La Sportiva Miura is much more versatile than Solution.
As some of you already know, I've been publishing in-depth information around La Sportiva's climbing shoes for months now.
I thought that a post devoted specifically to La Sportiva Miura vs Solution would be helpful for most of you.
Because, they're both high performance shoes mainly appeal to at least intermediate climbers.
Overview
If you're a beginner, I'd recommend you to stop reading this post and visit my La Sportiva Tarantulace vs Finale post.
If, on the other hand, you're at least an intermediate, then read on.
In short, unless you're planning to climb steep terrains and/or overhanging areas pretty much all the time, then I'd mostly recommend the Miura. Because the Solution is one of the most aggresively designed, performance focused pair in La Sportiva's line-up.
- Miura is much more versatile, offers more edging capability and is also a bit more durable
- Solution offers a better sensitivity and a higher freedom of footwork
As you see, Solution is more for advanced climbers.
- I'd recommend basing your decision primarily on your answer to this following question: What kind of climbing are you planning to do mostly?
- If your answer is hard bouldering and/or hard sport (not slab), go with Solution's.
- If you're doing multipitch and trad/crack, go with Miura.
- Quick differences:
- Miura is more durable than the Solution owing to its more rigid rubber.
- Owing to its overall anatomy, Solution allows for superior heel and toe hooks than Miura.
- Miura has a lace system that allows for a more precise fit than the Solution with velcros.
- Best uses:
- Miura is an all-around climbing shoe. Pretty good for everything, but not incredible at anything.
- Solution is more suitable for competitive uses.
Before comparing them in detail, you might want to check La Sportiva's quick comparison chart.
Rubber
XS Grip2 of Solution. Allows a better grip.
Rubber is pretty much the number one thing you should look for when getting a new shoe.
Because it's the primary thing that determines almost every quality of shoes - especially the overall performance and intended use.
Although the rubber thicknesses of these shoes are identical at 4 mm's, the other equally important rubber parameter, the type of rubber they use, is different.
The Solution is equipped with Vibram XS Grip2 rubber whereas the Miura is equipped with Vibram XS Edge.
The primary difference between these rubber technologies is that XS Grip2 (belongs to Solution) is softer and stickier than XS Edge (belongs to Miura). This typically helps with sensitivity, which means you can feel features more effectively underneath your toes.
The P3 (Permanent Power Platform) midsole is a technology that is developed to deliver power to the sole and to maintain the downturned shape of the shoe which means that even after you smear so many times, the shape of the downturn will lose very little.
Miura's lack this feature.
XS Edge, on the other hand, is better for edging, as the name implies. It makes focusing your weight on the tiniest of holds much easier compared to XS Grip2.
XS Edge also makes the Miura's substantially more durable than the Solution's. The primary downside with the Solution is that you can't really use it everywhere, during any type of climbing.
However, as long as you pay attention to limit the usage of Solution's with steep terrains and overhanging areas, I'd highly doubt they'd turn out as fragile - because they aren't. They're above average.
Finding perfect climbing shoes that perform easily in every territory or every style of climbing is impossible. We have to find out and analyze the shoes that we want to use.
Even the best climbers have more than one pair of shoes for different routes and types of rocks. Of course, they have a favorite one.
You can check the video below that made by one of the best climbers on our age talking about the alchemy of climbing shoes.
Conclusion
Let's lay out their summarized reviews, tech specs and pros & cons.
Solution
- Weight: 8.89 oz (258 g)
- Last: PD 75
- Fit: Performance w/ high asymmetry
- Upper: Leather/ Lorica®
- Lining: HF (toe-box and arch area only)
- Midsole: 1.1 mm LaspoFlex (forefoot only)
- Sole: 4mm Vibram® XS Grip 2™
The La Sportiva Solution is aggressively downturned with high asymmetry (medium volume) climbing shoes which are designed for high-performance. Having a durable closure system and additional rubber on the toe box gives a great fit and make us do edging easily.
Pros
Cons
Miura
- Weight: 8.43 oz (239 g)
- Last: PD 75
- Fit: Performance w/ high asymmetry
- Upper: Leather
- Lining: Dentex
- Midsole: 1.1 mm LaspoFlex (forefoot only)
- Sole: 4mm Vibram® XS Edge™
The La Sportiva Miura is also aggressively downturned with high asymmetry (low volume) climbing shoes which are designed for high-performance, plus The Miura is on the market for more than a decade but still a preferred model - it's a quite good climbing shoe.
