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La Sportiva Trango Alp Evo Gtx Review

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Here’s everything you need to know about La Sportiva Trango Alp Evo Gtx Review. Find all the information it in this article.

Our lead tester found that downsizing by 1/2 size was needed to get a proper fit. These boots had the least supportive insoles that we tested and we replaced the stock footbeds with those from the Editors Choice Winner to give us a more comfortable experience. In winter use I’ve found this boot to perform really well with crampons and fits the Grivel air-tech newmatic really well, as well as Petzl Irvis for easy glacier work; also a mate of mine had some old DMM crampons with the heel clip. I’ve pushed them to grade III so far and could probably push to grade IV(I have small feet and don’t weigh much) but most people could reasonably comfortable push grade III provided good technique is used.

After we examined the interior of the boot, we found that unlike other models, the waterproof lining does not fully enclose the foot, leaving the tongue area susceptible to allowing water to enter freely. When crossing a stream that barely reached ankle height, this model allowed water to enter via the toe box very quickly. Massive lugs allowed us to kick effective steps in soft spring snow but were not so pronounced that they rolled when edging up steep rock. Overall, the Trango TRK has the great traction that we would expect from a well-known climbing boot maker. A great pair of all round boots, with excellent durability and a great lacing system.

La Sportiva Trango Cube Gtx

As you would expect, the very soft Trango Tech walks quite nicely. However this soft Strobel lasted boot walks well because the toe flexes, which takes away from performance in snow and ice where a stiff platform is needed. The boots are quite stiff laterally though, which allows them to perform reasonably well on the rock. The toes flex straight on for smearing but provide a fairly rigid platform when edging—a good compromise. The coated polyester mesh was not easy to lace tight for those with narrow feet, leading to a loose feel without wearing thick socks to take up the volume.

These boots are supple enough and confidence inspiring to climb moderate rock routes in the mountains. For example, if you comfortably climb 5.10 traditional climbs in rock shoes, you would likely feel okay on 5.4 to 5.6 routes in the mountains, and with a lot of practice and mileage on alpine rock, you can work up the grades from there. In terms of stiffness and winter capability the Tower sits below the Cube in the Trango pecking order.

Approach

Testing the Trango Cube’s on an unnamed peak in the Canadian Rockies.For such a versatile and stiff mountaineering boot the Trango Cube is amazing light. The pair that I have weigh in at 766g per boot, significantly lighter than the old Trango S Evo’s and almost the same as the new Trango Tower boots. And when I first tried on the Trango, it felt more like a slipper than it did a hiking boot—the entire insole and tongue are connected like a large sock. With few internal seams, the boot molded to my foot without any obstructions or pinching.

It may seem like these are small savings, but after multiple days of strenuous trekking with a heavy load, I was praising these lightweight yet tough boots. It’s funny, I almost never have problems with cold feet, and usually I just go with a pair of leather mountaineering boots, thick socks, and gaiters. Once, in New Hampshire, Using this footwear combination,I was trekking around on Mt. Washington and it was unseasonably warm and raining, and so my boots ended up soaked. That night the temp dropped into the single digits and my boots froze solid. Putting them on that morning was really unpleasant, but after walking around for an hour or so, they thawed out, and my feet actually felt really warm.

The Best Mountaineering Boots

The Trango Tower Extreme GTX are very good boots, and perhaps after a resole they will be the perfect British winter climbing boot. The laces have the standard looking eyelets so that you can tighten and loosen specific parts of the boot depending on whether you are hiking or climbing in them. With more careful lacing on subsequent days I’ve avoided repeating this, but it feels a very fine balance between too tight and rubbing, and not tight enough and a bit sloppy feeling when climbing. The TTEGs in 42 actually felt slightly bigger in terms of internal volume than I expected and I considered swapping them for 41.5s, but put sole-to-sole with my 2006 Trango Extremes, the TTEGs were exactly the same length. It must be that newer materials in their construction are thinner, meaning more internal space.

Further, the Vibram Cube outsole is an effective mix of durable and sticky. And finally, the heel welt is compatible with semi-automatic crampons. For me, this combination makes the Trango Tech perfect for summer alpine objectives—think the Bugaboos, North Cascades, or early season in the Tetons or Sierra. When you need a boot firm enough to kick steps and accommodate a semi-automatic crampon but also light and comfortable enough to hike below treeline or even climb sections of low-5th-class terrain, the Trango Tech is up to the task.

Craghoppers Dynamic Pro Walking Trousers

While there has clearly been a substantial overhaul to the boot, the good news is that in use these feel much the same as the old blue model. Lovers of the Trango series will be pleased to know that the Tower are still comfy out of the box; they still feature a super sticky Vibram sole; still have a waterproof Gore-Tex liner and are still crampon compatible. The momentum in hiking footwear is moving away from bulky boots toward lightweight shoes and even trail runners that are faster and more comfortable.

