Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

Seeking the perfect combo of responsiveness, stability and comfort—merged with durable protection and superb traction? La Sportiva Bushido II men's trail-running shoes excel on technical terrain.
Imported.
View the La Sportiva Bushido Product LineView all La Sportiva Men's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
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Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Minimal Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 6 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 19 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 13 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Air-mesh/thermal adhesive microfiber/high-frequency welded ripstop overlays/TPU toe cap |
Lining | Mesh |
Midsole | 4 mm LaSpEVA/compression-molded MEMlex/1.5 mm dual-density compressed EVA; forefoot rock guards |
Support | Thermoplastic stabilizers |
Outsole | FriXion XT V-Groove2 rubber with Impact Brake System |
Rock Plate | Yes |
Vegan | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 5 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | 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 couldn't be happier with the La Sportiva Bushido II trail running shoes. They've quickly become my go-to for local hikes, offering a perfect combination of comfort, support, and traction. From the very first wear, the fit felt secure yet comfortable and snug enough for technical terrain, but with just enough room to keep my feet comfortable over longer distances. The grip is outstanding, especially on rocky or uneven trails, and the stability they offer on descents has really boosted my confidence on more challenging hikes. I'm looking forward to taking these shoes to the Dolomites later this year.
I have owned many pairs of this shoe over the years and find it to be a reliable shoe for thru- hiking and rocky trail running for those with a narrower foot. While this shoe be the lightest, it has one of the longest lasting soles of any shoe I’ve ever owned. I used this shoe to thru hike the Arizona trail and it has been a go to here in Tucson where a stiff sole goes a long way to soften our sharp, rocky trails. As mentioned, the sole is extremely stiff, therefore this shoe runs a bit slow and is not great for racing although it makes a great base mile or long run trail shoe. The outer sole have semi aggressive knobs which take a little getting used to not to snag on rocks, roots, or the like, especially when fatigued and dragging one’s feet. Altogether this shoe offers incredible value for runners with “normal” to narrow feet who are seeking a long lasting shoe for use over mostly rocky trails.
Sizing aside, these feel like great quality shoes and I'm excited to race in them! Bought for a spartan in a few months. I wear a size 10.5 street shoe, 11.0 Hoka for running (Arahi 7), and I bought the 45.5 (12.0) and 46.0 (12.5). Both fit length wise, but the toe box was too small on the 45.5 so I am keeping the 46.0 (12.5). So in summary if you know your Hoka size, and it's around 11, I might suggest going 1.5 sizes up for a good fit.
I came across a pair of these on sale at a local back country outfitter. My feet tend to be mid-wide, and my foot shape is what's sometimes referred to as a "slope", where each toe is longer than its smaller sibling. (This is in contrast to "mountain", "plateau", and "square" shapes -- see Anya's Reviews for more on this.) I usually end up getting a wider foot box to accommodate my longer big toe, which more often than not results in a wide-toebox shoe that is either a) still a little short, or b) long enough, but is a little baggy in front of the external (smaller) toes. These shoes, however, fit perfectly, albeit in a half-size larger than my usual running shoe size (normally 12.5, 13 for these). I can totally see how somebody trying this shoe on in their regular size would find it narrow. I've done some hiking and running in these, and here are some observations: - the fit is great (for my foot) going both up- and downhill, no hotspots or internal slipping - the lugs are nice and grippy for scrambling - the soles are HARD, which is fantastic as a rock plate, but means my feet are hurting after a 3+ hour hike (although they're fine on a 1-hour hike); a different insole might help here - the heel cup is quite firm, so everything in the previous line applies to the heel specifically as well - they're pretty good for trail running, although, because of the aggressive lugs, they do tend to catch on rocks/roots in the trail; they also have a bit more drop than I'm used to (6mm vs 2-4mm for my road shoes) Overall, though, I find these to be incredibly comfortable city, gym, (short) hiking, and all-around shoes.
They're lovely, but the size on the label sometime doesn't seem to match, and they might feel a little tighter than expected. Consider going up a size. If you're a size 8.5 in U.S. (41) EUR, you can try the 8.5+ (41.5 EUR) size if available, or size 42 (U.S.). You can definitely do without the extra support or insole, which may allow you a little more freedom if you feel comfortable doing so! Although they have become slightly lighter and tighter over time, the quality appears to have remained consistent.
Second pair of these. Love the look and grippiness. Run small. I am a men’s 11.5 D, and I wear a 46 in these.
Excellent result. Well balanced shoes in terms of weight, cushion and stability. I had to adjust sizing, a notch above my US size running shoes: my Brooks for running are 9.5 and my Sportiva are size 10. Perfect fit. Used them for trail running and hiking. After buying my first pair, I bought the second one soon after.
As with most sport shoes; La Sportive doubled the price and the quality is cut in half. I supposed that’s a business model for corporate profits, but not for return customers. This show has a very narrow toe box and is too tight for my normal foot. I have worn them in the past and they were a quality shoe, NOT ANY MORE.
I have bought many La Sportiva shoes, but these shoes are way off the claimed size, even that it is the same size I have bought for years on other shoes including La Spirtiva. After five minutes of use I had a bleeding blister. No other option than to return.
Really like these. These were just what I wanted, flexible, grippy and comfortable. Not a thick sole so you can still feel the shape of a rock under your feet. (yeah I wanted that) I was a big fan of the Innov8 GTX Roclite but they are harder and harder to get, and personally not as good anymore. Go a little larger if you need a wider shoe.