La Sportiva

La Sportiva Cascade GTX
Posted: Nov 12, 2009 8:08:14 AM
Reviewer: Richard W from Warren, Connecticut

Overall:

I have difficult to fit feet: narrow, bony and a narrow heel. I typically hike between 5 and 10 miles on mixed terrain and needed boots that have decent padding, good ankle support, are waterproof and fit my feet without too much break in. I ordered and tried boots from Scarpa, Asolo, Merrell and others and sent them all back. I was distraught thinking I might not find boots that worked for me. I saw these La Sportivas in a store, but they didn't have my size and when I came to Zappos I wasn't quite sure which size was the right fit because of the metric sizing. I ordered a pair in each of two sizes knowing I could return the one that didn't fit right. I decided on one, returned the other and wore the pair I kept around the house for two days, then went out on a 2 mile easy walk and the next day, a 5 mile difficult hike. The boots have never hurt my feet, not even a little. No hot spots, no blisters, no rubs, my heel stays down, my feet are dry and comfortable and I feel confident that I'm not going to break my ankles running on mixed terrain. I've now hiked most of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut with them and they have not let me down. REI has them on sale now so I bought another pair from them although I'd have preferred to buy them from Zappos. Fitting boots like this is a personal thing: what works for one person will be awful for another so while I recommend these boots highly for anyone who hikes, they may not fit you as well as they fit me, or, you may not like the way they feel on your feet and like another brand better. No one boot is best for everyone, it's just best for you. I've found the ones that work for me and I'm delighted.

La Sportiva FC 3.0 GTX
Posted: Nov 12, 2009 1:15:08 AM
Reviewer: Frank T from San Francisco, CA

Overall:

Super flexible and light, but with a hiking outsole so your feet don't get beat up on rocks. Fairly good lateral ankle support, even with the shoe's flexibility, though, don't think I'd want to use these while carrying much of a load. As others have noted, size runs small and narrow, so 1/2 sizes are great for those of us above size 12. Toe box is a bit tight; had to tape my 4th toe to prevent problems from rubbing, though other toes didn't bash against boot, even on downhill. Have only used on a couple of day hikes so far, but they seem durable. Overall, very happy with these, but took 1 star off comfort for the narrow toe.

La Sportiva Wildcat
Posted: Nov 9, 2009 8:02:05 AM
Reviewer: Chris B from harrisburg PA

Overall:

My first pair of La Sportiva's. Had never heard of the Wildcat until I began researching. I am a trail runner and hiker and I use the same pair of shoes for both. I have a wide forefoot and have had trouble with heel blisters with former trail runners, although not nearly as bad as the old days when I hiked in leather boots. Those days are gone for good! So far I have hiked about 60 miles and run about 40 in the Wildcats, so my opinion is not fully formed. I like the close fit around the heel cup and the grip, especially on wet rocks. They seem to have the best heel cup fit of any of my trail runners. No problems with heel blisters on a 40 mile hike carrying a 30 lb pack. My biggest complaint is the narrow forefoot. I wish they came in a wide. In summary, I'm favorably impressed and seem a good value for the purchase price.

La Sportiva Glacier
Posted: Nov 7, 2009 6:04:51 AM
Reviewer: from Connecticut

Overall:

The best pair of boots I have ever owned hands down! I have worn these boots every day for the past year. They are super rugged and just won't quit.

La Sportiva Crosslite
Posted: Nov 4, 2009 11:28:21 AM
Reviewer: Kelly S from Boulder Creek CA

Overall:

I am completely in love with these shoes. I often have a hard time fitting in shoes because of a bunion problem and these hold my arches just right while still having enough room in the toes. They are a little bit more flimsy than your average shoe, but it's a great feature because you really feel like you're in touch with the ground beneath you. The soles have huge grips; so far I've only taken them on one major hike, but my feet were comfortable and solid. If you have weak ankles, these shoes are not for you as there is no ankle support, but I was actually looking for that. Oh, did I mention they look badass?

