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

A soft, moderately downturned leather slipper with a single Velcro strap, built for gym climbing and bouldering where sensitivity matters more than support. Good for intermediate-to-strong climbers who want a comfortable, sensitive shoe for plastic and steep pockets; not a stiff edging or all-round outdoor shoe.

Intermediate
Bouldering
Gym
Steep
Sport

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 Python. 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 Python

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 Python fits

Medium widthMedium volume

Heel: Fits narrow-to-average heels without much dead space; the strap keeps it on during hard heel hooks, though lace-up performance shoes hold the heel more securely.
Toe box: Moderately downturned, pointed, asymmetric toe with rubber over the top for toe hooks; flatter and less aggressive than a Solution.
Suits: Average feet, and wider feet than most performance slippers accommodate; very low-volume feet may need the strap fully cinched.

What climbers say

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

Strengths

Very sensitive thin sole and 0.8 mm front-only midsole let you feel every hold
Strap fixes the classic slipper problem of the heel moving during heel hooks
Toe-top rubber makes toe hooks secure
Comfortable for its performance level, easy to keep on between gym attempts

Watch out for

Too soft for small edges or long outdoor routes; your feet do most of the work
Unlined leather stretches a lot, so the fit can get loose
Thin rand wears quickly at the big-toe edge
Hard to find in North America; La Sportiva USA no longer lists it

Stretch and break-in: Expect a lot of stretch: Blister's tester said the unlined leather grew by close to a full size after break-in, and found it ran slightly bigger than other La Sportivas. UKC advises going well below street size and as snug as you can bear without pain. Size it tight from the start and use the strap to take up slack later.

La Sportiva Python 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 Python 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.

Specs

Upper: Suede leather, slip-lasted
Lining: Unlined
Weight: 200 g (per shoe, size 39 (400 g per pair))
Price: €125 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released: c. 2012 (successor to the Cobra)

Compare with

Sources

Checked 8 October 2026 (Python (long-running slipper; spec sheet unchanged since the 2012-13 reviews; currently sold mainly in Europe)). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.