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

A soft, single-strap downturned slipper-style shoe with an S-Heel and a toe-hook patch. It suits climbers who want sensitivity and smearing on steep boulders, sport and granite, and who don't need maximum edging support.

Intermediate
Bouldering
Sport
Steep
Gym
Outdoor

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 Skwama. 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 Skwama

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 Skwama fits

Medium widthLow volume

Heel: S-Heel construction gives a close, vacuum-like heel fit with very little dead space.
Toe box: Low-volume toe with a rubber toe patch; the big toe sits in a strong, slightly asymmetric position.
Suits: Average to slightly wide forefoot with a lower-volume foot; the wider midfoot suits feet that find the Solution too narrow.

What climbers say

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

Strengths

Very sensitive and excellent for smearing
Snug S-Heel locks in for heel hooks
Toe patch and downturn make toe hooks easy
Versatile: steep boulders, sport and even some crack climbing

Watch out for

Soft midsole limits support on tiny edges and tires feet on long technical routes
Soft rubber and the toe patch wear relatively quickly

Stretch and break-in: Accounts differ: OutdoorGearLab found stretch minimal and suggests half a size below your usual La Sportiva size, with arch pressure that eased after about 15 pitches. Climbing House saw close to half a size of stretch during break-in. La Sportiva suggests 1-3 full EU sizes below street size.

La Sportiva Skwama 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 Skwama 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 1-3 full EU sizes from a standard EU street shoe size.”

Quoted from the La Sportiva product page

Specs

Rubber: Vibram XS Grip2, 3.5 mm
Downturn: aggressive
Asymmetry: moderate
Stiffness: soft
Closure: 1 strap
Version: men's
Made for: gym, slab, all-round
Upper: Leather + microfibre, rubber toe cap
Lining: Unlined
Weight: 210 g (per shoe, maker figure (size not stated))
Resoleable: Yes
Price: $219 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released: Late 2016

Same sizing: Skwama Black / Poppy, Skwama Vegan, Skwama Vegan Women's, Skwama Women's

Compare with

Sources

Checked 8 October 2026 (Skwama (current US model, item ZFCS005; unlined)). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.