La Sportiva Crosslite Trail Running Shoe - Men's - 2008 BCS

I have always forced myself to run, because I know it is good for me, but when I got these shoes I had a new desire to hit the trail. Maybe it is the logo on the side that made me feel fast, but furthermore the comfort, support, cushion, and most of all weightless feel are all a combination I had never experienced before in one shoe. Therefore, these shoes have given me a new standard for running shoes. The traction allows me to run or walk up slopes dexterously, while others struggle to gain footing. Simply amazing and by no means are these shoes only for racing like the description above states. They are great for every run no matter how long the distance, because I guarantee I am not a 50 mile runner or racer.

The Crosslite is by far my favorite trail shoe. Light weight, very flexible, great traction. I love the aggressive tread and the flexibility makes you feel nimble even if you're not. Downsides? A couple for me. First, If you plan on running a 100 mile event in these, your feet had better be ready. I ran a 100K and by the finish, my soles were hammered due to the minimal cushioning. That can probably be overcome just by toughening up my feet. The other is that they are certainly not made for cold weather running. Get them wet from snow, and your feet will freeze. I will definitely be buying some more Crosslites. Love them.

After 20 years of ultra trail running, the original La Sportiva Crosslites are one of my favorites. I generally get over 500 miles on a pair, they are low to the ground, are stable and have fantastic traction. I have worn these at races such as the Speedgoat 50K in Utah and the Hardrock Hundered in Colorado with no problems.
My only mod I make to the shoe is to remove the corset over the laces to better allow me to make adjustments to these and to give me a little more comfy room for my foot. Here's a blog post I wrote on the La Sportiva blog on how to do this easily. http://mountainrun.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/crosslites-review-and-little-tlc/

If you're a La Sportiva fan and love to run on gnarly trails (mud, rocks, steep grades, etc...) then you'll love this shoe. Be prepared as it is very low profile and the midsole isn't as thick as a traditional trail running shoe so you will feel the ground and what's under your feet. There is a built in rock-plate that does help mitigate this feel somewhat, but it also makes the shoe quite stiff. Overall the shoe has great traction though was not very effective on some of the slicker, wet rocks I typically run on (polished limestone), but then again nothing is too good on the wet rocks around here. The lace corset isn't the best feature, in fact myself and others typically just cut the thing off to gain access to the laces easier. Also, a common issue with trail shoes that utilize a lot of fabric mesh on the upper, they tend to tear up at the metatarsal flex point in the shoe, both pair I owned did this after just a couple hundred miles.

Overall this is a good, no nonsense, serious trail shoe that will work for most trail runners.

Rob Youngren
Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team

I use these in the winter on the snow and ice, tons of traction. the sole is very rigid, these are awesome on uneven and slippery surfaces.

I like these shoes, but I don't love them. I like that they have a limited amount of support, which goes along with my minimal shoe theory (I run in Five Fingers at least once a week), and they have solid traction. The negative is that they are on the narrow side compared to the rest of the La Sportiva trail running line. With the minimal support, there are times when you will certainly notice rocks and they could be painful if you're not careful. Running in full blown shoes, I become slightly lazy when running over rocks, which can certainly be a negative with these shoes. You almost have to pretend that you're running in Five Fingers due to the lack of protection underfoot. That being said, I do like them and have about 300 miles on them thusfar.

I bought these after checking out a friends pair. Used them to compete in the North Georgia Adventure Race right out of the box with no problems at all. They have incredible traction (except for on slab by rocks thanks to the cleat like bottoms which equal a relatively small contact area on the rock), and are super comfy...Sort of fit like a big sock. They have a minimal heel-toe drop too with makes them a good fit for pose/barefoot running techniques. I feel that they run pretty true to size also.

My only complaint is that the lugs on the balls of my feet and at the heel are almost completely gone - as shown in the pictures below. I have worn them everyday for the past 6 months though so that was sort of to be expected.

Overall...great shoe.

If your looking for a show that can be walked around in all day and then if needed can excel very well in the trails you need to turn your little consumer ass around and go take a look at something like the FIREBLADE or WILDCAT both equally great shoes but with more of a multipurpose build to them especially in the tread department.

When I first slipped my foot into my brand new CROSSLITES I just wanted to run and thats all! This shoe fit great right out of the box and with the lacing system all it takes is a little tug and this shoe is tight and ready to take on whatever you got for it. The rock guard toe is a life saver especially if your running a lot in the spring time when all the water run off is still fresh and rogue rocks and roots seem to be everywhere like some kind earthy mine field.

