How to Choose Hiking Boots

Tackle technical approaches and easy climbing routes in the men's La Sportiva TX4 EVO approach shoes. They're equipped with a suite of innovations to deliver grip, stability, support and comfort.
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Imported.
View the La Sportiva TX Product LineView all La Sportiva Men's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Rock Climbing Hiking |
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Gender | Men's |
Upper | Nubuck leather; cushioned tongue with recycled fabric; recycled rubber rand/toe cap; Mythos Lacing System with recycled laces/hooks |
Midsole | Fabric forefoot wrap; Traverse Injection MEMlex with co-molded TPU shank and 7% recycled EVA; ESS Resole platform |
Outsole | Vibram Megagrip rubber with Impact Brake System, Climbing Zone Platform and 3 mm lugs |
Lining | Recycled air mesh |
Can Be Resoled | Yes |
Support | Medial and lateral STB Control System |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 12 oz. |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria From a Climate Neutral Certified brand |
34 EU | 35.5 EU | 36.5 EU | 37 EU | 37.5 EU | 38 EU | 38.5 EU | 39 EU | 39.5 EU | 40 EU | 40.5 EU | 41 EU | 41.5 EU | 42 EU | 42.5 EU | 43 EU | 43.5 EU | 44 EU | 44.5 EU | 45 EU | 45.5 EU | 46 EU | 46.5 EU | 47 EU | 47.5 EU | 48 EU | 48.5 EU | 49 EU | 49.5 EU | 50 EU | |
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U.S. Men's | 2.5+ | 4 | 4.5+ | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 6.5+ | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5+ | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 10.5+ | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 12.5+ | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 14.5 | 15 | 15.5 | 16 |
U.S. Women's | 3.5 | 5 | 5.5+ | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 7.5+ | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.5+ | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 11.5+ | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 | 13.5+ | 14 | 14.5 | 15 | 15.5 | 16 | 16.5 | |
EU | 34 | 35.5 | 36.5 | 37 | 37.5 | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 39.5 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 45.5 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 47.5 | 48 | 48.5 | 49 | 49.5 | 50 |
Mondo | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 | 28.5 | 29 | 29.5 | 30 | 30.5 | 31 |
For boots: Add one half size to your street shoe size. You should be able to slip one finger behind your heel when you are standing up with the boot unlaced and your toes touching the front. If the boot is too short, your toes will get smashed walking downhill. Too long and your heel will slide up and down and give you blisters.
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I have always been partial to approach shoes for the outdoors, and daily life. La Sportiva hit it out of the park with this one. It’s both capable and stylish. The shoe is well built with leather uppers and the bottom half is rubber clad with the toe box receiving double protection and a sturdy heel loop makes them a cinch to get on. The shoe is surprisingly light for how sturdy it feels and it’s well styled for daily wear. The high instep arch took a wear or two to get used to but I now find it comfortable. I could use a little more length in the laces but it really hasn’t posed a problem yet. As other La Sportivas I have owned in the past they run a little small and I am wearing about half a size up from my typical shoe.
I gotta admit, I was a little nervous when I got these... In theory, approach shows always sound so cool! But then when I wear them, they're more like skinny jeans - sure, maybe they look good, but why are they so dang uncomfortable?! These started off pretty similarly... They look sharp, but they are stiff to start out with! Plus, the tongue is a little weird, it's attached all along one side (only). They felt clompy in the beginning, but as I wore them more I started to like them more and more! First off, I'm normally an 8.5 but am definitely glad I got a size 9. Any smaller would've been way too tight and uncomfortable, but, for me at least, that's pretty common with my La Sportivas. There's very little flex to the soul, which is probably what makes them feel so clompy. To a certain degree, wearing them is like wearing low (no) rise mountaineering boots. You know, how like walking in them is like walking in ski boots. But as I wore them more I realized they had just enough flex. But the wrap around rubber along the base, extra rubber on the toes, vibram soles and the "climbing zone" just under the toes, makes them perfect for scrambling around or over other rocky terrain. In fact, when compared to my other go-to hiking/scrambling boots (some La Sportivas Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX) these weigh in just a bit lighter but with quite a bit more scrambling prowess (1.92 lbs. for the Raptors vs. 1.74 for these). And they're quite a bit lighter than my sturdier boots (Tecnica Forge GTX) which weigh in at 2.6.lbs. Granted, the others are mid to high rise and waterproof, but still. Light is light, and these don't sacrifice for eating up rockier terrain. Although the padding/cushion in the sole isn't super noticeable, you don't feel the rocks and uneven terrain into your foot bed. The only area where the fit wasn't awesome was the heal. Because, I assume, the sole doesn't flex very much, on steeper terrain where you're gripping with mostly your toes, I could feel it digging into my heal a little bit. Overall, great low rise hiking/scrambling shoes really well-suited for rockier terrain!
