Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
La Sportiva Katana Lace vs Scarpa Instinct VS
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Rock Climbing Shoes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Katana Lace wins because it is competent on every style of climbing, adjusts to your foot across a long day, and resoles well enough to justify the price over several seasons. The Instinct VS is the better choice for a narrower brief: steep terrain, aggressive heel hooking, and a climber willing to break it in.
La Sportiva Katana Lace
Buy itThe most complete one-shoe answer for sport, trad and technical face climbing.
- Rated among the best edging shoes available thanks to a pointed toe, supportive midsole and Vibram XS Edge rubber
- Lace closure lets you run it loose on approaches and long pitches, then cinch down for hard moves
- Only mildly downturned, so it stays comfortable across a full multi-pitch day
- Resoles well, which stretches the cost over several seasons
- Gives up ground to properly downturned shoes on steeply overhanging boulders
- Laces are slow if you strip your shoes between every attempt
- Premium price that is hard to justify for a first pair
Scarpa Instinct VS
It dependsElite precision and heel hooking for steep terrain, if you can survive the break-in.
- Precise Vibram XS Edge forefoot with Scarpa's Bi-Tension support holds tiny edges reliably
- Sculpted heel with Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber and high-coverage toe and heel rubber make hooks unusually secure
- Single velcro strap suits the on-and-off rhythm of bouldering
- Reviewers find it accommodating for medium to slightly wide feet
- Long break-in with very little stretch, so early sessions are uncomfortable
- Downturned shape makes thin cracks awkward and painful
- The precision only pays off once your footwork is deliberate enough to use it
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| La Sportiva Katana Lace Our pick | Scarpa Instinct VS | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | It depends |
| Best for | Climbers buying one serious pair to cover sport routes, technical trad and vertical face climbing. | Intermediate to advanced climbers pushing grades on steep sport routes and gym boulders. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$ · premium |
| Best use | Sport, technical trad, multi-pitch, vertical face | Steep sport and bouldering, heel and toe hooks |
| Profile | Mildly downturned, low-profile pointed toe | Downturned, medium angled toe box |
| Edging precision | Excellent, among the best in the field | Excellent on small edges |
| Sensitivity | Moderate, biased toward support | Good, with sticky XS Grip 2 heel rubber |
| Rubber | Vibram XS Edge, stiff and grippy | Vibram XS Edge sole with XS Grip 2 heel |
| Closure | Full lace, most adjustable | Single velcro strap, fastest |
| Comfort and break-in | Comfortable for long days, moderate break-in | Painful early, long break-in, minimal stretch |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the La Sportiva Katana Lace if
climbers buying one serious pair to cover sport routes, technical trad and vertical face climbing.
Know before buying: gives up ground to properly downturned shoes on steeply overhanging boulders.
Pick the Scarpa Instinct VS if
intermediate to advanced climbers pushing grades on steep sport routes and gym boulders.
Know before buying: long break-in with very little stretch, so early sessions are uncomfortable.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the La Sportiva Katana Lace - The most complete one-shoe answer for sport, trad and technical face climbing. Choose the Scarpa Instinct VS instead if intermediate to advanced climbers pushing grades on steep sport routes and gym boulders.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Rock Climbing Shoes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).