Reviewing the La Sportiva TX4 Approach Shoes for Hiking and Climbing
Table of Contents
Approach shoes fill an interesting niche in the world of outdoor adventure footwear, bridging the gap between hiking boot, and climbing shoe. Essentially, your basic approach shoe slaps some sticky climbing rubber on the sole of a hiking shoe, and calls it a day.
This design came about from the needs of big wall rock climbers, when long trips in the backcountry warranted the need for a shoe that could scramble and climb easy fifth class terrain as well as it could hike.
Over the years, many iterations of the approach shoe came about, and just about every gear company with a stake in outdoor adventure footwear got into the approach shoe market.
Scarpa, Five Ten, Evolv, and now even Adidas all offer approach shoes. Some of these offerings fell flat on their faces, while others proved to be sturdy additions to the quivers of both climbers and hikers alike.
La Sportiva has made their name in the world of mountain athletics. The Italian company boasts popular lines of climbing shoes, mountaineering boots, trail runners, and hiking shoes alike. They are a well respected brand, and their gear can be found at crags, gyms, and trails throughout the world.
Some of their past approach shoe offerings included the popular Boulder X and Ganda lines. Most recently, Spring 2016 saw the release of their new TX line of approach shoes.
La Sportiva TX Series Approach Shoes
La Sportiva’s most recent line of approach shoes-the TX series, offers several to meet the needs of every mountain athlete. The line launched with three initial offerings-the TX2, TX3, and TX4. All of them are similar in size and construction, with the TX4 being the beefiest at 13 oz. The TX2 is lighter and more breathable, and looks and feels more like a trail running shoe.
The TX3, being nearly identical to the TX4 in design, is slightly lighter, with a mesh upper in lieu of a leather one. All three models feature the same sticky rubber.
The TX line boasts a wide forefoot fit, making it more ideal for folks with wider feet. Originally, I strayed away from La Sportiva footwear, as they were usually too narrow for my feet. However, I found the TX4 to be a wonderful fit. It was a pleasant surprise, and one of the factors that ultimately led to my purchase of these shoes.
La Sportiva TX4 Review: A 211 Mile Durability Test on the John Muir Trail
The Summer of 2017 found me hiking NOBO on the John Muir Trail. We had been planning the hike for months. Resupplies and itineraries had all been figured out, and it finally came to the point where I needed to finalize my gear for the trail.
One of the last items I bought was footwear. I needed a new pair of hiking shoes, and I knew that my old and wrecked pair of Merrell Moabs wouldn’t cut in on the trail. Thus, it was time to prowl the local gear stores in search of comfortable footwear that would last for the duration of the trail.
I tried on both trail runners and hiking boots. While I didn’t really dislike any particular pair, none stuck out for me. On a whim, I tried on the TX4s, as a friend had owned a pair, and recommended them. I did not expect much from an approach shoe, truth be told. I had previously owned the popular Five Ten Guide Tennies. While these proved comfortable, their durability was lacking.
Within just a few months of light use, the soles began to lose their lamination. For a shoe designed for long days of big wall climbing, their durability left something wanting. However, Five Ten’s famous C4 rubber proved to be a great choice for the sole, as it seemed as if it could grip to nearly anything.
Upon trying the La Sportiva TX4s on, it was love at first step. These new approach shoes fit like a glove, and I knew they were destined to accompany me on the trail. Still, I was skeptical from my experiences with the Guide Tennies. For one, climbing rubber is not nearly as durable as boot or running shoe rubber. And two, I did not want to be left with wrecked shoes when I needed them most.
I needed shoes that could survive water crossings, record snow pack, and California fourteeners, and approach shoes did not instill much confidence. Still, I trusted my gut, and walked out with a fresh new pair of La Sportiva TX4s.
First of all, I should clarify that we did not hike just 211 mikes, but closer to 250 miles. We started at Horseshoe Meadows, located 20 miles south of Mt. Whitney. Mt Whitney was tackled as a day hike, adding an additional 16 miles to our hike. I knew that trail runners and boots could make the journey, but I was skeptical of the soft rubber of the TX4s.
Durability
Throughout the trail, my pair of La Sportiva TX4s held up wonderfully. The leather upper kept water and snow out, and the tread was only worn down a little by the end of the trail. I snapped a pic of my pair (see below) at Evolution Meadows. After roughly 120 miles of hiking through packed snow fields, rough granite crags, and cold, deep water crossings, my shoes looked (almost) as good as new.
I was pleasantly surprised, and my previous fears of durability were assuaged. If they held up this long, I knew that they would last for the remaining duration of the trail.
100 (ish) miles later, and my shoes were still in hiking condition. I wouldn’t be surprised, that if I chose to continue hiking on the PCT, they would last until at least Oregon. At which point, I would have happily shelled out full MSRP for a new pair.
The shoes held up so well, that even now, months after the trail was completed, they are still my daily driver. Granted, they are no longer “out of the box” pretty, but all the scuffs, abrasions, and stains are merely aesthetic flaws. I anticipate many more miles of use from these shoes. Luckily, when my TX4s finally do kick the bucket, they can be revived with a resole. That’s right! These shoes are resoleable! There are a number of resole services throughout the United States, and they can even resole your shoes with different rubber. I’ll probably resole them with the supple, extra grippy C4 Stealth rubber, so that I can get the best of both worlds.
