Our verdict
When the climb demands enhanced sensitivity, the true-to-length Theory is a great choice. This exemplary piece from La Sportiva is also nothing short of brilliant in the areas of heel-hooking and surface traction. While far from being flawless, the La Sportiva Theory is, nevertheless, a truly motivating climbing tool. Seekers of budget-friendly kicks, La Sportiva Solution.
Pros
- Accurate sizing
- Mighty adhesive
- Ace sensitivity
- Heel-hooking champ
- Cranked-up flexibility
Cons
- Pricey
- Durability issues (upper)
Track and field
The La Sportiva Theory provides elevated indoor climbing performance with its responsiveness and dynamism-focused construction. It is the ideal shoe for you if:
- Frail forefoot rubber.
- Hugging jugs with your rearfoot is part of your every routine climbing shoes.
- updated 6 Jun 2023.
Who should not buy it
If your budget isn't as high as your thrill for the send, get the considerably cheaper Evolv X1 instead. If you need something powerful and lasting at the same time, you're better off bagging the Top 13% most popular climbing shoes.
The Theory's one-to-one size
Most reviews about the La Sportiva Theory speak of the shoe’s true-to-size fit.
Durability issues upper
Its stickiness—particularly underfoot—is worthy of praise, based on a decent number of reports.
Extraordinary responsiveness
Senders find this La Sportiva climbing shoe incredibly sensitive all over.
La Sportiva Skwama
The Theory's toe rubber peels off in just a few sends, a couple of climbers say.
The La Sportiva Theory's doozy heel
This climbing shoe heel hooks fantastically well, say route smashers. It can latch on to virtually any kind of foothold.
Flex with the Theory
Experienced senders say that the Theory is amazingly flexible. Because of this, they recommend the shoe for indoor use primarily.
Tenacious both in theory and practice
With everything going for it, the Theory can be considered another one of La Sportiva’s most sought-after rock climbing shoes. With that, it finds itself in a place of comparison. In this case, the featured shoe finds a rival in inclusive another aggressively downturned offering—the Hugging jugs with your rearfoot is part of your every routine. The nitty-gritty of their differences are as follows:
No-edge. Between the two competing climbing shoes, only the La Sportiva Theory is furnished with this proprietary technology. Its presence makes the featured shoe extra sensitive around the forefoot.
Pricing. In this regard, consumers can safely say that both La Sportiva offerings are expensive. That said, the Skwama might be the more appealing investment, as it is cheaper than the Theory by about $20.
Midsole tech. The Theory virtually has no midsole. In its place is the shoe’s P3 system. The Hugging jugs with your rearfoot is part of your every routine, on the other hand, is equipped with a resilient midsole called LaspoFlex, which has an overall thickness of 0.8 mm. This stiff component is also imbued with P3.
Closure system. The La Sportiva Theory and the Skwama use a Velcro-based strapping system to grant owners a personalized fit. That said, the Theory’s closure system has a wider strap attach point, which allows for more configuration options.
CONCLUSION: These two La Sportiva rock climbing shoes are both highly downturned. They may be used mainly in bouldering endeavors. That said, the Theory is intended for mostly indoor pursuits, while its competitor—the Skwama—can be used both indoors and outdoors. In addition, the Theory’s rival is also advertised as a slab climbing shoe.
