I would have to say this is more of a testimonial than a real “review,” but suffice it to say, I have no bias, so maybe it’s one and the same. I am no ‘rock’ star, merely a professed endurance junkie with an underlying and undying passion for climbing. I love climbing and I am generally not overly particular about where or what kind it is, though my heart lies in the
mountains on long routes of the traditional variety. On the other hand, there is nothing but fun and challenge in a good sport route and I tend to mix it up – mostly depending on the weather.

And so it is that the Katana is the perfect all-round climbing shoe. It fits like a glove, with only one or two climbs to break it in and with none of the toe jamming, nail biting, bone crunching pain of tighter slippers to get all the performance needed. It is equally adept, sticky and precise on delicate sport routes as it is comfortable and versatile on long desert cracks or mixed up Teton classics. The tighter the fit, the better it
performs. I prefer mine on the more comfortable side for all but the hardest and thinnest of routes at my max. The women’s fit bumps this shoe up one notch from its high mark as it wraps the more common narrow ankle of a woman’s foot. Since this is a favorite among many in my home climbing circles, my new “blue suede shoes” are that much more distinct at the crag and, god knows, it’s more than refreshing to stop looking like all the
dudes…