I don’t really consider myself to be a boulderer. Sure, I boulder occasionally, especially during the winter when weather is unpredictable, but at heart I really love to climb cracks. However, there’s a limit to how much better one can get at crack climbing without cross-training. The winter is a great time to cross train, since the weather in Yosemite is not so perfect. I’ve been cross-training endurance by sport climbing, but I think it’s better to train power by bouldering, which is what I’ve been doing the past couple weeks. And helping me with all this bouldering is the newest pair of shoes in my quiver: the La Sportiva Speedsters.
Several things about the Speedster are very different from the other climbing shoes I’m used to wearing (mostly Miuras(trad) and Katanas (sport)), but the Speedster definitely has many features that make them excel at bouldering, even compared to the Miura VS (review here).
Check out the rubber on the toe!
Since these shoes are pretty new, many of you may not have had a chance to check them out in person yet, so now we’ll go on a little tour of the Speedsters:
Putting on my Speedsters.
The Speedster is an aggressive, yet ultra sensitive bouldering slipper. It shares the same P3 platform that the Miura VS and Solutions have, but pairs them with 3mm Vibram XS Grip2 rubber, which gives them a way more sensitive feel than the Miura VS. Although I’m used to stiffer shoes, this sensitivity is pretty amazing – you can really feel the holds you’re standing on. Or toe-hooking, because the rubber actually wraps over the front of the toe and onto the upper part of the shoe (see the 2nd picture in this blog).
Adjusting my toes in the front of the Speedster.
I have to admit, I haven’t exactly used the Speedsters extensively yet. They really need to be quite tight to take advantage of the aggressive shape and sensitivity, so they’re really not route climbing shoes (maybe for really short, steep, powerful sport routes, but those aren’t exactly my thing). They’ve been great for bouldering in the gym because they really allow you to pull yourself in with your toes even on the smallest little foot jib on a steep angle.
I also took them out to play in Bishop, with mixed results. I tend to gravitate towards boulder problems that are balance-y and not particularly steep, which, it turns out, is maybe not the best use of the Speedsters. On the pockets and small edges of the Happy and Sad boulders, I felt way more comfortable and solid wearing the Miura VS than the Speedsters, which may be because I am more standing on my feet (i.e. vertical climbing) than pulling in with them (steep climbing). On the other hand, the Speedsters do toehook and heelhook really well.
Working on Molly (V5) in the Speedsters.
So, now on to some practical issues – fit and longevity of the shoe.
The first pair of Speedsters I tried were 34.5 and it was a serious struggle to get them on my feet, although it was possible. I decided to go with 35 instead, which are still extremely tight and a little challenging to put on, although they’re definitely relaxing a bit over time. This is the same size that I wear my Miura VS or Testarossa (35) and half a size bigger than I wear my Katanas(34.5). I’d recommend trying to size them pretty tight because you’ll be wasting all that downturned, sensitive goodness if you wear them in a “comfy” size. These are not meant to be your comfy slippers. It usually takes me a little bit of adjusting to get the Speedsters on my feet, and I only put them on after my feet are warmed up, or else my feet might cramp up.
In terms of longevity, I haven’t gone through the rubber too much yet, since these aren’t my all-around shoes. Like most slippers, they probably won’t be quite the same after a resole, which is particularly complicated here due to the way the rubber actually wraps up and around the toe. They also use 3mm rubber, which I don’t think all resolers even stock. However, if you just use the shoes when you need to, they’ll probably last a reasonably long time.
Luke takes advantage of the Speedsters’ excellent performance on the steep roof of Therapy.
So, what is the bottom line?
The Speedsters are not my go-to, does-everything shoe (that would be the Miuras). I would not recommend them as a primary climbing shoe unless you really only like steep bouldering – they are fantastic at toeing-in on the steeps, but not so good for thin edges or pockets or smears. However, these are a great addition to your shoe quiver, especially if you tend to always wear stiff edging shoes like I do.
Lizzy
Here are a few comments from Luke:
As more of a boulderer than Lizzy I was very excited when she got the speedster. So much so that I went out and got a pair. My main experiences with slippers comes from the La Sportiva Cobra and the 5.10 Moccasym. Neither shoe has a solid heel and I was very impressed with how well the Speedster heel hooked. It does very well with directional heels but the back of the shoe can start peeling off your foot when hooking more aggressively on protrusions. I sized these super tight and they took a week or two to to fit better. They have little to no dead space for me which is amazing. I sized the same as the cobra (38 for me) which provided a much much tighter fit. This is the same as my tight pair of Katanas and a half size smaller than a moderately comfy pair of Miura lace ups (38.5).
As Lizzy mentioned these are not an edging shoe but work really well indoors and on steep terrain. It is very cool to be able to really feel the foot holds under your toes. They are a very specialized shoe but can be a great addition to a quiver of shoes.
Full Disclosure: La Sportiva provided these shoes to Lizzy in exchange for this review. Luke purchased a pair separately. The opinions expressed above are those of the reviewers and reflect our experience with these shoes. Feel free to leave comments regarding your opinion of the Speedster.
For more Sweet Gear reviews from Luke and Lizzy check out our Gear Reviews page.
Plus room for my wallet and other small necessities.
Recent Comments