Buy them small so they can stretch and mold to your foot. Once they do they are super sticky super sensitive and a good aggressive toe. They have helped me finish a project or two.
I use my cobra's for everything from bouldering to overhanging sport. It excels on overhangs due to the downturn but its still comfortable enough to wear for single pitch sport. It does stretch a lot like everyone is saying. I wear a 9 street shoe and I have the 39s. Took a bit of breaking in but now they are one of my most comfortable shoes. You won't be disappointed!
I have had a ton of climbing shoes in my time, and i must say, you can't go wrong with la sportiva. I go through about a pair of climbing shoes every 6 months...many of them just can't handle getting resoled...but my la sportivas are pretty much good forever....and usually it takes me longer to wear off the edges. I LOVE this pair in particular because it really molds to your foot for a perfect fit. My only wish is that they would make a lower volume women's version of this shoe....
"I will be buried with these slippers on my feet!!"
02/25/12
I climb slab, roofs, dead vertical faces with these! Do not let the slipper factor deter you from buying these shoes. I wear size 7 mens US and I wear a 35 1/2. If downsized correctly the heel will not pop and perform better than any others! Great bouldering, sport climbing shoe. I prefer super flexable that allow me to smear and flex my foot for gnarly roofs. Toe hooking in this shoe is also supreme!
Wow if your trying to sell a fellow climber in the slipper style shoes show him or her these they are one of the best shoes I've owned and up there with my old solutions and muiras! Thanks la sportiva for another great shoe!
I've owned the solutions and muiras and the cobras are up with those I haven't been to sold on slip ons until now! Great aggressive toe and Amazing for bouldering!
I have to agree and say that you should downsize for sure. Although the first week was absolute hell they have finally stretched enough after three weeks to wear for 30-45 minutes at a time. I'm sure after a few months I probably won't even have to take them off. I wear a size 9 street shoe and purchased a size 38, which works just fine. Personally I wouldn't mind going down to a 37.5 or 37 but prepare for some toe destruction the first few weeks! As far as performance goes this is the first pair of shoes I have bought and I absolutely love them! Way better than the rental shoes at the local climbing gym here.
2 words DOWN SIZE if you want this shoe to work to its fullest make sure you get the smallest size you could possibly get your foot into they stretch a lot. they are probably the best toe hooking shoes I've ever owned but the heels slip out kinda easily also I ripped the biggest hole in the leather of my right toe so my advice would be to get a rubber patch over the part of the toe that doesn't already have rubber I boulder mainly and my cobras haven't touched a rope climb my cobras are 36.5 but i should have went with 36's i wear an 8.5 street shoe
2 words DOWN SIZE if you want this shoe to work to its fullest make sure you get the smallest size you could possibly get your foot into they stretch a lot. they are probably the best toe hooking shoes I've ever owned but the heels slip out kinda easily also I ripped the biggest hole in the leather of my right toe so my advice would be to get a rubber patch over the part of the toe that doesn't already have rubber I boulder mainly and my cobras haven't touched a rope climb my cobras are 36.5 but i should have went with 36's i wear an 8.5 street shoe
I got these in a 40.5 and I wear 10.5 street shoes. They are very comfortable and I think I could spend an entire day in them while not fitting too baggy. They make your feet orange, like flintstone feet, after you take them off from a long session. The rubber is great and they edge really well. Not amazing for heel hooks, at least not compared to the speedsters. These are my FAVORITE sport shoes. check them out!
as a boulderer, this is currently my main shoe. surprisingly comfortable for the amount downsized (yeah, they stretch a decent amount and sportiva tends to size pretty large for climbing shoes). in street shoes, i wear a men's US 8.5 or 9.0; i ended up getting a 39.0 for these. they don't stay downturned very long but the relatively thin sole tends to make up for that. heelhooking is sometimes iffy but overall the shoe is precise, sensitive edging with amazing comfort. as an added bonus, they're now making these with xs-grip 2!