OutdoorGearLab

Once again, the classic La Sportiva Boulder X has proved its worth with the strong value it presents. This shoe is a workhorse of a hiker and is our go-to choice for longer treks into the mountains or any approach where technical scrambling is not required. We love how durably this model is built. The expected longevity of this utility approach shoe adds to its value. 
This shoe earned the highest marks for support and comfort, and its durable design is ready to be put to the test. Unfortunately, its hearty structure does impact its climbing ability, but the sticky rubber of the Boulder X is abundant enough for most approaches. For those who value a good deal and durability over technical climbing performance, this shoe is our recommendation.

The La Sportiva Boulder X delivers for yet another season, letting you play long and hard in the mountains for the least amount of cash. This affordable shoe climbs well, offers support for miles of hiking and scrambling, and features durable leather uppers that stay with you for the long haul. The shoe's lacing system is similar to the La Sportiva Mythos climbing shoe, extending around the ankle collar to help ensure secure footing for miles of hiking or pitch after pitch of jugging. 
This shoe is heavy and bulky, so it's far from our first choice for clipping to a harness for light and fast missions. Beyond that caveat, the Boulder X has wide appeal at a lower price point, and we're big fans.

Once again, the classic La Sportiva Boulder X has proved its worth with the strong value it presents. This shoe is a workhorse of a hiker and is our go-to choice for longer treks into the mountains or any approach where technical scrambling is not required. We love how durably this model is built. The expected longevity of this utility approach shoe adds to its value. 
This shoe earned the highest marks for support and comfort, and its durable design is ready to be put to the test. Unfortunately, its hearty structure does impact its climbing ability, but the sticky rubber of the Boulder X is abundant enough for most approaches. For those who value a good deal and durability over technical climbing performance, this shoe is our recommendation.
Read more: La Sportiva Boulder X - Women's review

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La Sportiva Women's Boulder X | Blister

Footwear | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

Consumer Reports

The La Sportiva TX Guide distinguishes itself from the rest of Sportiva's TX line with its stiffer midsole and trail running shoe last. It also has a narrower toe box than its cousins. The result is a shoe that climbs incredibly well &#40;for an approach shoe&#41; without sacrificing hiking comfort or support for heavier, climbing guide-sized loads. A precise toe box is the first thing we noticed when scrambling in the TX Guide. Its shape gently places the big toe in the power position, so the shoe feels more balanced and sensitive, without being radically asymmetrical and uncomfortable like a climbing shoe. The super-stiff midsole makes edging feel more secure and standing in aiders more comfortable. These shoes are equally adept at big wall climbing as they are for long ridge scrambles. 
The narrow toe box that makes these shoes excellent for climbing will cause many wider-footed climbers to look elsewhere, especially if long approaches &#40;4 hours with a heavy pack&#41; are more of a priority than pushing technical grades in their approachies. We tested the synthetic version, and unlike the leather TX4, there is little room for stretching or expansion when your feet swell on a long hike. Though they're somewhat pricey for an approach shoe, we think the working guide will appreciate these kicks every time they can avoid changing into climbing shoes — and for those who have narrower feet, these shoes will be perfect for just about everything thanks to their trail running shoe last.

Switchback Travel

If you’ve been around climbing for long enough, chances are you remember the La Sportiva Ganda. A favorite of experienced climbers and guides, the streamlined Ganda was the shoe to wear while climbing 5th-class rock. Now, after a multi-year hiatus, the TX Guide brings a high-tech approach shoe back into Sportiva’s lineup, and we like it a lot. Compared to the TX4 above, the Guide is lighter, leaner and more sensitive, and stickier too—in other words, it’s a far better option for technical climbing and scrambling. Remarkably, it’s also soft and flexible (touted as having the cushioning of a mountain runner), which is great for comfort and speed on the trail.