La Sportiva Makalu
Posted: Nov 3, 2009 10:51:51 PM
Reviewer: Satisfied O from Wasatch Range, Utah

Overall:

These are the best boots I have ever owned. I had several pairs of leather boots before these and always got blisters and suffered general discomfort and soreness in my feet. I've hiked my Makalus in extreme weather and elevation and never, ever had a blister. Not even once. Amazing. I can hardly believe it myself. I love these boots and have had them for 8 years now. Outstanding comfort, protection, support, grip. They work great for snowshoeing and with a pair of gaiters are great for hiking through deep snow.

La Sportiva Skylite
Posted: Oct 25, 2009 7:52:15 PM
Reviewer: Anonymous from Minnesota

Overall:

Great shoes. This is my second pair. I wear a size 11 in Nike. The La Sportivas in size 44 fit me like a glove. This shoe is perfect for trail runs. Highly recommended. Plus Zappos had them at my house in one day. Great shoe, great company.

La Sportiva Wildcat
Posted: Oct 24, 2009 12:07:53 AM
Reviewer: Anonymous from Baltimore, Maryland

Overall:

These shoes were recommended by the Baltimore Sunpapers in their Outdoor section of the Sports pages. I noticed that REI carried this brand and that reassured me of the product reliability. When I first put them on they were very comfortable and required no break-in period. I have back pain that radiates into my right foot and many shoes cause a squeezing sensation even when loosely tied. However, this shoe caused me little discomfort on a recent day-trip. Ordered these in the afternoon and received the next day for another fantastic shipping job by Zappos.

La Sportiva Trango Prime
Posted: Oct 23, 2009 8:45:22 AM
Reviewer: Diego720 from Denver, CO

Overall:

Classic Trango fit!Being my 5th pair of Trangos, I can tell you that this is the all around best fitting model I've worn. After climbing ice the past 5 yrs in Nepal's, I enjoy the lighter weight and easier hikability of this Trango Prime. I use it primarily in CO during winter where complete waterproofing isn't usually required, but I don't believe the description on this site is entirely accurate (to my knowledge, they do not have a GoreTex lining). Aside from that, traction in snow is improved and it's a solid boot for above 0 conditions. One final comment, the insole is slightly better than the thin felt in previous models, but you'll still want to throw in a better after market model. If it's a higher vol insole, you may want to size up (.5).

La Sportiva FC 1.1
Posted: Oct 8, 2009 11:45:15 PM
Reviewer: Anonymous from Arizona

Overall:

La Sportiva makes the best footwear I know of for hardcore backcountry travel, especially if you have narrow / low volume feet. These FC 1.1's are definitely not in that category, but they are great for the street or ultra light day hikes. They are supposed to be very light, and they are, made of light weight materials. La Sportiva does the best at fitting my horrible to fit feet. I have a size 11 (44.5) narrow, low volume, and flat. I wish they had a little deeper heel well to accommodate my custom orthotic inserts a little better, but that's not a defect of design for people with a normal arch. Great shoes for the money.

La Sportiva Glacier
Posted: Oct 6, 2009 3:13:43 PM
Reviewer: Flailer from humboldt nation

Overall:

The boot: "A general mountaineering and heavy-duty backpacking boot that is built to handle rugged and technical terrain!" Pretty much sums it up! The boot fits true to size and has the best downhill braking capacity of anything I've worn. Main concern is the durability of the boot's fabric interior. Only have about 120 miles on them, exterior seems bullet-proof, with the possible exception of high temps, i.e. hot ash for long periods. The toe and heel rands are glued on to the leather. The boots have a comfortable rocker when "cruising" on or off trail. The soles have great traction on dry rock wet rock has less traction, but I expect that from a seemingly durable sole (as opposed to a stickier less durable sole; take your choice and pay your money). The purchase: smooth as a babies... Well, I was skeptical about spending big money on "Un-touched" boots. Zappos has another life-time customer.

La Sportiva Fireblade
Posted: Oct 1, 2009 9:46:20 PM
Reviewer: Alan W from Salt Lake City

Overall:

I got the La Sportiva Fireblade for trail running. I love them. They have good cushion, good protection from rocks under the sole and in front of the toes, and they fit great. They arrived on my doorstep the second day after I put my order in to Zappos, so I could not have asked for better service.

