Campman Outdoor Gear & Apparel

Sizing climbing shoes is miserable. Your street size means almost nothing, every brand plays by its own rules, and a shoe that feels perfect in the store can turn into a torture device by the third pitch. Get it wrong in one direction and your toes go numb before you clip the first bolt. Get it wrong in the other and your foot slides around on every edge like you’re climbing in slippers.

Switching between SCARPA and La Sportiva makes it even harder. Both are Italian, both use EU sizing, and both make some of the best climbing shoes on the planet. But a 42 in one brand doesn’t fit like a 42 in the other, because they build on different lasts, sort those lasts in different ways, and give different advice on how far to downsize. Here’s how both brands approach sizing, backed by their own fit guidance, and how I apply it model by model.

The Numbers Behind EU Sizing

SCARPA’s size chart puts hard numbers on the difference between sizing systems. One whole EU size is 6.6 mm (about 0.26 in), while one whole US size is 8.4 mm (about 0.33 in). That makes an EU half size roughly 3.3 mm, which is a small enough step to matter when you’re trying to eliminate dead space in a toe box. La Sportiva makes the same point on its US site, noting that EU half sizes are smaller increments than US half sizes and add four extra sizes to each size run.

Those extra sizes show up on La Sportiva’s conversion chart as plus sizes. A men’s US 8.5 is an EU 41, a men’s US 8.5+ is an EU 41.5, and a men’s US 9 is an EU 42. Women’s US sizes sit one full size above men’s on the same EU number, so a women’s US 10 is also an EU 42. If you shop by US size alone, you can skip right past the EU size that actually fits.

The takeaway is simple. Convert your street size to EU once using each brand’s own chart, then do all of your comparing in EU numbers.

Here are both brands’ conversion charts for reference.

For reference, my street shoe is a 9.5. I wear 41.5 in most La Sportiva's performance models and 42 in La Sportiva's beginner models. For SCARPA, I wear 43 in their relaxed models and 42 in SCARPA's Specialized Performance models.

What Each Brand Says About Downsizing

La Sportiva’s fitting guide is the more aggressive of the two. It recommends fitting soft shoes two to three sizes below your street size and trad shoes one to two sizes below. The reasoning comes down to construction. A shoe with a thick midsole gives you a platform to stand on, while a slip-lasted, slipper-style shoe relies on your toes being compressed to create an edging platform. La Sportiva also says unlined slip-lasted shoes stretch about one full size and lined shoes stretch about a half size, and it adds that a well-fit, comfortable shoe works better than an ill-fitting tighter one.

That stretch is also why the closure matters. A lace-up shoe lets you keep cinching the fit tight as a leather upper stretches over time, so a shoe that loosens up after a few sessions doesn’t have to turn sloppy.

SCARPA keeps its guidance more general. Its size chart suggests downsizing about one size depending on the fit you want, because climbing shoes should eliminate the toe gap you need in a walking shoe. SCARPA also says there’s no universal rule for how far to downsize, since it depends on the model and your experience. The goal is a tight fit with a secure heel and no dead space, without so much compression that you lose sensitivity.

I treat both brands’ numbers as a starting range rather than a target. Two to three sizes down works for short bouldering sessions in a soft slipper, but it’s too much for most climbers on long routes. For everything outside of the steep stuff, I start a half size to a full size below street size and adjust from there.

Width vs. Volume: How Each Brand Sorts Its Shoes

La Sportiva sorts its lineup by foot shape and shoe category. Narrow feet have toes that slope from the big toe to the little toe and a relatively flat instep. Medium feet are neutral, and wide feet have toes that slope less with a more pronounced instep. Each of those foot shapes is matched against three shoe categories, which are performance, all-round, and beginner.

SCARPA sorts by performance family and foot volume instead. Specialized Performance shoes are built for maximum precision and sensitivity, Balanced Performance shoes pair precision with a more comfortable fit, and Relaxed Fit shoes are made for beginners, indoor climbing, and multi-pitch days. SCARPA also builds LV versions of many models that wrap the foot closer for narrow feet, low arches, and slim heels.

When you’re moving between brands, the two systems line up roughly like this. A narrow foot in La Sportiva terms usually lines up with SCARPA’s LV models, and a wide foot with a high instep usually lands in SCARPA’s higher-volume shoes or La Sportiva’s wide-foot options like the Miura VS.

