La Sportiva Finale review: fit, sizing and what climbers say

La Sportiva's flat-ish, lace-up suede all-rounder has a 5 mm Vibram XS Edge sole and is made in Italy. It is one of the most recommended first 'real' shoes: comfortable for long days, good on edges, slabs and cracks, and durable enough to outlast sloppy footwork. It is not built for steep, hook-heavy bouldering.

Beginner
Beginners
All-round
Multi-pitch
Cracks
Vertical

Size down about one size from your street shoe

For a snug all-round fit, a street UK 9 (EU 43) is a UK 8 (EU 42) in the Finale. Go half a size smaller for hard bouldering, or bigger for long days. It's a starting point: feet differ, so try them on if you can.

Your size in the Finale

Your street shoe size

UK9

Aggressive

Tight, hard bouldering

UK7½EU 41

Recommended

Snug all-rounder

UK8EU 42

Relaxed

Long sessions

UK8½EU 42½

Comfort

Beginners, multi-pitch

UK9EU 43

Your size in all 292 shoes

How the Finale fits

Medium widthMedium volume

Heel: Roomy heel cup that slips on hard heel hooks; the 2022 update narrowed it somewhat.
Toe box: Slightly pointed, low-profile toe that edges well and slots into thin cracks; small toe-rubber patch.
Suits: Medium feet. The forefoot is generous enough for many wider feet and suits longer second toes; narrow heels may feel space. A lower-volume women's version exists.

What climbers say

From independent reviews and buyers' feedback; each point is backed by at least two sources.

Strengths

All-day comfort; you can belay and walk around without taking it off
Surprisingly good edging for the price, thanks to a tapered toe and XS Edge rubber
Thick 5 mm rubber lasts a long time and the shoe can be resoled
Good in cracks and on multi-pitch thanks to the flat profile and laces

Watch out for

Flat shape struggles on overhangs and steep, technical terrain
Loose heel on hard heel hooks and a small toe patch limit hooking
Thick rubber reduces feel on the tiniest edges and delicate smears
Little midfoot support, so feet tire on long, low-angle routes on small holds

Stretch and break-in: The unlined suede stretches noticeably, about 1 to 1.5 EU sizes according to OutdoorGearLab, so start snug. OutdoorGearLab's testers preferred one full size below street size, and Climbing House says most reviewers went half to one and a half sizes down (about one size on average). Break-in is quick. Treeline's tester found EU 41 just right for comfort, a little below their US 9 street size.

La Sportiva Finale size chart

Your street size, then the size to get for each fit. From La Sportiva's size chart and how this model runs.

La Sportiva Finale size chart
Street	Aggressive	Recommended	Relaxed	Comfort
UK 4EU 37	–	UK 3EU 35½	UK 3½EU 36	UK 4EU 37
UK 4½EU 37½	UK 3EU 35½	UK 3½EU 36	UK 4EU 37	UK 4½EU 37½
UK 5EU 38	UK 3½EU 36	UK 4EU 37	UK 4½EU 37½	UK 5EU 38
UK 5½EU 38½	UK 4EU 37	UK 4½EU 37½	UK 5EU 38	UK 5½EU 38½
UK 6EU 39½	UK 4½EU 37½	UK 5EU 38	UK 5½EU 38½	UK 6EU 39
UK 6½EU 40	UK 5EU 38	UK 5½EU 38½	UK 6EU 39	UK 6½EU 39½
UK 7EU 40½	UK 5½EU 38½	UK 6EU 39	UK 6½EU 39½	UK 7EU 40½
UK 7½EU 41½	UK 6EU 39	UK 6½EU 39½	UK 7EU 40½	UK 7½EU 41
UK 8EU 42	UK 6½EU 39½	UK 7EU 40½	UK 7½EU 41	UK 8EU 42
UK 8½EU 42½	UK 7EU 40½	UK 7½EU 41	UK 8EU 42	UK 8½EU 42½
UK 9EU 43	UK 7½EU 41	UK 8EU 42	UK 8½EU 42½	UK 9EU 43
UK 9½EU 44	UK 8EU 42	UK 8½EU 42½	UK 9EU 43	UK 9½EU 43½
UK 10EU 44½	UK 8½EU 42½	UK 9EU 43	UK 9½EU 43½	–
UK 10½EU 45	UK 9EU 43	UK 9½EU 43½	–	–
UK 11EU 45½	UK 9½EU 43½	–	–	–

– means past the end of the La Sportiva size chart we have.

What La Sportiva says

“Generally sized down 1-2 full EU sizes from a standard EU street shoe size.”

Quoted from the La Sportiva product page

Specs

Rubber: Vibram XS Edge, 5 mm
Asymmetry: moderate
Stiffness: stiff
Closure: laces
Version: men's
Made for: multi-pitch
Upper: Suede leather, tubular construction; metal-free tanning
Lining: Unlined upper (cotton-lined padded mesh tongue)
Weight: 238 g (per shoe, 8.4 oz as listed by Treeline Review; size not stated)
Resoleable: Yes
Price: $139 · €135 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released: Long-running model; current version updated 2022

Same sizing: Finale (last season), Finale Women's

Compare with

Sources

Checked 8 October 2026 (Finale (2022 update: eco-tanned suede and recycled components, revised outsole and heel)). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.