REASONS TO BUY
A great option for wide feet
Comfortable sock-like fit
Highly adjustable closure
REASONS TO AVOID
Pricey
Sizing runs big
Minimal rubber for toe and heel hooking
Tenaya Oasi LV Review
We love the unique tensioning system that allows you to easily adjust these to fit wide feet
The Tenaya Oasi LV may be low-volume, but its unique tensioning system and sock-like fit help it adapt to anyone with a wide forefoot.
Credit: Trish Matheny
By Trish Matheny ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ October 30, 2026
Our Verdict
If you have wide feet and have struggled to find a shoe that fits, you'll love the Tenaya Oasi LV. The sock-like fit and narrow heel cup cradle your foot, while the adjustable hook-and-loop closure lets you fine-tune tightness for the climb. It prioritizes precision and sensitivity through a split-sole, an aggressive downturn, and a Vibram XS Grip outsole that maximizes grip on slopey holds. The pointy toebox is also great for pockets and training boards when you need precise footwork. While we wish there were more rand covering the toe for cracks and toe hooks, the Oasi LV is a great choice for the modern gym or sport climber.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Tenaya Oasi LV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Favorite For Wide Feet |  Best All-Around Climbing Shoes | Best for Sport Climbing |  Best Value for Progression | Best For First-Time Buyers |
| Price | $205 List Check Price at Backcountry | $219 List Check Price at REI | $219 List Check Price at REI | $159 List Check Price at REI | $139 List Check Price at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | With a wider toebox and easily adjustable tensioning system, this is one of the few aggressive shoes that's particularly comfortable for wide feet | These high-performance slippers work well for almost all types of climbing, from cracks to steep sport climbs to bouldering | As edging machines, these shoes are great for hard sport climbing and overhanging bouldering | This slipper is comfortable and affordable, yet it's nearly as precise as more aggressive shoes, making it the perfect upgrade from your first pair | A step above your average entry-level option, this affordable shoe is our top choice for first-time buyers |
| Rating Categories | Tenaya Oasi LV | La Sportiva Skwama | Scarpa Instinct VS | La Sportiva Skwama Lite | Evolv Defy Lace LV |
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Smearing (20%) | |||||
| Edging (20%) | |||||
| Pulling (20%) | |||||
| Cracks (20%) | |||||
| Specifications | Tenaya Oasi LV | La Sportiva Skwama | Scarpa Instinct VS | La Sportiva Skwama Lite | Evolv Defy Lace LV |
| Sizing Recommendations | Comfort Fit: true to EU size Performance Fit: down 1 EU size |
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 - 1 EU sizes Performance Fit: down 1.5 EU size |
Comfort Fit: true or down 0.5 EU size Performance Fit: down 1 EU size |
Comfort Fit: down 0.5 EU size Performance Fit: down 1 EU size |
Comfort Fit: up 1.5 EU size Performance Fit: up 1 EU size |
| Expected Stretch | 0 - 0.5 EU size | 0.5 - 1 EU size | 0 - 0.5 EU size | 0 - 0.5 EU size | 0 - 0.5 EU size |
| Downturn | Aggressive | Aggressive | Aggressive | Moderate | Flat |
| Asymmetry | Moderate (sharp toe) | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Neutral |
| Closure Style | Velcro | Velcro | Velcro | Velcro | Lace |
| Upper | Synthetic Microfiber | Microfiber and leather | Microsuede and leather | Microfiber | Synthetic Vegan |
| Lining | Cotton | Unlined | Unlined | Unlined | Unlined |
| Volume Options? | Low Volume | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Regular, Low Volume (Women's) | Low Volume | Low Volume |
| Rubber Type | Vibram XS Grip | Vibram XS Grip2 | Vibram XS Grip2 | FriXion Black | TRAX SAS |
| Listed Rubber Thickness | 3.5 mm | 4.0 mm | 3.5 mm in fromt and 2 mm in heel | 4.0 mm | 4.2 mm |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Although the Oasi LV has a wider forefoot, it's still a low-volume shoe designed for difficult climbing. Credit: Trish Matheny
Comfort
The wide forefoot, sock-like fit, microfiber upper, and cotton lining of the Oasi LV all contribute to a really comfortable shoe. Even though we recommend these to anyone with wider feet, the tensioning system offers plenty of adjustability. Even folks with narrow feet, or anyone after a more performance-oriented fit, can easily adjust the Oasi to match the shape of their feet.
