Forty feet above my last piece of gear, I really wanted my shoes to work. I was midway through the second pitch on a blank slab, staring down at a spindly slung tree that might hold a short fall, and starting to get gripped (highly anxious). I scanned the rock, hoping to find a small dimple to stand on. Thankfully, I was wearing a new pair of La Sportiva Finale ($139) climbing shoes that fit perfectly and gave me a bit of extra confidence at the…