When it comes to hiking in the wet seasons, it is important to have a versatile waterproof option that does just as well on dry terrain as it does on wet. That is where the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX comes in. It is a bit of a crossover between a hiking boot and a trail runner. It is waterproof and has the great traction of a boot with the comfort of a trail runner. I was sent a pair and had a chance to review them. Here are my thoughts.
As a disclaimer I would like to mention that I was given theLa Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTXso that I could write this review.All opinions on this page are our own and based on our own experiences with this product. I am not compensated for the opinions on this review. Your experience with the product may be different. This site uses affiliate marketing links. If you click a buy now button or link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
From La Sportiva
Before I get into my thoughts about the TX Hike Mid GTX I like to show what La Sportiva is saying about their hiker. From their website they state that the TX is, “A premium and technical boot that combines the support of a hiking boot with the agility of a trail running shoe designed for off-road terrain or a long day of city sightseeing.”
Here is a bit more on the specs before the review.
INSOLE: Ortholite Hybrid with 5% recycled rubber + 15% production waste foam
MIDSOLE: Compression EVA with Co-Molded Stabilizing insert
SOLE: Vibram® Ecostep EVO with Impact Brake System™ / 5mm lugs
CUSHIONING: Midsole – 35A
DROP: 10mm
LAST: TX Hike
FIT: Wide
Features
Eco materials define the TX Hike Mid GTX with a recycled upper mesh, Bluesign® certified Gore-Tex® lining, recycled laces and nylon webbing, 15% recycled EVA midsole and a Vibram® Ecostep EVO outsole with 30% recycled content
Comfort fit last built off the TXS last with +15mm of metatarsal circumference and +10mm of forefoot height
The seamless upper with welded TPU overlays provides added durability while remaining lightweight
Lacing harness inspired from the Trango Tech GTX Mountaineering Boot
Lightweight and durable recycled AirMesh upper is inspired from the Mountain Running® line of shoes
All information from La Sportiva website and subject to change. Check the website for full details and options.
La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX.
What I liked about the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX
There is a lot to like about the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX. I was impressed with the waterproofing, the overall comfort – that felt more like a trail runner, and the traction that the boot provided. Here is a bit more of all the things I liked about the TX Hike Mid GTX.
Water Proofing
I tested the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX mostly in the winter and spring in Colorado which meant I was really putting the waterproofing to the test. I have to say that it passed with flying colors. The testing started in the mountain snows. Colorado mountain snows typically start as a dry powdery snow in the first part of winter and then turn into a slushy, wet and heavy snow on the back half of winter and spring. In all of these conditions, the TX Hike did a great job of repelling any moisture. Especially, more towards spring it is really important as the slushy snow will clump to boots and melt a bit with each step. My socks never got damp.
As the winter turns more to spring the conditions are a little different. There is more snow melt and creeks are running higher. Plus, the slushy snow is still around. This is the snow that melts during the sun of the day and refreezes at night so it becomes easy to post-hole through. In these cases, I still had no problems or leaking of the waterproof Goretex lining. Even when post-holing and completely covering the entire boot, nothing would penetrate. This is important as some boots have vulnerabilities near the top but not with the TX hike.
I didn’t get caught in any heavy rain storms but did deal with some light rain and some shallow stream crossings as the mountains began to thaw out in the spring. Again, the waterproofing held up to each test. I have only tested the boots for about three months so I haven’t been able to tell if there is any degradation in the waterproofing over time, however, there has been none in the most challenging waterproofing conditions that I deal with typically in Colorado.
La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX in Snow.
Fit and Comfort
On a long hike in the woods or up a mountain, comfort is really important. You can’t have a boot that pinches or causes any pain. I really like that the TX Hike Mid GTX comes in a wider fit, which fits my foot better. It is harder to find hiking footwear that fits a wider foot but this one does a really nice job. The wider width also doesn’t impact the performance of the shoe. There is still a really nice heel capture that holds my heel in place while hiking on inclines and declines which is super important on mountain hikes.
The insoles are an Ortholite hybrid, which is made with 5% recycled rubber and 15% production waste foam. The insoles are removable and washable and I found them really comfortable. The midsoles are made from compression EVA which helps with shock absorbing.
The boot really has the feel of a trail runner on the feet. La Sportiva mentioned that they made this as a hybrid between a hiking boot and trail runner and I think the comfort is where that really shines. I found the shoe to almost wrap around my foot and move with me as opposed to a large boot where the foot is just going along for a ride. The TX feels reactive and agile, even if I am not! Overall, it really feels more like a lightweight shoe and is really comfortable on the trails.
La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX.
Traction
I hike a lot in the mountains so traction is one of the most important things I look at with my hiking shoes and boots. There are a ton of different terrains that I deal with. From flat dirt paths to rocky, scree, and bouldering, I need a shoe that can hold on to the ground going uphill or down. The TX Hike Mid GTX boot does a really nice job when it comes to traction and giving me confidence on the trails.