It’s important to note that the TX Guide is built on a different last than other models in the TX lineup, which is considerably narrower in the toe box. Further, you do give up some durability with the mesh upper (Sportiva also makes a slightly heavier leather version), and the Guide’s sticky sole won’t hold up quite as well as stiffer rubber compounds. But these tradeoffs make it wildly impressive on technical rock: our tester forgot to pack her climbing shoes for a six-pitch 5.10+ in Washington State’s alpine, and the Guide proved to be a surprisingly capable substitute. Not everyone needs such a high-performance shoe (or will want to pay for it either), but if you’re inclined to long days of mountain scrambling with some technical climbing and fast hiking mixed in, the TX Guide can’t be beat. See the Men's La Sportiva TX Guide  See the Women's La Sportiva TX Guide

Our favorite approach shoe is the La Sportiva TX Guide. This shoe can do it all, from climbing moderate rock pitches to hiking through rugged terrain and aid climbing on big walls. It is supportive, lightweight, and precise, excelling in every movement test we threw at it. The sole is perfectly designed for smearing and edging, and the foot locks into place thanks to a narrow lace pattern. These shoes are nimble climbing machines, and they walk and hike pretty well too. 
One major downside is construction quality. We noticed alarming construction defects early in our test period, and confirmed these fears with other users. However, we still think these shoes are worth the DIY shoe care that might be required, because of their jaw-dropping climbing performance that can eliminate the need to bring climbing shoes on many objectives. Also, the shoe is narrow, and wide-footed users report discomfort in the toe box. The Salewa Wildfire 2 is a good choice for an all-around approach shoe for those with wide feet. 
Read more: La Sportiva TX Guide review

Upgrade Pick

Review: La Sportiva TX Guide - Black Sheep Adventure Sports

Switchback Travel | La Sportiva TX4 Review

REVIEW: La Sportiva TX Guide shoes

Budget Pick

Gear Review- LaSportiva Boulder X Approach Shoes (and Giveaway!)

The La Sportiva TX4 is a fantastic choice for big wall climbing or when you need to carry big loads. The leather uppers are up to the task of scraping up thousands of feet of granite, while the stiff and supportive midsoles can take you to your dream wall, whether it be roadside or deep in the backcountry. These shoes are comfortable for hiking and standing all day, and they climb well enough for low-5th class terrain and alpine scrambling. 
They aren't the best climbing shoes on the market, and their heavy weight makes them a poor choice for carrying up and over multi-pitch routes where weight is a concern. That said, the TX4 is the shoe we want to be wearing while schlepping heavy loads to the base of El Cap, standing in aiders, performing occasional free climbing moves, and carrying the whole kit back down to the meadow. Are long approaches to remote backcountry objectives in your future? The TX4 has the support and comfort to take you there, heavy pack and all.
Read more: La Sportiva TX4 review

Our testers feel agile, light, and secure in this shoe, and it quickly won our hearts as our favorite model of the test fleet. We have almost no complaints and while other models may provide more support or have more durability, no other shoe that we tested has the consistency of high scores across the board as the TX2. 

The La Sportiva Miura VS is a classic shoe that is ubiquitous in most climbing areas around the world. Some women climb long backcountry big walls in the Miura VS, while others swear by them for steep sport lines. With its range of applications, high scores across the board, and loyal following, the Miura VS is an obvious choice for overall favorite. 
These shoes are some of the most sensitive edging machines we've tested. Their slight downturn makes them great for steep climbing, but they have a stiff enough midsole to beat some of the top performers on vertical terrain as well. Their three Velcro straps allow for easy adjustments, and they fit a wide range of foot shapes. Size them with a bit of extra room, and they can be great for all-day comfort on hard free routes. Size them tighter, and they're the perfect shoe for your steep sport project. All-around performance is the name of the game here.

The La Sportiva Tarantulace is our top recommendation for new climbers who are ready to commit to buying their own pair of shoes. The Tarantulace is first and foremost comfortable - their soft leather uppers will stretch with wear. The shoes are not aggressively shaped like our value recommendation, so they work great for all-day multi-pitch climbs or long gym sessions. They do have a slight downturn which helps them excel as an edging shoe. We found them to work best on vertical terrain with decently sized footholds. 
Once the angle gets steeper, or the holds become more like smears, the Tarantualces start to become a bit more challenging to trust. The rubber compound is not the stickiest we've tested, and the stiffness of the sole makes them a bit hard to smear with, especially on footless granite slabs. This aside, the Tarantulaces are still great shoes for most introductory climbing. 

