La Sportiva TX2 Review

The La Sportiva TX2 knocks it outta the park in all our metrics, really raising the bar for what we expect from an approach shoe. While the Five Ten Guide Tennie, La Sportiva Boulder X, and the La Sportiva TX4 are made from more durable leather and better for wall climbing, we know that the majority of climbers are using their approach shoes to access and descend, and the TX2s are more than up to the task, and are much lighter and more breathable than the aforementioned shoes. They aren't quite as light as the Evolv Cruzer Psyche, but they are significantly more comfortable and supportive, and only 3 ounces heavier. These shoes climb better than almost every other shoe in our review, and only the Guide Tennie can handle technical terrain as well as the TX2.

This sports car of an approach shoe is light, fast, with excellent handling. There are even a few color options.

Performance Comparison

The shoes climbing almost as well as the Guide Tennie and are much lighter.

Climbing Ability

These shoes have a snugger fit than the TX4s, and the tongue is sewn to the inside of the shoe all the way up the medial side of the foot. When we crank down the laces, we get a tight, stable fit that feels very similar to a climbing shoe.

Edging

The laces on the TX2 go all the way down the toe so you can get a tight fit when it's time for some technical edging. In a men's size 9.5, our lead tester's usual street shoe size, his toe sits perfectly at the end of the shoe for edging, but the shoe isn't so tight that it makes hiking uncomfortable. Maybe the leather uppers on the TX4 stretches more than the Synthetic TX2, whatever the case, TX2 edges better than the TX4, and almost as well as our top pick for climbing, the Five Ten Guide Tennie.

Smearing

The Vibram Megagrip sole is plenty sticky, and our testers had a lot of fun pushing the limits of what they could climb in an approach shoe, smearing and stemming up granite climbs, some even in the 5.10 range. These shoes have a similar tread pattern to the TX4s and feature a smooth lugless area at the end of the toe for maximizing rubber to rock contact. When wearing TX2s to the crag, all warm-ups got done in the TX2s.

The smooth "climbing zone" on the toe of this shoe is great for smearing.

Crack Climbing

The low-profile toe can weasel easily into cracks down to tight red Camalots, or about 2 inches. Since these shoes can get so snug with the laces cranked down, we felt super secure in hand cracks; our feet didn't roll around inside the shoe like it does in the Evolv Zender. If you find yourself climbing lots of cracks in your approach shoes, you may want to choose a tougher leather shoe. Fortunately, this shoe is also available in a leather version.

The laces on these shoes go far down the toe, so you crank them really tight, ensuring a snug fit for crack climbing.

Hiking Comfort

The TX2s have all the comfort of their big brother's but have a very breathable knitted up that don't stretch, keep your feet cooler, and keep the foot stank down. The ankle is lined with a soft, almost fleece like material. This not only feels great, but it also creates a dirt-proof seal around our ankles, keeping the dirt and fine sand found on many High Sierra descents out of the shoe. These shoes also fit well in "lazy mode" around camp; even with the laces completely loose, the shoe stayed on remarkably well.

Support

This shoe offers an incredible amount of support, especially considering its light weight. Without a heavy pack, they kept our testers' feet fresh for miles. Carry around 40lbs we didn't notice a difference between these shoes and the TX4s. The TX4s are more supportive, but unless you're carrying massive haul bags deep into the Paine, the TX2s have plenty of support for most climbers.

The tongue is sewn into the shoe all the way down the medial side. This makes them a little more involved to get on and off but makes for a great fit for climbing.

Weight & Packability

These shoes are a super light 20oz, one of the lightest shoes in our review. They feature what Sportiva calls the "C2 Combo Cord System". The Combo Cord is an elastic cord that wraps around the heel of both shoes, held in place by a little groove. Put the shoes together upper to upper, heel to toe, and you can secure the shoes together in a tight package. Gimmicky? Maybe, but if you like to climb multi-pitch routes without a cumbersome backpack, you'll be climbing with shoes hanging from your harness for the descent. The cord system keeps the shoes in a compact configuration, and they balance well with a water bottle hanging for the other side of the harness. And if you don't mind climbing with a pack on, these low profile shoes take up a minimal amount of space in a pack, slightly less than a Nalgene bottle.

The "Combo Cord System" uses elastic cords that stow behind the heel to secure the shoes together in a neat package for clipping to your harness.

Best Applications

These shoes dominate long approaches, scrambling, and easy technical climbing. The knit weave isn't as water resistant as leather (Sportiva does make a TX2 in leather), but it dries faster; it's not the best choice if post holing is on the agenda, but no approach shoe is built for that. A leather shoe like the TX4 is going to last longer if you're climbing multiple walls in a season, but one trip up the Captain shouldn't destroy these shoes. Since these shoes are lower profile than the bulkier TX4, they don't seem out of place around town, plus they are available in six colors, plus another two in the leather versions.

The tread pattern works well for dirt, mud and talus, and is very similar to the tread pattern on the TX4.

Value

A pair of these shoes will set you back $130. That's a little less than the TX4 and around $20 more than our burly Best Buy Award Winner, the La Sportiva Boulder X. The lightweight options from Evolv are under $100, but we feel that the TX2s are much more durable and comfortable, and the extra dollars are absolutely worth it.

The TX2 (left) and its heavyweight cousin, the TX4

Conclusion

A good approach shoe can turn a long slog to the cliff into an enjoyable walk in the woods. Our lead tester guided for an entire summer in a blown out pair of guide tennies, shouldering heavy packs and putting lots of miles over four months, leaving him hobbling for most of the fall. Don't fool around with your feet! Even these lightweight shoes have plenty of support, so even the most weight-conscious climbers have no excuse not to treat their feet nice. Calls us short-sighted, but right now we can't imagine a better approach shoe than the TX2, and we're happy to Award it the Editors' Choice.