Performance
Once on the wall, I was impressed with how the rubber handled tiny holds. Five Ten outfitted the LVs with Stealth C4 rubber, and it feels nearly comparable to the Vibram XS Grip2 rubber on the La Sportiva Katana in terms of “stickiness.” The sole also feels about as thin and sensitive as the Katana, but much less stiff. In fact, the Anasazis felt even less stiff than the Evolv Elektras. Because of the lack of stiffness, they also have a slightly less defined toe edge. This bodes well for tiny smears, but not quite as well for intense edging.
The LVs performs on par with other, similar all-around shoes when it comes to heel hooking. They perform about as well as the Katanas and Elektras in that they work well for moderate but not extreme heel hooks. The LVs do a decent job when it comes to toe hooking, but in my experience the Katana holds better, thanks to its stiffer Velcro. The upper of the LV is just a bit too flexible to hold toe-hooks solidly. They do, however, outperform the Blackwings in this department because of the neutral toe-angle.
I was slightly disappointed in the LV when it came to crack climbing (since I seem obsessed with it as of late). The LV performed fine both in cracks and on tiny face holds outside of them, but they were significantly less comfortable than both the Katanas and TC Pros when it came to jamming. The thin sole and flexible upper just weren’t designed to keep feet comfy in these inherently painful situations.
Bottom Line
In general, the LVs hold up well to other competing shoes, and separate from the pack when it comes to comfort (and, in my opinion, color). For performing as well as shoes like the Katanas and Elektras, the LVs are much more comfortable. I found the break-in period to be both minimal and mild; I wore the shoes pretty comfortably right out of the box. As I mentioned before, though, the LVs don’t stretch, so if they feel uncomfortably tight from the get-go, they definitely won’t get any more comfortable.
I also found that my average-volume female foot was probably on the upper end of what shape foot fits into these shoes. I imagine that climbers with very narrow feet will probably fit into these shoes remarkably well. However, anyone with wider or less-defined feet than mine may find this shoe too low-volume.
In short, the Anasazi LV is an extremely comfortable, all-around shoe, and may be especially valuable to those who struggle to fit into other popular, similar shoes.