La Sportiva Glacier
Posted: Oct 1, 2009 9:07:53 AM
Reviewer: Noah S from Billings Montana

Overall:

These boots are great. They are a little stiff at first, but break in quite fast. I have used these boots to climb wind towers and found them very comfortable. I spend a lot of time climbing ladders and the steel shank in the arch works perfect. I also use these boots for four-wheeling and hiking through the mountains. Great boot, I would buy these boots again. Thanks Zappos for the fast shipping and excellent service!

La Sportiva Wildcat
Posted: Sep 30, 2009 8:18:11 PM
Reviewer: Jeff F from Lancaster, Pa

Overall:

Love these shoes! Got them to replace multiple pairs of Vasque Velocity\'s which just seemed to self destruct after they started messing with the original. Super light and breathable. Usually wear a 42.5 euro; went with my gut after reading the reviews and got 43\'s. Perfect fit. My only gripe is that without a normal tounge you have to more or less slip them on. La Sortiva should put pull loops on at least the back to facilitate entry. Best would be tounge and back. Only thing I would change. Another great product from a great shoe company.

La Sportiva Cypress GTX
Posted: Sep 30, 2009 5:48:43 AM
Reviewer: Wendy from maine

Overall:

I have a bad way with getting life long 50 cent size blisters on every long hike- and have tried so many hiking boots it is a long list- \r\nnew orthotics as well.. returned my LLBean Cresta\'s for my son\'s suggestion of La Sportiva\'s (due to their reputation as the top climbing shoe company). I got a pair og Cypress gtx and walked 7 miles in them prior to doing a 4 day backpack at Katahdin. I am amazed to say I have NO BLISTERS for the 1st time ever!!!\r\nNot only are they great right out of the box, but held up fine in water, stream crossings, very tricky rock hopping with a 35 lb pack, but I even wore them around camp at night as my "slippers"!\r\nwhat more can you say- 10/10!!

La Sportiva Exum Pro
Posted: Sep 27, 2009 10:41:11 PM
Reviewer: Anonymous from California

Overall:

By far my favorite shoes, comfy for all day wear, supportive enough for a 30 lb load for 8 days. They dry super fast, which makes up for lack of a waterproofer, grips great even when wet. Only gripe is they don't last long, my pair only lasted one summer before tread pattern was gone in front and inside padding started to tear. But for this price and the versatility of these shoes, I'm okay with buying a new pair every year. I don't recommend these for extremely damp/cold climates.

La Sportiva Cascade GTX
Posted: Sep 27, 2009 8:25:43 AM
Reviewer: Mike P from Racine WI

Overall:

I was delighted with my first Zappos purchase. Started a little shaky, because the first product I received was one-half size smaller than what I ordered. I reordered and the next size up still was too tight. Reordering again, got the right size. Was extremely pleased with the extremely quick shipping, no freight charges either way, and hassle free return policy. Have used La Sportiva boots for years; was disappointed that this one did not have locking eyelets two down from the top. Went with a longer size than normal, to better accommodate thick hiking socks and liners. I wanted a little stiffer support, which this boot gives. Am happy with the quality of the included boot liners; didn't even need to swap them out for SuperFeet. All in all, a very good value. Like all La Sportiva boots, very quick break-in.

La Sportiva Miura VS
Posted: Sep 26, 2009 7:09:39 AM
Reviewer: John G from Texas

Overall:

These shoes are amazing! They handle vertical and technical equally as well as the steep. They point better than any shoe I've worn (climbing 18 years) and edge great. The only complaint that I have is that La Sportiva has chosen a low quality velcro. Many of the VS owners that I know can no longer velcro their shoes tight enough without them blowing open. Hopefully LS will resolve this issue or it will be a perfect shoe ruined by a simple mistake.

La Sportiva Gandalf
Posted: Sep 24, 2009 9:02:39 AM
Reviewer: Paul R from Bishop, CA

Overall:

These shoes rock! Right out of the box I used them for the Thunderbolt Peak to Mt. Sill traverse. They felt secure on 4th and easy 5th class terrain. The key to fitting is to spend some time figuring out the right sock and insole combination. This is key to getting a good traction with an all day fit. I have one concern, the concave dimples on the sole can act like an air cushion on glacier polished rock and twice my foot has slid out on polish that 5.ten dimple soles would stick to. If you are not a rock climber or scrambler, these shoes are not for you.

