La Sportiva Fireblade Trail Running Shoe - Men's

I've had these shoes for a few weeks now and have put a few miles on them. My typical run is a 6 mile loop that goes up and over "Big and Little" Kennisaw Mountain in the Atlanta area. Very steep in places with some really gnarly rock sections. First thing I noticed about these shoes is how nimble they are. This proved to be a good and a bad thing. The slipper like fit gets me through the rocks quicker than any other shoe in my quiver but I pay a price in terms of pain as a result of the light, minimalist cushioning. At 6'1" and 187 pounds, I'm pushing the limits of the cushioning in this shoe. I think it would be perfect on single tracks that aren't too rocky. As a fix, I put in some "green" super feet in soles and that seems to have done the trick. Traction over wet rock is pretty good. All in all a pretty good shoe.

These are a solid shoe with decent rock protection for such a lightweight product. They grip well and breathe nicely for those hot summer trail runs. They have a roomy toe box but overall the shoes are more on the narrow side as most La Sportiva's are. Comfortable and offer decent support.

Edit on 01/20/12: I have since switched to the La Sportiva Wildcats and prefer them over this product.

I decided to start running only a few months back and was looking for a good beginner's running shoe and narrowed down on the Fireblade.
I spoke to a gear expert on live chat who helped me decide the size of the shoes.
I ordered them, they arrived quickly and it was a perfect fit thanks to the gear expert.
I have been using them regularly and I find it to be just perfect.
Loving them.

US shoe size is 10. Got a 44.5 size Fireblade. Perfect fit.

While not the best choice for slick trails, this shoe handles most terrain well; roads (paved & gravel), trails, off-trail, etc... The fit is very comfortable, and is lighter in weight than it seems. For anybody wanting a very long distance trail running shoe this is a good choice. As a member of the Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team I've gone through A LOT of different trail shoes. I can honestly say that the Fireblade is one of the most comfortable trail shoes I've ever worn. The really saved my bacon over the last couple of days of my speed-hike of the 335 mile Pinhoti Trail a couple years ago!

I trail run in the high country of colorado all year long. when the snow get's to deep, I strap on the running snow shoe's. I use gaiters and stay in trail running shoe's. I login 20mile+ week. I have try many, I do mean many other types of trail runners [shoe's] and they where ok. But when i try'd the Fireblade trail running shoe by La Sportiva. At last i fond the shoe that only fit good when i first wore them [true to size] they are great to this day! They work great on almost any kind of trail from dry to slick rock to mud to grass! keep on dancing STEP'MO

I got the Fireblades to fill the gap between my backpacking boots and road runners. So far, they've been an excellent choice. The fit is true to size and quite comfortable. The sole is stiff, but still did fine for some sub-seven pace trail runs. They feel fast and look good, but beware, the orange is pretty bright. Sticky rubber on the outsole gripped wet rock and roots with ease. They'll performed admirably in some light scrambling. More to come later on performance with a heavier pack and on low 5 climbing.

This is a great light weight performance trail shoe, for various terrain, flexible, dependable and feels comfortable for all day runs. It took my feet a few excursions to get use to the narrow shoe design, but now it's my favorite pair in my arsenal. Plus the sticky outsole handles the rocks like a charm. Happy running!

These are excellent low profile shoes. They are soft, supple, supportive (without overdoing it), light, and versatile. These are definitely better suited to the runner with seriously sound footwork because of their fairly minimalistic design.

The sole is sticky and grips well in virtually all terrain except wet hilly grass or River Rock hopping (but what shoes do that perfectly?).

The slimmer fit makes exposed scrambles feel solid as opposed to sketchy (4th class with a bike, mittens, ice tools, & in the dark... Don’t ask why!)

I've seen people comment on the tread pattern as being weak or lacking grip but I must remind you that it's the quality of the rubber that provides grip not lugs or pattern necessarily. A larger heavy lug destroys trails and delicate environments quicker so be mindful. These definitely have grip!

What can I say that Karl hasn't?

