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La Sportiva Solution Comp review: fit, sizing and what climbers say

A softer, more sensitive Solution with a lower-profile heel and much more rubber over the toe. Aimed at hard bouldering, comp-style gym climbing and steep sport routes, for intermediate-to-advanced climbers who want the Solution's pointy toe with better hooking.

  • Advanced
  • 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 Solution Comp. 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 Solution Comp

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 Solution Comp fits

NarrowMedium volume
Heel
Softer, slimmer heel than the Solution with no moulded cup; fits more heels, though some testers still found a little dead space.
Toe box
Long, skinny, very pointed toe box with a large rubber patch on top for toe hooks and heel-toe cams.
Suits
Normal-to-narrow forefoot with a pointed toe shape; the stretchy upper copes with higher insteps. Wide or square toes will want frequent breaks.

What climbers say

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

Strengths

  • Talon-like pointed toe gives excellent power and precision on tiny footholds
  • Extra toe-top rubber makes toe hooks and heel-toe cams very secure
  • Softer, slimmer heel than the original gives more feel on marginal heel hooks
  • Good balance of sensitivity and support for both bouldering and steep sport

Watch out for

  • Heel can still feel roomy for narrow heels
  • Aggressive and narrow: not comfortable for long sessions or cracks
  • Less midfoot support than the Solution for sustained edging on vertical routes
  • Fast Lacing strap can fray where it runs through the eyelets
Stretch and break-in: Soft build means a short break-in: Treeline found it supple after a couple of sessions. Treeline tested the EU size about a full size below street and would go half a size smaller next time for pure performance. La Sportiva suggests 1-3 full EU sizes below street size. The leather midfoot gives a little; the lined toe and heel hold their shape.

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

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

What La Sportiva says

“Generally sized down 1-3 EU full 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
strong
Stiffness
soft
Version
men's
Made for
bouldering, sport, gym, competition
Upper
Leather + microfibre, Fast Lacing System with Lock Harness
Lining
Pacific lining in toe and heel, Lycra tongue, unlined leather midfoot
Weight
258 g (per shoe, maker figure (size not stated; identical to the Solution's listed weight))
Resoleable
Yes
Price
$229 (list price, 2026-10-08)
Released
Around 2020 (OutdoorGearLab tested it in May 2021)

Same sizing: Solution Comp Women's

Compare with

Sources

  1. La Sportiva USA: Solution Comp
  2. OutdoorGearLab review (2021)
  3. Treeline Review (2026)

Checked 8 October 2026 (Solution Comp (current US model, item ZFCS018, Black/Yellow)). Gear Loop isn't affiliated with the maker and earns nothing from these links.

More La Sportiva shoes

La Sportiva sizing →

Estimates. Fit depends on foot shape and preference.