Side Note: Here are some trusted resole services.
https://www.rubberroomresoles.com/
Comfort
These are, hands down the most comfortable hiking shoe that I have ever worn. They fit my wide-ish feet like a glove, and provided great arch support. My toes were allowed just enough wiggle room, and their stiff soles supported me well on the often uneven terrain on the trail. At it’s heaviest, my pack weighed 45 lbs (side note: I’m gonna try out ultralight backpacking for a while. Oof) The shoes handled this weight like nothing, despite having little to no ankle support.
2017, as I mentioned, was a snowy year for the Sierras. I brought along some trail crampons to better navigate the snowed in passes of the JMT. My Kahtoola Microspikes fit the La Sportiva TX4 very well. Rarely, the front edge of the microspikes would slide up and over the front of the shoe, but it was only a minor inconvenience to correct.
The tread on these shoes, while durable, is somewhat “minimal”. The shoes alone would have poor traction on snow and ice, so I was glad that the spikes fit.
Perhaps through some sort of black magic involved in their manufacture (Fun Fact: La Sportiva employs witches as their QC testers), two miraculous things happened:
- I did not get any blisters at any point during the duration of the trail.
- I rarely ended up with any rocks, ice, or dirt in my shoes.
250 miles of rugged high sierra hiking did not give me a single blister. I attribute this wholly to the power of the La Sportiva TX4. It was almost as if this shoes had been engineered perfectly for my feet. In contrast, my partner’s Salomon boots gave her plenty of blisters to complain about. Maybe shoe makers are getting better, or I just struck gold.
Despite all the post holing, sand, pebbles, and the fact that my gaiters didn’t fit, my TX4s stayed relatively free of debris. I don’t necessarily believe that the shoe had anything to do with it, but rather I chalk it up to plain ol’ luck. Never the less, it’s pretty miraculous for a trail as dynamic as the JMT.
How Well Do They Climb?
Thru Hiking and backpacking are not the aim of approach shoes. Long scrambles, and 4th class approaches are. Truthfully, this is one test that my TX4s have not been exposed to as much. As much as I love climbing, my TX4s and I have not done much bonding at the crag. However, I did get a chance to get on some low angle, 5.4 slab. They gripped and edged well, and I would feel confident using these on some easier pitches.
On another instance, I clipped them to my harness after cleaning a trad route, in anticipation of a walk off descent. Maybe it was because they felt light in comparison to the bulky trad rack I was sporting, but I hardly noticed them.
I mentioned earlier that the C4 stealth rubber from Five Ten is the superior rubber for climbing. While these shoes gripped well, they would do better with some Stealth dot rubber, and I would probably feel comfortable using these on more moderate to difficult routes. In my old Guide Tennies, I felt comfortable climbing up to 5.11 in them.
That being said, these would make a fine addition to the toolbox of multi pitch, and big wall climbers. The TX4s are the heaviest offering in the TX line. While lightweight, those looking for fast, efficient trips in the mountains might do better with the lighter weight TX2s, or TX3s.
Aesthetics
Looking cool is the most important part of recreating outside. Why else would we go outside, other than to get a chance to end up in a Patagonia product catalog? Many gear companies make sleek, sexy gear designed to catch your eye on the store shelves. Just look to the mass market appeal Patagonia and The North Face products. Your day at the crag can also be a fashion statement.
Unfortunately, this is one area where the La Sportiva TX4 falls flat. La Sportiva, in my opinion, makes some of the ugliest gear on the market. While most of their stuff is of decent quality, and garners respect as such, it is somewhat diminished when all of their gear is emblazoned with their logo in BIG YELLOW LETTERS. I don’t like it, but maybe I just have trouble understanding Italian branding sensibilities.
The ergonomics of the shoe leave something to be desired. While I appreciate the low, trail runner-esque profile of the shoe, there is a noticeable bulkiness that would not be present in a trail runner, or even the TX2s. This is just my opinion, and is not a real flaw, but it sometimes felt as if I had bricks attached to my feet. My Brooks Cascadias feel like feathers in comparison.
Again, this is just a slight violation of my minimalist design preferences. This design is likely the contributing factor to what makes them such a great backpacking shoe.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a durable, comfortable shoe that can take you through mountains, snow fields, and river crossings, look no further than the La Sportiva TX4s. Along with my Melanzana Microgrid Hoodie (see my review: Melanzana Microgrid Fleece) this was my favorite, most reliable and versatile piece of gear on the trail.
The La Sportiva TX4 is a shoe that can do many things well, but no one thing perfectly. They can hike better than an approach shoe, but can climb better than a hiking shoe. For this reason, they are perfect for me. If I had to do it again, I would opt for the lighter and cheaper TX2s or TX3s, as they drain trapped water more readily than the leather construction of the TX4s.
Regardless of their small flaws, these are acceptable, as I don’t believe any single item of consumer goods can be inherently flawless. Thus, for their comfort and durability, I give these shoes a perfect rating.
My Rating: 5/5
Buy: La Sportiva TX4
Buy: La Sportiva TX3
Buy: La Sportiva TX2
- The Best Campsites Around Big Bear California - February 26, 2021
- Hiking to the Hollywood Sign Via the Brush Canyon Trail - July 13, 2020
- Dirt Cheap Hiking and Backpacking Gear: The Most Affordable Gear on the Internet - July 4, 2020