La Sportiva Python

Not much has been happening lately. After returning from Colorado in late March I've been spending the majority of my time at the gym trying to get in really good shape for Colorado's alpine season. A crew from the southeast will be making its way to the Denver/Boulder area from early June to early July. Motivation is at an all time high. I've yet to touch a single boulder in Colorado's alpine spots and I couldn't be more psyched. There are so many problems to try and my list is already ridiculously long. 34 more days!

On another note, I just received a pair of La Sportiva's newest shoe, the Python. I've been looking forward to getting my hands on a pair of these shoes for a while and I can say that I am extremely impressed.

First impressions...they are a pretty soft shoe, very sensitive, GREAT at smearing, and very good at toeing in on overhung terrain.

The Python doesn't look all that downturned while it's sitting on your coffee table but as soon as you slip them onto your foot the band takes your foot and pretty dramatically turns it down into a more aggressive position. When you slip your foot into these shoes it feels like it suctions to your foot. The single elastic velcro strap adds to the snug feel of the shoe, creating a perfectly snug fit. One of the great things about these shoes is that they are soft enough that when you want to smear or press out on a foothold, they will flex enough to allow your toe to really conform to the foothold you are on and allows your foot to stay in place.

They are also very precise. I like to play the 'quiet feet' game when I'm warming up and for some reason it is really easy in this shoe to put your foot exactly where you want it. If I put my foot on something, even if its not on the foothold quite right, they will not move. They are definitely a little bit more sensitive than the Speedster or the Testorossa and comparable to the Cobra, the old Venom, and the old Mantra in that regard.

The sensitivity and precision of the Python is something that I've never experienced in a climbing shoe before. I'm super psyched on these shoes and am looking forward to climbing in them more to really learn how to use them to their maximum potential. After climbing in them for the last couple of days it's safe to say that I'd downsize a full size from my Solutions. I wear size 36.5 in Solutions and decided to order the Pythons in the same size. They fit perfectly out of the box but they stretch quite a bit with a little bit of use. I like my shoes pretty snug so I'll go with a full size down next time, however, if you like a don't like your toes to be crammed into your shoe, then perhaps a 1/2 size down would suffice. If you are looking for a shoe that you can trust to keep your feet on the wall, then check the new Pythons out. You won't be disappointed.