r/climbingshoes•
Fixel2012

Need a women's / LV fit in EU 46. Flat, skinny feet, very narrow heels - tested 10+ models.

Hey everyone,

I'm based in Europe and hitting a wall trying to find performance climbing shoes that actually fit. I climb around UIAA 7-8 (approx. 6b+-7a) both indoors and outdoors, and do a fair bit of indoor bouldering.

My Foot Profile:

- Size: Long feet (EU 45.5 - 46 / UK 11 - 11.5 depending on the brand).

- Shape & Volume: Very flat instep, narrow heel, zero excess volume.

- The Problem: Standard men's models in EU 45+ scale up volume aggressively. When the length fits my toes, the heel bags out, slips, or makes suction/farting noises. Single-strap slippers leave massive air pockets over my instep. I essentially need a women's / low-volume fit scaled up to a size 46.

I did not find one single shoe where my heel fits snug without slipping.

What I've tested so far:

- Mad Rock Drone LV 2.0 (46): Way too small in length.

- Scarpa Vapor V LV (45.5): Right foot snug but okay; left foot painfully tight. Forefoot fit was decent, but the heel slipped, rubbed, and pulled hard on the skin.

- Scarpa Vapor S: Too much volume all around, heel slipped immediately.

- La Sportiva Mandala: Way too much volume overall.

- La Sportiva Futura: Way too much volume throughout the shoe.

- Scarpa Drago LV (45): Too short, and the heel would clearly bag out even in a larger size.

- Scarpa Instinct VSR (45): Too short (need 45.5+). Heel was decent (minor suction sound, no skin-dragging), but the single strap left huge dead-air pockets over my flat instep.

- Tenaya Oasi LV (44.5): Forefoot fine, heel slipped right off.

- Tenaya Tarifa (44.5): Forefoot good, heel slipped out.

- La Sportiva Finale (45): Best heel fit so far. Minimal suction noise, wraps my heel far better than any other shoe here. However, it's heel is not perfect and it's completely flat with zero performance geometry

What I'm looking for:

- Moderate performance: It does not need an extreme downturn. A flat-to-moderate profile that holds an edge on small footholds is completely fine. Fit and heel retention are priority #1.

- Use Cases: I'd ideally like to find a brand family / consistent last that works for me across different disciplines:

- An outdoor / edging shoe (laces are totally fine here).

- An indoor / bouldering shoe (ideally with a decent toe-hook patch and a closure that actually clamps down on a flat foot).

- Availability: Must be readily available in the EU. (Note: Unparallel gets recommended often for flat feet, but their models in EU 46 are virtually impossible to source/test here).

Questions:

- Has anyone with long, skinny, low-volume feet and narrow heels found a shoe or specific brand last in EU 45.5-46 that actually locks down?

- Given that the La Sportiva Finale heel shape came closest, are there more technical La Sportiva models (or other EU-available brands) built on that exact shallow heel cup?

- Is there any bouldering shoe with a proper toe-hook pad that can realistically cinch down on a flat instep without bagging out?

-is there any easy possibility for custom shoes?? Can my feet be measured in volume somehow?

Any insights, sizing tips, or shoe recommendations would be massively appreciated!

Posted Sep 14, 2026, 7:56 PM UTC

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