Bear in mind that I am no expert when it comes to shoes. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what the intended purpose of these shoes is. They have good traction, appear to be constructed well, have a sturdy feeling heal, and hug your feet nicely (excellent fit for me ~ narrow foot with a high arch). Having said that, the padding on the forefoot is minimal (don't know if this would be an issue for you) .I have custom orthotics in mine...they fit in the shoe nicely, which is a plus. The shoe doesn't appear to have any inherent arch support though...I don't know if this is standard on shoes of this type. I also don't think it has much lateral support, which could potentially be a problem for ankles. I would not recommend this shoe to anyone wanting to carry a heavy pack, but see no reason for complaint otherwise. Pretty nice looking shoe.

I'm a trouble case for fit - narrow, low-volume, Morton's Toe, etc. Since New Balance stopped making trail runners in narrow I've been looking for trail running shoes that even sort of fit. These are the ones. A good low-volume fit, relatively little lift at the heel so the foot position is neutral. They're new, so don't know yet about the durability. The soles have incredible traction on rock, and the low-profile tread pattern gives good grip in loose surfaces while not catching on stuff like deep treads sometimes can. I hope they never stop making these.

I am getting back into trail running and after reading many reviews I went with the Fireblade. It is a super good fit right out of the box. I normally wear a 11.5 and went with the 44.5. It gives me plenty of room in the toe box when my feet start to swell. I have had them a little over a month and they are showing no signs of wear.

I'm new to the fireblades put in some good miles on them both on and off trail. The shoe is minimal and efficient. It tends to run small and narrow compared to other shoes that I've tried, so go larger. The shoe has been great for both the trail and getting out on the road. The sleeve over the lower laces is great on keeping debris out of the shoe. The toe bumper is solid to protect against the ocassional kicked rock. The sole provides plenty of proctection on the trail. Know going into the purchase that the shoe is just what I've described. If you are looking for a cushy ride this isn't the shoe. If you are looking for an efficient shoe for most any terrain then this is it. My only drawback on the shoe is that it runs a bit narrow, but it's nothing to knock the shoe.

So you want to run like the wind and win marathons? Well you have to train hard for that, but these runners will aid you along the way. They has truly amazing grip over varied terrain both wet and dry, from dry trails to wet rock, they bit in, plus they clean up to look like new! The only problem that I have had so far is they seem to collect mud, but it does not get to bothersome.

Just looking at these shoes makes you run faster. It has just the right stiffness giving you enough protection from rocks and good movement. I have wide feet as well, and the Firebaldes give me plenty enough room in the toebox.
When your posture gets sloppy, the Fireblades pick you right back up and keep you running.

Good looking shoe with a nice "feel" on the foot. Large/roomy toebox may take some getting used to. Not much forefoot cushioning - especially if running a trail with lots of small/sharp rabble: expect frequent "stingers." Sole grip is awesome - no slip. Would expect these to perform very well on broad/flatter stone surfaces - even in wet conditions

I have SO many problems finding the right size running shoe! I wear a US 10 in the Mizuno Wave Rider, Columbia Ravenous, Montrail Mountain Masochist. ALL three of those call a US 10 a EURO 44. EURO 44 was WAY too big in the LaSportiva Fireblade. I downsized to a 43.5 and the shoe is STILL a little too big, but I'll make it work. Just the slightest bit of heel slip... Wish I'd tried the 43.

All in all, can't beat the shoe for the price - but they wouldn't be worth paying full retail.

Absolutely love everything about these shoes. Their low profile definitely keeps you nimble on the trail and makes you feel really fast. Everything from hard-packed trails to slushy/muddy trails, these shoes do it all. The traction is deceivingly good as they stick to almost everything. Just a word of caution, however, if you want a plush ride with lots of cushioning, these will probably not be your shoes. They are somewhat firm, which allows you maximum control on technical trails, while maintaining smooth heal to toe transition. I wear a size 10 in all road running shoes (i'm a 9.5 street shoe) from asics and adidas. A 43 in these shoes fits perfectly. The toebox has just enough room and width is not a problem.

I have size US 13, narrow, low volume feet. It's been an adventure just finding shoes that fit. I run on and off road and the fireblades are the perfect shoe for me. Features like the gaiter over the tongue and a airy toebox and snug heel work great on and off the road. I used to run in Brooks cascadias, but find the fireblades a much bettter match for me in terms of last and support. They are a stiffer shoe than the cascadias, with less cushioning, but feel more stable on any terrain.

