I bought Squama because of Bubsy Zangerl. I remember watching videos of a free climb on El Cap by a pair of Zangerl, one of the best climbers in the world. la sportiva squamas ($220) And thinking, I need those shoes.

Buying a pair didn’t automatically help me sail 5.13+ big walls, but after testing them on granite, limestone, and sandstone in Europe and the western United States over the past 7 years, they quickly became a favorite in my quiver.

This soft, slipper-like shoe has an aggressively sloping sole, allowing precise control over your footwork. It performs excellent on steep ground where you need power in your big toe to maintain tension on the wall. As Zengirl expertly demonstrates, it stains granite and settles into cracks even at home.

The Squama does almost everything well, except edges on micro foothills where a stiffer shoe provides more support. But for bouldering, sport, and trad climbing, it’s incredible to have a shoe that can handle so much.

In short: If you’re looking for a climbing shoe that performs well across multiple disciplines, it’s hard to beat the La Sportiva Squama. These shoes go easily from the gym to the summit, have grown in popularity among professional climbers, and cost less than many other high-quality shoes. The soft construction and aggressive deceleration set them apart, and that combination has helped keep Squama at the top of the climbing shoe category for the past decade.

Compare the La Sportiva Squama with other options in GearJunkie’s guide to the best climbing shoes.

size

Start with your street shoe size, or size down a bit for better performance

rubber

4mm Vibram XS Grip2

profile

aggressively knocked down with moderate disparity

key features

Single-strap Velcro closure, split sole, S-heel construction, big toe patch, sandal-like sensitivity.

Pros

Excellent performance in all subjects
Sensitive split sole sinks well into cracks and crevices
Aggressive deceleration works well on steep ground
Comfortable for high performance shoes

Shortcoming

S-heel feels secure but a little heavy
Not the best choice for sustained gains on small foothills
The leather upper stretches over time

Miya Tsudome

la sportiva squama review

I’ve climbed Squama in Greece, France, and throughout the western United States; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

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The Squama does a lot of things very well and has become one of La Sportiva’s favorite shoes for good reason. I have been wearing this climbing shoe for over 7 years and have climbed a wide variety of terrain and styles wearing them. From sport climbing and bouldering on granite, volcanic tuff, sandstone and limestone, I’ve put these shoes to good use and learned their exact strengths and weaknesses.

Climbers wearing squama boots while climbing a rope through a granite crack below. — Squamous are as comfortable coating granite as they are getting into pockets of limestone; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

Aggressive deceleration allows the Squama to pull into steep pockets. The rubber that wraps around the forefoot keeps the toes from hooking or jamming and also feels secure. The split-sole construction increases sensitivity, and the shoe feels at home on everything from gym volume to granite slabs.

The Squama is a rare combination of high performance and all-day comfort, making it one of the most useful climbing shoes I’ve ever worn. There aren’t many shoes I can wear for both bouldering and crack climbing. La Sportiva have really created a unicorn here.

Climber using squama boots on a hanging rock above a crash pad — squamas that stretch over the steep sandstone of Valley, Utah; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

Suitable

The fitting and design of these shoes are like slippers. The unlined leather upper and thin Velcro closure give them a close-to-skin feel without thick tongues or laces.

Since the upper is leather, it’s important to keep in mind that these shoes will stretch a bit over time. A performance shoe can become a comfortable multipitch shoe over the course of a few months. If you want the Squama to feel perfect, you’ll want to think ahead and size down half a size from normal to keep that stretch in mind.

A climber wearing squama boots sitting on rocky ground before a route — These slippers fit like a glove; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

sensitivity

The Squama is a highly sensitive climbing shoe. This means I can feel more tightness than a stiffer model. The advantage is that the Squama bends and twists with my foot, making it perfect for turning in cracks and essential for blurring at the gym.

Close-up of squama boots on a granite wall during climbing — The flexible midsole allows these shoes to bend into cracks; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

With a split sole and Vibram XS Grip2 rubber, the Squama offers excellent surface contact, friction and tactile feedback. The soft rubber helps the shoe grip well and conforms to the foot’s grip, especially on steep or highly textured terrain.

The P3 running system gives the Squama enough support for a better edge than the original Slipper. It’s still not the shoe I would choose for standing on small ledges all day, but it balances support and sensitivity better than most soft shoes I’ve tried.

Close-up of La Sportiva Squama climbing boots pushing on a small granite foothill during a climb — They also smear like champs; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

Rest

Some aggressive shoes feel so bad that they are almost uncomfortable to wear. The Squama is comfortable with its slipper-like fit, soft leather and wide back.

Comfort is subjective and depends on foot size, shape of the foot, and how much you size down. But for me, the soft upper and medial support mean these shoes break in exceptionally well. That comfort is a big reason I keep coming back to them, especially when I want performance without my feet feeling like they’re in a screw.

room for improvement

One thing I would like to see refined is the heel. Squama’s patented S-heel feels secure when heel-hooking, but it also feels like it has more rubber than I’d like when I’m trying to be precise.

I prefer the heel on something like the Scarpa Instinct, which feels thinner and more responsive overall. This isn’t a complete dealbreaker, especially if you’re not doing a lot of heel hooking. But if heel accuracy is a major priority, it’s worth considering.

Squama is also not the best choice for continuous edging; It’s part of the tradeoff with softer, more sensitive shoes. If I needed a shoe with an edge, I would add something stiff to the quiver.

Climber wearing La Sportiva Squama climbing boots on a steep rock route above Belair — Squama moves easily between steep game routes, stones, cracks and granite spots; (Photo/Miya Tsudome)

La Sportiva Squama: who is it for?

The Squama works well for climbers who want a high-performance shoe for bouldering, sport climbing, gym sessions, and trad days. It’s especially strong on steep ground, ruts, cracks, pockets and climbs where sensitivity matters.

The only thing it’s really lacking is high-end edging capability. But I would argue that adding it would make it a completely different shoe. What makes the Skavama so good is its mix of sensitivity, moderate support, comfort, and range across a variety of terrains and styles.

If you mostly climb vertical technical routes on small sides, you may want a stiffer shoe. If you rely heavily on a precise heel hook, the Scarpa Instinct or another shoe with a thinner, more sensitive heel may be a better match. For almost everything else, squama This is a shoe I keep coming back for.