Another feature that really set this shoe apart from the rest was the tread design with its highly spaced tooth like treads, steep hills were no match for this shoe and I never found myself slipping. When done running in the mud and whatever you find yourself running through you simply just bang the two shoes together and all the crap comes right off the bottom which means your not bringing the earth in the car with you.

This shoe is well designed to allow your feet to breath and thats huge for me since my feat sweat like its going out of style and really there is nothing worse than soggy sweaty feet when your running. But don't worry the lower half of the shoe is lined to not allow water in so don't worry about puddles and such.

Now of course with all great things there is always some kind of problem and this one is really a personal problem but since a lot of people suffer from it and some suffer from it and don't know they do I thought I would comment on it. This shoe has absolutely no arch support and if you pronate when you run your gonna feel some nasty pain in your ankles an knees and with this shoe being such a low profile design its hard to find insoles that have arch support that will still allow your feet to fit in the shoe.

i love these shoes, i'm on my third pair. i've done 2 tough mudders in them and the traction is absolutely incredible. my only complaint is that you cant replace the laces, but havent had to so it hasn't been an issue yet. great for day hikes too with a moderate load.

these were the first pair of LSportiva's that i've bought, and if all their shoes are like these, then i'm going to need a bigger credit card.

I just ran a 50k in these and loved them. I'm 6'1, 165lbs and neutral with a high arch. i use insoles too.

trail conditions ranged from deep mud, scree, slab,grass, and dry...the shoes were great on everything minus the slab.

The brush guard is nice, and the shoes are great for a minimalist runner. I hate all the bulky shoes like salomon and Pearl. I've owned both brands, and I still run with their shoes, but come race day, it's the Crosslites all the way.

These are by far the best trail running shoes I've ever worn! They're extremely light, the breathe really really well and they have exceptional traction. The hidden laces are really a plus as I run in a lot of brush which can damage them. I really can't say enough about them. They're the best and I'm really happy I finally found them!!!!!

Good shoes overall -- I agree with other comments citing the stiff feel -- but I should note that there doesn't seem to be a way to replace the laces. The laces are so "protected" that I can't see how to access the lower loops. This hasn't been a problem so far -- and I suppose the thinking is that by protecting the laces, they won't need to be replaced before the shoes themselves are worn down. Call me OCD, but this still bothers me... I like to lace my running shoes differently to ease pressure on the top of the foot -- I can't do that with these shoes. Someone out there correct me if I'm wrong about this: how do you access the lower laces??

I have used these about 8 times so far. I would not recommend them if you have a wide foot like myself. The extra covering over the laces seems to be too snug for my fat as do the sides. I can not run for distance in these because my feet start to throb. I am alright at short distances though. I wear a 9.5 in my asics and got a 9.5 in these. The length is fine, but like I said, they are pretty snug.

At 12.35 oz (size 9), I think calling this a featherweight shoe is a bit misleading. However, it is a lighter weight shoe and because it is low profile it feels even more lightweight. The uppers on these are awesome. Very sleek looking and streamlined. The scree gaiter keeps the snags down and of course keeps the grit out. I do wonder what I will do if my laces break because you can't get to them below the top 3 eyelets. The laces that come with the shoes do seem to be good quality. I don't recall ever breaking a lace, but it’s something to think about, though if I was in a race and it happened, I’d just cut the material. The upper is pretty breathable, but not airy. Meaning it's not bomb-proof, but it's also not flimsy. The outsole lugs are nice for 2 reasons. 1- Great grip on lots of different surfaces. 2- They provide extra cushioning on hard pack. The toe box is medium height. This is good as a lot of low profile shoes do not have that. They run about a ½ size small compared to my road shoes and other trail shoes.

Overall, I think this is a great shoe for those looking to transition to a lower profile without jumping right in or you want a faster feeling shoe with monster grip. To go super lightweight, I’d check out the Skylite (9.45oz) which is the same shoe as this with a less aggressive outsole.

I bought a pair of these a few years ago and love the snug fit and traction. I wore them for the entire 50 miles of the White River 50 last summer and they were great climbing the hills and good coming down the soft, single-track. It wasn't until after mile 37 when running down a 6 mile gravel road that I wished they had more cushioning.

Another possible concern is that these shes don't allow easy attachment of gaiters, but I have a pair that I slip under the mesh shoestring protector and hook onto the laces. It works fine.

The toe box is not roomy so if you have bigger feet this shoe may not be for you.