La Sportiva makes great stuff. The materials in these shoes are nice. The shoe is well constructed, and will last mile after mile. The toe box has a nice "run free" feel to it and the heel cup is stable. The shoe is low to the ground and has a clear feeling of the trail as you run. I took this shoe on a very rocky 13 miler and my feet (bottoms) were getting hot the last 2 miles. I took them out again the next day on a trail a bit less rocky and I could feel the soreness from the day before. I am 6'3" and 175 lbs. As a bigger runner they were not great for me but I could see them working quite well for all the skinny fast boys who beat me to the finish line. I still like the Crosslites and Wildcats more.

This is not the shoe for me.As someone who followed SpeedGoat's AT trek I was really stoked to try these shoes. Especially when this past June in Utah was a muddy, wet mess. (Not unlike what Karl encountered along the northern AT)In any event, I first wore them on a run from Elbow Fork to Lamb's with packed damp trail and snow crossings. The snow crossings were like wearing flip flops, bad news.On my second run in the Fire Blades the down hills and rocky technical terrain on Black Mountain were pretty darn good, but again anything slippery, or wet got sketchy really quick.The final blow was a run around Jordanelle Reservoir were muddy conditions and no traction resulted in two months couching it with an Iliopsoas tweak. After lots of rehab and a return to Salomon's my recovery is nearly complete.Bottom line: For dry technical conditions you'll probably like this shoe a lot. If you are extremely fit like Speedgoat you may do okay in wet conditions too. But if you are weekend warrior, have history of groin pulls, and are likely to encounter wet conditions, I wouldn't even think about it.

First pair of La Sportivas and am happy as a pig in...Great low profile, decent shank protection, excellent heal cup, good grit guard, light weight and plesently surprised by the tread. The Frixion rubber is sticky and the tread design gives ample traction going up and going down. Lots of comments about these being tight; I have wide feet and do not think the Fireblades feel restrictive at all. I got the 'wide' sized version (there is a + next to the size number). A well designed trail runner sutible for training and positively race worthy. Roll on with these tied to fleet feet.

A perfect shoe, for me, anyway. A deep, narrow heel with a wide forefoot, low and agile while still supportive. Maybe less than gorgeous, but I have several pair and wear 'em for everything. As comfortable in town as on the trail.

Very good trail shoe. Lightweight, but well constructed to handle the rocky and technical terrain where I train. The impact absorption is where the sacrifice was made and even though I love the shoe, I no longer use them for runs over about 20 miles. It starts to feel like jackhammers on my feet. I'm 6'1" 170# so that may be the difference why some folks who are a little lighter, like Karl, can enjoy this shoe for ultradistances. If you're running rocky trails, especially where you want good turnover to push your downhill pace, this is a great shoe.

I have a lot of praise for these kicks! I look for lightweight shoes to do heavy trail miles in on various terrain. These shoes fit the bill. First run in them was 23 miles over dirt, gravel, mud & grass - they performed great! I am 5'08", 160lb, and I usually wear a 9.5 shoe. I bought these in a 10 (43 EUR) due to also having a pair of Slingshots that ran small. They fit perfectly and comfortably. I would (obviously) highly recommend them.

These shoes are great. These are the lightest pair of trail shoes I have worn from LaSportiva. Right out of the box I tested these shoes and they are it! I would not recommend these for a real rocky terrain though- I ran a pretty rocky course and I felt the rocks and did not seem to have the footing like the LaSportiva crossroads or Cardiffs, But would slide these babies on for a single track dirt or fire road terrain and I would definitely size down a 1/2 size if possible.

great show, a little more narrow than I'm used to, but good fit to keep you foot in place. Good grip overall due to the sole.

don't hesitate to purchase.

I really like the fit of these shoes. They're pretty narrow in the heel area up to the mid foot, and they open up quite a bit in the toe box - perfect for my foot type. I've taken these on a few trail runs and have been very pleased. La Sportiva didn't go overboard with the cushioning - they probably could have added a little more under the forefoot. The heel cushioning is adequate, but you can feel the rocks through the forefoot pretty well. Overall, these are great trail runners.

The La Sportiva Fireblade is a solid shoe. The shoe gets great traction, has a good fit (maybe a little more narrow than I am used to, but definitely comfy). In comparison to other shoes, you may feel the ground more. After running in Brooks Cascadias for a while, this shoe feels much lighter and faster, but maybe you won't get that "running on a cloud" feeling". The toe box along with the rest of the shoe protects your feet very well from kicking rocks, etc.

