La Sportiva TX4 Approach Shoe - Men's reviews and deals for sale

Lacing System Failed

The novel concept of using cord lacing as eyelets is a failure. By the third time I used these my laces were worn/sawn through and had to be replaced. Carry spares. However a couple of hikes later it was the orange eyelet lacing cord that had been sawn through and failed in the middle of a hike. This is a serious problem. A trailside repair with a stopper knot got me back to the… read more car. I had a feeling this could be an issue when I bought them but hoped for the best since La Sportiva is a respected brand. The fit is also an issue a 12 is too tight and the 12.5 which I ended up buying feels large with ankle rub. These shoes are unreliable and unsuitable for real trail use. They might be acceptable as urban work shoes or a fashion statement but beware of the serious lacing issues.

Not quite as good as the Mix approach

I bought these because my La Sportiva Mix approach shoes are on their last leg, and have had their soles replaced already. If you're expecting these to be comparable to the Mix (discontinued) you may be disappointed or just realize they are a different shoe altogether. The TX4 sole protrudes out around the toe and edge significantly more than the Mix, a cause for concern maybe leading… read more to unintentional tripping or snagging on terrain, whereas the Mixes are altogether more sleek wrapping your feet in a glove of sturdy leather, while the TX4 feels longer in the toe box. The TX4 gives a feeling of a climbing/approach shoe, while also having a hiking boot(ish) feeling. Maybe 15% boot, 85% climbing shoe? And finally, I am returning these because the sizing runs much larger than I anticipated. My Mixes and the TX4s are both size 45.5 US 12. See the photo how much longer the TX4 is in comparison. The fit was not what I could call snug, with a 1 inch gap in front of my toes. while the Mix was what I call a completely perfect fit. Please let me know if anyone can find a pair of Mixes in my size and I will pay double. BTW I do have very wide feet.

Great Shoes in a lot of ways

Ive had bought more shoes from different brands than I've had hot dinners and these are up there. My current rotations are Salomon Quests, Asolo Fugitives and the Merrell Chameleon 7's, these 3 shoes are which I believe all other shoes are benchmarked. So with all the above being said, these shoes are very comfy right out of the box, which in 2019 most shoes should be. I noticed… read more there are very light shoes, provide great stability and easily take an after market inner sole. Basically this shoe ticks all the boxes and performs well as a hiking shoe which is where the majority of people would use the Tx4 and the reason why is that they look great! The colours are awesome and its surprising more brands don't use great colour schemes. In summary, these shoes perform very well and with heavy use you probably will get up to 6 months out of them which is normal. Also I would go up half a size in that they run a bit small.

Good approach shoe but not for high arch

I'm pretty sure these are awesome approach shoes. Rubber super stick and the toe box is firm enough I feel confident scrambling and climbing in them. They seem to fit a little small for me. I have an Egyptian foot shape and a high arch. I size my Solutions 2 sizes small, Miuras 2 1/2 small and Cobras 3 sizes small. I's say these run true to size. However, I don't recommend them… read more for a high arch foot. The tongue around the forefoot puts pressure down on my knuckles, even after 15 - 20 miles break in. Even if you swap out the insoles for Superfeet or whatever... So I recommend bearing that in mind if you purchase... Also the leather makes them kinda sweaty in hotter climates. But great protection.

Excellent shoe

After years of hiking CO 14ers in boots I decided to go the approach shoe route and ordered a pair of these. Very very pleased with the results. Climbed Mt. Elbert, which is really a hike with some steep sections and was very comfortable the whole way up and down. Probably shaved a pound off each foot. Yes, they are warm but with good socks shouldn't be too much of an issue.… read more I have a wider foot and these were plenty roomy (ordered a few pairs to try on to dial the fit). Just used the standard insoles and they were fine. Highly recommended.

Great grip, decent support, not breathable

I’ve got about 30 miles on these so far (11 mi &18 mi hikes). Loosened up slightly since new, but seem ok with just tightening laces. I have wider feet and wear a 10.5 in pretty much all Nike shoes and needed at 44.5 in these. Plenty of space in toe box and given the feel after break in, I would’ve liked to try a 44. My feet sweat and were essentially soaked for duration… read more of hikes, not breathable at all. I think the 18 miles, 5000’ elevation gain over 8 hours is a good indicator of quality. Good shoe, maybe would opt for TX3 for breathability concerns

Amazing grip, comfort and stability!

