La Sportiva  Ultra Raptor 3 Mid GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

For many years I used my Asolo 520s for everything from multi-day backpacking trips to 14ers, but have spent the last few years looking for something lighter for single day hikes. I'm not a fan of hiking in trail running shoes, something I did for a few years in the aughts, partly because I have high-mobility ankles and even with years of strength training, my ankles love to roll I spent about 18 months in a pair of Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mids, which didn't really seem to offer enough ankle support. I also have lower volume feet, but decently sized little piggies so a good fit can be hard to find. I also found that after 18 months (many mountain ascents and a few more casual outings) the toes were very worn down. After doing some research I picked up a pair of Ultra Raptor 3 Mids, hoping to find boots that better met my primary use case: peak bagging. Criteria for me: comfortable for long days on the trail, ankle support to prevent rolling, good performance on talus and scrambling up and down class 3 and class 4 terrain. I tried these back to back with some Hoka Kaha 3s, which I thought would be the winners, in store and found that the Kahas were too large (I had to really tighten them down and the leather would only stretch) and the large cushy outsole made them feel too imprecise for edging and smearing. The Raptor 3 Mids, on the other hand, fit perfectly right out of the box. I didn't have to overtighten them and the speedhooks at the top seemed to keep tension fantastically. On the trail I found them to be perfect for my use case: the FriXion® XF 2.0 does a good job of gripping and smearing on large granite slabs (very common in the Rockies at elevation) and my feet did not feel beat up despite being less cushioned than the Speed 2s I was using prior. I also greatly appreciated the continuous rubber toe cap something neither the Kahas or Speed 2s had. Ankle support is improved, though I wouldn't classify them as supportive as something like my aforementioned Asolo 520s, so I would probably not use them for multi-day backpacking. But for my chief use is alpine ascents involving a mix of scrambling and hiking, they have so far been perfect. I did have to size up (I wear a 42.5 in most climbing and cycling shoe brands and went up to a 43), even with my narrow low volume feet to prevent toe jamming. The locked in feeling they offer is phenomenal. I hope to get a few seasons out of them before the rubber is destroyed and the upper is a floppy mess. Small nit would be the ghillie lacing. In my experience that style of lacing, with nylon loops, can wear out. It would be nice to see them use eyelets or some other ghillie style, but it's a small nit. Bottom line: if you have lower volume feet and like quick paced hiking up a mountain that will ineveitably involve some marginally technical scrambling, these boots are fantastic. I'll report back when I've done more than a handful of hikes, but thus far, chef's kiss!

I work in footwear and have tried to wear La Sportiva in the past. Always too narrow or just the wrong fit. This new version of the ultra raptor is much better for me. Not wide, but accommodating for a technical boot. I had to figure out that I needed to go one full size up. Looking forward to some time in the Sierras to really test them out.

I purchased these back in April of 2026 and as of June 2026 they already have hole in the sides an lost most of its tread. They’re a great light boot but not very durable. I work as an Archeological Field Tech in Montana an try to find what works out in the field. I was super hyped for these but after the wear and tear tear over a short while it leaves me to write this review.

More narrow in the picture center. 5mm less width than other current models. Difficult to pull on with midweight socks. Insoles are the same length as the other shoes, but the width is tighter. Narrow width could mean future length problems on long mileage days with feet swelling. I bought these for bad weather days convenience and ski trips.

Well, I am a female that has found that men's La Sportiva hiking boots fit me better than the woman's models! This pair is my 4th pair! Roght put ofvthe box they feel great. I havent hiked in them because I am STILL using my 'shoulder season' 200 gram boots, but I can already tell this new model they will be great boots. You just cant beat the grip they give you on steep ledges.

I made sure to get this properly sized, it fit well looked nice but heel cup was really uncomfortable. I purchased an insole hoping to make it work but unfortunately the bottom seems uneven and feels a bit crooked somehow, I felt like I was standing on part of the arch support. I wore it for a couple of days to the office to break it in, it didn’t work. I ended up returning it. La Sportiva needs to work on the foot bed a little more. None of the other boots I tried felt like this.

The Sportiva Raptors have been my go to boot for the last several years. I walk/hike about 1,000 miles/year and the old version was versatile in all situations. I didn’t even look at other boots, I just kept re-upping with Sportiva Raptors. Well the araptor 3s have changed that - they made significant changes to upper, much for the worse. In the past, the Raptors had a unique (to me) upper that was a softer material that you could lace very tight around the an ankles. The upper was almost like a compression sleeve around your ankles - it provided stability, kept debris and water out, and made the boots easy to slip on and off. The new upper is a dramatic downgrade. It flares at the top, providing less support and allowing all kinds of junk in. It’s also difficult to get the boots on and off. Basically, Sportiva took a unique boot and made it bog standard. Don’t get me wrong - these boots are still fine. But they are no longer special. I might buy them again, but I would definitlely shop around first, particularly at this price point. Sportiva had an edge that convinced me to pay a premium price. That edge is gone.

I really wanted to like these boots, but unfortunately they fell short in several key areas. For context, I’m coming from the La Sportiva Nucleo High Wide, which had been an amazing pair of hiking boots. I put over 500 miles on that pair since 2023, including backpacking trips and day hikes. I only retired them because the upper eventually separated from the sole after years of use. When it came time to replace them, I wanted something that reflected the current trend toward lighter, more agile hiking footwear. The Ultra Raptor III Mid seemed to be that. I bought them as soon as they hit REI and was excited to break them in this season. After putting them through a 30-mile backpacking trip, here are my thoughts: Sizing: As many other reviewers have mentioned, sizing is tricky. I wore a 42.5 in the Nucleos but needed a 44 in the Ultra Raptors. It wasn’t a huge issue since REI made the exchange easy, but if you’re ordering online, expect that you may need to size up. Comfort: Overall, they’re comfortable. It is lighter and they felt good on the trail. Durability: This is where I was most disappointed. After just one 30-mile backpacking trip, the upper is already showing visible signs of tearing. It’s only been 30 miles! Water resistance: I also don’t understand the design of the lining. During simple creek crossings, water entered the boot much more easily than I expected. For a mid-height waterproof hiking boot, I expected better performance in shallow water. Overall, I wanted these to become the successor to my Nucleos, but they haven’t inspired the same confidence. Not sure what to do now. Might return them and buy another pair of nucleos which have not been updated since I first got them.

Not a fan of this new model. Not sure why they removed the back cuff that helped keep debris out of shoe. The materials just seem cheaper in look and quality. There really isn't one part of the shoe I liked compared to the Raptor 2. They say they increased the toe box fit, but I didn't not feel that there was more room, which is a good thing because I have a long, skinny foot. Did not wear the shoe. Returned as soon as I saw them in hand. Such a bummer because the Raptor 2 was a fantastic hiker.