Was really picky when it came time to pick a new trail run shoe. I narrowed down to this one and let me tell you, best decision I ever made! Was looking toward goin with a minimalist shoe, but still needed a little bit of support for my knees and shins! This shoes has a lot to offer, their lightweight, and have great support and cushion. My favorite part of this shoes is the traction. The traction is amazing on all sorts of terrain, sharp rocks had no chance with these shoes. Also the area I run has a little bit of pavement that transitions the trails, was way surprised with the huge cleat like traction how well these shoes did even on the hard stuff! I run everyday around 3 to 4 miles, and these shoes supposedly being a race shoe, work perfect for a everyday runner! Love em!

these shoes grip the ground like super glue. They are very lightweight and breathe easy the built in gator is a nice bonus
very comfortable!! all around awesome.. buy these you wont regret it!!

The Crosslite is a great shoe. It hugs your foot like a sock. The traction is ideal for the snow and mud with its open and deep lugs which also provide extra cushion. I originally purchased these for winter running and thought I would sneak them in for a daily run in the mountains. I can't stop wearing them. All other shoes now sit on the shelf.

For my feet hey are comfortable and have a great "run free" feel to them. Don't let the slim cut scare you off, I have "normal" feet and have not had a problem with the shoe at all. They work well with the Inov-8 Debris gaiter for the winter months on the mountain trials.

I bought my first pair late winter and trained in them all spring and summer for the North Face Endurance 50k. I put a lot of miles on them. Bought a new pair a week before the race and broke them in. Come race day, they were awesome. These are my shoes from now on. They are great for people with narrow feet.

I had tree pairs of them. First I ruin after tree weeks. I made only aproximately 200 km on a muddy terrain. I was disappointed with them. Then I bought the second one. These were good - I made 700 km with them, almost on muddy and rocky terrain. On a wet rock they are very sleppery. So I finally decited to take the third one, but once again I was completely disappointed, namely outeer mesh is very tearing and the sole got worn out in only two months. So I said good bye to La sportiva. I was so stupin. All my friend bought only one pair of them, then ther change the manufacterer, I bought three of them, but now I will do the same as they are...

I just picked up a pair of these and they're probably the best fit I've had out of the box. I have a narrow, low volume foot and I barely have to tie these things for a perfect fit without pressure points. They feel light on my feet, but I think that may be a function of the perfect fit and relatively low profile, for they certainly aren't super lightweight compared to shoes like the New Balance MT100. In fact, my only complaint about the shoe is that there are some unnecessary cosmetic features, such as the lace guard.

Furthermore, the tread on these soles is totally excessive. I've never had a problem with traction in any shoes, in the mud of the New England woods, the singletrack trails of the Colorado Front Range, or the loose gravel of the Utah desert; I find that careful balance and a more conservative stride in potentially slippery situations can provide similar benefits.

When will BC.com stock the SkyLite?

I spent the summer of '09 running "barefoot" with a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. Single track horse trails through the woods in Minnesota that are covered in pine straw and horse**** provide a soft and sometimes squishy track that is ideal. This fall, as the trails turned to a slippery mess I knew that my Five Fingers were not going to keep me upright on some twisting and fast descents. I wanted a shoe with tremendous traction like a fell running shoe and as little extra B.S. as possible. The Crosslite Trail is the perfect shoe for the muddy, hilly terrain I run. As a forefoot striker, I rely not on my shoes to provide cushion, but on the perfectly tuned toe,sole,ankle,calf,knee,thigh,hip thing to keep my aging joints together and to get me from A to B. The only thing missing was a good connection to the ground. I highly recommend these shoes for serious, technical trail runners that don't need ankle support (it's also a very low shoe) and who don't need or want all the bells and whistles of over thought shoe designs. They look pretty cool to boot!

I'm using them in Afghanistan. I'm in the mountains and run a lot. these are the first Sportiva shoes i have bought and i will be a customer for life as long as they keep making them this good. I have to agree. buy one half size bigger then you normally wear. I am a 9us and I ordered the 9.5us like other people say and they are perfect. need little to no break in time at all. light and very conferable.

They're tight, and I mean that in a good way, but don't plan on wearing thick socks inside these. They're narrow through the instep. I have a narrow heel and I appreciate the almost stretchy, sock-like fit of this shoe. My feet do not move around inside them. They felt great with no break-in, and I like the spike-like rubber lugs for traction on loose dirt and rocks. I would think this would be a good trail racer (I don't race). I don't run in these on pavement. The cushioning is pretty minimal, which I prefer for trail shoes. These replaced a pair of Salomon XA Pro's (which are also very nice, but more expensive), and the Sportiva's are every bit as good for running, though I found myself wearing the Salomon's much more often for a hike or just around town on weekends (like, off the bike, or camping).

