La Sportiva  Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

I was hiking a section of the AT in a pair of Hoka Speedgoats when I rolled my ankle. The swelling was incredibly painful and the shoes offered very little support, so I decided it was time to upgrade to something heavier. The man at the REI nearest me suggested these and explained that the support up over the ankle will help, but that the really important part of the shoe is not the height so much as the sturdiness of the sole of the shoe. He showed how easily my shoes twisted in his hands and how these didn't. He took measurements of my feet and suggested that I go for a pair of men's boots instead of women's, because I have particularly wide feet for a lady. After that explanation and demonstration, I tried a these on and it was love at first step. I have not worn any other shoes in months now. I literally wore these to a wedding. They are perfect in every way.

I needed a comfortable, durable boot that provided good traction for my Mt. Whitney hike. These boots formed really well to my foot. They were comfortable and provided a lot of support. I hiked over ice, mud, dirt, steep slopes and and even in water and over slippery rocks and they maintained grip and traction. They also worked well with my crampons. I successfully made the summit of Mt. Whitney. These boots worked amazing and of course I would highly recommend them for your next big mountain hike.

It's not the first time I've bought La Sportiva, but this time the look of the shoe is very disappointing.... and that's putting it mildly. I feel like I bought some c r a p for $10 ... The impression is that these shoes were made somewhere in a garage... and by a person who used to work at a tyre fitting...

The boots are very comfortable once you find the right size. I wear a 9 1/2 regular width shoe but I had to go up to a 10 1/2 wide in these boots which I’ve never had to do before but the fit is perfect with plenty of room but not too much for my toes and the width is snug but comfortable. They’re very comfortable around the ankle with a good lacing system for fitting correctly. There is great support and cushioning in this waterproof lightweight hiker. I’m using these for day hikes and not doing a lot of serious packing in them but I wanted a boot that works for a little scrambling on the rocks as well as hikes in the woods.

I have put about 250 miles on these boots over the last year now and I am so glad I bought these over trail runners. Yes, they are heavier and hot in the summer but I have put these boots through the ringer and they have stood the test of time. I often find myself on the proverbial trial less traveled which means brush, blowdowns, scree slopes, and sometimes terrain that has no resemblance of a trail. The padding on the upper has saved me from busting up my ankles countless times and the reinforced sides have protect my feet from sharp sticks, some of which took a few gouges out of the foam midsole. They have kept my feet warm and dry in 20 degree snow conditions yet allow wet feet to dry out due to thier breathability. They are stiff enough to rock some micro spikes like a pro but don't feel the least bit clunky like a traditional boot. If you plan on hiking the pct or other hard pack trails that get hundreds of hikers in a weekend then trail runners will work fine but google Bitterroots or Selkirks and you will see why these boots are worth the weight when veering even slightly off the beaten path.

Bought these boots and wore them on 35mi backpacking trip in the Mahoosuc range in July. The synthetic fabric above the heel split apart after 3 days. On the plus side these boots are super lightweight and have the best grip on rocks I've ever experienced. I got through the Mahoosuc notch doing things I wouldn't dare try in other boots. These things have spider like grips. But after this trip I fear it's inevitable that they will just disintigrate over time. Also, I would say that I have very narrow feet and generally wear size 10 and have plenty of room for heavy socks etc. But with these boots size 10 my toes felt very crowded and I had pretty nasty blisters.

Returning this product! The fitting was perfect, but I must have used it for 4-5 day hikes, and the toe-cap is coming off.

I have a wide foot, size 9, so I ordered the 9.5 Wide boot. It was still snug so I thought I'd have to return these boots. I found the factory foot beds out and threw them away. I reinserted my foot. Now I had room in there. Then, I inserted some broken in Super Feet (blue). Ah Hah, now there's room in the boot. Then I got Darn Tough lightweight Hike/Trek socks (with cushion) Style 1952 Fatigue L. That nailed it. Perfect fit that grabs crumbled basalt trails and uphill graveled trails. I hope this helps someone else.

These fit me quite well, which is a big achievement. Right foot is 10 A/B and Left is 9.5+ B. The smaller foot requires 2 socks and added padding around the heel. I purchased the 44 Wide and had no heel slip with either foot. Usually I need an 11 (44.5). Best of more than 8 different boots I tried this year. Great toe room. However, they are going back. There is a significant seam on the inside of the ankle that rubs on the ankle bone. Even wearing 2 pairs of mid-weight wool socks! A few others have noted it as well, but it doesn't appear to be a factor for most. Given the great fit, I was tempted to keep and try to cover the seam with some type of cushioning. But, it's more work than I want. Still would recommend to others, with a caveat to watch out for this design err.

We all know by now that La Sportiva food wear runs narrow and short compared to our usual size so I won't go into that. These boots are light weight and very comfortable right out of the box. I would compare them to a very comfortable pair of high top trail runners with great ankle support. The one and only reason I am not giving them a 5 star rating is due to the flexible foot bed. They do not supply enough support for my 66 year old feet. I need something a little more firm. I wish I could wear them because they have a great price and I would probably buy another pair but, my feet say no thank you.