La Sportiva

Both La Sportiva Skwama and Solution are high-performance shoes designed for rock climbing and bouldering on various terrains. These two shoes will be a great pick for you if you’re above intermediate-level.

If you wonder about technical details about these shoes, you should check this here in La Sportiva’s own comparison chart.

To summarize the most important essential differences between these shoes;

• La Sportiva Skwama is wider in the toe box.

• The better build quality and materials which La Sportiva Solution has offering us to feel more outstanding.

• According to reviews, sometimes the Skwama might hurt your foot after a day that has plenty of toe hooking work because the Skwama is a little thinner than the Solutions even though the toe rubber on the Skwama is great.

• Generally, softer/more sensitive is better for indoor but the Solution offers us a bit stiffer structure. Whether or not it’s not a good thing.

• The Solution heel is more rounded and insensitive than Skwama.

• The Skwama stretches so much than the Solution. For instance, in terms of sizing if you’re 42.5 in the Solution it will be 41.5 in the Skwama but don’t worry the pain will stop after a few sessions.

You can also see La Sportiva’s quick comparison visual guide.

Overview

Comparison Chart

Sensitivity and Technology

First of all both shoes are aggressively downturned climbing shoes with a high asymmetric shape. As I mentioned before The La Sportiva Skwama is a lit better sensitive shoe than Solution. Here is why;

Skwama has a sole with 4 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 and a midsole with 0.8 mm LaspoFlex + P3 System, while Solution has a sole with 4 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 and a midsole with 1.1 mmLaspoFlex + P3 System.

0.3 mm gap between these shoes’ midsole gives to Skwama a bit of sensitivity.

Both shoes have almost similar technology, but Skwama has more which is S-Heel and it’s the reason why you’ll like more Skawama’s heel hook than Solution’s.

Vibram XS Grip2

XS Grip 2 is designed to improve the superior characteristic and deliver outstanding precision of support, shape stability.

La Sportiva’s Vibram Tech

P3 (Permanent Power Platform)

This construction system leaves the arched shape of the climbing shoe unaltered, without compromising original performance and push-power, even after years of hard use. Also, this technology helps the down-turned aggressive profile hold this shape over time which allows ensuring better performance.

P3 Technology

S-Heel

This allows perfect stability in torsion enhancing performance and flexibility for heel hooks. If you want more detail about S-Heel, check this out.

Rubber

The sole of both shoes is made with 4mm of Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber which provides superior grip. This technology offers us more soft and sticky shoes. But this compound is not durable and supportive like La Sportiva’s other common rubber compound which is XS Edge.

La Sportiva Solution

XS Grip 2 provides high friction and the ability to smear and bend better than XS edge, unless if you want more power and stability then you can go with shoes that have XS Edge.

La Sportiva Skwama

You can see easily the differences between these shoes’ outsole when you look at both pictures. The reason that the sole on the Skwama is split to give it some flexibility.

Comfort

As I mentioned that both of them are performance climbing shoes which is mean that they’re never going to feel like your bedroom slippers.

You can see below the picture, their asymmetry is PD75.

La Sportiva Fit Asymmetry

P means pointy which allows us to do a better job at smaller pockets. D means downturned which gives us awesome edging performance. Having downturned and pointy shoes is a huge plus for high-performing but not for comfort.

So far, we can understand that both shoes don’t offer us comfort but we SHOULD REMEMBER one thing which is you can’t climb well while you’re suffering from foot pain. As a precaution for that, we need to pay ATTENTION to sizing when choosing these shoes.

The quick tip for choosing the size according to the climber’s review is a better choice for The Skwama is getting this shoe a half size from whatever your regular choice is because of Skwama’s stretchability. Also, you can choose Solution’s size whatever your regular choice.

Durability

One of the indicators of a good climbing shoe is how durable it is. In addition to good performance, we want long-term use of the climbing shoes we wear in this sport, especially hard using which is the nature of climbing.

La Sportiva Solution

These two climbing shoes certainly provide this thanks to the materials they are made of. Of course, not only their material but their unique designs are very helpful in this regard.

La Sportiva Skwama

The Technologies used in the design of these shoes feature P3 technology that helps these shoes maintain their aggressive shape for a long time and prove why they’re high-performing shoes. Although both have a similar closure system (Velcro system), the Solution seems somewhat superior in this regard. Solution’s velcro strap system which allows tension that can be evenly distributed from multiple points provides a better tightness.

Pros and Cons

La Sportiva Skwama

Pros

• Quite comfortable for aggressive shoes

• Sensitive

• Definitely a better choice for crack climbing

• Downturn shape retains its shape after long term

Cons

• Not the best for small edges and pockets

• Stretches more than other models

La Sportiva Solution

Pros

• Sensitive

• Great precision

• Comfortable

• The easy on and off

Cons

• Not comfortable for all-day climbing sessions

• Not the most versatile

The Verdict

These two climbing shoes are competitors. Two of La Sportiva’s best shoes are for me.

If you’re going to choose one of these two climbing shoes, I think you’ve reached a certain level about rock climbing, because after a certain level, having more than one model according to the climbing types will affect the climbing performance.

Skwama is definitely better for crack climbing than Solution. But Solution’s edging and pockets are better than Skwama’s

I would recommend Sportiva Skwama because of its style and comfort if you wonder.

Choose carefully. Think about your challenges on the surface of the rock and try to figure out which one will be better for your journey of climbing.