La Sportiva TX Hike GTX Review

The La Sportiva TX Hike is a wide-fitting hiking shoe capable of various tasks, from walking around the local park to hitting the trail and spending a couple of weeks on an extended backpacking trip.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

We tested the TX Hike GTX on an overnight climb of Mount Humphrey in the Sierra Nevada range. Requiring an 8-mile approach over rocky trails and open cross-country talus fields, we hoped that these shoes would be up to the task. The fit is on the wide side, which is a bit strange given that the rest of the TX line is so narrow, so it is hard to get a fit that doesn't feel a bit sloppy with the heavy laces. On the one hand, the stiff sole keeps you from feeling all the sharp rocks underfoot while hiking. But with very little cushioning, without a padded aftermarket insole, we felt as if we had spent the whole day wearing stiff mountain boots — not as comfortable as we'd hoped for an all-day hiking shoe.

Support

The support offered by the TX Hike is pretty good. You get an EVA midsole, built with stability in mind, and a +15mm drop. The forefoot is only 4.25 inches wide, allowing it to be used more effectively while edging or kicking steps in firm and/or loose terrain. One of the main issues we had while testing this shoe was filling it out. With a wider, comfortable fit, we found it to be sloppy and had a hard time getting the laces tight enough to make up for it. So for those with low and medium-volume feet, you might expect a loss of support and stability — those who have wider feet will have a much more secure fit.

Traction

Traction is always a metric where La Sportiva does really well, and the TX Hike GTX is no exception. The Vibram EcoStep rubber compound is not as sticky as other rubber they have used in similar shoes, but it does a good job in loose, muddy, and rocky terrain. The deep lugs chew up this terrain and do not suffer from getting clogged. In places requiring more smearing and traction on smooth rock surfaces, they do adequately well, though they are not as capable as some models with softer rubber outsoles.

Water Resistance

While testing these shoes initially, we were caught by a long thunderstorm that left us walking out along a trail that had turned into a torrent. Despite these challenging conditions, they performed admirably well for a low-top hiking shoe. The Gore-Tex membrane worked well until they were inundated by stepping through too many deep puddles.

Weight

We checked the weight of the TX Hike GTX on our digital home scale and verified them at 1.87 pounds for a pair of size 11 US. For how solid the sole is and how tough and rugged the upper mesh material feels, we were surprised to see them come in under two pounds.

Durability

Even though the upper of the TK Hike is made almost exclusively out of mesh (the remainder is a no-sew upper that is similar to molded rubber), this shoe is quite capable of resisting the trials of off-trail travel. We had no issues (and showed no real signs of use) even after abusing these shoes over a long weekend, kicking steps up loose and unstable scree — which is much more than we could say for much of the competition.

Should You Buy the La Sportiva TX Hike GTX?

There are attributes of the TX Hike that we really like, and we feel that it provides good value for the price. However, there are more comfortable shoes that do the same task for as much or less money.

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

There are other good options, like the Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite GTX, for those with medium to low-volume feet who also want a beefy mountain shoe capable of peak scrambling. Those who just want a comfortable shoe with great durability could look at the Hoka Anacapa Low GTX, a shoe with way more cushioning for pounding out those miles.