La Sportiva TX4 - Women's Review
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Supportive, comfortable, durable
Cons: Heavier, more expensive
Manufacturer: La Sportiva
Our Verdict
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The La Sportiva TX4 received high scores in every metric but particularly stood out for its combination of durability and weight. It also had an incredible blend between climbing ability and support that made it an excellent choice for traveling on technical terrain in the backcountry.
Performance Comparison
Climbing Ability
One of the major differences between approach shoes and hiking shoes that makes them unique to climbers is the ability to handle well on technical terrain. These differences usually involve not only a rubber sole but a "climbing zone" on the toe that enhances the ability to edge and smear on fifth-class rock. For this metric, we judged each shoe's ability to move on a variety of types of rock and compared them side-by-side.
On fifth-class rock, we often have to trust small edges to support us. And while this is easy in rock climbing shoes, it can be unnerving in approach shoes. We found the TX4 to have a decent edging capability due to its stiff toe, precise lacing system, and firm edge. The flat sole is this shoe also added to its sensitivity, enhancing our ability to trust our feet. While not as precise as some slimmer shoes, we were impressed with the TX4's ability in this arena.
This shoe also did well smearing, with an excellent rubber tread. We felt confident on smooth Yosemite slabs and rugged talus alike. This shoe is not super wide in the forefoot, making it a decent choice for crack climbing. That said, there are some shoes that are much slimmer, fitting more easily into small cracks. While the TX4 does have one of the highest scores in this category of any shoe we tested, it fell a bit behind the Editors' Choice.
Hiking Comfort
On the other end of the scoring spectrum is comfort. This metric mostly describes a shoe's upper, toe, and fit, while the "support" metric described below was used to judge a shoe's sole and latter support.
We found the TX4 to be above average in comfort, though it lacks some of the cozy features of its competitors. The TX4 has a mesh inner and leather exterior. This material is less breathable than the mesh of some of its competitors and not quite as cozy once we start packing on the miles.
That said, the lacing system adds to the shoe's overall comfort score. The laces reach far down toward the toe, letting us customize the fit. We can tighten up the laces when we need to travel in technical, demanding terrain, or we can loosen them a bit for walking on established trails or bouncing around at the crag. The TX4 is stiffer than other products, but this adds to its overall support score, which we'll describe next.
Support
Some shoes seem comfortable when we first put them on but can't hold up to miles and miles of abuse. This metric is used to evaluate each product's ability to keep up with us when we head out in the backcountry time and time again.
The TX4 is one of the most supportive shoes that we tested for this review. The stiff sole is great for traveling on uneven terrain. Additionally, the heel is much wider than others, making for better stability and protection from sharp surfaces. While this shoe doesn't have quite as much arch support as some of its competitors, we found the blend of support and climbing ability to be impressive, since we generally find that a shoe can only excel in one of these two categories.
The leather upper is an excellent addition for traveling in alpine terrain. We found these shoes to be reasonably water-resistant, and the robust toe and heel do very well when kicking steps in snow or strapping on a crampon for glacier travel.
Weight and Packability
Weight is a pretty simple thing to test: we put each shoe on a scale and see how they measure up (pun intended). Our testing team found weight to be a vital part of an approach shoe's success because of our tendency to carry them with us. Whether you're clipping your shoes to your harness or stuffing them in a pack, every ounce counts when you're climbing technical terrain at your limit.
The TX4's was not one of the lightest shoes that we tested but was still better than average. At 21 ounces per pair, we found this to be on the upper end of things that we would consider clipping to our harness. Compared to its competitors that come in under twenty ounces per pair, the TX4 is a bit behind. However, compared to shoes with similar support scores, the weight-to-support ratio is one of the best.
Value
The TX4 is definitely on the more expensive side of the shoes that we tested for this review. We do feel that it is most likely worth that price, however, if you frequently travel in the backcountry and on a variety of types of terrain. After a month spent in Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, we were so happy to have a shoe that could keep up with us. If you mostly spend your time at easy-to-access crags or climbing multi-pitch routes that require a walk-off descent, you can likely get away with a less expensive shoe that will get the job done just as well.
Conclusion
La Sportiva has done it again. The TX4 is an incredibly well-rounded shoe that was quickly in the running for our Editors' Choice Award. It lost this recognition due to its heavier weight and less-than-stellar climbing ability, but for long missions in the mountains, it really cannot be beaten.
— Lauren DeLaunay