You do lose some ankle support when carrying a heavy pack or traversing rocky trails… The essential look, the contained inner volumes which guarantee maximum mobility and the overall comfort of the boot are the strong points of this product, which is a cross over between the categories of mountaineering and backpacking. The SubSkin Injection™ technology that forms the inner structural frame of the shoe and avoids unnecessary stitching, conveys a minimalistic look to this model and guarantees a high level of comfort and overall water repellence. The Gore-Tex Performance Comfort lining guarantees that the shoe is waterproof and breathable.

La Sportiva Trango Alp Review

To see how the Trango TRK stacks up, see our article on the best hiking boots. The Trango Cube was stiff yet sensitive for rock climbing and scrambling.The Trango Cube GTXs are rated as B2 and can take a ‘Semi Step-in’ crampon binding like Grivel’s Newmatic . Weight wise my size 43.5 came in at 785 grams which puts these up with lightest of the full mountain boots out there.

For a similar fit in an insulated boot, La Sportiva offers the Nepal series, a single layer insulated winter mountaineering boot great for ice climbing in all but the coldest conditions. And for something super warm, check out the La Sportiva Spantik, a “unisex” boot that we still love, now officially reviewed for women. The soft rubber on the soles of the Trango Cube boots provides amazing traction but wears quickly. This pair has seen about 20 days of snow and rock climbing.The fabric combination used on the Trango Cubes strikes a great balance between lightweight comfort and warmth. The boots are not too hot for alpine rock but still warm enough for slushy snow slogs.

La Sportiva Trango Tower Gtx Review

On warm midsummer climbs on Mt. Baker in Washington, we could pull out the Trango Alp. It was just a tad warmer with the leather upper to keep us comfortable during the cool nights. The La Sportiva Trango Alp is a summer mountaineering masterpiece that climbs rock well and will last for many miles and several seasons of heavy use. Winner of the Gear Institute’s Best New Gear award at the Outdoor Retailers Summer show, the all-new, incredibly light La Sportiva Men’s Trango Cube GTX Mountaineering Boot makes your extreme high-altitude pursuits heavenly. The GORE-TEX insert ensures that water won’t slip into the boot and tank your toes midway towards the apex of Gannett Peak, and part of the tongue comes out when you need more room for your foot. Direct-inject lacing system and an exclusive Vibram sole lightens your load so you can pack an extra chocolate bar to celebrate the summit.

Asolo Falcon Gv Hiking Boot Review

The aesthetic Trango line with seams minimized achieves the reduction of weight, also contributing to this is the Vibram sole with the exclusive La Sportiva Cube design with lightened thicknesses. The Gore-Tex Performance Comfort membrane guarantees water resistance and breathability. The differentiated lacing system between the upper and the lower part of the boot allows for perfect adjustment of volume for optimal wearing comfort. The Trango series is enriched with increasingly technical and aesthetic contents in advance of its time.

Do You Need Waterproof Hiking Shoes?

The Cube series from La Sportiva has been all the rage, as something new, naturally, but mainly for the weight savings. La Sportiva advertises the Trango Cube to be 1200 grams/pair for size 38, and the Alp at 1350 grams/pair. This is just over five ounces (a chocolate bar is usually around 3-3.5 ounces).

How To Choose Hiking Boots

I’ve had the insoles and midsoles of many past models compress in a relatively short period of time under the combined weight of my body and gear. This causes the boot to feel flat and lacking in cushioning, and allows that uncomfortable pressure of jagged rocks through the soles. Notably, this has not been a problem with the Trango TRK. Although there is no shank in the sole, the flexible 6mm polypropylene insole, along with the dual-density EVA midsole, provide excellent support and rigidity. The Trangos are holding up admirably especially given that every time I wear the boots, I’m carrying a heavy backpacking pack.

Walking Performance

ONE, an exclusive sole made by Vibram for La Sportiva, keeps the weight off and the silhouette on the down-low. The TPU heel insert allows the Trango take a hybrid crampon for quick changes to accommodate the hyper-variable environment. Perhaps once all the edge has worn away the rate of wear on the TTEG’s soles will slow – but if not then I think they will need resoling very soon, before the wear reaches the part of the midsole that forms the crampon lip. This could potentially be after just days of use – not weeks, let alone months. I have not yet needed to resole either my 19 year old Nepal Extremes.

The La Sportiva TX5 GTX come in the colour Chocolate/Avacado in the UK. They also come in a great range of sizes from Eur 40 right through to Eur 47 in half sizes. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week. And seriously, everyone who has ever worn crampons (and I don’t care if you are Mark Twight or Steve house) has slashed their gaiters once in a while, not that it’s a good thing, but it’s definitly a universal one. What I meant to convey was that they have MANY miles on them on rock, glacier, and over many miles of trails.

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