La Sportiva Trango TRK GTX | Performance

Italian brand La Sportiva has always been best known for its cutting edge rock shoes and the proven Trango mountaineering boot range – not to mention excellent mountain running shoes like the excellent Mutant – but its hiking footwear has always lived in the shadows.

Not any more: the Trango TRK GTX is every bit as bright and technically advanced as its climbing namesakes, but is an unashamed, lightweight mountain hiking and occasional scrambling boot even if it doesn’t look that way.

The fit – Trango 2 lasting – is borrowed from the climbing range and slimmer in the forefoot than most rivals, with excellent heel hold. The colours are signature bright yellow and black. And there are protective rubber toe and heel caps along with a Vibram Mulaz sole unit complete with blocked-out ‘Climbing Zone’ toe.

Where it steps away from its stablemates is with the lightweight fabric uppers. They’re seamless for added comfort and get a lightweight, protective, TPU overlay to add abrasion resistance. Also cutting grammes is the EVA midsole cushioning. All of which adds up to a pair of boots weighing just 1200g in a size 43.

We found them instantly comfortable. The well-padded uppers cinch down neatly with the help of down-to-toe climbing-type lacing and are snugger in the forefoot than most for a precise fit. The padded, 3D ankle cuff gives good scuff protection and support without impeding mobility – nowt worse than a splinted ankle in a walking boot – and there’s plenty of underfoot cushion on harder surfaces.

The grip from the Vibram sole is good too on anything except really soft ground. There’s just about the right amount of underfoot support for mountain walking. Plenty of lengthways flex, but enough lateral stiffness to cope with the rocky stuff.

They’ll scramble too, not on a stiff-soled mountaineering boot way – you’ll need a full-on Trango for that – but competently enough on Grade 1 classic ground like Crib Goch or Striding Edge.