The proprietary Draxtor closure lets you independently adjust tension over your forefoot and instep. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Oasi LV features a soft, pliable upper and a split sole for added flexibility, but we still had to climb in them for a few sessions to really break them in. While we could wear them for several boulder problems in a row, we typically removed them between pitches on multi-pitch routes because of the aggressive downturn.
For those seeking a performance fit, we recommend downsizing one full US size; for those who prioritize comfort, stick with your street shoe size.
Anyone with narrow feet and high arches (like our lead tester) may struggle more with the fit – in our experience, the fabric tended to bunch below the Velcro closure. Climbers with wider or higher-volume feet will love them.
If you've been having trouble finding the right shoes because you have a wider forefoot, the Oasi LV is a great option. Credit: Trish Matheny
Smearing
Although the Oasi LV has a pretty aggressive downturn, the microfiber upper makes it flexible enough to press and smear over tiny holds. The Vibram XS Grip rubber is soft and sensitive, but the split sole includes a rigid edge at the front of the shoe, which makes for a more precise toebox.
Even on the training board, we could confidently trust our feet on slopey, rounded holds, like the ones you'll often find on hard boulder problems. We really appreciated this unique combination of aggressive downturn and flexible upper while balancing up granite slabs in Yosemite. Unlike other aggressive shoes, the ability to smear makes the Oasi LV that much more versatile.
The sensitive rubber combined with the rigid edge at the front of the shoe helps you smear and then stand up on your toes. Credit: Trish Matheny
Edging
The midsole on the Oasi LV may provide enough support for large and small holds, but it isn't stiff enough to stand on teeny tiny edges that require a stiff, solid-sole construction.
The split-sole design nicely balances the stiff front edge with a more flexible midfoot. But even with the rigid front edge, it's not quite firm enough to confidently balance on tiny holds or desperate slabs.
There's so much more rubber on the front of the Oasi LV than in the back, which makes it much stiffer under the toe box than under the midfoot. Credit: Trish Matheny
We love that the Oasi LV uses the older Vibram XS Grip rubber. Even though it's softer than rubber like XS Edge, it lacks the stickiness of the newer XS Grip2, which we think actually improves edging. While it may not be a top performer, the Oasi still climbed hard vertical routes well.
Although the toe is aggressive, the softer rubber mushes onto edges, and you may want something stiffer and more rigid to really balance on smaller holds. Credit: Lydia Filipe
Pulling
The moderately sharp toe on the Oasi LV made it a bit easier to toe into tiny holds while climbing steep, overhanging routes in the gym. Vibram XS Grip isn't the softest or stickiest rubber out there, but the relatively thin 3.5 mm outsole helps you to be precise with your toes.
But the rubber on the toe is minimal, and it doesn't have enough texture to really grip when you're trying to pull hard on a toe hook. Ditto for the heel cup – it's not textured enough to really pull in aggressively on a heel hook.
The softer, 3.5 mm rubber really allows you to be precise with your feet and toe in on steeper routes. Credit: Trish Matheny
Cracks
The Oasi LV features a very soft, flexible microfiber upper with no thick randing on the heel or toe, making jams memorable (read: painful) because of the lack of padding and protection.
The sharp toe was great for climbing corners and incipient seams, and it's fine for the occasional jam here and there on a particularly engaging pitch. However, the lack of protection makes this anything but a crack climbing shoe – better to stick to faces, edges, and smears.
The small toe actually fits quite nicely into finger-sized and off-fingers cracks. Credit: Trish Matheny
Should You Buy the Tenaya Oasi LV?
The sock-like fit and adjustable closure cradle your foot like other aggressive shoes we tested, but the wider forefoot makes the Oasi LV more accommodating to different foot shapes. If you have a wider forefoot but an otherwise fairly low-volume foot, this may be the unicorn shoe you've been looking for.
What Other Women's Climbing Shoes Should You Consider?
The Tenaya Oasi LV is our top recommendation for women with wider feet, but it's also a great option for intermediate climbers looking to step up to a more aggressive climbing shoe without sacrificing comfort. The Scarpa Instinct VS is another great option for women with wider feet, but it's stiffer than the Oasi, which makes it much better for edging – and earns our nod as our favorite shoe for hard sport climbing. Unlike other La Sportiva shoes, the La Sportiva Otaki is actually quite comfortable for wider feet. Granite climbers love it especially because you can smear on slabs and stand on tiny edges.
—Trish Matheny
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