La Sportiva  Bushido III Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

Running trails and hills specifically: I enjoy being able to feel the trail’s texture to help guide my balance and footing. Additionally, the sole is not too soft as to feel the sharper rocks, gravel and roots stabbing through, just that they are there and I adjust accordingly. I think the flexibility of the sole was just right for me to allow for a purposeful barefoot running style of staying on the balls of my feet. Good traction throughout the trails; to include fine dirt, gravel, roots, and mud. Water: Running through small streams was hardly noticeable. If it was 2” or less I noticed no water intrusion. More than that or with longer exposure, water would start to seep in from the top mesh. I never really noticed water coming in from the sides. Pictures are from about 1 mile later. It was a hot and humid day running in Georgia this summer, and there was some dampness remaining, but no standing water or squishiness remained. The breath ability on the sides is great, and I really didn’t have much dirt get through. I like the sock-like feature that comes down from the tongue to help keep dirt out. Overall good evaporation and my feet stayed relatively comfortable without overheating. I would strongly recommend these as a great option for trail running. The sizes are about 1/2 a size small. I normally wear 11.5 and these fit really well as a 12. These shoes have a little arch support though it is not excessive. I have relatively flat feet. But I have found they are comfortable even after 8-10 hours on my feet. The notch taken out of the tongue is a good design. I like how it takes a little pressure off of the top of the foot above the ankle.

La Sportiva has a wide shoe now! Out of the box they are a little stiff but after a few miles of breaking in my feet really started to like them. So I decided to try them on a 14er hike in Colorado. This is where I fell in love with this shoe. It’s a tough and rugged shoe that hikes like a boot but feels like a sneaker. Light to the point where you forget they’re on your feet. The lugs were grippy on wet rock, helped in the snow and let me blast through the skree. The toe cap is tough and actually protects you. I was really surprised at how well they drained after crossing through some streams. These are now my go to shoes for rugged hikes and I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a sneaker that hikes like a boot.

Excellent sneakers for the trail to the asphalt. I really enjoy these sneakers for many reasons. They are a bit snug and you should probably size up by .5 in US. But I think they are snug in order for them to be very technical shoes. They give confidence in grip and agility. The breathable mesh sides offer great ventilation to keep your feet cool and dry. The soles are like glue, very grippy and nice. There is almost no drop from heel to toe, which is great in helping maneuver through uneven ground. I think these sneakers are great for trail running and also for day hikes, outdoor adventures, and anything that might require great grip and security in the woods. These Bushido IIIs are very similar in fit to the IIs. Excellent sneakers and would totally recommend.

These shoes are great trailrunner for good weather. These are very light weight, relatively narrow trail running shoes that so far ive really liked. They have mesh siding for good ventilation and pretty light but also have great traction and insole. Its not a minimalist running shoe like i like but its the next best thing. I also really like the look of it.

Shoe looks solid and well constructed and looks like it could survive a good trashing. The grip's great too and holds on to any terrain like its afraid to let go. The breathable mesh is a great little mercy on a hot and humid day. On the downside La Sportiva built this just almost right. Usually, I slip into a size 10.5 (D) like it was made for me, but these felt like trying to squeeze into a 9 or 9.5. This gets uncomfortable and frustrating especially on technical terrain. Downhill was a nightmare, my toes jamming into the front. Two miles in and my toes went numb, and I had to loosen the laces to be able to continue. So, if you're thinking about buying these, do yourself a favor. Try them on in a store, let your feet decide. The sizing is a cruel mistress, dragging down what could’ve been a masterpiece. Here’s hoping they get it right next time.

So part of me loves bushidos. I had bushido IIs for about 2 years but I don't think I was hiking in them as hard as my bushido IIIs. My biggest problem with bushido IIIs is that the tread on them is basically completely shot after ~150 miles and I'm hoping I can get them to 200 or 250 before retiring them but I've already been having some issues with them on the trail. The rubber is pretty soft which I think is part of the cause of this. Another issue I have is that they're not resoleable, not that really any trail runners are but I think it would be awesome for this type of shoe. Like I blow through climbing shoes fast and we can resole these, if I'm blowing through these after 200 miles I'm gonna find another shoe, and not keep buying new pairs.

I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I used these shoes everyday for 2 weeks, primarily on dirt trails that were not very technical. I found the shoe fit to be a little snug in the waist when compared to my other running shoes, but I actually grew to appreciate this feature because my foot would stay securely in place. If I happened to bump into something with the tip of the shoe, my foot would not slide forward in the shoe and I would be protected by the toe box. The traction was excellent on the trails and I felt very secure going up and down the hills. The heel to toe transition during running was also very good, and I felt that I could really run well on the trail. The shoe has adequate cushioning, and there is also a rock plate for added protection. I think that these shoes are excellent training shoes which could be used in most conditions. However, if I were planning an extra long run where I might want to maximize comfort, I would consider picking a shoe with more cushioning.

Great looking shoe, but unfortunately a tough review for me since they didn’t fit the best. Took them out for a few trail runs and they seemed to handle the trail pretty well. Firm sole, secure lace hold and extremely durable. Solid aesthetics and a great colorway. Rear loop makes getting them on and off a breeze, tread pattern really helps lock in your grip on the trail regardless of conditions.

Took these shoes on an 11-day trip on the Kings Canyon High Route. Had high hopes after seeing them recommended by Andrew Skurka but they 1) did not hold up -- there are multiple holes on each side of the shoe 2) were not rigid enough: the rubber was too soft and there's no rock plate. That meant that while scrambling, my feet got chewed up, the shoes would slide rather than grip and flat steep granite, and it was hard to utilize toe holds since the shoe would just bend rather than hold an edge.

I'm on my second pair of Bushido III's, and I went through 3 pair of Bushido II's. You can't beat this shoe for dry weather technical mountain running (up or down). I use these for technical Rocky Mountain terrain (high elevation gain) with high speed and technical scrambles, low grade class 5 climbing on occasion. These are not soft or squishy - you feel the rock, they should fit like a glove, there is no slippage whatsoever when sized correctly, and they are the fastest technical terrain shoe I've tried. I wouldn't recommend them for casual or comfort hiking, I consider these technical and competitive. I just hope they never mess it up with future versions... the III has not disappointed.