientist to understand how soft the rubber is anymore with the different compounds on the market. Vibram says the new Arcteryx megagrip souls are either "available in soft (65/70 Shore A) and firm (75/80 Shore A) hardness" and the dot rubber is shown for density (KgAdm^3) as (1,15+-0,03) and hardness (Sh/A) as 70 +-3. Super confusing but I do know from putting a fingernail into them that the dot sole is softer.

assets.vibram.com/pdfs/Cata…

ganda

arx

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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