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Review by psych (1)


Katana Velcro Climbing Shoe (Manufacturer link) popular Average Rating = 4.12/5 Average Rating : 4.12/5

In: Gear: Shoes: Climbing Shoes: Velcro

Review 4 out of 5 stars

Review by: psych, 2003-05-24


I've owned my Katana's for almost a year now, and they've proven their worth many times over! Fits my foot like a glove, except in the toebox, but it's just a little chaffing on the top of my big toe and baby toe, on each foot. I can deal with that or tape my toes.

I was really concerned about the quality and stickiness of the rubber when I bought the Katana's, I'd only owned Five-Ten shoes with C4 rubber on them, so I'd had the best (at the time)...what about the rest? But the rubber on these surprised me! It's not as sticky but it's darn close. A little more durable too, they're not wearing as fast as either my Spires or Zlippers had, at the ball of the foot.

The heel area needs some time to acclimatize to it, it's different feeling that other shoes, feel's spacier and bulkier. But it's awesome for heel-hooking once you get used to it. Large contact patch of rubber there to use.

Edging is nice with them as well, they've got a good solid rand on them (if my terminology is correct), there's little flex in the front half of the shoe when you want it to be stable. However, when you want to curl your toes down and do some greater-than-vertical stuff, the shoe will bend into a concave soled shape quite easily (particularly when warm). Makes it a very good shoe for the more advanced technical stuff.

The fittings, the velcro, are sweet. Good and long just incase you have wider feet than mine, at least, and such a velcro patch! You can significantly adjust the fit of the shoe by putting the velcro down in a different area of the patch. If you want to pull the heel in more, pull the top velcro down lower on the patch, it'll yank the heel in tighter.

Price was the only thing that I didn't like...cost me $208 Canadian...though I've heard people around here buying them as low as $130 Canadian lately. Could have just been a one-off sale though.

Mike...