La Sportiva Summer 2019 Clothing Review

I’ve been a big fan of La Sportiva for a long time. Maybe it’s because of the iconic purple high-top Mariacher rock boots from 1982. Maybe it’s because this ninety-one year old business whose first products were sturdy leather boots for farmers and lumberjacks remains family-owned and based in a small valley tucked in the Italian Dolomites. Or maybe it’s their concern for the environment and dedication to manufacturing transparency. (When La Sportiva writes “Made In” on a product tag, they are referring to the country where the item was manufactured and assembled. Not everyone does this.)

Regardless, a few years ago when I heard La Sportiva was creating a climbing specific line of clothing, I broke out the incense and chimes and began praying to the editorial deities for a review opportunity. My dedication finally paid off and I am now happy to share my impressions of five pieces from La Sportiva’s 2019 summer clothing line up.

I used the threads during windy and brisk trad-climbing adventure in Eldorado Canyon, while enduring sun drenched bolt clipping joy on Colorado’s Front Range, and when pad smashing and pebble wrestling in the Flat Irons. I even spent a few days in the Land of Choss…oh how I love Western Slope rock. And as most folks live in the climbing duds they buy, I added yoga, hiking, coffee drinking and all-purpose lounging to the testing regime as well. Here are my impressions of a few of my favorite pieces from their current lineup.

Bleauser Short – $79

The Bleauser Short’s climber friendly design quickly made them my go-to piece when the weather heated up. The stretchy organic cotton fabric (with 2% Spandex) and gusseted crotch allowed me to use my full leg and hip range of motion without feeling constricted, while the elastic waist with draw cord ensured a perfect fit at the hips. The low profile front and rear pockets lay flat under a harness with no bunching or chafing and a 12-inch inseam prevented the fitted legs from ridding up when hanging in a harness. Plus, they come in eight colors, from muted earth tones to bright eye-catching blues and reds.

Cave Jeans – $69

At first glance, the Cave Jeans are many things. Think funky euro styling meets old-school dark blue denim sensibility. And it works. I received numerous compliments and inquiries into where I had gotten the jeans the very first time I wore them. Now add in a full elastic waist that is excellent under a harness, articulated knees, gusseted crotch, slim tapered long legs, and an outrageously stretchy fabric (98% polyester, 2% spandex corduroy) and you’ve got a rarity; a piece with both unabashed style and supreme function. Climbing in them was a treat as they are the first pants I’ve worn that allowed me to high step with zero fabric resistance. Finally, keep it in mind that mine shrank noticeably after being nuked in a hot dryer and the waist can be a little squirrely under the waist-belt of pack, something a draw cord would eliminate.

Trip Hoodie – $59

The Trip Hoodie looks like a basic piece, but don’t let this modesty fool you. Its constructed with a specially engineered DriRelease® fabric (85% polyester, 15% cotton / dries 4x faster than cotton) that kept me cool and shielded in the direct sun, warm in the shade, and when layered under a standard fleece on cool days, oh so toasty. I even started wearing the Trip Hoodie to work. The hood is well sized and non-obtrusive when lying flat, the arms are long, and the waist is sized to stay tucked under a harness. After wearing the Trip Hoodie for the last two months while climbing, at work, and casually, it has become one of my all-time favorites.

Chilam Hoody – $75

I’ve been slightly obsessed with hoodies ever since watching Rocky Balboa run the streets of Philly in a classic grey department store model. So, when the delivery from La Sportiva arrived, the first thing I tried on was the 100% organic cotton Chilam Hoody. I was not disappointed. The size small perfectly fit my long arms and skinny waist, a high zipper provided plenty of cozy neck coverage regardless of whether the hood was deployed and the two exterior pockets feature a comfy lining, as does the hood. Plus, when reaching tall over my head, either for a distant hold or forgotten bottle of wine on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet, the Chilam Hoody’s raglan sleeves provided excellent shoulder girdle range of motion. Rocky would be proud!

To find out more, be sure to visit their website. They also have a cool in-house magazine for unique rock climbing lore that you can check out here.

Disclaimer: Wait! Before you go handing over your credit card number, ask yourself, do you really need to buy more new stuff? If so, these products are worth a look. In the spirit of full disclosure, they were provided to SplitterChoss.com for the purpose of reviewing. Don’t worry, though, our integrity can’t be bought!