REASONS TO BUY
Excellent edging
Stiff
Excellent in pockets
REASONS TO AVOID
Interesting forefoot fit
Not great for smearing
La Sportiva Miura VS Review
This is one of the stiffest shoes out there and is a secret weapon against tiny edges
For technical edging the Miura VS is the best in our test, but it is very specialized for this discipline.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
RELATED: Best Climbing Shoes of 2024
Our Verdict
The La Sportiva Miura VS belongs in the world of tough climbing, where it can use its diamond-hard edges and asymmetric shape to power down on invisible rock features. This Velcro version is more geared to overhanging terrain than the lace-up Miura, which is even a touch harder and offers more support for adventurous routes in less-than-vertical terrain. A newer, more supple rubber in the heel improves sensitivity on the updated Miura VS, while changes to the hook-and-loop strap system add a touch of comfort without detracting from performance. See how the newest Miura VS holds its own against some stiff competition in our review of the best climbing shoes on the market.
Editor's Note: We recently retested the Miura VS, and updated this review on January 2, 2024, to offer additional insight on the newest model.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
La Sportiva Miura VS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Climbing Shoe | Best Shoe for Trad and Crack Climbing |  Best Value for a Trad Shoe | Best Value for a Well-Rounded Climbing Shoe | |
| Price | $149.19 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $164.19 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $164.19 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $119.89 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $96.69 at REI Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Super stiff, this shoe eats micro-edges for breakfast | An awesome shoe for long climbs requiring a variety of crack climbing and edging techniques | With this shoe, you can climb pitch after pitch without pain | A simple shoe with solid performance for trad climbing | A bargain price for a climbing shoe with respectable performance |
| Rating Categories | La Sportiva Miura VS | La Sportiva Katana... | La Sportiva TC Pro | Black Diamond Aspect | La Sportiva Finale |
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Smearing (20%) | |||||
| Edging (20%) | |||||
| Pulling (20%) | |||||
| Cracks (20%) | |||||
| Specs | La Sportiva Miura VS | La Sportiva Katana... | La Sportiva TC Pro | Black Diamond Aspect | La Sportiva Finale |
| Style | Velcro | Lace | Lace | Lace | Lace |
| Upper | Leather | Leather / Microfiber | Leather | Leather | Eco Leather / Microfiber |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
| Lining | Synthetic | Pacific (in forefoot and back) | Sentex / PU Foam | Hemp | Unlined |
| Rubber Type | Vibram XS Edge | Vibram XS Edge | Vibram XS Edge | NeoFriction Force | Vibram XS Edge |
| Rubber Thickness | 4 mm | 4 mm | 4 mm | 4.3 mm | 5 mm |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
The La Sportiva Miura VS is a time-testing shoe that has been on the market for more than two decades. For 2023, the Miura VS received a slight update, which we happily report hasn't changed the shoe's edging power. If anything, it has slightly increased the shoe's sensitivity and comfort without taking anything away from its performance (which is not an easy feat!)
Performance Comparison
The downturned profile of the Miura VS helps when the terrain gets steep, but their preference is vertical faces.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
Comfort
For the newest version of the Miura VS, La Sportiva used a more supple rubber in the heel to help increase sensitivity. This also resulted in a slightly more comfortable fit throughout the shoe. While we used to claim that the tradeoff for good edging was a lack of comfort, this shoe now offers a pretty high level of comfort – if its toe box fits you well. The toe box is wide and tapers into an aggressive point, which is not how most feet are shaped. Our lead tester found the shoe an excellent fit for his slightly wider feet with longer big toes. But of course, all feet are different, so your mileage may vary.
Even though the new Miura VS is more comfortable than previous versions, we still regularly took it off in between climbs
Credit: Dom Rickicki
Smearing
While the sensitivity of this shoe has increased slightly, it still is not what we would consider sensitive or flexible enough to smear well. The stiff, downturned profile makes it difficult to flatten your feet, which makes smears feel less secure, especially on sloping footholds. To be fair, the Miura VS isn't the most downturned shape on the market and will smear well enough when you need it to. But it's not what this shoe is designed to do.
The flatter fit of the original Miura (left) makes them a better smearing shoe, than the stiff and downturned Miura VS (right).
Edging
The Miura VS is a function-specific shoe that does a few things incredibly well, and edging is at the top of that list. The supportive P3 midsole lets you power down through your toes on the tiniest features. It also edges well on all sides of the toe, allowing you to utilize the outside edge and turn your hips into the wall to increase your reach when necessary. The downturned toe allows this shoe to edge well even when the moves stretch you out. The VS is one of the stiffest shoes we've ever worn without a board last, and few shoes even come close to its edging ability. Despite its stiffness, this new model feels more sensitive than previous versions, offering an excellent balance of power and feel on small holds.
For technical edging the Miura VS is the best in our test, but it is very specialized for this discipline.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
Pulling
Even though this shoe is not intended for the steepest terrain, either, the Muira VS does admirably well on gently overhanging faces. The edging power and low-volume toe make great use of pockets of all sizes, allowing you to toe in and hold tension on technical limestone features. Only a few other shoes can rival how the VS performs on pockets, and they all have pointier and even more painful toe profiles. The Miura VS performs well enough in steeper terrain, but its stiffness inhibits your ability to curl your feet around holds and a lack of additional rubber nearly prevents you from performing secure hooks.
The redesigned heel on the Miura VS offers more sensitivity for thin heel hooks.
Credit: Dom Rickicki
Crack Climbing
You can get away with climbing a few cracks in this shoe, but it won't be very comfortable. The Miura VS is not designed or intended for use in cracks – the triple-buckle system gets in the way and will suffer some unnecessary wear and tear if jammed frequently into hand cracks. The low-volume toe is pointy, though, and can gain modest purchase in thin cracks and pods. In other words, it's not bad for trad cragging; it's just not our first choice for long days in wide cracks.
For finding small holds in vertical, pocketed faces, no other shoe quite compares to the Miura VS.
Credit: Lyra Pierotti
Should You Buy the La Sportiva Miura VS?
The Miura VS is a top choice for edging performance and may be your secret weapon in the pursuit of steep, technical face climbs. With that said, like all things in rock climbing – and in particular, like all things that go on your feet – it has to work for you. This shoe works as advertised and climbs hard, but its value as a specialty shoe is in how you use it. The Miura VS is certainly a shoe worthy of close consideration.
What Other Rock Climbing Shoes Should You Consider?
If you want a shoe that will let you climb at your limit, then the Miura VS is an excellent option. It is durable but loses some of its phenomenal edging ability after it is worn in. If you're after versatility, it's likely better to bump into a more well-rounded shoe like the La Sportiva Katana Lace. Alternatively, a shoe like the La Sportiva Solution Comp or Scarpa Drago might be better for bouldering. However, none will edge like the Miura VS, which is really in a specialty league of its own.
—
Matt Bento, Dom Rickicki
You Might Also Like
