How to Choose Hiking Boots

Whether the trail is the objective or just the first step to reach your climb, the women's waterproof La Sportiva TX4 EVO Mid GTX approach boots are built to navigate the technical terrain.
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Imported.
View the La Sportiva TX Product LineView all La Sportiva Women's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Climbing Hiking |
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Gender | Women'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 heel; bluesign-certified ePE GORE-TEX Extended Comfort |
Can Be Resoled | Yes |
Support | Medial and lateral STB Control System |
Footwear Height | Over-the-ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 11 oz. |
Waterproof | Yes |
Type of Waterproofing | ePE GORE-TEX Extended Comfort (bluesign-certified) |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria From a Climate Neutral Certified brand |
33 EU | 33.5 EU | 34 EU | 34.5 EU | 35 EU | 35.5 EU | 36 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 | |
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U.S. Women's | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 5.5+ | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 7.5+ | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.5+ | 10 | 10.5 | 11 |
EU | 33 | 33.5 | 34 | 34.5 | 35 | 35.5 | 36 | 36.5 | 37 | 37.5 | 38 | 38.5 | 39 | 39.5 | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 |
Mondo | 24 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 |
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’ve hiked 7 14ers in these in 2025 and I love them! Super grippy and made up difficult class 2’s, class 3 traverse from Blanca to Ellingwood and even up Little Bear. I’ve felt secure and sure footed on every climb and hike. I usually wear a 7.5 and I got the 7.5+ / EU 39 - not a single blister, but a little. Dealing in on Como Lake Rd. I really like the TX4 and wanted the additional ankle support for backpacking and long days. I have some ankle issues and these have helped a ton. They are my new go to hiking and climbing boot. I’m certain I’ll buy again when this pair is worn out.
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I have worn these for daily walks on a mix of soil and concrete, and easy to moderate hikes in the PNW. I have not had the opportunity to wear them in the rain, but I would feel confident doing so, and will wear them in the Fall/Winter. Pros: VERY sturdy & supportive up through the ankle. Comfortable even though they are snug. EXCELLENT for narrow feet. Really nice soles for grip and safety. Cons: As I mentioned, I have narrow feet, so these feel great to me. They hug my arches and feel incredibly safe for hiking and walking over rocks and uneven terrain. So while that is a PRO for me, if you have a wider foot, I think these would be too tight.
These boots look amazing, I really liked the exterior design and color combinations. The Gore-Tex is a nice bonus, I walked through water and didn't have any leaking in the shoe (my socks stayed dry). I wore these at work, I do a fair amount of walking, especially through muddy and wet conditions during our monsoon season (which we are currently in). The shoes kept my feet dry and wore well against the rocks and dirt, however my challenge with these are that they are too narrow as they transition from you metatarsals to your toes. My toes felt comfortable but where my joints connect with my foot, it was very restrictive. I had a lot of pain towards the end of my day and ended up taking the boots off. If you have a wider midfoot I would size up or consider a boot with a wider overall size. My mother and I wear the same size and she tried the shoe on and it fit great, however her midfoot is much more narrow then mine. I think if you have a narrower foot this boot could be a good option, especially if you prefer extra room in the toe box as it felt quite free. Overall the boots seem to wear well and the cushion of the midsole was supportive enough, I would have preferred a more ridged heal collar, but if you prefer something softer these should be comfortable. I will also add I really loved the lacing hooks on these boots, the design is very smart, I generally have issues with lacing hooks undoing throughout a hike or walk and I did not have that issue.
*I received this product for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review* These approach boots are phenomenal! I’ve exclusively hiked in trail runners the past few years and needed more ankle support for longer hikes and backpacking trips. These fit the bill perfectly and stood up to rain, rocks, class 3 + 4 climbing segments (big shout out to the “climbing zone” grippy section of the soles on the front of the shoe), and looooong back-to-back hiking days. I was pretty nervous about bringing them on my 5 day backpacking trip last week because I didn’t have much time to break them in ahead of time and I’m prone to blisters, but these boots performed better than any of my other hiking shoes (I have 10+ pairs that I rotate between) and kept my feet happy and dry the entire trip. These approach boots are lightweight (1 lb 11 oz) and I love the loops on the back for clipping the shoes to my pack for the drive to and from the trailhead. The Gore-Tex Vibram soles performed incredibly on damp, loose scree as we descended into a long gully on a class 3 14er and I felt as though I had the best grip out of everyone in my group thanks to my boots. The only potential downside of the La Sportiva approach boots is that they seem to be best for a narrow foot, which is perfect for me but might not be best for those with wider, flatter feet. The pop of pink on the boot is really fun and I’m looking forward to bringing these on all my future summer/fall adventures! Thanks REI and La Sportiva!