I wasn't terribly happy with a La Sportiva shoe that I bought about 18 months ago, but this shoe is definitely an improvement. Great for fast trail races, or ultra-marathons.

These are my new favorite running shoes!!!
The inner-soles are quite hard, so I changed them with a spare pair of Pearl Izumi's inners.
(I would recommend buying the Montrail inner soles which can be heat molded)
Despite this minor problem, I'm still giving the Fireblades 5 stars.

I've done road and trail running in these and they're perfect.

Great shoes for trail running and hiking. Heel is held securely but toebox is wide and comfortable. Be sure to size up 1 euro size. I wear a 9.5 American size which is 42.5 Euro size. I purchased Euro 43 and they fit perfectly. They are really well made and last and last and last. Grip is excellent on most surfaces. I have used Salomon, Montrail and La Fuma shoes in the past. These are way better. Get 'em while you can.

Easily the most comfortable shoes i've ever worn. Very light but durable, maintain a tight fit around the feet and breathable. Excelent shoes

I've been using these shoes for about a month now and I gotta say they are fantastic. I have been running on road, trails, beach, and rocks. The traction holds up great and even after accidentally getting hit by a wave from the Sea they dried out quickly (while running) and still run like new. The laces may be shorter than most but it cuts down on unnecessary weight as you can still easily tie them either bow or double-knotted.

Just bought these at a local shop a couple of weeks ago and only done some short interval training in them. Still getting a feel for how much I need to tighten them and what not as they do run a little narrow for my feet.

There are fast and they shed the gunk really well. I was just stoked that after I bought them I realized that I was now wearing the same shoes as Karl Meltzer.

Fortunate for me I was able to get them in the orange/grey color scheme.

I ended up ordering these because I couldn't find Salomons in my size. At first glance, I didn't think they would have adequate cushioning. The fit is incredible though. I love European footwear, they absolutely have it dialed in for people with narrow feet and higher arches. These fit like a glove through the instep, but have a roomy toebox.These are very lightweight, and I have really grown to like the lower heel versus other trail runners I have worn. The seem to offer plenty of protection from rocks.They'll get a good test in a month when I run the Bridger Ridge Run in Bozeman. Last year I wore Montrail Continental Divides, which I found to be pretty ho-hum. I'll give an updated review after the race.

Review Update:

Love the low heel, these shoes have a great "feel" for the trail through technical rocky sections. I didn't lack for cushion at all on the Bridger. The "Sticky Rubber" sole is quite impressive on smooth boulders.

Very nice shoes.

The Fireblade was my first trail shoe from a smaller company (rather than Asics, Brooks, etc). Mine just endured a full summer's abuse on rough/rocky trails, so I'm ready to speak for them.

Pros: These shoes performed well and held up nicely. The sticky rubber tread kept me upright on slick and steep sections of gravel/snow/mud just as I had hoped. If not for some interior cushioning flaws, these likely still had some miles left in them. They are very lightweight just as advertised and seemed true to size, fitting my neutral foot (mostly) comfortably. Externally they were solid and outperformed any of the previous trail shoes I've run in.

Cons: I think there was a slight sacrifice in protection to keep these shoes light, as I found myself feeling pointy rocks through the bottom and sides more often than I should have. Also, although the interior fabric was soft and cushy, the heelcup rubbed my heel in such a way that a couple holes wore straight through the fabric, prematurely ending the life of these shoes.

Bottom Line: While I felt the Fireblade could get the job done, I was more impressed by its sister shoe, the Raceblade. The Raceblade is even lighter, features a sewn in upper to keep crud out of your shoes, fits a little more snugly (good in my case), and is build with a more frictionless interior fabric that has witheld a lot more abuse than the Fireblade's interior. And being about the same price, I'll be buying just the Raceblades in the future.