This is my first venture into trail running and I read a lot of positive reviews about this shoe so I thought I would try them out. I have not been dissapointed!! they fit true to size and are great to run in. no friction spots anywhere and the grip is awesome. Great Shoe!!!

I bought this shoe about a week ago and absolutely love it! I live in Minnesota and have been running on packed snow and ice for the past week or more. These shoes are very comfortable and very effective...I am sold!!!

Dennis
Arden Hills, MN

Have had these for about a month, using them 2-3 times per week, mostly on rocky, rooty foot trails, as well as the occasional fire road, and one spot of pavement. Cushioning is less than I was used to -- I'm about 185 lbs. -- but my feet and stride are adapting well. These shoes are light and sensitive, but not featherweight. On wet man-made surfaces they feel slick, but this does not hold true on wet rocks and roots. Laces are odd, but do tighten down nicely. The shoe dries quickly, and the toe box is surprisingly roomy. All in all, I'm thrilled.

These shoes are very aesthetic.

I have a somewhat narrow low profile foot and these fit great. They look fast and are fast. I also run in the La Sportiva Wildcat and these are a much lower profile shoe than the Wildcat. They feel like a racing flat with a low profile heel. I really have no complaints about the shoe. I have owned about 10 pairs of their shoes (running, approach, climbing)and have to say that La Sportiva makes high quality footwear.

I was hesitant to switch from Montrails, but am glad I did. These are phenomenal shoes. I'm 5'11'', 175 lbs, run anywhere from a 5K to 20K in the mountains. I'm a neutral runner, and these work for me. Better at keeping out scree than any other shoe I've tried.

The traction--it's a trade-off. You're giving up surface area for bite with those lugs, so these are slipperier on rock than other shoes. Not by much--I haven't fallen yet. What you get in exchange is incredible grip on loose dirt/rock, grass, and mud. I can literally run faster because I have more traction.

Sum it up--I'm headed back to REI today for another pair. They're that good.

Two words: LOVE EM'!!. I have just started trail running again and these shoes just seem to let the miles melt away. Excellent grip on all terrain surfaces (accept for damp, rocky out-crops). Low profile design, and great stability make for an awesome performing and great looking shoe. they also have enough padding to make runs on hard pack surfaces a possibility (should you need to run out to your favorite trail like I do). Great shoe for a good price.

I just put to rest my first pair of Crosslites. I ran four 50K's and one 50 miler on them since the start of 2010. I got about 450 miles of trails on them before they finally needed replacement. I probably could have gotten even more but the Zane Grey 50 trail conditions shredded them to pieces with all the rocks and thorns. Amazing traction on slick rock, dry rock. I'm a neutral strike runner with narrow feet. These shoes fit so perfect they give such great control on technical trails. So light they are great over long distance. Only after forty miles does it really get rough on the feet but after retiring this pair I tried on Addidas, Brooks, the Wildcat and Raptor from LA and Montrails and in the end I just went and bought a second pair of Crosslites. Maybe too light on protection for longer runs but an amazing trail shoe for 50K's and under or longer runs on lighter trails. Did amazing on mud trails. Wish a gaiter worked with them but the built in is nice. Not sure why the built in gaiter is an issue with the shoe laces as some people have listed. They can't really get damaged or torn as they are. Buy it!

This shoe is great. I little hard to go real long but no shoe can be everything. I do have to complain about La Sportiva though. They have a very similar shoe, Skylite, that is supposed to be a ligther version of the crosslite. Well, I have two pairs of crosslites and one pair of skylites. The skylites being in the middle in age and wear.(none of the shoes has more than 50 miles on it) I also have a scale and the scale tells me that the skylites are heavier than both pairs of crosslites. Since the skylites are heavier than the crosslites they don't need to exist.

The moment I put these shoes on they reminded me of my high school track shoes. Their fit is fairly true to size. I wear a 10.5 Asic road shoe and I purchased a 10.5 in these. The toe box is roomy and the heel cup does just that, cup your heel. The shoe is fairly snug around the arch and the top of the foot. However, while they are snug, it is not uncomfortable at all. Infact, I believe it is part of the design of the shoe. The tread is like wearing tiger claws on your feet. The only way you could get more traction would be to wear actual track spikes. The extensive traction is tremendously helpful on step downhill runs. I would describe the cushioning as being designed for offroad use only. I would also consider the shoe to be a race day shoe and would not want to train extensively in these shoes. I would also refrain from road use. Due to the large treads on the shoe, pavement will wear them bald quickly.

