ashenThis isn’t the first time we are talking about La Sportiva mountaineering shoes. Rock climbing is not for everyone and it can even consume the most out of the toughest, outdoorsy folk. Having a good pair of climbing shoes can make a lot of difference to your experience of rock climbing. This particular shoe is quite popular within the community for being a great beginner to intermediate friendly climbing shoe. Also well known for delivering great value to the price it asks. Here is our La Sportiva Finale review and hope it will serve as an informative guide for you who are on the lookout for a promising climbing shoe.
La Sportiva Finale Build and Design
Let’s start off the La Sportiva Finale review with the design. Like most climbing shoes, the toe shape is pointed with medium asymmetry. Made with 1/2 Sole 5mm Vibram XS Edge rubber for prolonged lifetime. Lace-Up closure, unlined leather so that it naturally shapes up with your foot. Powerhinge and tensioned heel enables the secure and sealed grip while climbing. Mostly due to the feature where the back stretch takes place while the toes are in place. The lace design is simple and straightforward. They don’t get in the way and you can loosen them up to the toe box. Plenty of freedom with them and untying is never a hazel.
The manufacturers have definitely given some good thought for the users comfort. The tension in the heel is well balanced between optimum support and comfort. The design is actually called Slingshot heel design. Highly breathable padded mesh tongue with wicking cotton lining for further comfort during lengthy climbing sessions. The ultra-thin LaSpoFlex midsole provides maximum torsional rigidity.
Climbing With The La Sportiva Finale
Climbing is all about finding the edges and cracks of the rock that you are tackling and then balancing your weight to conquer it with the aid of these. This is where we have to thoroughly analyze shoes of this nature. Just like most climbing shoes, the significant aspect of the La Sportiva Finale is the Vibram XS Edge rubber. “The type of rubber will directly affect the grip, durability, and edging ability of your shoes”. Since 1937, Vibram rubber has been the king of mountaineering rubber and the Edge version is ideally suited to big wall climbing and multi-pitch routes. Therefore, this is the best edging rubber in the industry.
It’s a common acceptance that the grip isn’t as sensitive as some of the other shoes that use better technology. But let no doubt creep into your mind about the grippy rubber around the heel area. The midsole flex, the stiff sole and flat forefoot enables a nice edging making a good grip with small cracks and edges. Also, the lace closure as opposed to the velcro closures, reduces pressure points during foot jams. The toe-box is mostly made for crack associated climbing and less for steep pitches. It is perfectly flat and does not cram your toe making it easier to slip into cracks. The shoe also has enough rubber on the sides so that you gain enough friction once entered into a crack.
How Comfortable is It?
A flat sole guarantees comfort over the ones that have a specific shape and it is no different with La Sportiva. Your toes won’t curl and the foot is well relaxed in the natural position. There is also more stretch because of the unlined leather upper than a synthetic model. So how does the sizing go with the stretch? Well, according to our research, experts advise half to a full size down sizing is the best choice. So if you are a 10, go with 9. Just be sure to make a good choice considering performance, comfort and good fit. The break-in process is smooth and fast. This is another reason that makes this pair of shoes a great beginner-friendly one. As mentioned before, these aren’t particularly sensitive to feel the actual grip of the crack or the edge. It is because of the thick durable material used. Newbies can practice for quite some time with shoes without wearing them off. Now, let us see how the user feedback is for the La Sportiva Finale.
Overall User Feedback
Aside from a minor sizing complaint, everyone is praising all aspects of the shoe. In particular the excellent traction and grip during bouldering, rock and wall climbing. Whibley who is from the UK says that these shoes are a brilliant fit, snug and stay still. Great for technical bouldering and can wear for a several hour session no problem. He used to have Red Chilli Coronas but was in the market for a more aggressive looking shoe and ended up with the Sportiva. Juan Diaz who bought these way back in 2017 states that the size fit as expected and the shoe performance responded on wall and on rock perfectly. A seasoned climber, Craig, says that during his 5 and a half years of climbing, these are the best shoes he’s tried so far. A handful of customers seemed to have faced issues with the sizing as per the chart. However, the general advice is to size down by 1/2 to compensate for the stretching.
La Sportiva Finale vs Tarantulace
The La Sportiva Finale review would be incomplete if we missed out on this comparison. There is a debate on which shoe is best for a beginner between the Finale and Tarantulace. Before moving ahead with the comparison, here are the essential specs of both side by side.
| Finale | Tarantulace | |
| Weight | 480g | 490g |
| Sole | Vibram XS Edge | FriXion RS |
| Lining | None | Padded internal tongue with cotton |
| Midsole | LaSpoFlex 1.1mm | LaSpoFlex 1.8mm |
| Comfort | Above average, 7/10 | Great, 9/10 |
As you can see from the specs itself, the Tarantulace focuses more on comfort over performance. It does also offer better grip, but the fact remains that the Finale is better for climbing given the edging performance and tight fit. Symmetry wise, the Tarantulace has a toe area which is a lot rounder and has more space whereas the Finale as mentioned before is medium symmetry hence a little uncomfortable but more stable due to the neutral profile and technical fit.
Performance Comparison
Let’s talk about the outsole first. The 5mm thick FriXion RS rubber of the Tarantulace is quite sticky giving it a better grip and smearing. This is a good point which makes this model of the La Sportiva a nice beginner friendly climbing shoe. Even though your foothold might not be the most appropriate, the stiff grip will ensure your contact with the boulder or rock to be solid. The Finale of course is the edging emperor and combined with the P3 Permanent Power Platform, it empowers the toe with awesome edging power. With the Finale, your toe is more aggressive and performance ready.
Tarantulace has the two pull straps which allows the user to easily fit deeper into the shoe. The two heel pull-tabs and one tongue tab assist in easy remove and wear. The design is perfect to fit the heels comfortably and the break-in process is smooth. The Finale does not have this feature but the heel strap tension has been enhanced to provide more comfort.
Comfort
This is the other point where the Tarantulace outperforms the Finale as a better beginner friendly shoe. The slight downturn in the Finale brings about a little discomfort whereas the Tarantulace is the flattest. In terms of breathability, the Finale is a step ahead due to the central panel and the tongue that is made to reduce condensation. The Tarantulace does not completely lack in this area. It’s just that the build of the Finale enhances breathability enabling you to wear the pair for lengthy climbs without having to take them off.
Conclusion
The customer feedback is pretty much the same as that of the Finale. Common reviews include excellent grip and traction, easy to tighten/loosen the lacing, overall great for indoor and outdoor climbing. Tey, who is an absolute beginner at bouldering, mentioned that the fit is fantastic and allowed him to focus on technique and training without making his feet hurt. Note that he was wearing them for more than an hour and not once did he feel any discomfort. As for sizing, a few encountered problems because of the tiny space left at the toes which can be a slight issue in tiny holds. However, most users seemed to have found the perfect size. Ryan, who wears a size 10.5 in mens, got the 10.5-11 size shoe and according to him, it fitted in snugly.
As advised in the beginning, it appears that most of the buyers of the Tarantulace were newbies to climbing whilst the Finale users seem to have passed that initial stage of bouldering. Therefore, the choice is yours. If you are new to the world of rock climbing, go ahead with the La Sportiva Tarantulace and enjoy the comfort while being safe. We hope this La Sportiva Finale review and comparison with the Tarantulace was informative. Let us know which one suited you best.