La Sportiva Habanero
Posted: Sep 20, 2009 11:39:12 AM
Reviewer: Kevin M from Las Vegas, Nevada

Overall:

Incredible hiking/bouldering shoe. This is an incredible shoe if you are looking for a light weight approach shoe. I just used them on an 8 mile overnight backpacking trip. Excellence in comfort and grips very well to steap terrain along with a really cool look! Let's face it, look matters. Sizes run about a half size small so my size 10 is really a perfect size 9.5. Incredible shoe! As comfortable as my Lowa Renegade 2 boots and that's saying A LOT! Awsome.

La Sportiva Glacier
Posted: Sep 18, 2009 8:10:52 PM
Reviewer: Anonymous from Southern California

Overall:

Over the last 25 years I have gone through several pairs of mountaineering boots, and these are my favorites. I wore the Makalus for the last 8 years for light mountaineering and heavy backpacking and never had a problem with them - aside from the soles being worn, they still look and fit great. I thought it was time for a new pair, and these Glaciers with their half shank are more comfortable than the Makalus with their full steel shank. Compared to the older mountaineering boots I started with, these are lighter and have virtually no break-in period. They are every bit as tough as they look, but surprisingly comfortable - no complaints at all!

La Sportiva B5
Posted: Sep 17, 2009 5:30:55 PM
Reviewer: KC from Washington DC

Overall:

Buy a full size larger than your normal shoe. La Sportiva shoes run small to start with but the rubber rand on this shoe means that as your foot expands while hiking the shoe does not, which can lead to blisters.

La Sportiva Exum Pro
Posted: Sep 16, 2009 7:09:22 PM
Reviewer: Dan from NH

Overall:

For someone with rather large, narrow feet, this shoe fits wonderfully. They edge nicely, run well and generally outperform other shoes I\\\'ve tried. I would have to agree that the stock insole is pretty flimsy, so on the multiple pairs of the Pro and the Exum Ridge before these I\\\'ve owned, I\\\'ve added an aftermarket insole. The only slight issue I have is that the super sticky Frixion rubber used for the sole is pretty soft, and doesn\\\'t fair terribly well against NH granite, so I end up replacing them every 6-9 months. Overall, a great shoe.

La Sportiva Cascade GTX
Posted: Sep 15, 2009 11:22:58 AM
Reviewer: Chris C from California

Overall:

I have high arches, a narrow heel, and a regular width forefoot. I usually get lots of heel blisters on the trail, but not with my La Sportivas. These are the best boots I have ever worn. If you have wide, flat feet, I would stay away, but if you are like me these are the perfect pair of boots. They are flexible front to back, but sturdy side to side. I am confident carrying over 60 pounds on the trail with these. The rubber toe cap protects the boots from scrapes and the ankle is about an inch higher than "lightweight" hikers. The Cascade GTXs are heavier than normal weekend boots, but they offer much more protection. I never felt like I was wearing ski boots like so many traditional style leather boots. They required very little break in time and the craftsmanship is second to none. They are the first boots I have owned that haven't caused me any problems or pain. I hiked through the snow for 8 miles and they kept my feet bone dry. Overall they have good traction on hardpack, rocks, and loose trails (due to the added support) I haven't used them in thick mud, but nothing really helps for that. I was in between sizes and went with the larger size which allowed me to use liner socks. Great boots! A+

La Sportiva Cascade GTX
Posted: Sep 11, 2009 12:43:00 AM
Reviewer: William b from kansas

Overall:

These are very comfortable has awesome traction. I love how they form to my feet and move with them. They are a great basic hiking boot with the Gore-Tex you can not go wrong. I ordered an 11 thinking I'll have to size up. No way! Keep with what you normally wear. I'm a 10.5, that's what fits. The Zappos exchange policy is the best. I needed the size change and they really took care of me. No matter what you buy, purchase them here.