Excellent day hiking shoes for a variety of surfaces. In a search for new day hikers I ordered several different shoes and settled on these over the La Sportiva Spire GTX, Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX, North Face Ultra 110 GTX, Arc'teryx Aerios FL. I decided that I really didn't need Goretex for day hikes and the TX4 had a great fit. I really liked the Spire GTX too. I used these for a… read more week of day hiking in Western North Carolina in Pisgah, Dupont and Gorges. They performed perfectly on every surface from slick clay and mud, roots, rocks and some light scrambling. I never once lost grip on any surface, angle or at any speed. I had some concern on grip compared to the other shoes mentioned as all appear to have more aggressive tread patterns, but the TX4 were rock solid in all directions. The soles are flexible yet rigid and supportive enough that I didn't have any issues on sharp rocks or unstable surfaces and some light trail running is definitely comfortable. I was also carrying a light pack, 10-15 lbs, and the weight was fine with these shoes. I could see easily carrying 30-35 lbs and not losing any performance. The lacing system is great and offers ample control of the fit. As for fit, I wear a 11.5 in a training/running shoe from Nike/New Balance/Adidas and have a D width foot, the 45.0/11.5 fit perfectly. I did notice that they packed out a fair amount after my first day doing 6 difficult miles in hot weather. Not a problem, just had to lace up more tightly when I reached my summit.I also did not break these in at all and had zero issues with the fit or comfort with a tough 6 mile hike right out of the box. My only minor quibble with the TX4 is that they don't seem to breath particularly well, which is likely due to the use of leather. It was also unusually warm in NC, 80+ and high humidity so that's hot regardless. I did get them pretty wet in a rain shower one day and they dried out well over night. Overall, I'm extremely happy with the TX4 and would highly recommend them.

I like these shoes

They are reasonably lightweight, comfortable, have good arch support, and didn’t need any break in time. I use them almost daily for walking, hiking, trail jogging, and working out. I usually wear size 43, with this pair had to get 43.5, but that wasn’t a big deal because backcountry made an easy exchange by providing great service. Thanks!

these take some time to break in

I have wide feet and a tall instep, which makes for hard times shoe shopping, this particular shoe looks great, very stylish and once you break it in its very comfortable. I had to fidget a little bit with the lacing settings and found it initially hard to walk with for the first (let's say 15 miles/2-3 weeks) and then I got really into them. That said I'm concerned the little string… read more thing that holds the laces will last. only time will tell but so far looks and feels like a great shoe.

Great Shoe!

Dialing in on the correct size was a bit difficult with these. The toe box is a bit low volume, they run narrow in the ball of the foot, and they felt long. Other than that they are an awesome shoe! The leather is good quality, vibram sole is awesome, lacing system is great and they are a million times more supportive and comfortable than 5.10s. Really happy with them so far!

super happy with these

I fit these for hiking a half to one size larger than usual to give extra room for the toes (I have Guide Tennies that fit a little snugger for technical approach/climbing.) The traction, support and stability are excellent. The full leather upper protects well as does the full rand. The sole is super sticky and the tread really digs in. I haven't used them in rain, snow or mud… read more yet, but expecting they'll be fine. The leather stretches with break in. I wear a 10.5 street shoe and fit these in 11.5.

Favorite Shoe Ever!

I bought a set of tx3s nearly 3 years ago and I went through two pairs of those in 2 years and wanted something more durable. I found the TX4 and have loved them every since, they have lasted me a long time and are taking the beating well. I am going on over a year with my pair of Tx4s and they are awesome. My one complaint is the weight, I still have a set of Tx3s I use for… read more hauling up multipitch climbs but I use these for everyday use.

