La Sportiva Solution Comp - Women's Review

Stomping smears, cranking on heel hooks, and all matter of overhanging trickery are the name of the game in the Solution Comp. Its unique Lock Harness and Fast Lacing Systems provide a precise fit designed to provide additional support through the heels for steep climbing.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

To the untrained eye, the Solution Comp looks even more intimidating than the original Solution. Its rubber-covered toe box, flashy Velcro straps, and stretchy tongue make the Comp look uncomfortable and aggressive at first glance.

In testing, however, we discovered that these shoes break in quickly and fairly easily. The toe box on the Solution Comp is slightly roomier than the old Solution, allowing toes to curl into a powerful position without feeling cramped. The midsole hugs the arch of the foot comfortably without binding. We will admit that these shoes were a bit challenging to get on at first, with the rubber toe box limiting stretch. This didn't seem to be a lingering issue, though, and after the third or fourth time putting these shoes on, our feet slipped right into them. The synthetic, stretchy tongue locks the foot in place, while the Velcro strap provides a surprising level of fine-tuning in terms of fit.

Just like its sister shoe, the Solution Comp is designed for performance climbing, meaning that it can feel a bit uncomfortable at first. Some folks simply don't like this style of shoe, claiming the soft slipper design causes long-term foot pain. One option to remedy this is to have another pair of more comfortable shoes for warming up, saving the Comps for your project. This tactic keeps toes fresh and can alleviate some of the discomforts of wearing such an aggressively shaped shoe.

Smearing

The Solution Comp is a surprisingly sensitive shoe. Though we wouldn't wear these all the time on slabs, the Comp's soft sole and super sensitive toe box allowed us to smear with confidence on low-angle terrain. Perhaps because they were designed with volumes in mind, these shoes are sensitive, smearing masters.

The revised heel cup also makes these shoes great for heel hooking, while the addition of rubber on the top of the shoe makes for impressive toe hooking performance as well. Over the years, the previous version's heel cup received many complaints for being bulky and lacking sensitivity. The design of the Comp is a response to these complaints, with a narrower, softer heel cup that conforms to the shape of the foot to provide a "locker" heel hooking platform. We're impressed.

Edging

The Solution Comp is a relatively soft shoe. It has an even softer midsole than the OG version, making them not the best option for serious edging.

A stiff midsole creates a platform that extends perpendicular to the edge so that the shoe is doing some of the work of keeping you on your feet. This doesn't happen in the Solution Comp, and sustained edging can be a recipe for painful feet in these shoes.

Pulling

In short, these shoes rock for pulling and pockets. The Solution Comp has the distinct tapered toe box of the classic version, which looks like it is designed specifically for steep climbing.

Their downturned shape lets you pull into the wall with your toes, helping keep body tension on steep walls. As the saying goes, when the going gets steep, get the Solution Comps (or something like that!).

Crack Climbing

Though we didn't like the original model for sustained cracks, we felt like there could be a place on the spectrum of crack climbs for the Solution Comp. Perhaps small finger cracks or a sporty trad route could be the crack climbing application for the Comp. The extra rubber on top of the toe box adds durability for jamming.

That said, their downturned shape and aggressive design make it obvious that these shoes are not meant for sustained crack climbing. A stiffer shoe with a flatter shape is a much better option for crack climbing in general.

Should You Buy The Women's Solution Comp?

These shoes are impressive in many ways. In terms of a soft, aggressively shaped slipper meant for high-performance, steep rock climbing, we were hard-pressed to find anything on the market that compares to the Solution Comp. They combine comfort, fit, and design into a tight, stylish package that makes any climber want to try hard. We especially liked the updated toe box, which is slightly wider and has a bit more rubber on top when compared to the classic version. The modified heel also provided more sensitivity and security for aggressive heel hooking. It was hard to find anything we didn't like about the Solution Comp, and they seemed just to get better and better the more we wore them.

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