La Sportiva Mythos Climbing Shoe
Do you hate buying new climbing shoes because they always hurt your feet? Try the La Sportiva Mythos Climbing Shoe if that is a concern for you. It is comfortable to wear from the get-go and for hours of enjoyable climbing both outdoors and indoors.
Both novices and advanced climbers love this model because it does not hinder performance and will fit any size and shape of the foot. Best used for rock climbing, it is also excellent for long climbing exercises, smearing, and crack climbing with its pointed toe and sticky soles.
The neutral and slip-lasted La Sportiva Mythos sports a Grip2 Vibram XS heel and rand and a midsole of full length. The tongue is breathable and moisture-controlling, but there is no lining. Without a lining and being slip-lasted, this shoe model has outstanding stretchiness to give you the comfort and fit you desire in a climbing shoe.
The lacing to the toe, the suede leather upper, and the perforated rands add to the stretch and overall comfort of the Mythos. It has a 4.1 out of 5 satisfaction rating with buyers who find this a most appealing climbing shoe model.
Make sure to read our detailed review to find out more about this climbing shoe and see if it will work for you.
Tongue is breathable and controls moisture
Fits like a glove on the foot
Made of top-quality materials; durable and stable
Will last for many resoles
Neutral shoe type that is slip-lasted
Comfortable for hours indoors and outdoors
For long climbing exercises and rock climbing
Good for full day routes, crack climbing, and smearing
Too bendable in the toe for a few people
Will stretch with use – size down
Key Features
-Lacing to the toe
-Perforated rands for comfort and stretch
-Midsole is full length and 1.1mm LaspoFlex
-Rubber Grip2 Vibram heel rand
-FiXion RS sticky soles
-Tab on the heel to help with on/off
-No lining and a flat fit
-Leather uppers are suede and unlined
-Upper conforms to foot's shape
-Toes are low profile and round neutral in shape
Comfort
The fit is snug like a glove, according to customers who are quite happy with their purchase of this footwear. It provides great performance because of this ideal fit that pleases most buyers. The lace-up closure for the foot is lacing to the toe.
You can tighten this model to your liking with the laces that cover the length of the upper portion. The tongue is also a comfort feature of this footwear gear as it has a Dry-Best breathable lining that controls moisture.
You will not have to worry about bacteria or germ build-up or sweaty feet when climbing for long periods.
Durability
Once you let the shoe go to the very bottom of the sole, it will be too late and time for another pair. The weight of the Mythos item is 8.74, which is a fair weight for a basic climbing shoe that is flat without a lining. The rating of La Sportiva Mythos online shows that most customers are quite happy with this climbing shoe and would purchase it again when needed.
Flexibility
Your comfort for fit will depend mostly on the size you buy when ordering the footwear. We talk more about this in the Size section below. Make sure to look at that information before purchasing a pair for yourself.
If your foot is hard to fit in a climbing shoe, then this model is probably your best bet for comfort. Others that can fit in most other climbing shoes that have a slim fit will most likely find this one too stretchy. That is especially so if they do not follow the sizing instructions below and online.
A few people said that the Mythos was too bendable in the toe and did not have precision in foot placement. Eventually, it hurts the foot on small footholds. This is not a widespread opinion but is worth mentioning to future buyers.
Midsole
Well, whether you have climbing experience or not, La Sportiva Mythos should be comfortable from the start. It is unlike a regular climbing shoe because it will stretch when you wear it a couple of times. Your toes should be able to fan out with ease, and your foot will have full contact with your climbing surface.
It should be void of pressure points and not painful. It should, however, fit tightly. The midsole of the La Sportiva Mythos is full length and 1.1mm LaspoFlex material. It is a climbing shoe that fits everyone as it is comfortable to wear for long periods of climbing.
Outsole
If you do decide to purchase a size smaller as the suggestions state, then you may have some initial sizing concerns. However, they will quickly diminish once you begin wearing the shoe. The outsole will stick well for smearing or crack climbing whichever you choose to do.
Once you have worn down the sole, it can be re-soled when needed to prevent purchasing more similar pairs. Some customers love this model of climbing shoe so much that they have had it re-soled as many as six times to be able to use it all the time consistently.
If you buy several pairs, then you can always have a couple to use while the others are being fixed.
Responsiveness
They love its comfort too and the ease with which they can achieve their basic moves without having to wear a more detailed and challenging to wear model.
The low profile allows the user to slot the foot in the thin splitters too. Since it has no lining and the laces go to the toe, you can get a perfect snug fit with this fabulous gear.
It will not stop you from doing any of the climbs or surfaces that you like to tackle both outdoors or indoors, and that is rare. The Mythos even has a tab on the heel to help put the shoe on and take it off when you are gearing up or hanging it up for the day.
Size
There are not any comments about shoes too small. There are just remarks about returns of sizes that were too big or stretched to be too big, and they cannot be returned since they were used. La Sportiva Mythos are slip-lasted and unlined so that they will stretch with wear and time almost a full size.
Let’s repeat that – The Mythos model will stretch after some use because it is slip-lasted and unlined. Purchasing a smaller size than usual could be beneficial in the long run.
It is even roomier than most offered climbing shoes on the market to begin with, so stretching will make it even larger. Use the sizing chart for the best fit.From the sizing information, even the maker suggests that the buyer choose a size that is two or three sizes smaller than what they usually wear.
Do this and you will have a shoe that fits you perfectly. One buyer even purchased shoes that were so tight at first that he could barely get his foot in. However, after a few times of wearing, the shoes fit him splendidly. You have been warned about the size.
Upper
Liked by both professional climbers and novices, the Mythos has uppers that are easy to get used to and a low toe profile. You can control the tightness of the footwear on your foot by manipulating the laces. Since they go all the way to the toes, you can make them very tight or just slightly snug.
A trick for making the laces tighter was given online by a customer who puts the lace through the laces on the same side once they are looped for a fit that is a bit snugger. This is a trick that is becoming very popular and well-known because we have seen it in other feedback comments elsewhere for climbing shoes.
Use
If you begin outdoors but then decide it may be too hot or cold for that particular time of year, then you can easily switch to indoor climbing without a problem or change in gear.
A lot of times, outdoor models cannot be used inside because the rubber on the outsoles wears down too quickly indoors. Not a problem with the Mythos though. Climb where your heart desires.
Ease of Use
It has a flat fit for extended gym sessions and multi-pitch long climbs. You will be surprised at the comfort level and the ideal fit when you try this model on for the first time. That is even more so if you are used to the tight and often painful initial feel of regular climbing shoes.
Bottom Line
It may take a couple of returns to get that ideal fit. However, it is worth it for a great climbing experience. Use the sizing chart and follow the given advice both here and online. You will be delighted with your comfy and durable La Sportiva Mythos climbing shoes.