I've climbed in a lot of climbing shoes over the years, but the La Sportiva Skwama is one of the few pairs that is always in my climbing bag.
I first took notice of them when I was searching for a new pair of indoor bouldering shoes. At the time I was mainly top roping, and was still wearing my Scarpa Vapor Vs for bouldering too. The Scarpas were ok, but I knew I wanted something that could handle more indoor bouldering problems instead of stock standard vertical climbing. After doing some research on the Skwamas I decided to bite the bullet and give them a go.
My La Sportiva Skwama Sizing
How I Sized Them
For reference I was a size EU 37 in street shoes, EU 36.5 in Miura VS, and EU 38 in my Scarpa Vapor Vs. But I knew every shoe would fit differently and unfortunately, my local climbing shoe store only had really big sizes that I knew would not fit me, so trying them on first was out of the question.
I read about the stretchiness of the shoe so I took a gamble and just purchased an EU 36 (half a size below my Miura's) since I didn't size those super tightly.
Luckily, my gamble paid off.
Out of the box, they felt:
After about 5–6 sessions, the fit changed noticeably. The leather stretched, especially around my toes, and the shoe became much more comfortable without losing performance.
Does the Skwama Stretch?
Yes, more than most people expect. This was the biggest thing I noticed.
The first few sessions felt precise and tight, but after breaking them in:
I'd estimate mine stretched close to half a size.
Worth knowing: That's why I wouldn't recommend sizing the Skwama "comfortably" at the start, unless you only want a casual gym shoe.
What the Skwama Feels Like
The best word I can use is: Sensitive.
Compared to my previous shoes, I could actually feel the footholds. When I first wore these I wouldn't say I suddenly levelled up my climbing grade, but I did notice I was trusting my feet more.
Where I noticed it most:
The shoe almost feels like a slipper that's slightly more aggressive.
Where I Wore Them
In the beginning these were purely a gym shoe, and only for indoor bouldering. I loved the flexibility and the balance of softness and aggressiveness of the shoe.
Since the shoe was softer than other pairs I had owned previously, I did notice the rubber didn't last as long as my other pairs. Usually it would be 3–4 months before I had to resole, but with the Skwamas I noticed the wear happening around the 2–3 month mark.
However, looking back I think there were a number of factors influencing this including:
Steep Outdoor Routes
This is where this shoe surprised me the most! For a while I was concerned to wear these shoes outdoors because I thought they wouldn't be as durable, and that I'd want a stiffer shoe for every outdoor route.
But purely by accident (me not remembering to swap my shoes), I wore these in a cave and have never looked back! The softness allowed me to move into kneebars whilst the aggressive nature of the shoe still allowed me to keep tension on footholds.
Where the Skwama Struggles
After years of wearing them for indoor bouldering and more recently outdoor steep routes, this shoe is still a great choice. However, there are areas where the Skwama does struggle.
How the Heel Fits
If you have a medium-volume heel the fit is probably great. But climbers with super narrow heels (like me) will get a bit of dead space.
I can still heel hook in them, but in certain heel hooks — for example, when you need to heel onto something pulling towards you — I can feel that space and don't trust it as much.
On Tiny Outdoor Edges or Really Technical Vertical Climbing
After I received my first pair of Skwamas, I only used them for indoor bouldering. At the time my outdoor climbing mostly consisted of vertical or only slightly overhung routes. This was where I went back to my trusted Miura VS to stand on those tiny edges or jibs.
Toe Leather Peeling Off
This doesn't really affect performance, but I do find it annoying that the sides of the leather keep peeling. Even after gluing them back down, within no time they will peel up again.
Would I Buy the Skwama Again?
Definitely. The Skwama is one of the few climbing shoes I've used that genuinely works well with most of my climbing needs. It's soft without feeling sloppy, aggressive without being painful, and sensitive without completely sacrificing support. For indoor bouldering especially, I still think it's one of the best all-around shoes available.
My Final Thoughts
Sizing
If you can't try them on:
Performance
For me this is a great all-rounder, especially for steeper territory if you don't mind a bit of space in the heels.