La Sportiva Futura - Women's Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Comfortable, extremely sensitive, great for smearing and steep climbing, easy to get on and off
Cons: Expensive, No-Edge technology could be an acquired taste
Manufacturer: La Sportiva
Our Verdict
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La Sportiva Futura - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $185.00 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $184.95 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $180.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $67.46 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $69.83 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Pros | Comfortable, extremely sensitive, great for smearing and steep climbing, easy to get on and off | Great edging shoe, precise, versatile | Comfortable, high performance, sticky rubber, easy to put on, good in cracks, versatile | Inexpensive, comfortable, easy to get on and off | Inexpensive, easy to adjust, comfortable, soft leather upper |
| Cons | Expensive, No-Edge technology could be an acquired taste | Specific shape can cause discomfort for some, expensive | Stretch out quickly, costly, lack support | Lacks stiffness, not designed for high-performance climbing | Not great for smearing, soles lack stickiness of more expensive models |
| Bottom Line | If you let them, they may revolutionize your footwork; they'll take some getting used to, but are top notch for steep climbing | A technical climbing powerhouse, perfect for crimpy limestone lines or long granite free climbs | The Skwama are impressive in many realms, combining comfort with a high performance fit | This shoe is a reasonably priced and very comfortable option great for beginner climbers | A great option for beginners, these shoes are most importantly comfortable and easy to use |
| Rating Categories | La Sportiva Futura... | La Sportiva Miura VS | La Sportiva Skwama... | Five Ten Kirigami -... | La Sportiva Tarantu... |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Sensitivity (25%) | |||||
| Edging (15%) | |||||
| Cracks (15%) | |||||
| Pockets (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (5%) | |||||
| Specs | La Sportiva Futura... | La Sportiva Miura VS | La Sportiva Skwama... | Five Ten Kirigami -... | La Sportiva Tarantu... |
| Style | Velcro | Velcro | Velcro | Velcro | Lace |
| Weight (Per Pair, size 37) | 0.91 lb | 0.94 lb | 1.00 lb | 0.99 lb | 0.97 lb |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
| Fit | High Asymmetry | High Asymmetry | Asymmetrical | Low Asymmetry | Low Asymmetry |
| Upper | Leather/ Synthetic | Leather | Leather/Microfiber | Synthetic | Leather |
| Lining | Unlined | Dentex | Unlined | Synthetic | Unlined |
| Sole Rubber | Vibram XS Grip2 | Vibram XS Grip2 | Vibram XS Grip2 | Stealth C4 | Frixion RS |
Our Analysis and Test Results
We were huge fans of the La Sportiva Futura. Their No-Edge technology allowed us to rediscover footwork and climb with newfound confidence. On steep climbing, especially limestone and sandstone, the Futuras were impressive; they inspired such confidence that features we would have laughed at in the past suddenly became decent footholds. They were our go-to shoes, especially on steep climbing where smeary feet and small pockets are the name of the game.
Performance Comparison
Comfort
The Futura brings an impressive combination of performance and comfort that is unparalleled among the shoes we've tested. The soft, synthetic upper is supple and malleable, which helped them adapt to the shape of our foot - after just a few days of use. As they broke in, comfort increased over time. Though the shape appears aggressive outwardly, the Futura keeps the foot in a fairly natural position.
Sensitivity
The No-Edge technology used in the construction of the Futura can be a little unnerving at first. Instead of a distinct 4mm layer of rubber that separates the sole from the rand, the Futura has a layer of rubber that wraps from the sole of the shoe over the tip of the toe. This makes for an incredibly sensitive toe and forces you to climb with more precision and faith. Once we warmed up to them, the Futura inspired us to stand on the smeariest, tiniest footholds we could find with complete commitment.
Edging
Though they excel in terms of sensitivity and smearing, the La Sportiva Futura is not the first pair we would pick for routes that require technical edging. The soft, sticky No-Edge style toe doesn't stand on edges the same way a stiffer shoe does. The Futura doesn't treat footholds in the same way a traditional climbing shoe does, so it's almost hard to judge their performance for this metric. If you try to edge as you would in a shoe like the Kataki, the Futura will likely feel pretty frustrating. Instead, take time getting used to these shoes, and they will show you an entirely new way of interacting with footholds.
Crack Climbing
Most of the crack climbing we did was centered around smeary lay-backing rather than straight-in jamming. The Futura can stem and smear with the best, but splitter cracks are not their strong suit. The Velcro closure system could easily get worn down if used on hand cracks or anything wider that requires repetitive jamming, and the No-Edge technology used in the design of the toe box is too bulky to successfully fit into finger cracks.
Pockets
We loved the Futura for steep, pocketed climbing. The toe box fits into small pockets with ease, and the heel is precise and tight-fitting enough for the occasional heel hook. The No-Edge technology allows the Futura to toe into the shallowest of pockets with ease. For steep, pocketed limestone, the Futuras were on par with other top Sportiva models we've tested.
Ease of Use
La Sportiva's Fast Lacing System makes the Futura one of the quickest pairs to get on and off. This technology consists of a thin nylon strap that weaves across the top of the foot and is secured by a bit of Velcro; this makes the shoes easy to tighten or loosen, and even easier to slip on and off in between burns.
Value
With a hefty price tag, the Futuras are an investment. For folks who have been climbing for a long time and are looking for something new, the Futura could be a good choice, but with the price tag, they could also feel like an expensive experiment.
Conclusion
If this is your first shoe purchase, consider something with a bit more of an edge and perhaps a less aggressive shape. The Futura is a very particular shoe and may not be for everyone. That said, we loved how these shoes performed on steep terrain, especially on small, smeary footholds, like those often found on steep limestone. For aggressive edging, they were not our first choice, but for more nebulous footholds, they seemed to stick to anything. We will definitely be bringing these shoes on all of our upcoming sport climbing and bouldering trips.
— Jane Jackson
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