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I’ve used these a couple of times on backpacking trips and a day hike in the Lake District during February & March and can verify the comfort claims straight out of the box.

La Sportiva explains that the extra volume in the front area of the boot is designed to deliver comfort and this is really apparent as soon as you put the boots on, furthermore, the rest of the boot seems to be well designed to support this, other footwear I’ve used with a larger volume toe box can compromise this by having a tight-fitting ankle area, but the  TX Hike seem to have this just about right.

The opening of the boot is generous so getting them on and off is easy.

I would categorise these as lightweight hiking boots rather than ultralight and for the extra weight, you get a relatively stiff toe box with a durable rubber rand and further rubber protection around the heel of the boot. You also get quite deep lugs on the Vibram sole which  La Sportiva claims enhances grip, in practice they seem pretty good in this respect and handled steep ascents and descents with confidence.

The Gore-Tex membrane has kept out quite a bit of water so far and I expect its performance will be in line with other Gore-Tex footwear although the amount of rubber in these will help give the membrane a longer life.

I’d be very happy to take these on a long trek, ideal for 3 season use, the only exception perhaps would be hot weather where I tend to prefer non Gore-Tex shoes for their breathability.

Mark Richardson
Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. Read more from Mark Richardson