I have been using these shoes on my CDT thru-hike for the last 400-500 miles and love them. The first pair had some durability issues and wore out early. The second pair I put ShoeGoo on the rear edges of the toebox. This pair is still being used and hasn't had any of the previous trouble. The outsole is tough even on scree and talus slopes. The shoe is also outstanding at controlling my foot, I don't have any heel slippage or sliding. I did have to downsize from my Salomon's 44 to 43 if that helps anyone with sizing.

For Narrow to Medium wide feet, precise, perfect gripe. Competition at any conditions.

Like they pioneere it for narrow to average fit climbers; they did for runners: glove in to the foot!

I will be honest- the day I got them I put them on and was very skeptical about their comfort. The shoes felt so tight, but decided to give them a "good" test run. So the first day i wore them i went out for about 12 miles. They actually "molded" or adapted to my foot as the run progressed. By the end of the run I was amazed at how good they felt. Took them out a few days later for a 15 mile run. I ended up getting lost and had to run the last three miles on a road. I really expected my feet to be in a lot of pain the next day from the road portion but they weren't. I like the shoe a lot and I would recommend it and I have to my hardcore trail running friends.

I have a wide foot and they seem "stiff" when you first start running with them but it was great on wet rock, mountains, and hills. Oh and my shoes dried out fast without the fiber shrinking which was a definite plus.

I ran the trails in these and they ROCKED. The traction on the uphills felt like I was on a mountain bike. The fit was adequate. These shoes definitely compliment the "skinny" foot. They are snug on the arch, the heel cup is awesome, and the toe box...well, it could use alittle more room. I'm an avid sportiva-imogene shoe user so I could always use more toe room. What did I do? I removed the insert and replaced it with a thinner one and now I'm rockin'. I would recommed.

La Sportiva's crosslite fitted very well to my in between size (S-M) feet. They were LIGHT and breezy. Grips extremely well in the Asian mountains which is muddy and on wet rocks too.

It does however have some problem with wet roots and planks or on less than rough rocks.

Stability and protection wise, its not the best. I was wearing this shoe for Mt Kinabalu Climbathon and I found it lacking in with the down hill runs. Due to the very light weight nature of the shoe, as you 'brake' the material on the side wall expands and your feet kinda slide into the space between the sole and the sides of the shoe. Again, this is in comparison to a very tough Montrail Hurricane ridge which is built like a tank. I need not worry where i step on.

Built quality is very good though it looks filmsy. I've been thrashing it for mtn runs and its still holding up well.

Best piece of trail wear i have til now.

Great for hard pack trails and roads. Grips well on the down slope even in loose rock footing. A bit heavier than what I'm used to, but a great shoe for snowy, wet, muddy conditions.

These shoes are perfect for hitting the trails. When they get covered in mud, the treads still poke through. They are the perfect weight and feel like I'm running barefoot. I've worn keens and brooks trail shoes and the crosslites have easily topped them. They are the perfect shoe. Get 'em.

I have to admit that these shoes didn't work out so well. I found them to be really stiff and definitely lacking in any sort of cushioning which translated to a pretty rough ride unless there was a lot of loose dirt, rocks, mud, etc. Also they didn't drain very well and took forever to dry which was pretty annoying. I think that you could get something pretty similar from inov-8 with tread that's just as aggressive and much better cushioning.

I got these as a race day shoe, and now wear them almost every day. they are super light and very comfortable. I sized down a half size from my Salomon's and the fit is perfect. They have virtually no break in period, and once they are worn out I know that they will make an excellent everyday shoe. They vent very well and keep your feet cool and comfy. I highly recommend them!

I got these so I could get back into trail running this spring, and I've dug them so far. The unique lace covers look great; i get a lot of compliments on them. It does make it a bit harder to custom-adjust the laces though. I have a wider foot, and i like to loosen my laces at the bottom. Maybe sizing up a half size would have fixed that. They feel great on a run though. It feels like my feet are being pushed forward.

excellent shoes. super grippy with a nice wide front for extra stability. pretty light, i've felt lighter, but nothing to complain about. they do seem to be a little snug, might want to try going up half a size. i normally wear a size 10.5 in U.S. sizing and went with a 44 on these and they still seem a little snug. all in all, an excellent shoe

i like and very like