I've had heavier, bulkier trail runners and wanted something more sleek and low-profile. I wanted shoes for moving quickly (fast hiking and running) on dry trails on day trips. The Fireblades definitely seem to be that - but unfortunately I didn't get to use them other than for extended periods of wearing them (trying them out) inside my house. The fit seemed good for my fairly low-volume, high-arched, just-the-narrow-side of medium width size 44 - 44.5 feet. The upper contoured the right places and curves. Right away, however, I could tell that there was not much in the way of cushioning. I felt this mostly in the forefoot. I think my rigid feet have lost some of their padding over the years of use, especially under the ball of the foot and behind the toes. My determination was that if I was feeling the lack of cushioning during inside use, then spending several hours in them on the trail might be uncomfortable - maybe even painful. I would like to have done some real runs in the Fireblades - maybe I would have been surprised, but I doubt it based on past experience with shoe feel and fit. I wanted to like them and keep them but think I need more underfoot padding and shock absorbing ability than these provide. Another thing is that the laces are quite short - they are barely long enough to make double knots.

Conclusion: These are probably good shoes for some people but didn't work for me so I returned them.

Coming from a beefy Salomon shoe, the fireblade seemed lighter, faster, had more grip, and a lower profile. It has great traction on just about any surface that I have tested so far. A few runs in these shoes and I improved my time on my daily trail runs. I credit this to the light & grippy feeling you have in them. They cool/wick easy, but they also don't have any protection to keep water out. I also feel more susceptible to spraining my ankle in them due to the low profile. The laces usually stay tied. I also wear a gaiter with them to help keep trail debris out due to the low profile.

If you are looking for a lightweight, fast shoe but still need a little support and pronation control, this is the one. I have tried several models that have all lacked either support, durability and/or comfort. The Fireblade delivers in all areas. The snug midfoot and roomy toebox, along with a good pair of injinji socks, have eliminated my blister problems. Great shoe!

This shoe is one of the best shoes I have ever worn. Having run on trails for years I finally made the switch to trail shoes from road shoes. I tried the Nike Trail S and while comfortable gave little support and protection during a 26 mile run on the Appalachian Trail. I then switched over to the Soloman XA Pro and ran my first 50k in them without too many problems. I have a farely narrow forefoot and a thicker midfoot that required a little extra arch support. At the 50k I won a pair of Fireblades and made the switch immediately. The give the perfect amount of support and great protection. The low profile allows you to really feel the trail. I have gone as little as 5 miles and as much as 29 so far and have loved every second.

Howdy. These shoes look like a very good pair of shoes, however after having received them, trying them on, relative to the Salomon XA PRO 3D Ultra, they were narrow... but, they were good looking, nice sole, and sexy.

I've had this shoe for about three weeks and I've logged approx. 125 miles of North Carolina trail. So far so good. This is a quality shoe, very well made. It's light weight, which for me is its number one feature. However, what you lose in weight you also lose in cushioning. I would classify this as a "trail only" shoe, stay off the roads. The shoe does run a little narrow, a problem I solved by switching to a different sock.

Have only run one 10K single track but am really pleased so far. Because of a lingering plantar problem I wear power step insoles in place of the Fireblades. I wear a size 12 in my Mizuno and Asic running shoes, and the size 12 in the Fireblades seems to be fine. Ran through a couple of small streams, and the shoes don't seem to have any drainage, but no big deal. Lightweight, but adequate cushioning.

So far, so good. These shoes fit my feet like gloves and are super comfortable to wear, both around town and on the trail. I would definitely reccomend them to anyone with "low volume" feet like mine.

This shoe is made for runner's with a narrow foot. It solved my forever long venture to find the perfect running shoe. Put multiple pairs through 3 Wasatch Backs, 1/2 Marathons, Hikes and Canyoneering.

Only issue I ever have is about 100 miles or so the shoe strings give out. So if you don't mind replacing your good to go.

haven't worn these a ton since I've gotten them, but they are really nice and light, and the rock guard in the sole is good. I like the sole because it's simple and doesn't have a whole bunch of knobby stuff. I find that that type of stuff just gets ripped off.

Had high hopes for these shoes. After my first run on a rocky trail I realized they weren't going to work there. Then I used them around town, to work or the gym and they are good there. Then I decided to try them on climbing approaches and they failed miserably there. They have very little protection from rough surfaces or rocks or trail irregularities. Maybe I misunderstood what this shoe is for (road running?) but it just didn't work for me. I will say they are comfortable and lightweight which I do like. If you are looking for a rough trail shoe keep looking.