La Sportiva Mythos: Good grip, all-day comfort

I’m a moderate-grade rock climber who climbs mostly outside on routes with very few “balance on a quarter” moves. I like cracks, chimneys, slabs, off-widths, and I get them all on nearly every alpine route we find. So when I needed a new pair of shoes, I picked La Sportiva Mythos. I bought a new pair of climbing shoes at REI during the annual membership sale using my dividend. When I first got into rock climbing, the store in Minnesota had only one option in women’s shoes – that starter pair that also were for rent at the university climbing gym. When buying my second pair, I was in a different state, and the choices were numerous. I’d been climbing for a few years and I knew I needed something that wouldn’t stink so bad and wouldn’t cause distracting pain during long days on multi-pitch routes. I also knew I didn’t need a super aggressive shoe. I chose La Sportiva’s Mythos – a gorgeous suede leather shoe with Vibram rubber. The climbing gear guy...