Customer Reviews La Sportiva Wildcat

My son and I just completed a week at Lenhok'sin - backpacking around Lake Merriweather at BSA's Goshen Scout reservation in SW Virginia. We decided to go with a trail shoe rather than hiking boots since we are verging on lite packs at 30 lbs and the summer heat was record-breaking. Upon recommendation from another scout leader, we both ordered the Sportiva Wildcats from Zappos. Both of our fits were tight so we ordered another two sizes each to ensure we had just the right fit with liners and light hiking socks. We returned the unused shoes without a problem and could not be happier with the performance during over 40 hours of hiking in one week. Next summer - Philmont in New Mexico with those Wildcats!

Most comfortable and cushioned trail shoe I have ever worn. I slightly under-pronate and need cushioning; most trail shoes that I have researched or worne lack cushion or are made for pronation control. Only downsides are mesh tears a little easy and strings are too long. The sole could stand to be a little more aggressive. Ordering my second pair now and always come back to Zappos for the customer service.

This is the best trail runner I have had. Nike's sole construction is terrible for rocks, dirt and mud. NB is slightly better but tricky on wet rocks and logs. This is the right idea...look at the bottom views! Plus the overlap on the tongue keeps out debris. Tuff toe guard too!

Fantastic trail running/light hiking shoe. Excellent cushioning and grip, lightweight and breathable. Have a pair and am getting another.

Great trail shoes. Working my way through my third pair. Work well on tech trails and don't fare too badly when you have to do the occasional run on the road. Only complaint is some fraying of the upper, particularly near the ankles.

Everyone’s foot is astronomically different. I in no way shape or form think these particular La Sportivas run narrow. In fact the reason I keep buying these is because they aren’t narrow. Plus the materials and proper lacing technique allows for a wide range of foot size and shape. I’m anywhere from a size 10 (Zamberlan 103/104’s) to a size 11.5 (Wildcats). I believe a half size up if not a full size should work for most people but the fact is you can’t rely on what you read. There’s an overwhelming amount of people walking around with improper fitting shoes. It’s 2018. Return policies are insane so don’t trust reviews just try them yourself. As others mentioned the air can be felt on your feet and it’s amazing. I prefer to backpack and hike with shoes that can dry out fast/drain as opposed to what everyone prefers, Goretex/Waterproofing. Nothing worse than a goretex boot taking 3 days to dry out.. I’ll keep buying these because they are comfortable, built well and breathe better than any shoe I’ve tried. As far as lateral stability (for those with a bad ankle) these are not the best, in fact if you look at the shoe from the back on a flat surface you will see it naturally leans outward. I have a bad ankle and was paranoid at first that I would roll my ankle easily but so far I haven’t. The other overwhelming reason I love these is that there isn’t a bulge in the arch support area like Salomons have. I have nearly flat feet (but not completely flat) and can’t stand shoes with arch support.

I used several pairs of Wildcats for my thru-hike on the AT. They are lightweight, sturdy, and very tacky on dry rocks. The shoe is susceptible to being cut on the side mesh by sharp rocks. However, other than that, they sustained tough terrain and hundreds of miles.

Great fit and flexibility for a trail shoe. Use both on the trail and on the road. Have tried many others with mixed results. This is at least my 4th pair of Wildcat's.

Love when the performance stands over the looks. Fabulous shoes, no break in required at all, as I grew into appreciating them more and more each time. Sticky sole is a plus, I wonder how they do it? Also, great on the street, I use them instead of my New Balance.

I like my running shoes about a size bigger. I wear 45 street shoes and originally ordered 46 of the Wildcat. They were too big but no problem Zappos had the 45.5's on their way before the 46's were in the box. I really appreciate the ease of ordering/exchanging. OK, now for the shoes. They are not the new style minimalist trail runners, and as an avid 52 year old trail runner, that's a good thing. They are very stable and not squishy like my road shoes. I get great traction on the uphill, great foot protection from jagged rocks, yet still pretty good trail feel. I'm not sure how they do it. The materials are tough, light and first rate. There is no foot fatigue after a long day on the trail. They are also a good pick for a light weight hiker, and recently I was scrambling up the snowy ridge-line on Mt Ventoux in Provence and was as happy and comfortable as a chamois deer, however keep in mind that they are not weatherproof. I like them that way. Good breath-ability and I add wool socks to adjust for climate. Finally don't be put off by the La Sportiva graphic on the side of the shoe it's actually pretty subtle and adds to the looks. I highly recommend them.

