REVIEW: La Sportiva Testarossa

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 UKC Gear 16 Oct 2020
Steep, overhanging limestone on pockets and edges are where this shoe feels at home

The Testarossa MkII will please devotees of the early 2000s original, and route climbers alike, and is a worthwhile addition to La Sportiva's extensive rock shoe range, says Nick Brown.



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 wbo2 17 Oct 2020
In reply to UKC Gear: So -  similar to a mago? 

 mike reed 17 Oct 2020
In reply to wbo2:

Having worked on both and worn the new Mago a lot, the 2 are very different. The Mago is lighter, more asymmetric and far more flexible so much more big toe focused. The sole patch on the Mago is much smaller making it feel far softer, and the heel is closer fitting and has better hooking ability. The feedback I’ve received from most Testarossa users is that they miss the old shoe, and dislike the bulky solid heel! I see a big increase in resole requests on originals as a result. 
For me the Mago is the better choice, but each to their own

In reply to mike reed:

My old Testarossas died the death after the last resole. I always resoled in C4 and they were the best shoes I’ve ever worn, best looking too. I never had an issue with the heel, and actually found the bagginess there a bit of a shock absorber latching heel hooks. 

 robin mueller 18 Oct 2020
In reply to UKC Gear:

No idea about limestone pockets, but what the old shoe was amazing for was standing on marginal edges and nubbins, especially on hard techy bouldering. So many times I've struggled on a problem with other shoes then put the Testarossas on... Suddenly easy! I hope the new ones have the same precision edging powers, but in the meantime I've stocked up with another pair of the old ones to keep me going.

Post edited at 10:47
 richgac 18 Oct 2020
In reply to UKC Gear:

Somewhat surprising to read the lack of enthusiasm for these new Testarossas; for me they are the best all round sport shoe I’ve owned for the 7a-8a bracket on granite or limestone. Super comfortable straight out the box and they excel on anything vertical and steeper, edges or pockets. Maybe my feet are weird but they heelhook better than my solutions too. 

 Arms Cliff 18 Oct 2020
In reply to richgac:

> Maybe my feet are weird but they heelhook better than my solutions too. 

This is not setting the bar particularly high considering the Solutions have half a tennis ball stuck to the heel 😄

 racodemisa 28 Oct 2020
In reply to richgac:

Totally agree with your sentiments. Great shoes. Much prefer the new heel.I would say though after wearing them for a few weeks they appear softer in the mid foot area than I thought they would be so I have found   a more supportive shoe is better for RTS that are long and predominantly vertical or less.

 jon 28 Oct 2020
In reply to robin mueller:

> but in the meantime I've stocked up with another pair of the old ones to keep me going.

Where did you find them? Impossible to find here...

 PaulW 28 Oct 2020
In reply to jon:

Rock On have a bunch of old ones left. You have to ring the shop though.

 jon 28 Oct 2020
In reply to PaulW:

Thanks!


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