Free solo climber Alex Honnold stunned onlookers when he climbed to the very top of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan, on Jan. 25.
The famed climber scaled the building without ropes or a net as part of a livestreamed Netflix event called “Skyscraper Live.” He accomplished this in one hour, 31 minutes and 43 seconds — but what footwear propelled him through the journey?
Honnold chose yellow-and-black climbing shoes from the outdoor brand La Sportiva, which creates technical footwear for a range of activities. He serves as an ambassador for the brand.
The brand explained in a statement, “The climbing shoes worn by Alex Honnold during his Taipei 101 free solo project were standard La Sportiva models featuring a personalized colorway requested by the athlete. Designing products based on athlete needs is a natural extension of our long-standing relationship — a continuous dialogue that fuels the ongoing improvement of mountain equipment and allows us to respond to the evolution of mountain activities.”
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However, La Sportiva noted the brand was not involved in the Taipei 101 climb, nor does it make shoes intended for such a climb.
The statement continued, “This process is an integral part of our research and development approach to craft mountain tools to serve both the passionate mountain community and professional users. La Sportiva did not take part in the Taipei 101 free solo initiative: our climbing shoes are designed exclusively for rock and indoor climbing, reflecting our deep expertise and commitment to traditional climbing environments.”
In 2023, Honnold praised the brand on social media for earning Climate Neutral certification; he noted in the post that he had been climbing in La Sportiva shoes for almost 20 years.
Honnold is also a brand ambassador for The North Face; he wore a custom tuxedo by the brand at the 2019 Oscars, when the documentary about him, “Free Solo,” won best documentary feature.
