La Sportiva Ganda Guide Approach Shoe - Men's

the hybridization of an approach shoe being snug, having vast amounts of control, and lower center of gravity, with a hiking boot is in my opinion the combination with most pros to cons ratio.
Here's a list for easier comparison, Pros from approach shoe include: -lower center of gravity ( taking into consideration that most hiking boots make you feel like you're carrying huge lugs around strapped to your feet hence the name for the huge sole tread "lugs"), the Ganda Guide sits your foot lower into the sole, giving more control,
- snugness, you get the same glove like feeling from climbing shoes which should be expected in approach shoes, except for the toe box area which gives a little wiggle room,
- Stickiness of the vibram rubber, feels just like wearing climbing shoes you can almost walk sideways on them ( i'm normally a tenacious hiker, making sure each step is stable one behind the other... but these make me feel like each step however misplaced it may is as stable as the last.)
also a factor of the the boot ankle support ...
I'm a Hueconian, always out there whenever i'm not eating working studying driving but, I haven't had this much fun running in hueco hiking to the problems though... and i wish i had super fast shoe lace tying finger capabilities... but a slip on boot would make no sense?

I've had these boots for almost a year now. I've done everything in them from hike the Uinta's in late spring snow, summit every Flatiron in Boulder, Colorado, and frequent many bars in the late evenings. First off they look great and fit like a pair of custom made gloves. The soles are extremely sticky and allow maximum agility on steep terrain. I was able to climb up to a 5.7 - 5.8 YDS with confidence in my foot holds thanks to these babies! They are great for long climbs in the easy to moderate ratings (Class 5 to 5.7). My best description is they feel like mountain ninja boots! They are light, agile, and sensitive! Now for the downside... the are well made but they have a few flaws. The orange cushion between the sole and bottom of the boot degrades rather easily and causes the sole to separate from the shoe. This problem can be fixed with "shoe goo" but doesn't solve the problem. Also, the two nylon bands that retain the laces on the upper portion of the shoe frays over time and will break before the shoes possible life. Lastly, the tongue is only connect near the toes and thus provides no protection from dirt/debris from entering the shoe. This creates a problem when negotiating any loose soil/rocks due to the fact that you'll wind up with debris in your shoe. Other than that they are bad ass! They just need a little work and they could be perfect!

I cant compare the stickiness to any other approach shoe, as this has been my first approach shoe, but on the approach scramble on the sandstone of the red rocks in NV, these things didnt slip one bit. they stuck like glue on the smears and gave me alot of confidence going up with a large pack, and descending the gullies after a climb. Also was a very comfortable shoe for the hike in before the scrambling started

they are pricey though, and take slightly longer to put on and lace up because of the high top design. but I am definitely glad I spent the money.

I was looking for a light sticky boot for slick rock scrambling and hiking (Vedauwoo, Grand Teton etc). And I got exactly what I was looking for with the Ganda Guides.
Super sticky, but watch out if they get a bit wet as they soon become super slippy. Crossed some snow coming down GT before getting back into the boulder field and they were pretty bad until the sole dried off.
Took about 20 miles to stretch out. I got the size that I normally get for boots and they were tight. Hang in there though because they do stretch out a bit and now mine are very comfortable, though still snug.

On my feet, these fit perfectly (I wear a C width), are really, really light for the support they provide when carrying a pack over rough ground. And no Gore-Tex. Thank goodness. Great for my desert photography. But, the lace system at the top should be better. Having the laces too short wouldn't be so bad, but these boots ought to have eyelets at the top instead of a narrow itty-bitty loop of nylon. Try lacing these up in the dark, or in shadow. Maybe the new design shown on the LaSportiva web site shows a fix to this problem.

In footwear, I've gotten away from Gore-tex and stiff soles. Even backpacking, I found myself choosing running shoes over hiking boots, but I wanted to have something with ankle support, for approaches, and for peaks. I ordered these boots with high hopes. The build quality is better than I've seen in other light, breathable shoes (i.e., Merrill Ventilators, which are also nice, and cheaper), and I usually need a pretty narrow fit (my feet are B or C width, and these are noticeably narrower than most, particularly in the forefoot). I got the 45.5's and had to exchange for 46's, even though I was happy with other Sportiva shoes I had in size 45.5. In this shoe, the 46's fit fine, but they're not roomy. The sole is pretty flexible. Grip is fine (but they can't hold a ledge like a climbing shoe). The lacing down to the toe makes this shoe very adjustable and so it's possible to keep my foot from moving around inside the shoe, which I find to be a problem with many boots. After very little break-in (an approach or two), I took these up and down the shifting talas ridges of Mt. Sopris, including the west summit. I was surprised to finish the long day without blisters. These boots are expensive, but they fit unusually well (if your foot isn't too wide for them). They're fairly breathable, but not breezy (no mesh). Generally, they're very nice technical hikers. I do think I'll use gravel/scree gaiters with them next time I hike a peak. I had to stop to remove pebbles a number of times.

recently bought a pair of the Ganda Guide Approach Boots. They are great for climbing but really suck for approaches. I tried to wear them on an approach and they filled with sand and scree. I planned to wear them for military use in the mountains but they are absolutely not the right boot. I guess if you could walk a sidewalk to the climb they would be great. Thats $230 i wasted.