La Sportiva

Trango Tech GTX Mountaineering Boot - Men's

Durability and Traction.

Very durable and well-made boot. I own two pairs (47.5 and 48). I have 400 miles on 1st pair and opted to size up to a 48 (300 miles on them so far). They are holding up very well. I find they breath well and the traction is exceptional. Most mileage has been in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado and the Colorado Front Range with sharp granite terrain. The soles also grip well on slick rock. They also breath well and are great for tramping through bogs / low water / morning dew. My only complaint is with the toe box - just wish it was a tad roomier and there was a 48.5 size. I normally wear between a US 13.5 and 14, and I use full sole orthotic. The 47.5s were a bit too tight, but not painful. I then bought a 48, but still need more width in the toe box.

Comfort and Safety

Love these boots. So comfortable and handle almost any environment

Great FL Boot for the PNW

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

45.5

Height:

6' 2"

Weight:

190

Just summitted Rainier with this boot and it was a game changer. Way more comfortable than trying to be fast & light with a traditional mountaineering boot. On another mountain I was able to comfortably run down the approach with these bad boys. Seem to work great so far on mountains with long approaches where you still need crampon compatibility and the freezing level isn't super low (I can imagine feet getting cold in prime winter conditions with these). I would defininetely get another pair.

Good boots for mountaineering

I wore these for a Mount Rainier summit and they worked perfectly. They didn't have much of a break in period for me, they kept my feet warm in 20 degree farhenheit weather and my feet didn't get too hot while wearing them in 60 degrees. The fit was good, they felt light on my feet without the crampons, and did great while descending on ice/slush/mud. I haven't truly tested their durability yet but initial impressions are good.

Four Days in the Wilderness: Torn and Frayed

The Trango Tech GTX make for a worthy choice for busting out long trail and backpacking excursions in the North American wilderness. But throw boulder fields, steep scree, talus, and a few mellow pitches of class 5 rock into the mix, and these boots are likely to tear at the sidewalls. That is a complete bummer, because every other part of the Trango Tech lives up to the La Sportiva record of excellence. One short backyard test with crampons proves they hold steady, but under most conditions they will not last more than one long day on glaciers because of the lackluster sidewall material. These synthetic boots should have the same rubber side-wrap found on the leather version. The pictures here show results of only four travel days off-trail and above treeline in Wyoming granite and quartzite mountain ranges.

Good support, good grip, poor durability

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

46

Height:

5' 11"

Weight:

160

Have about 125 miles of mixed trips with these--heavy snow, easy Sierra summer backpacking, and tougher off-route scrambles. They broke in OK--took about six days of hiking before they were good to go, and even still I use some KT tape on my ankles to avoid hotspots...but they are comfortable for super long days (18+ hrs hiking) and quite light for the support and relative weather resistance. My only issue with them, but it's a big one, is I'm not sure I'll get more than two seasons out of them. It might have been chafing from wearing them with snowshoes but the sides are wearing through on both boots, and in general these look like three year old boots, not six months. Still comfy though so I'm hoping to wear them until the side gives out further, at which point I'll probably replace them with the full leather version assuming they fit the same.

So far so good.

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

44.5

Weight:

185

I bought these boots to bridge the gap between mountaineering and hiking boots so I could use them for hiking on trails to mountain summits. So far these have lived up to the task. I never got blisters or any other comfort issues. They were a little weird to get used to walking in at first but that was overcome quickly. This was probably due to the fact I have never had a mountaineering boot before these. The only gripe I have about them is when the inside fabric by the ankle of the boot gets wet it seems to take longer to dry out than most footwear I have had in the past. If you have a boot dryer then no problem but when backpacking for days or weeks at a time this would be an issue especially in higher altitude, colder conditions. However, these will get their first real test as I utilize them on my backpacking trip in the Sangre De Cristos in September. Will update my review then.

Bad fit

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

41.5

Height:

5' 11"

Weight:

160

The good: Well made, stiff, and super grippy. The bad: The fit is bizarre. I?ve tried to break these guys in for a long time to no avail. I?ve owned them for a year and they still give me extremely bad blisters in the heels. This would indicate they are sized too big, but that said, they feel extremely tight on the top of the toe box making them feel too small even though I have room in front of my toes. Theoretically, they are exactly my size. Long story short, I can?t tell if they are too big or too small. I?ve never had this issue with other Sportiva products. I thought they?d break in better but they haven?t. It?s too late for me to return them, otherwise I would. I may try to sell them elsewhere but I would seriously recommend getting a few sizes to really nail it.

Fragile

I have had these for seven months, and have mostly used them for day hikes and walking around the city. I loved the fit and how comfortable they are. Unfortunately, the waterproof fabric where the toe creases has started to leak. And, after a very small amount of climbing up some steep rocks in Arizona, both soles developed major cracks! These are advertised as mountaineering boots, but are too fragile for that kind of use.

Rigid + Cushioned + Light = Bravo!

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

45

Weight:

165

I'm a hiking guide in southern Utah canyon country. I wear a Euro size 45 in most boots (La Sportiva, Salewa, Asolo), and a Euro size 45.5 in Scarpas. I require boots that are notably rigid from heel to toe, because they prevent my feet from the constant bending that triggers plantar fasciitis. Yet I also need boots that have sufficient cushioning to allow me to hike long slickrock routes daily. I much prefer all-synthetic boots to leather or partially-leather boots. And, of course, I want my boots to be as light weight as possible. Previously, I relied on La Sportiva's Trango TRK. I was very happy with them, but they've been discontinued, so I switched to the Trango Tech. Opinion: It's excellent, and will be "my" boot as long as La Sportiva keeps it in production. The Techs are just as stiff as the TRKs, perhaps a bit more so. If anything, they might be slightly more cush. And they're exactly 1 ounce lighter (per pair, without insoles) than the TRKs. My size 45 Trango Techs weigh 2 lbs 13 oz, according to my scale. Sizing for the Trango Tech seems to be nearly identical to the Trango TRK. Perhaps the Techs are a smidge shorter (due to the angled toe box), but size 45 still works for me. Conclusion: If you're looking for that rare combination of lightweight + rigid + adequate cushioning, in an all-synthetic boot, for technical dayhiking, the La Sportiva Trango Tech might be your boot.