La Sportiva  Cyklon Cross GTX Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

Long trail runs have typically meant a running shoe full of sand, dirt, small rocks and pine needles. When I get home and take my shoes off, my feet are typically black with trail dirt and my shoe is full of half the forest. Not so with the Cyklon Cross GTX. My feet come out clean and the shoe has no trail debris! I’ve been using it as a summer shoe and I’m really happy with it. Fit is as advertised, and I have plenty of toe room. I do lots of steep downhill running, so the lacing system and boot structure have to perform well so I don’t mash my toes. The BOA system has worked great and is super fast to adjust. I was skeptical as I typically lace tighter near my toes and looser near where I tie the lace. The BOA lacing system has worked great. The shoe is grippy and light. I’ve been using the stock insole, but I will be trying out a standard green Superfeet insole. Hoping for even better fit and more protection from sharp rocks underfoot.

One of the most amazing shoes I've owned,. Super easy to get in and out of. Adjustable comfort by tightening or loosening with the turn of a knob. Lightweight and supportive and comfortable. Waterproof! Easy to clean the mud off and keep maintained,. Great traction.. A fabulous piece of engineering. 5 stars +

I took his shoes to an expedition in Pakistan and I was super please the way the perform and most importantly how comfortable they are. I ran, walk, climb snowy slopes even brought them to 18,000 feet. The zipper and BOA systems worked super well.

I have started running local trails around Anchorage this November in these shoes. They have been great for the snow covered terrain in terms of traction. I also like the easily adjustable boa system and the warmth proved by the integrated gaiter.

Sizing way off, too small. Returned first purchase which was US11.5 (my regular size) EU45; returned and got US12, EU45.5, still too small, trying next size up US12.5, EU46. Can't wait to use this shoe.

Fantastic snow running shoes. Very sturdy and don't slip one snow even going uphill. Super warm, even warmer than my boots. Super light. Surprisingly wide for a La Sportiva shoe.

Great purchase, I bought one last month and I'm loving it

10/10 fantastic shoe for running on trails to get to snow, and fantastic for when you get to the snow. I live in Seattle and run in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and Cascades primarily. As trail runners, these are well suited for wet and sloppy conditions. The lugs are deep and rubber is grippy, even on wet rock and slush. I don’t favor Gore Tex for my summer shoes, I’d rather just have good drainage and breathability, but when it’s cold out the penalty for wet feet is different. These bad boys keep your feet dry unless you’re fording a stream or postholing through truly deep snow. The mini gaiters are effective. The BOA system is killer. You can easily adjust with gloves or mittens on. This invention ranks just below the malaria vaccine - pure genius. People seem to love the studs you can drill into shoes, but I’ve preferred to use Black Diamond’s lightweight traction devices if it’s really slick snow or ice. The only quibble I have is I’d personally prefer a touch more room in the toebox. I wear Alta Torins for road running and the “foot shape” toebox is comfortable for my feet. The challenge on the trail is that if the toebox is too roomy you end up feeling a bit sloppy and out of control on technical terrain. Everybody’s feet are shaped differently, I suspect if you’ve worn La Sportivas for anything else these will fit great. Not a ton of toe protection up front, not a big issue and a good tradeoff on weight. This is the kind of shoe I would hoard if La Sportiva ever discontinues it. A real gem.

Absolutely love these shoes. I didn't know what I was missing until I got these - They really bridge the gap between a standard running shoe and hiking boot. Has the flexibility and comfort of a running shoe, but the built in gaitor keeps you warm and prevents snow from getting in the shoes. I've always had a problem finding a good winter running/hiking shoe. Typically my feet get cold or snow gets in the shoe. Not the case with these. I was hesitant about the idea of the Boa lace system thinking that it would be hard to manipulate the fit like you can do with laced shoes. The Boa system on these shoes is dialed in and makes it very easy to quickly dial in the fit while securely holding your foot in the shoe. One of the issues I've found with hiking boots is the fact that it takes awhile to lace up the shoes each time you want to take them on and off. With the Boa/zipper system you don't waste time lacing them up and It's almost like having a pair of slip on shoes as a result. The Frixion FX 2.0 rubber soles provide good traction on mixed rock/snow terrain and the lugs are large enough to dig into the snow a bit while having really good traction on rock. These don't have upper ankle support like you would find on a high top hiking boot, so feels more like a running shoe, just with the extra protection from the gaitor from the elements and increased warmth. If you find that hiking shoes are too stiff, heavy and uncomfortable and don't need the upper ankle support but want a shoe to keep you comfortable and warm, these are the ticket.

If you dislike having cold toes while trudging through snow, mud, slop, or during cold periods with wind/brisk windchill this shoe is one to consider adding to your shoe quiver for winter/transitional seasons. This shoe solved that issue for me, which allows me to train in all the elements without my toes being the limiting factor due to cold or discomfort. The thicker inner upper material, built in gaiter (tough material!), gtx membrane (bonus wind blocker, warmth trapper!) helps to keep my feet warmer on the cold days, which makes training in winter quite pleasant. I appreciate a boa lacing system (added grip on the dial to adjust with gloves/mitts on) on a gtx shoe because more often than not if it's cold enough to warrant gtx shoes my hands are also probably enduring similar issues (reduced dexterity/hand function). The boa allows for quick adjustment of lacing, tightening for a technical descent or as ones feet reduces swelling as the day progresses etc. It also helps if one has to take shoes off to empty pebbles etc out of the shoe (quick), which the integrated gaiter has helped to keep pesky pebbles out of my shoe - key features to have in a gtx mountain shoe, for me. Durable, burly lugged, sticky rubber (sticky on wet rock too!!) outsole is also a feature I appreciate in a gtx shoe, because odds are I'll be traversing across snow fields, which big lugs are nice for added grip on snow, kicking little steps into hard snow etc. For sloppy, muddy conditions, the knobby lugged outsole aids with traction. Sportivas white sticky rubber outsole also assures I can scramble on rock or have confidence on technical descents that my footing won't slip on rocks or boulders as I move from one to another, which is something that is very important to me. Currently have 350mi, over 250,000' of vert in mountain terrain on the Cyklon Cross GTX without signs of breakdown externally (outsole/upper) or internally (midsole) in the shoe, just slightly smaller lug height & therefore a slightly lighter weight shoe! =) Shoe quiver for training year-round in mountain terrain/conditions: - Kaptivas (I also like the Cyklons and interchange them in the quiver if I'm looking for a bit 'more' of a shoe from a protection standpoint or an additional gaiter layer if I'll be moving xc most the day and through a ton of loose scree/sand) - primarily use in summer, warmer months for all terrain. Light, nimble shoe with sticky rubber for scrambling, knobby lugs for traction up/across steep scree gullies or snow crossings. Enough cushion in the midsole that my feet don't get sore but not enough that interferes with ground feedback and feel/agility on rock. Mutant - 'dry' shoulder season. Multi-layered upper for additional warmth and protection from fine sand grains from entering the toe box (important in the Southern Sierra, which has no shortage of sand/decomposing granite) - I never have issues with fine particles entering the toe box, though less breathable on the really warm summer days (trade offs). Higher stack height is helpful for steep terrain, especially if it's a higher volume at a higher grade. Cyklon Cross GTX - 'wet' shoulder season (snow, winter rains) or brisk winter days, especially if there's a bite (wind chill).