A technically proficient hiking boot, the La Sportiva TX5 GTX is suitable for day walkers tackling more challenging routes and rocky ground, such as Munro missions or Lake District ridge scrambles.
La Sportiva’s TX range has a long-standing reputation for high-end performance, hitting the sweet spot between comfort, protection and technical precision. All of the footwear in this range could be classed as ‘approach’ footwear. That is, multi-purpose, super-versatile, do-it-all footwear that’s designed to be a halfway house between a hiking shoe and climbing slip-on.
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Pros
- Very technical
- Great for scrambling
- Fully featured
- High performance
Cons
- Not best for multi-day hiking
- Slightly narrow for certain foot shapes
While the La Sportiva TX5 GTX is brilliant for gnarlier day adventures, we found its considerable technical nous means that long-distance comfort is slightly compromised - for multi-day hiking with heavy packs, look elsewhere.
Upper
The upper is reassuringly sturdy and tough. It's made from a smooth and strong-feeling nubuck leather, and we found it's robust enough to cope with whatever abrasive wear and tear you throw at it. An excellent 360-degree, wraparound rubber rand – coupled with a very hard toe bumper and solid heel cup – further enhances the sense of protection.
Internally you a Gore-Tex Extended Comfort membrane for waterproofing. But what we really like is the tongue, which has a bellows design attached to the very top of the ankle cuff. This ensures a high flood level of 17.5cm and further improves the sense of waterproofing and wraparound protection.
The protective ankle cuff, which takes design features from La Sportiva’s burlier Trango range of boots, has nice padding and feels pretty comfy. The nubuck leather upper – despite being strong and tough – also has good flex and a reasonably soft feel.
Internally the boot has a relatively close, tight fit for a more precise hiking experience on technical terrain. Long-distance walkers may find this slightly too narrow or restrictive, and it might not suit all foot shapes, but for technical day hiking we found the fit absolutely fine.
The lacing is climbing-style, extending almost to the toe. In the bottom half of the boot, the laces are housed in loops of nubuck fabric, while at the top you get metal lace hooks for a tighter fit around the ankle.
Midsole
The TX5 GTX features a midsole made from shock-absorbing EVA, constructed using an injection moulding technique. According to La Sportiva, this manufacturing process helps to reduce the “squash” effect or compressing of the EVA over time, thus improving longer-term performance.
We’d described the midsole in this boot as offering moderate cushioning. It doesn’t feel slow or sluggish, and your feet are adequately protected from the lumps and bumps of the trail, but this is not designed as a plush, maximalist midsole. If you want a springy, bouncy feel underfoot, look elsewhere.
Outsole
The TX5 GTX has a Vibram MegaGrip outsole with an aggressive tread and differentiated, deep lugs. You also get a climbing zone at the toe and an impact brake system towards the heel. This is all designed to ensure first-rate grip over mixed terrain, with good uphill traction as well as downhill braking.
But, unsurprisingly, we found performance is strongest on technical ground, particularly when edging on little holds during a scramble. We wore these boots on a frosty winter’s hike up the Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Side ridge in the Lake District and the traction was impressive in the slippery conditions.
In terms of stiffness, there is a reasonable amount of flex in the forefoot, which is needed for hiking comfort. But there is a good amount of stiffness to the platform, both longitudinally and laterally, ensuring you feel secure on steep, technical ground.
Price and competition
Protective, stable, secure, waterproof, grippy and technically proficient, the La Sportiva TX5 offers excellent performance for anyone looking for approach style footwear with a high-ankled build. For scrambling, rocky ground and challenging mountainous terrain, completed as day walks, these boots tick all of the boxes.
But they lack the day-after-day comfort, bouncy cushioning and lightweight construction some hillwalkers will desire for multi-day adventures. La Sportiva’s lighter weight Ultra Raptor or TX Hike boots may suit this purpose better. The TX5 GTX’s price of £200 seems fair and in sync with overall pricing in the hiking boot market.
How we test
These La Sportiva TX5 GTXs were tested by James Forrest, one of our top reviewers. James is renowned in the outdoor world for undertaking enormous challenges, such as climbing all 1,001 mountains across the UK and Ireland. He can always be relied upon to give his gear a proper thrashing.
James tested these hiking boots up Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Side ridge in the Lake District.
Verdict
An excellent approach-style boot ideal for technical ground and scrambling – but they lack the comfort and cushioning needed for multi-day hikes