First off, Zappos sent these to me in record time and the shoes arrived in perfect condition. I'm not an avid runner, in fact I wanted a shoe that fit better for the P90-X program. I did a lot of reading and looking around and fell upon these trail runners. When I first put them on, they were pretty tight, but the next day they formed better around my foot and were extremely comfortable. And, unlike some, I love the look. I just might take up trail running to see what these things can do.

The La Sportiva Wildcat is an incredible shoe by all accounts. I think some of the runners who complain about this shoe are overly critical, and would be so with most shoes simply because there is no miracle shoe that heals injuries.

Great shoe! I do have to say that it took about a week of "breaking in", before my feet actually got adjusted (had some ankle pain). Since then, I have been very happy. Will go for another pair soon. Word to the wise on sizes: I wear a European 43, thought that (since these are sized and made in Europe) this would pretty much be an accurate shoe size. Got one larger (44) and have to say, that I would have been a bit more comfortable with a 44.5 or 45.

Great shoe. I have been a Vasque fan for years, but this shoe is tremendous. It simply felt like they got it exactly right for a trail shoe. Admittedly I would like to see a Gore-Tex version, but aside from that, it fits like a glove and has exceptional traction. The international size is a bit tricky, so getting the size right is important, but strongly recommend this shoe.

Hands down one of the best trail shoes ever made. Cushion and support are awesome without creating bulk. Sensitivity is good for a cushion shoe and the sticky outsole is the best I've run on. My trails are rocky and hilly, have gone sub 5 minute pace on some downhills and these things fly! I also use the La Sportiva Skylite and love the shoe as well, just no cushion to those, but they're a fast shoe.

Absolutely amazing! PIcked these up since the inov8's that I wanted were not in stock. Took them on a fourteener trip to CO. 4 14k hikes in 4 days and the shoes were perfect. Extremely sticky and comfortable. Glad I got'em.

They are very comfortable, looks great, not to overbearing color wise like you are heading to a parade and very trendy. The key is to let these show, so stay away from bell foot pants. (see me at the office) One key test, if you must sit for long time at a desk, and you can feel the sole of your feet getting warm, and the lacing not too tight, then you know, this is not the style you should be wearing. If you like flat fitted shoes, this will not work. They tend to run a bit small, so going an .5 size up, and that will work. The only down size for me is the price setting at a government desk. However, Zappos have some good deals, great customer service, so keep your eyes

After trying well over 100 different pairs. I'm not even playing. Zappos return department can totally vouch for me :) of hiking boots/shoes/trail runners/etc and categorically hating every single evil, ill-fitting pair of them, I found the Wildcat at the 11th hour and wore them as I embarked on a 2 week trip to Peru. I took other shoes and intended to wear the Wildcat only on the 4 day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu portion of my trip, but I ended up wearing these shoes almost exclusively for a little over 2 weeks. They were great on the cobblestone streets of various cities I visited, and perfect for tramping around ruins, etc. My Inca Trail guide was concerned the shoes wouldn't be rugged & supportive enough, but I was very pleased with how they wore, how lightweight they felt, & how well they performed in damp/wet conditions. When these shoes got wet, they dried out very quickly. Both of my travel companions incurred sprained ankles and blisters galore...I never lost my footing and got NO blisters. Not even one. Hallelujah! In the interest of full disclosure, I did remove the stock insoles and replace them with Superfeet Green. I also wore good quality, stupid-expensive socks. At the completion of my trip, these shoes looked pretty beat up, but there were no defects such as tears, sole separation, etc. They more than served their purpose which was to comfortably get me through a very active vacation. Again I say Hallelujah!

Great shoes. Lightweight, I have narrow feet and the fit is great. My US shoe size fell between two European sizes, so I ordered the larger European size. Outer sole is mesh, so will not keep your feet dry in a wet environment. Otherwise, a great running/walking shoe.

This is my 8th pair of Wildcats and I've tried all kinds of other shoes but always come back. This is a great all all around hard core trail shoe. i've put these thru water, snow, ice, rack terrain and deep mud and they perform in all areas.

Best outdoor shoes I have ever had. It feels like you are floating in the air, well cushioned, great arch and balance.