How to Choose Hiking Boots

Lightweight and comfortable, the women's La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX hiking boots blend durability, breathability and waterproofing so you'll be ready for varied conditions on the trails.
Imported.
View the La Sportiva Nucleo Product LineView all La Sportiva Women's Day Hiking BootsBest Use | Hiking |
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Footwear Height | Over-the-ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Waterproof | Yes |
Type of Waterproofing | ePE GORE-TEX SURROUND waterproof/breathable membrane |
Upper | Nubuck leather |
Lining | Synthetic |
Midsole | Compression-molded EVA |
Support | 2.5 mm polypropylene stiffener |
Outsole | Vibram Nano XS-Trek rubber |
Can Be Resoled | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 10.8 oz. |
Gender | Women's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials 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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Thank you to the rep at REI for talking me through my options and landing on these! I didn't even need to break them in, they were comfortable on the first wear. I have family in Alaska with a gold mine claim. We were hiking up steep hills of rocks and slate, walking through creeks and muddy trails, shoveling buckets of dirt, and hanging out at camp in rainy 65 degree weather for several days. These boots were amazing! I highly recommend!
After trying on multiple styles and talking at length about her trip to a REI team member, these boots were recommended to my daughter for a 45 day backpacking trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It was a mistake to buy them. Within a week, they started to deteriorate. The vibram sole on both shoes, early on, separated from the boot leaving gaps big enough for sticks and rocks to get stuck in the boots. The fabric both inside and outside the boot, in the arch, developed holes. My kid could write a dissertation on why these are terrible boots, but suffice it to say they were absolutely no match for even ten days of moderately tough hiking, let alone a longer trip. She’ll definitely go back to Merrells after this.
I think this is my third pair of the same line of La Sportiva hiking boots over the course of many years. They have great traction and excellent ankle stability. They are also quite comfortable for me, though I do have fairly narrow feet. I decided to leave a review because I am so impressed with the La Sportiva company. My last pair of these hiking boots lasted only two years before the leather on both started to come apart above the insoles. Although I was outside the one-year warranty, a clerk at REI encouraged me to reach out to La Sportiva customer service. I mailed my spilt boots back to them for inspection, and they sent me a brand new replacement pair! I was amazed. I had since bought a new pair at REI, so now I’ll be set for a long time on boots.
These came a few days ago and so far am very pleased. I have large bunions but my heels aren't that big. Very hard to find a comfortable hiking boot that will let me go more than 4 miles without a lot of discomfort. Was good with Merrells for a long time but newer Moab III just not as substantial as I need. So many others I've tried are too narrow at the joint or too low in the toe box. These feel fantastic so far for shorter hikes, predict they will be a winner.
I am on my third pair of these boots in about a year and a half. The boots last around 5 months for me before the toe-protecting rubber starts to peel away from the front of the shoe. I've had it catch on rocks. Also, I feel the boots get too soft around this 5-6 month period. And they seem to lose their waterproofing after getting wet lol. These are big problems, but the boots are so incredibly comfortable for my problem feet that I keep buying them. I hike a lot, mostly in dry, hot terrain. They are perfect for 5 months and require no breaking in. They have great grip and are light and flexible while still providing ankle support. I would love if La Sportiva made a leather version of these that were a bit stiffer; I would be happy to break them in if they would last longer.
These boots are awesome! Laurie at the Clackamus store explained how boots should fit and she was spot on. First day out, I wore them for 10 hours, hiking and traversing waterfalls. The boots did not need to be broken in. They were comfortable while also keeping my feet dry!
Bought these as a last ditch effort to help my back on a three week hike around wales. I’ve been a Hoka hiking boot human for the last two years and the new version just wasn’t cutting it. These La Sportiva boots are actually lighter and totally waterproof. Love them and I rarely recommend anything!
Ordered these from La Sportiva as REI didn't have my size. Assumed they were the same boot as my old ones, WRONG! They had no padding over the ankle rivots. The first hike I mole skinned my ankles and wore two pairs of socks and they still felt like knives stabbing my ankle. So sad, as I absolutely loved my old pair and am having a hard time finding something new. REI fortunately allowed me to put them in their garage sale. La Sportiva would not allow me to return them since I had worn them once. Avoid this boot!
So comfortable and really well made!
We went to REI for boots for my wife. She pronates and has extremely high arches. I was very impressed with the boot tech’s knowledge as he had her try three different boots. My wife found a great fitting boot, which is not easy for her conditions. She’s an avid hiker and rants every time about how much she loves her boots. Thanks REI, Sandy, Utah