It was early season at Lover’s Leap. Memorial Day meant snow was still on the ground and the trail contained more water than dirt. While approaching the climbs, I made big strides between slippery granite river rocks. My feet never slipped and I was very impressed with my footwear.
In my opinion, the real place where an “approach” shoe out-performs a typical running shoe is the rubber. Many times hiking in talus or on slabs, there are consequences from a slip. It could go from a big scrape to numerous broken bones. If you read no further, the most important thing about the Boulder X is the RUBBER! La Sportiva knocked this one out of the park and I think these are the stickiest approach shoes I have worn. The toes edge well and the sole pattern is very grippy.
A snowy day at Mt. Rainier
Back in May, Lizzy and I took our Boulder X’s for a hike on Mt. Rainier. There was still a ton of snow and it was rapidly melting in the summer heat. Snow could provide a problem for more ventilated shoes, but the solid leather of the Boulder X prevented our feet from getting wet. On subsequent trips during the last six months I have opted for the Boulder X when nasty weather presented itself. They worked well during wet weekends in Yosemite and trips around Lake Tahoe. In the High Sierra the Boulder X protected my feet when I surfed down a thousand feet of talus from the summit of the Incredible Hulk. Hiking proved not as comfortable with my super-heavy pack and I think they are better for cragging than backpacking.
Half Dome + Boulder X = Happy
The Boulder X is a mid-height shoe and does not feature the ankle support of a full-height boot. This provides better flexibility and I was able to do climbing moves up to 5.8 in these shoes. The all-leather design and snug-fitting tongue does a good job keeping dirt and rocks out, which is great for bushwacking. The construction reduces the breathability and causes the Boulder X to be a heavy shoe. It tips the scales at around 16 ounces for men’s size 42 and 14 ounces for women’s size 38. Despite the very sturdy sole, I would not recommend these shoes for aid climbing. On my last trip to Yosemite, over the course of two days and eleven pitches of jugging (jumaring), I wore a hole in the front of my left shoe. This was a rookie mistake as a layer or two of duct-tape would have prevented this hole.
Fall in Yosemite with the Boulder X
Over the last 6+ months, the Boulder X has survived a large amount of abuse and are still going strong. They are not the lightest or the most padded underfoot, in my opinion, but they excel on rock and your feet will stick when it counts. I will keep using the Boulder X when the going gets rough and when I need a very grippy approach shoe.
La Sportiva also offers a women’s version of the Boulder X. Here are some thoughts from Lizzy:
I am super picky when it comes to my approach shoes and the Boulder-X didn’t do it for me when I got them during the summer. While I did notice their extreme stickiness, I was less impressed by their lack of breathability and weight (especially compared to my fantastic and sadly discontinued Montrail CTCs), especially when they were clipped to the back of my harness when multipitching. I also generally prefer the more flexible sole of the CTC for hiking and climbing (the Boulder-X are quite stiff, which hurts my feet, while the softer sole of the CTCs gives me more sensitivity and thus more security when climbing). However, I’ll probably use them more during the winter, because the leather really does keep your feet drier. So I personally like the Boulder-X for some situations, but definitely not for year-round use (but, as I said, I am super picky).
Also here are some thoughts on the Boulder X from our friend Jamie and a comparison with the older La Sportiva Cirque Pro.
The gully descent from Middle Cathedral Rock.
Jamie encounters lots of snow descending from Half Dome
Pros:
- Very sticky rubber
- Good tread pattern
- Climb and hike well
- Leather is weather resistant
- Good price
Cons:
- Heavy
- Not very breathable
- Laces come untied easily
- Not recommended for jumaring (aid climbing)
Make sure to check out the Colorado perspective on the Boulder X over at SplitterChoss
Full Disclosure: La Sportiva provided these shoes to DreamInVertical in exchange for the reviews. The opinions expressed above are based on the experiences of the reviewers. Feel free to leave comments regarding your opinion of the Boulder X.
For more Sweet Gear reviews from Luke and Lizzy check out our Gear Reviews page.
If the laces coming untied is one of your cons, you might want to take a look at these: http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/product-detail/product.jsp?id=NBU1146&sc=CX10M075&cm_mmc=portal-_-googlebase-_-na-_-rrs206-NBU1146
I have them on one of my pairs of shoes and they’re a pretty good design.
Glad you posted this. I’m in need of new approach shoes. I just might have to try these. I hated my North Face shoes. I’ve always been interested in the LaSportiva approach shoes. I definitely think that will be the brand I go with next.
I agree, you wouldn’t want these as your take-them-up-the-climb shoes, but for just about everything else they are awesome, and super durable!
Hello,
I just received my boulder x and I don’t know if its something wrong with them or what because I can feel something hard under my heels I’m not sure if that supposed to be or not?
I don’t feel anything particularly hard under my heels. I think the boulder X is a stiffer shoe so that it may not give you the same cushioning you are used to, like in a running shoe. Perhaps go to a store and try on another pair of the Boulder X to make sure that it’s not the particular pair you purchased.
I was sold the Boulder X as the ideal trail shoe to walk the Camino in Spain (750 kms mainly on gravel or stony paths and some road walking). They were a total disaster, particularly after walking in heavy rain for 2 days. The tongue became very hard and gave me horrific blisters, the shoes shrank, and caught my achilles tendon on both heels, I got terrible pains on the ball of my foot after 10 kms each day and I could feel every stone on the paths. I eventually had to throw them away. I would have been better off with shoes half the price.
I would agree that the Boulder X is much too stiff of a shoe for a long hike. I think a running shoe would have been better. Boulder X is suited for short technical approach especially those requiring some rock climbing. They do ok in brief sections of water and snow, but once saturated your feet will definitely get wet. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the information, which confirms what I suspected – namely that I was obviously sold the wrong shoe for the Camino which nearly ruined it for me, but I survived. I have been berating the shoe, but in fact it appears that it is not designed for walking long distances (often 30 kms a day).