Mixed Bag

I currently have a love/hate relationship with this shoe... Let's start out with the good, and then the bad. The goods: As far as approach shoes, this has been my favorite feeling and performing shoe thus far. I've used the guide tennies, the scarpa crux and then these. These shoes look and feel amazing. They have a very precise feeling because of the smaller profile and fitted… read more feel. When I'm scrambling and climbing around on a summit push, I feel like I have so much control with my feet. They're super comfy, too. Another thing I like about this approach shoe is that it's basically a hybrid between a an approach shoe and a trail running shoe. They're light enough to do some running in, but they're sturdy and strong enough to rely on for scrambling. The grip is excellent as well. The Bad: All of that said... I've only used these shoes 4 times and they're already starting to fall apart. The bit of rubber that comes from the bottom of the shoe and makes it's way up to the back of the shoe is simply glued on. That's all well and fine, but the glue doesn't seem to be too strong. Mine is already peeling off... Another issue that I have had is that the material on the instead one of the shoes got a cut on it from scraping up against a rock. The hole was initially small, but after a hike in the shoes (only like 4 miles) it got worst, and is about .75" long. No bueno. Lastly, I think the design that integrates the lace loops and the handle, for lack of a better term, is poor. These shoes fit tight and snug, and that's awesome as well as what I'm looking for, but that means I typically need to use that little string/handle on the back to put the shoes on. The hole that the string comes out of however is not reinforced and just comes through a small hole in the material. Thus after about 4 times of using these shoes the small string is already starting to rip through the the material on shoes. Backcountry is hooking me up with a return of these and I am REALLY hoping that I somehow managed to get a dud/lemon pair of shoes. I want to love these shoes as they are the best feeling & performing approach shoes I've owned so far, but I don't have much confidence in them right now. For $140, I would expect so much more out of a shoe. I paid $120 for my guide tennies and I put them through VERY, very heavy use over the 3.5 years that I owned them. I could easily get another few months out of them if I really wanted to. La Sportiva, please take this feedback and run with it. These shoes have a lot of potential, but I would not spend this much money on another pair of your shoes if they're only going to last me a couple of months regardless of how awesome they feel during that time period. ** EDIT ** I am revisiting this review to report about my second pair of the TX4 that Backcountry so graciously hooked me up with after reporting the aforementioned problems. I received my replacement pair of TX4s in July of 2018. Since then, I've put these shoes through some serious abuse. Technical alpine scrambling, long backpacking trips (~30 miles), all around general hiking, and even some light running/jogging down trails. I can say that it does seem like my last pair of shoes was a "lemon", and that the replacement shoes have been absolutely fantastic. So good, in fact, that I have no question of what my next pair of shoes will be. I love these things! All of the positives that I previously mentioned still hold true, and I have not had any durability issues with this pair. Old review: 2/5 stars Updated: 4/5 (not a 5/5 because of a previous faulty pair)

My go to

This is my new go to shoe for every day use around town and for getting up in the mountains for a day of adventure. at first they were a little stiff but now they are comfortable and supportive.

Leather Support

This is a great approach shoe, especially if you want something a little burlier than the TX3. The leather upper will ensure that they last long and keep your feet protected on those dicey approaches. I really like the way these hike and smear, the only reason they are not 5 stars is due to the wider forefoot and they are a little too supportive for me. I'm sure once they really… read more break in I'll appreciate it, but the break in period was a little odd. Really sweet shoe though, a must have for serious climbers.

Stout & Beautiful

A stout beautiful shoe. Fit is true to size and feel is that of a super stable hiker with the rubber and sensitivity needed to climb low grades. 4/5 because it's my first sportiva shoe (Muira, TC Pro, Mythos, Omega GTX) that are made in china and I can't say I'm stoked on that.

never going back

I questioned whether or not approach shoes would be worth the price and let me say they are, hands down. The climbing rubber is invaluable for talus, easy scrambles, and easy climbing to get to the base of the route, or if you're into free solos like the west slabs of olympus or flatirons. The leather seems very tough and they are also extremely comfortable. Seem to be resoleable.… read more Do yourself a favor and pick up a pair of these shoes.

TX2 vs TX3/4

I ordered the TX3 and the TX2, and I tried on the TX4 locally. The TX4 and TX3 fit almost identically. They seem to be the same shoe, but with a leather upper on the TX4 and synthetic upper on the TX3. The forefoot on the TX3/4 is pretty wide, and it fit my wide forefoot well. Better than most Sportiva shoes, and way better than the Ganda. The TX2's upper is much lower profile… read more than the TX3/4. You can see it clearly in the photo I attached. In addition, the TX2 was much more snug on my wide forefoot. My 6th toe pushed outward uncomfortably on the TX2's upper. I didn't notice it on the TX3/4. There is a weird bit of rubber on the sole at the outside of the ball of the foot as that I can image would help folks who supinate. Would be a detriment for people who over-pronate. None of these shoes are as precise as the Ganda, and they probably won't climb as well. But they all should hike much more comfortably for me. I wound up returning the TX2 and keeping the TX3, despite the TX3 being heavier. A single size 45 TX2 weighed 10 ounces on my scale, and a size 45 TX3 weighed 13 ounces.

All Terrain Crusher

After putting these to the test through talus fields, chossy 5.8 climbs, and several long distance hikes, these are my favorite all around shoes. The Megagrip rubber is fantastic, allowing me to ascend with confidence and ease, while the leather upper lets me put these bad boys to work without worrying too much about scuffing them up. At 13 oz, they are much lighter than my regular… read more hiking boots, but provide just as much protection for my feet when I'm on the trail for long days. Definitely at the top of the line for Sportiva and it is easy to see why!

Sole marking or non marking?

Do you sell the TX4 Low GTX version? They are available internationally but do not seem to be in the US.