The La Sportiva Mythos Eco is a sustainable upgrade to the very popular La Sportiva Mythos. The original Mythos has been a consistent option in the La Sportiva lineup.
Thanks to its insane comfort and performance, La Sportiva’s Mythos has remained the most comfortable climbing shoe in La Sportiva’s lineup since the early 1990s. But La Sportiva decided to make an update by building an eco version. It joins the ranks of climbing gear that are being built with sustainable and recycled material.
Pros
- One of the most comfortable climbing shoes on the market
- Constructed using recycled materials
- Advanced lacing system for precise fit
- Supportive shoes for all day climbing missions
Cons
- Low profile on heel feels weird compared to other climbing shoes
- Durability is questionable
- Does not excel for steep and overhung climbs
Mythos Eco Climbing Shoe Options
There are two options: mens and womens. The difference between the two are the color and that the women’s option is built for lower volume feet.
Other than that, both shoes have the same patented lace system, same material, and same profile. Both shoes will stretch so be sure to size down at least one full size.
Features
- La Sportiva patented lace closure system
- Low environmental impact (metal free tanning, biodegradable leather, water based adhesives)
- Recycled La Sportiva eco rubber that does not sacrifice performance
One of the coolest, but also complicated, features about the La Sportiva Mythos Eco is the lace closure system.
The laces actually runs all the way around the heel and then back through each eyelet. Any foot size and shape can get a precise fit thanks to this feature. Just another reason why this is up for the most comfortable shoe on the market.
Recycled Features
- 95% recycled material (tongue padding, rubber, laces)
- Metal free tanning leather
- 4mm of rubber
Performance
Smearing
I went slab climbing when I first got the Mythos Eco and was still breaking them in.
And I actually found it to perform not as well as I would have liked. That was most likely due to it still being factory stiff. Give it some more time to break in if you don’t like the smearing out of the box.
Once broken in, the shoe really molds to your foot and softens up. Once that happens, it will practically bend to your will on the rock. In smearing, you want to maximize surface contact between your rubber and the wall. The Sportiva Mythos Eco will help you accomplish that.
Edging
The La Sportiva Mythos climbing shoe was known for its strong edging power, and the La Sportiva Mythos Eco is no different.
I love edging in a stiff shoe, like the La Sportiva Mythos Eco, because I can get extra support. The Eco comes with 4 mm of Sportiva Eco rubber recycled and which helps with edging.
When, I improperly sized my Mythos Eco, they did not edge well. Be wary that if you are opting for comfort, you will see some performance degradation.
Overhung
The standard Mythos and the Mythos Eco version do not excel at overhung and steep climbing.
Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely climb hard in these shoes. There are plenty of climbers in the old Masters of Stone movies, climbing steep and hard routes wearing Mythos.
But if you’re looking for a pair of shoes primarily for overhung climbing, you’d be better off with a different pair of climbing shoes.
This shoe is designed to stretch and get real comfy for long trad climbs. You’ll miss out on some of that precision that is needed on overhangs. The back also covers a minimal amount of the heel. This isn’t your best choice for heel hooking.
Crack Climbing
The Sportiva Mythos Eco are a great choice for cracks for two reasons.
First, they have a neutral profile. You don’t want anything too downturned for crack climbing. Your foot should be able to slide in so you can stand up on it easily. The Mythos Eco check that box.
Second, La Spotiva’s Mythos Eco is stiff. It’s sole is one full piece of rubber so you have a solid platform when standing up. I don’t like too much flex in my crack climbing shoes. Since my heel is usually hanging in free space, I want to have as much support as possible to keep my feet from getting tired.
Fit
Thanks to the recycled materials used in construction, the shoe is a great fit for nearly everyone. It has a low profile and neutral design. It does not have a downturned profile and you won’t need to take it off in between climbs.
You do not want to buy the Eco at your streetshoe size. Because it lengthens so much, La Sportiva recommends downsizing at least one full size.
Sizing
Buying the correct size is crucial.
The shoe is made out of biodegradable leather and not synthetic materials. Leather tends to grow over time and they don’t smell as bad as synthetic shoes.
Really, I can’t emphasize enough that there is going to be a ton of stretching and will feel like a completely different shoe after you have climbed in it a few times.
La Sportiva recommends downsizing at least 1 full size. In my La Sportiva Miura, I have size 46.5 that is snug but comfortable.
For my Mythos Eco, I went down to a 44. When I first got them I wore them for ten to fifteen minutes each night just to get used to them and get the stretching process started.
After a few climbing sessions, I can feel how much more room my feet have in the shoe and my toes in the toe box. My pair have stretched into a comfortable all day at the crag shoe. If you want yours to be snug, you’ll need to downsize even more.
Some climbers even downsized their pair two full sizes. Your foot may be in some pain when you first put theses puppies on. Half sizes are available so you will be able to get the perfect Cinderella fit.
Be patient and break them in them for 10 – 15 minutes each night when you first get them. Then climb in them for a few sessions. I brought a backup pair of shoes with me when I first started using my Mythos Eco, just in case they felt too tight.
Materials
The La Sportiva Mythos Eco is made of recycled materials. La Sportiva wanted to keep the same great performancea s the originial mythos, but with a more sustainable production process that reduced environmental impact.
The rubber used is the La Sportiva ECO rubber, which is created by recycling rubber at the La Sportiva factory. During the production process of their other climbing shoes, the La Sportiva factory is able to salvage enough rubber for the Mythos Eco line.
Best Use For La Sportiva Mythos Eco
The best use for the La Sportiva Mythos Eco climbing shoe is for when you’re looking for a comfortable climbing shoe you can wear all day. Because they stretch out so much and mold to your feet they are going to fit like a glove.
The shoe is great for crack climbing, face climbing, big walls, and moderate long routes. When I’m weighed down with a lot of climbing gear on my harness, the last thing I want to think about is my feet being uncomfortable.
I have noticed that due to the size expansion, the fit can get sloppy. So if you want these shoes for techy face climbs, you may need to downsize more than you think. It’s tricky to get that fit perfectly, so maybe finding a shoe that stays the same size is a better idea.
Mythos Eco Tech Specs
| Best Use | Long moderate trad climbs |
| Sizes | 34 - 48 (half sizes) |
| MSRP | $159.00 |
| Amount of stretch | Will stretch 1-2 sizes |
| Sole | 4mm La Sportiva ECO rubber (recycled) |
| Closure | Laces (six eyelets) |
| Weight | 8.20 oz / 233g |
| Color | Taupe / Greenbay |
| Fit | Medium-low asymmetry |
| Midsole | 1.1mm full-length LaspoFlex |
| Lining | Unlined |
| Laces | Recycled PET from water bottles |
| Last | RN 25 |
| Upper | ECO Idro-Perwanger biodegradable leather using a metal-free eco-tanning process |
| Profile | Flat |
Frequently Asked Questions
They will stretch at least one full size, some users even downsized two full sizes.
95% of components for the Mythos Eco from sustainable sources
These climbing shoes are best for long moderate trad climbs because they are comfortable and can be worn all day.
How We Review
We take a look at the following factors for our climbing shoe reviews:
- Price
- Durability
- Performance
We hate wasting money on gear that falls apart or doesn’t work as advertised. Each climbing shoe is going to perform differently depending on what it is built for, so we take that context into account for our reviews as well. We buy a lot of gear for specific purposes, so we take that into account into each review. No piece of gear is a perfect solution for all scenarios.
If you’re interested in learning more, read more about how we review gear.