Katana Lace

For those of you who have them, how do you like them? How are they for smearing on granite or edging on steep limestone? Everything I’ve read says that they are great as an all round shoe but I’m not sure if any shoe can be fantastic all around. Also did they stretch after use?

Had a few pairs and used them as a solid all around shoe. I had the same sizing experience as Auden 1/2-3/4 size stretch. The upper over the toes really loosened up. I did however switch to Scarpa Vapor laces. Slightly flatter, thinner profile, thinner sole. AKA felt the vapors climbed slab, crack and face better. Katanas felt better as it got steeper. Most importantly just buy what fits your foot.

Been wondering the same thing, are they stiffer than TC pros?

I have a pair of miura VS’s that are so stiff and TC pros seem to get a bit sloppy after a resole so would love something in the middle and was looking at katanas...

Mine stretched a lot in the toe box ~1/2 size. When sized very tight they are excellent edging shoes!

Charles DuPontwrote:

Been wondering the same thing, are they stiffer than TC pros?

I have a pair of miura VS’s that are so stiff and TC pros seem to get a bit sloppy after a resole so would love something in the middle and was looking at katanas...

I'm not a very hard climber but I've got both the Katana Laces and TC Pros and the Katanas to me feel like a slightly aggressive TC Pro. Mine stretched like 1/4 size after a couple years.

I'm a noob so won't attest to their merits on crack/slab/edging (though, as a 5.8 hero, I like them in all three disciplines), but the break in is very real with them. I have broken in both 45.5 and 45.0, and both have broken in nicely (usually wear 46.0 in TC Pro, for reference). I wear the 45.5 when I'm going to be in them most of the day, the 45.0 for shorter stuff. I try to take them off at belays regardless of length, as it's nice to allow for some relaxation of your foot, but they do mold nicely to your foot. All in all my go-to shoe, just keep your eyes out and score a deal as I've never paid more than $100 for 4 diff pair.

I love them. Excellent crack and edging shoe, but honestly, they do most things well except bouldering. I size mine 1/2 day for all day and (used to, but not anymore) go 1 full size down for painful, but precise edging. 

On rock performance is great, as others have stated. Edging is phenomenal, smearing is good, have yet to try them in thin cracks but can see why I’d like them there.

For what it’s worth, Scarpa shoes tend to fit me very well and I know people with wide feet gravitate towards them. I didn’t think I was wide, but Katanas feel pretty tight and my arches start to hurt after a while. So if you’re on the wider side, just be aware of that potential factor. 

The katana Lace has been a game-changer for me. I have a 9.5 D foot and this is the best fitting shoe I've found. I wear a 42. They had stretched about 1/4 size in width before they needed resoling. I had GripWorks in South Lake Tahoe put a toe-patch on at that time. Now they are the One-Shoe-To-Rule-Them-All. They have helped me break through into leading 9-10 here in Tahoe. They only place where I'll go back to TC Pros is friction slab, where the Katanas just don't like to conform to shallow-angle slab.

There's only a few companies/products that I've ever actively promoted or 'sworn by'.. Katana Laces are definitely one of those products and they're the best shoe ever made, as far as i'm concerned. I own several pairs and love them for everything from the bouldering gym to long alpine multipitch climbs.

Everyone's foot is different, and for some, they're really tight on the big toe knuckle, but if they fit you right, you'll swear by them, at least in my experience. I've also found that they can be resoled more times than other shoes (my gym pair is on it's 4th resole / my outdoor pair just got it's 3rd).