Much like their close relative, the Solution, the brand new La Sportiva Solution Comp is most at home on steep sport climbs and boulders. The Solution Comp is a lot like the Solution in terms of design and performance, only better, making this slick slipper a great choice for sport climbing and bouldering. The updated toe box is a bit wider and has more rubber on top for toe hooking and scumming. This design also provides more room for the toes, making the Comp very comfortable. Additionally, the Solution Comp's heel cup is lower profile and more sensitive than the original Solution. Like a well-fitting glove, the Solution Comp suctions onto your foot to turn it into a high-performance, precise talon &mdash; ideal for toeing in on steep terrain. These slipper-like shoes combine comfort and performance so well that only the original Solution and the La Sportiva Futura came close in comparison. We wore these shoes on everything from granite slabs to steep sport climbs to highball boulder problems. 
For some, the slipper-like fit and soft midsole may be too much. The shape is an acquired taste and can cause some discomfort at first. These shoes are designed for high-performance rock climbing, and the lack of versatility can be a bit limiting. Keep that in mind when considering the Solution Comp. 

The incredibly comfortable La Sportiva Skwama is one of our favorite shoes and our go-to for most of our projects, from steep, overhanging pocketed lines to technical, crimpy faces. The Skwama is confidence-inspiring on the smallest smears and the greasiest limestone footholds. We've climbed in these shoes on technical sandstone boulders in Fontainbleau and on steep tufa lines in Southern France. We also wear the Skwama bouldering in the Buttermilks and in Yosemite. It's an incredibly versatile shoe, and we almost always throw the Skwama in our bag, no matter where we're headed. 
The Skwama is a great all-around shoe with few performance weaknesses. However, take note that the material stretches out quickly, which is a bit disappointing for such a pricey shoe. Still, we love this shoe and are thrilled to have the Skwama accompany us on all our climbing adventures.

Our favorite approach shoe is the La Sportiva TX2. It's very similar to the burlier TX4, but through our test period, we discovered that this shoe is much more than just a lighter version of the TX4. These shoes weigh a mere 20 ounces per pair, plus they have a unique elastic cord system to secure the shoes together into a compact package when clipped to a climbing harness. The breathable knit uppers kept our feet cool on long hikes, and the precise lacing system allows us to crank down the laces to the end of the toe for a snug and secure fit when the going gets technical. The toe has a low profile, and we could even use them in red camalot-sized cracks. 
These shoes aren't as supportive as the TX4s, so you'll want a more supportive model for multi-day expedition-sized trips. Our testers also observed the elastic band that holds the shoes together while clipped to your harness coming undone while climbing a chimney feature and lost a shoe. Lesson? Clip both shoes individually to your harness when climbing chimneys and offwidths so that you don't lose the most well-rounded approach shoes on the market.

Our testers feel agile, light, and secure in this shoe, and it quickly won our hearts as our favorite model of the test fleet. We have almost no complaints and while other models may provide more support or have more durability, no other shoe that we tested has the consistency of high scores across the board as the TX2. 
Read more: La Sportiva TX2 - Women's review

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REVIEW: La Sportiva TX2 Approach Shoe

The La Sportiva TX2 Evo is a fantastic upgrade to one of the lightest approach shoes on the market. This shoe climbs like a dream, thanks to its thin and sensitive sole, precise toe box fit, and rubber toe cap. These shoes are one step away from being declared full-blown climbing shoes. They are one of the lightest models on the market, and have a thoughtful elastic cord on each heel that can wrap around the nestled pair to create a tight package for hanging on the harness or stuffing into a pack for carrying up a multi-pitch route. If you climb in a venue where short approaches lead to long and difficult routes with tricky walk-off descents, these shoes are unbeatable.
Of course, many features were eliminated to produce such a lightweight shoe. The midsole contains very little padding, so long hikes aren't very comfortable in th TX2 Evo. The upper is a light knit fabric that doesn't provide much support, and this material is also susceptible to wear and tear. If you need a shoe for rugged approaches and lots of standing in aiders, these shoes aren't the right choice. But if you want to move light and fast, and need a shoe that can accompany you up big routes without weighing you down, these shoes are perfect. 
Read more: La Sportiva TX2 Evo review

Approach Shoe Comparison