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. The La Sportiva TX4 Evo is a great hiking shoe for non technical hikes. I am more of a casual hiker, and these shoes work fine. The grippy sole is better than any hiking shoes I have worn in the past. It’s a great looking shoe, with a fit that cradles your foot with obvious support. I wanted to love the shoes, but they run small in length and the toe box isn’t roomy enough for long hikes.
I had a pair of overly tight LL Bean approach shoes for years prior that I loved but couldn't wear for more than a 3-4 hours. I made sure these fit better before buying. I purchased these for hiking, adventures in and around NH and Maine and for something else to wear that wasn't ankle high. as comfy and supportive as they were in the store I found the toe box was a little tight the first couple of brief wearings around town. experience has taught me that I just needed to wear them longer and bingo they fit perfectly. after wearing for a full day at work (construction) and breaking them in I can't stop wearing them at and after work. just for reference I am very hard on footwear and destroy shoes/boots on a regular basis. I can usually tell within a couple of weeks of wearing how long something is going to last. I have worn these for two weeks solid on job sites (a lot of kneeling down, ladder work, wet docks, uneven walking surfaces etc) with a daily water taxi commute and I am impressed enough with the support, grip and stability that I am buying a second pair to not wear at work and use for it's intended purpose.
TX4 Evo - I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. OK, these were sent to me in February so I can give a review for limited use. It’s been a very wet February in Colorado. I’ve been able to wear these to get a feel. Like all Las Sportiva’s They have a very Narrow fit. If you have a wide foot, the shoe is definitely not for you. The best thing about LA Sportiva is the amazing grip. This is my third pair. Different model, however. But the grip is Top-notch. It’s a very stiff shoe. It does seem to press down near the big toe on both shoes. However, the toe is stiff and allows a little bit better grip for wet rocks. It feels like a very well built solid shoe. I also like the cord on the Heel of the shoe. It helps get the shoe easier. Other shoes this area seems to press down and two the Hilo the shoe which can become uncomfortable this eliminates that. After wearing these for an extended period time my feet were achy the following day. It does compress quite a bit. This summer will be the true test.
I have worn these shoes every day for three weeks now since I received them. They are amazingly comfortable and my new favorite shoe. I have used them hiking in mud and on wet limestone, walking around town on concrete, and even some light bouldering at the gym before I put my climbing shoes on. They have excelled at each task. The traction of the vibram lugs is great in mud, but is also sticky enough to give traction on wet rock and concrete unlike how some other harder lugs can be slick in those scenarios. The climbing zone on the front toe provides a good smear for larger foot holds and slab. Like all SPORTIVA I have owned, these run narrow. I am usually a 10.5 but an 11 in this shoe is almost too small. I was able to loosen the laces and make them comfortable, however the laces are almost too short now. I don’t mind, I do not want long laces flopping around with this kind of shoe but just a callout. These shoes also have aggressive arch support vs my other hiking shoes. Again not bad but did stand out. Overall these are a 5 and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a good approach, hiking, or every day shoe.
I used these shoes for doing some hiking and light bouldering over the last month and found them to be great for both. The fit is tight in the toe box so extended hiking was probably not in the cards but scrambling and easy bouldering was a lot of fun. The tread means that edging and other toe specific climbing is easier, I didn't switch to climbing shoes until things got more technical.I also was able to feel secure in spotting others while bouldering. They held up well in both the desert in Southern California and the wet of the Pacific Northwest. The lacing system is top notch as well.
Didn't use these as traditional approach shoes, but tried them as hiking shoes while carrying my daughter in a hiking pack. They were very supportive of the added weight and outsole had loads of grip. The lugs cleared out well and gripped everywhere well. The weight was manageable for me but I have worn lighter shoes. I have narrow feet and these run true to size, but I do think I would be happier with a wide size. Overall: supportive, grippy, comfortable, but a tad narrow.
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I geared up for a couple of approach hikes and scrambles with my gear and set out to test the TX4 Evo. Performance: For short approaches with technical scrambling and a need for traction, these are great! Fit: Accurate sizing, slightly narrow but the leather upper has not broken in yet. I ordered true to size. My standard size is 9.5 US \ 42.5 EU Design: Excellent styling. Laces are perfect size. Lightweight yet durable. Function: Grippy! Nice blend of traction, firmness and comfort. Performed well scrambling. Comfort: For long approaches and a heavy pack, I do prefer my trail runners however these are comfortable to scramble in and were enjoyable on short approaches. I will put them to work on some easy climbs\scrambles\via ferrata this season to judge long term durability. I recommend these and plan on purchasing a pair for my wife\climbing partner.
I have a set of the TX3s and I assumed these would fit the same, but the toe box on the TX4 EVO is much smaller so I would have to size up. The size of the shoe is exactly the same on the outside, it's just the toe box is smaller, so I'd have to add extra mass to the shoe just to fit my feet into it, which would probably affect edging on class 3 and 4 terrain. The outsole is a lot stronger which I like, but I don't want to add extra mass to my shoes just to fit my foot into them. Otherwise they'd get 5 stars from me.