La Sportiva
TX Mid GTX (men's size 10.5 wide US)
Purchased at: SteepandCheep.com (not clearance; current model)
Reviewer: Bret Nelson; Orem Utah
Frequent Terrain: Rock Canyon in Provo, UT
Out of the box I like this boot. I'm not sure if it's really broken in yet, after 50 miles, but I like the stiff ride. The ankle support is exceptional, but I wish the toe-box was wider (I'm a D-E wide foot). I'll update this after 200 miles if not sooner...
LIKES:
Really stiff platform, but with a bit softer mid-sole so I'm not collapsing my arches.
Lacing is fast and helps enhance the upper's ankle support. If you roll your ankles a lot (like I do), I do recommend this boot so far.
Sole is hardened enough that I fully expect to get a LOT of miles out of this boot. If it had a softer version Vibram sole, I might have left it alone because I'm on a budget and I want these to last. So far, so good...
I can't feel rocks under my feet. I can feel contours; I can roll my ankle still if I tried (not sure why I would want to...); but the rocks become just more earth. I love the thick & semi-rigid platform (just wish it was wider).
The stiff ride & platform does help prevent my sciatica and other lower back pains from coming on frequently. Doctor's recommendations followed & appreciated (he wears La Sportiva for the stiff ride himself BTW...)
I can tell already these are going to take my cramp-ons this winter nicely -- they're going to be better in the winter than they're proving to be in the summer.
WISHES & RECOMMENDATIONS:
Wider toe-box please.
I definitely recommend therapeutic / orthotic support sole inserts. I'm using some 3/4 inserts, and they definitely help cushion the ride.
With the hardened Vibram sole, there is more slippage on top of (& off the sides of) trail boulders. That's the pay-off -- longevity or grip. Someday there will be a suitable mid-function I hope; I've not found one yet. With the narrower build and the harder outer sole, consider slowing down on the downhill anyway. I've taken these out in the rain, and wet rocks, of course, gave me more slippage on the surface than dry (duh!).
I've tried running the downhill & flats in these -- I won't be doing that again if I'm not being chased. I know there are boots built more like trail runners, and I'm looking forward to trying them. The impact on my lower spine when I run in these is a bit jarring, but they didn't present themselves for running anyway. I felt safe, but not comfortable. These are 10-12 max mph boots in my book. ;)
WHAT'S NEXT?
I'll be taking glamour shots of these boots and the soles every 100 miles to show when they start to break in and then break down. Based on performance these first 50 miles, I'm rather expecting the soles to look nearly "out of the box" at 200 miles, and I'm thinking I'll get 1,000 miles out of them actually. I hope so.
VALUE:
I'm not sure I'd be disappointed if I had paid full price, but I found a screaming deal so I got these at right about $100 (about 40% off); so who can complain? But if I only get <400-500 miles out of these because the mid- or outer-soles break down too fast, then I would definitely be looking to buy them on sale again and not invest full-price. Time will tell, but these first 50 miles tell me that these are built to last, built to protect, and built to perform (just don't expect to out-run a bear in them). So far, we're on track to say these will be a good value under $150 which means my investment at my pace (miles per year) would be about $75 per year and I'm getting out of them what I want. I remind my audience that if you buy a pair of shoes or boots into which you really need orthotic inserts, add another $20-40 per year for those. I'm glad I have my Spenco 3/4's inside these now.
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