La Sportiva Womens Bushido II GTX Trail Running Shoes

These are my second pair of La Sportiva and they are my new favorite brand of shoes. I want them in every color and style. The quality is great. I have a small narrow foot, and they are perfect and so supportive. They run small, so I sized up by 1/2 and they fit perfectly. Traction is solid, so I won't be slipping on rocks or inclines. Please make walking shoes and sandals!

Took a little time to break them in, but they’re nice and light, super cute on, good traction on the bottom.. no complaints here! Was a little nervous about getting something white, but hasn’t been an issue so far! I wouldn’t say they’re waterproof, but I haven’t gotten wet feet in the rain either. Love these shoes for indoor workouts, outside biking/walking, or running errands around town. Definitely my go to for comfort and casual.

I typically wear a 7.5-8 (solidly an 8 in New balance) and an 8 was just a bit too small for me in these as I like a little more room at the top of my hiking shoes for my foot to swell, so I'm returning to get the 8.5. Other than the sizing qwerks, these are awesome trail runners - super flexible, they feel just like a regular running shoe but the GTX makes these great for hiking and travel, and the tread grip on the bottom is fantastic! I really feel the lateral support on the sides of the tread so would feel secure and unlikely to roll my feet while running or hiking on uneven ground. These lace up quite snug though, so if you have wide or high volume feet you may have to go even more than a size up, or these may just not be the right fit for you. Once I exchange for the larger size I'll try to come back and update.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: These are very cool looking. I ordered a 9 and a 9.5-10– a full size larger than my usual sneaker size in ASICS. The 9 fit OK, and I loved the look, but there’s no way I’m logging a lot of miles in these, as there is virtually no internal padding. I miss the old asics gel kahana gor-tex and these are not a suitable replacement for me. For comparison, I have a normal width foot but over pronate (flexible flat foot with a narrow heel). Without proper padding and arch support I get shin splits and/or plantar fasciitis. Sadly I returned these.

Are these great trail sneakers? Absolutely. Are there great all around sneakers? Absolutely not. Why? These shoes are all about traction, not bounce. Put another way, the focus of the design is stability and strength. In this shoe, you feel grip from the tread and rigidity from the mid-sole, which helps keep you on your feet over rough and slick terrain. Wearing these, you do not rocket off the ground the way you do with a standard running shoe, but in exchange you are significantly more surefooted, particularly on uneven terrain. The other big strength of these La Sportiva's is their literal strength. My dogs and I hit the trails every day the weather permits, so I quite literally run through sneakers at a rapid rate. These are getting the wear and tear, but are not showing it. Definitely constructed to take a beating. If you are a regular hiker or trail runner and you're wondering if these are worth the investment, based on my experience, I would say yes, definitely.

I received them without a box and dirty on the bottom. I was obviously sent a used pair.

This is my third pair of Bushido II and they fit smaller than the non-GTX style. I should’ve sized a half size up. It’s too late to return them, so it’s my fault for not being realistic and hoping they’d stretch and become more comfortable. They’re the excellent quality you’d expect from La Sportiva - just consider sizing up if you’re used to the regular Bushido II style.

These are my FAVORITE trail shoes of ALL TIME!! I buy them up whenever I can find the Bushido II. I use them as trail runners and also as mountaineering approach shoes. They are light weight and have the perfect amount grip in muddy/ice slushy early early Summer trails. I have a narrow heal and my foot sits perfectly in the pocket. They have a good size toe box. Never a blister! he GTX is a bonus. I donʻt find any issues with breathability in either the GTX or regular. One pair easily lasts a season of 200+ training miles. The only wear I ever notice is on the back support behind the heal caused by me being lazy and slipping them on instead of untying them. I hope La Sportiva never stops making these!