This boot has a few unique qualities that distinguish it from other boots I've owned: 1. it has a great cushions (pads) around the ankle that make it very comfortable on my bony ankles. 2. the sole has this smooth "climbing zone" area at the top of the top of the toe. This really helps when you have to dig your foot in to climb up some rocks. 3. It has loops on the back of each shoe to attach to your backpack. I love this for when I want to change to a sandal for a bit on a really long hike. In general I am very happy with this hiking boot. Its perfect for our long hikes up Oregon mountains where we have a mix of dirt, pebbles, and skree. Sizing was as expected - I normally wear an 8 and this 8 fit perfect. One note - the ortholite insert is fairly thin. I may replace with a thicker one with more arch support.
I have had a few hiking boots over the years with various levels of support and comfort, these are the perfect mix of support in the sole and ankle, cushion in the toe box, and comfort in movement/flexibility. The first time I put them on I was a bit apprehensive because they were feeling too tight, but once I started walking around, my feet adjusted to the shoes well and didn’t have any blisters or discomfort on my first few hikes. My only cons would be if you have a wider foot, they may actually be a bit tight. The tread does have some difficulty in mud where kicking or attempting to scrape mud off does almost nothing.
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I love the color combo (black and grey with pink accents) and lacing system. Looks great and super functional. The uppers are nice and sturdy, a little stiff at first, but wears in nicely. Great ankle support and toe protection. Excellent traction with durable Vibram sole.
These hiking shoes definitely make a statement with their black and purple coloring. They’re also lightweight and soft and they don’t feel clunky at all. They took the terrain pretty well while I was hiking in the Smokies. My biggest issue is that they’re not the greatest for people with flat wide feet like I am. Although the shoes purport to be for wide feet, they are not. They pinch painfully at the toes and ankles even with correct sizing. I would recommend them to you if you have narrow feet. If you have wider feet, you might want to look at a different type of shoe.
I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I was stoked to try this shoe and ready for something different outside of my typical boot brands. I'm often challenged by the short length of my foot, average 7, plus the width of my foot, hobbit size. Trying a US 7.5 I gave these a shot... I could barely get my foot in. The shaft is fairly narrow, tight. I changed out my wool socks for liner socks and got my foot in. I even pulled out the laces. Into the toe box, I could feel the sides at its greatest width, which would mean trouble on the trail. After a few walks around, I could feel the heel bumper/counter material (feeling like rigid plastic) rubbing against my foot and making it very uncomfortable. So, I stuck a wide mouth water bottle in them to try and stretch them out to no avail. The fit for me was not fantastic. The pluses for the boots are the intense black, durable feel, connected tongue, Vibram connections, and super cool lace decorations (the hot pink, purple loops). I like the shaped uppers to allow the bend that I would have in hiking. If you've a narrow heel and a medium foot width, you'll probably be alright. If you've a wider foot, probably not.
These are solid shoes for anyone doing any traversal along rocky surfaces. I was wildly impressed with how grippy the soles are and felt incredibly confident on various PNW rockery. The stiff toe is also a nice bonus! These boots are lightweight for their size... Definitely a huge plus. In terms of comfort, they definitely need a bit of breaking in. I felt some rub on the ankles but suspect it will improve with more wears. The insole is also not overly padded but easily slides out to be swapped with whatever you might like or need. Sizing feels consistent with my La Sportiva hiking boots as well as my typical street shoe. Minor shout out to the lace "loop" at the ankle... It is more effective than a standard loop and really helps lock the lack in. Also great heal tab to help get into the shoes. They are also dang cute. The charcoal with just a bit of pink is just the right amount of sassy. I didn't have any wetness test with them, but suspect they would perform well it at least half height water due to the tongue being sealed off to the ankle!