Men’s and Women’s Sizing

La Sportiva makes many of its shoes in both men’s and women’s versions, and the two size runs overlap. On La Sportiva’s chart, an EU 42 is a men’s US 9 and a women’s US 10, so the same shoe size carries two different US labels. That means the number isn’t what separates the two versions. La Sportiva says its women’s versions may fit and perform differently, but the differences vary from model to model, and it encourages climbers to keep an open mind and choose the shoe that fits best. If you’re in the overlapping range, try both versions in your EU size.

SCARPA took a different route. For most of its lineup, SCARPA has moved away from splitting shoes by gender and toward standard and LV (low volume) versions so climbers can shop by the actual shape of their feet. SCARPA still sells some of its most popular shoes, like the Origin and Instinct, in fully women-specific versions. A woman with a high-volume foot may fit the standard version best, and a man with a slim foot or a low-volume heel may fit the LV. SCARPA’s chart uses the same conversion as La Sportiva’s, with an EU 42 equal to a men’s US 9 and a women’s US 10.

With either brand, ignore the gender on the box and shop by EU size and foot shape. The right shoe is the one that fits your foot, regardless of which version it is.

What a Good Fit Feels Like

Try shoes on in the afternoon when your feet have swelled a bit. Your toes should touch the front of the shoe, either flat or with knuckles slightly bent, but never jammed so hard they go numb in a minute. The heel cup should sit flush with no dead space when you press your heel into the back. Stand on your toes on the edge of a stair or bench. If the shoe holds you without your foot sliding forward, the length is right. Wear them for at least 15 minutes before deciding, because pressure points that feel fine at first often show up later.

Beginner Shoes: La Sportiva Tarantulace vs SCARPA Origin

La Sportiva Tarantulace

The Tarantulace is La Sportiva’s go-to first shoe, and it sits in the brand’s beginner category for medium feet. Its flat profile and unlined leather upper mean it will stretch more than almost anything else in this guide, close to the full size La Sportiva quotes for unlined shoes. That lets you size it a half size to a full size below your street size and expect it to loosen into a comfortable fit after a handful of sessions. If you’re between sizes, go with the smaller one.

Men's

Women's

SCARPA Origin

The Origin is SCARPA’s flat-lasted beginner shoe, and its updated fit is roomier in the forefoot than the Tarantulace. The suede leather upper also stretches, but the extra room means you rarely need to size it aggressively. I’d start at your street size or a half size below. Wider feet that feel crushed in the Tarantulace usually settle right into the Origin, and the two hook-and-loop straps make it easy to slip on and off between gym laps.

Men's

Women's

All-Around Shoes: La Sportiva Katana Lace vs SCARPA Arpia V

La Sportiva Katana Lace

The Katana Lace lands in La Sportiva’s all-round category for narrow feet. It’s downturned with less asymmetry than most performance shoes, which is why it stays comfortable on long sport routes and multi-pitch days in Little Cottonwood. The leather upper gives a little stretch, but not as much as an unlined beginner shoe. A half size to a full size below street size is the usual range, and the laces let you fine-tune tension across a narrow forefoot.

Men's

Women's

SCARPA Arpia V

The Arpia V is slightly downturned with a soft microsuede upper and full rubber toe coverage. SCARPA designed the upper to stretch some, so you can size it snug, but it won’t move as much as leather. The standard version uses SCARPA’s standard volume. The Arpia V LV drops to a low volume fit for narrow feet, so climbers who swim in the standard version should try the LV in the same size before going down a number.

Arpia

Arpia V LV

Aggressive Shoes: La Sportiva Solution vs SCARPA Instinct VS

La Sportiva Solution

The Solution sits in La Sportiva’s performance category for medium feet. It has an aggressive downturn and sharp asymmetry, and La Sportiva’s P3 (Permanent Power Platform) construction holds that shape for the life of the shoe. That also means it barely stretches. Size it for the fit you want right now, usually a half size to a full size below street size. The heel runs snug, which is great for heel hooks, but wider feet often feel pressure on the outside edge, so try the Instinct VS before downsizing further.