La Sportiva uses what is called the Impact braking system to really help with traction. This involves a lug pattern with slanted and opposing angles that help to reduce impact and improve traction. I could really tell this on declines. When traveling downhill it is hard to keep all of your weight back and some shoes will slip. When I was hiking with declines with these boots I felt that they really dug into the dirt paths and helped to give me grip. That was super helpful in maintaining a good speed downhill and preventing me from falling. The grip was good on the uphill too but it is really noticeable on the declines.
I have also hiked with the TX Hike Mid GTX on a bunch of different surfaces. I hiked in the snow and it did well in the wetter slushy snow. Although, I did add micro-spikes to any snowy situation that got too icy or slick. No shoe can handle ice without a little help! I also took these boots on some boulders and they did a really good job of gripping the rocks, even on slight inclines and declines. I didn’t test them on scree as all of the scree fields were snow covered during my testing but I was really happy with all of the surfaces I tried them on.
Traction System of the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX.
Protection
One of the often overlooked aspects of hiking boots is how well they protect you on a hike. The TX Hike Mid GTX has several features that help to protect your feet and I thought they all worked really well.
To start, the mid cut works sort of like a small gaiter. It comes up high enough and closes tight enough to help keep some small debris away from your ankles. I still used gaiters when I was hiking in the snow to prevent snow from running down but on the trail I feel comfortable with just the shoes and long pants.
Second, the kick plate is a really nice and hard rubber. The tick plate also horseshoes around the sides to cover to the first lace. If you are like me and are a bit of a plodder when it comes to hiking, a strong kick plate is important. I can’t tell you how many rocks I have accidently stepped into where the kick plate saved me a very stubbed toe!
Finally, the outsole is a thick rubber with added protection at the toe and heel to prevent any trail debris from doing damage to the bottom of your feet while still keeping the excellent traction and grip I talked about earlier. I found the outsole thick enough that I rock didn’t penetrate to my foot but not so thick that I couldn’t feel the trail beneath. It was a really nice balance.
The Kick Plate on the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX to help protect the toes.
Recycled Materials
One of the things that I always appreciate and point out when reviewing an outdoor product is the product’s use of recycled materials. It makes me feel more comfortable to purchase a product that keeps in mind sustainability and recycled materials so I like to point it out.
La Sportiva does a really good job of incorporating recycled materials into their TX Hike Mid GTX boot. Starting with a recycled upper mesh, laces and nylon webbing. Continuing down to the 15% recycled EVA midsole and a Vibram® Ecostep EVO outsole with 30% recycled content. Plus, the TX Hike Mid GTX incorporates a Bluesign® certified Gore-Tex® lining.
It is great seeing a company working with so many recycled materials and using them in every aspect of the shoes that they make.
La Sportiva TX Hike Mid Gtx.
What I didn’t Like
There is a lot to like about the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX but they will take my blogger card away if I don’t find something that I don’t like. For me, the only thing that I didn’t really love was the lacing system that they use.
The lacing starting at the toes is through cloth rings and spaced at standard intervals. However, as you get to the top of the shoe, there is a string lace loop where the boot moves up the ankle before using a metal eyelet at the top of the boot for the last securing position. It is this string loop that has me concerned. I don’t know if it is all in my head or not but I feel like I can’t quite get the lace tight around the ankle. There haven’t been any issues or injuries for me from this and my foot and ankle feel supported but it is more of a confidence thing. I feel like I keep trying to tighten the laces, and even though they are tight and supportive, I just try to tighten them even more.
I’m sure as I get more used to using the TX, I will start to feel more comfortable with this but for the first half a dozen times I have tied them, I get a little nervous. Again, no pain or injury or even discomfort but more of a visual/mental barrier.
Video Review of the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX
Before my final thoughts here is a quick video review of the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GtX hiker. If you enjoy the review make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be the first to see my new content.
Wrap Up of the review of the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX
I really ended up liking the La Sportiva TX Hike Mid GTX boots. They came in really handy over the wet and snowy winter that we had this year. I felt totally confident hiking in the mountain snow in the TX. The waterproofing is amazing. I also just really liked the way they felt on my feet. It was almost like a built up trail runner. The traction is also really nice!
There really wasn’t anything that I didn’t like about these hikers other than a small lacing thing. Overall, I had a very good experience with them and think this would be a good shoe for mountain hiking especially in the spring, winter and fall. They would do fine in the summers as well because of their breathability but some might be more comfortable in lower cut in summers. A really nice, all-purpose waterproof shoe for hiking!
More from the Fatman
For a list of other products that I have reviewed you can check my Product Review page here. If you have any products you would like me to review or any comments you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!
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