Men's

Women's

SCARPA Instinct VS

The Instinct VS is moderately downturned with a single strap and a roomier toe box than the Solution. SCARPA points to it as a sport climbing shoe that balances support and sensitivity. Its microsuede upper doesn’t stretch much, so treat it like the Solution and size for day-one fit, starting a half size to a full size below street size. If the Solution feels like it’s crushing the sides of your feet, the Instinct VS in the same EU number usually fixes it without giving up much on steep terrain.

Men's

Women's

Soft and Steep: La Sportiva Skwama vs SCARPA Drago

La Sportiva Skwama

The Skwama is a soft performance shoe for medium feet that blends slipper-like sensitivity with a strap for security. It has a leather upper, but the P3 construction and heavy toe rubber keep stretch to a minimum. This is where La Sportiva’s soft-shoe guidance kicks in, so plan on a full size below street size or a bit more. Because there’s so little structure underfoot, your compressed toes do the edging, but they shouldn’t be screaming within the first minute.

Men's

Women's

SCARPA Drago

The Drago is SCARPA’s ultra-sensitive slipper for bouldering and steep sport routes. Its upper combines microfiber and leather, with a minimal 1 mm Flexan midsole insert in the toe and a 3.5 mm Vibram XS Grip2 sole covering about a third of the length. SCARPA wraps the forefoot in its SRT system, which uses M50 rubber rated at Shore A 50, and ties it together with the PCB-Tension band. With that little midsole, the fit has to be snug to edge well, so a full size below street size or more is common. Microfiber holds its shape, so what you feel in the store is what you get. The Drago LV keeps the same shape in a lower volume for narrow feet and slim heels.

Drago

Drago LV

Sizing Comparison Table

If you’re still deciding which brand fits your climbing style, check out our La Sportiva vs. SCARPA Climbing Shoes guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do SCARPA and La Sportiva climbing shoes run the same size? Not exactly. Both use EU sizing, but the lasts differ. La Sportiva sorts its shoes by foot width, while SCARPA sorts them by foot volume and offers LV versions for slim feet. Start from your EU street size and adjust by model.

How much should I size down in climbing shoes? La Sportiva recommends two to three sizes below street size for soft shoes and one to two sizes for trad shoes. SCARPA suggests about one size depending on the fit you want. Most climbers land between a half size and a full size below street size, with soft bouldering shoes sized tighter.

How much do climbing shoes stretch? According to La Sportiva, unlined slip-lasted shoes stretch about one full size and lined shoes stretch about a half size. Synthetic uppers like microsuede and microfiber barely stretch at all. If you choose a leather shoe, a lace-up closure lets you keep the fit tight as the upper stretches over time.

Why are EU sizes more precise than US sizes? SCARPA lists a whole EU size at 6.6 mm and a whole US size at 8.4 mm. Smaller increments mean more sizes in each run, which makes it easier to find a fit without dead space.

What do the plus sizes on La Sportiva’s size chart mean? Plus sizes, like a men’s US 8.5+, are EU half sizes that fall between US half sizes. A men’s US 8.5+ converts to an EU 41.5.

What should I do if I’m between sizes? For unlined leather shoes, choose the smaller size because it will loosen. For synthetic shoes, choose the larger size unless the smaller one already feels manageable.

Can men wear women’s climbing shoes, or the other way around? Yes. La Sportiva’s men’s and women’s size runs overlap, and SCARPA sorts many of its shoes by standard and LV volume instead of gender. Shop by EU size and foot shape, then choose whichever version fits best.

What does LV mean on SCARPA shoes? LV stands for low volume. It keeps the same performance shape with less interior space, which helps narrow feet, low arches, and heels that float in the standard version.

About the Author

Derek Newman

Born in the Wasatch, Derek has had an affinity for mountain life since day one. He was on skis the year he learned to walk, and as a high school graduation present he gifted himself rock climbing lessons. Nearly two decades later, Derek spends most of his time climbing up and/or skiing down most of the mountains around Salt Lake City, and he's traveled around the world multiple times for the sole purpose of peak exploration. When he isn't a man about camp, he's working in Campman's content marketing crew writing up blogs about backcountry skiing or rock climbing as well as describing products that he's used personally. He's climbed in most climbing shoes, toured on most backcountry skis, and ridden the resort on skis, snowboards, and even some evac sleds.