17
Apr
2013
jloomis

La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boot Review

Brand: 
La Sportiva
Model: 
Trango S EVO GTX #274RO
Price: 
$320.00
Product Rating: 
5
Picture of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boot
Picture of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boots
Picture of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boot Specifications
Picture of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boots - Front and Back
Picture of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boots - Sole

Features:

From La Sportiva, "Light and fast this boot makes you feel like a wood nymph bounding through the mountains. All synthetic and designed for spider-like alpine climbing performance; it is waterproof and ready for a semi-automatic crampon. The Vibram® Mulaz outsole, has an edging platform and sticky Supertrek Rubber. The 3D Flex™ ankle provides supreme ankle maneuverability for technical routes."

The Trago S EVO GTX by La Sportiva is an ultra-light 3-season alpine climbing boot. Features a fully-gusseted and padded tongue and full rubber rand.

Specifications:

Sizes: 37 - 48 (half sizes)
Last: Trango
Upper Material: Water-repellant Cordura® with Idro-treatment
Upper Material: Flex Tec 2
Upper Material: Water-repellant Lorica® with Antiacqua™
Upper Material: Vibram® rubber rand
Lining: Gore-Tex®
Insole: 7mm Trangoflex with integral Nylon® shank
Midsole: Micropore (forefoot)/ PU (heel)/ TPU crampon reinforcement in back
Sole: Vibram® Mulaz (Sticky Supertrek Rubber)
Height: 20 cm (7.9 in.)
Weight (sz 45): 847.6 g (29.9 oz.)

Initial Thoughts (03/31/12):

I purchased a pair of La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX mountaineering boots for warmer climbing conditions. La Sportiva boots seem to fit me well and the Trango S EVO is no exception. I like how quick it is to lace up and the lightweight construction appears to lend itself to some degree of breathability. The rubber rand extends completely around the boot and should provide protection against abrasive rocks and ice.

The liner is stitched directly behind the heel as is common in most Gor-Tex® boots. This often presents a problem for me with some brands, but the La Sportiva's feel fine. Hopefully this holds true after I hit the trail with them.

The gusseted and padded tongue feels comfortable and not too bulky. It conforms well around my calf and doesn't bunch up in any uncomfortable way.

When I first tried them on in the store, I was eager to get out on a mountain right away due to how great the Trango S EVO GTX boots felt on my feet. The combination of light weight and comfortable construction was a hit with my feet. They are plenty stiff for use with crampons, but still flexible enough for long approaches. They are geared for 3-season use and in my opinion should excel at that.

Initial Field Test (07/05/12):

My first test of the La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX mountaineering boots was on a summer hike to Jefferson Park with a short climb up Park Butte (just over 12 miles round-trip). As I put on my boots, I noticed one of them was missing the insole. I hadn't even realized it at the store when I purchased them. It was too late to worry about it, so I took out the other insole to make the boots even in height and began my hike. It was a late snow year, so I hit snow after about 1.5 miles. The snow was consolidated, but not icy. The Trango S EVO's afforded great traction and proved to be comfortable to hike in.

My feet stayed dry all day and didn't even feel that moist from sweating. I used strap-on crampons to climb Park Butte and the Trango's did well front pointing. They were stiff enough to allow a firm grip without extra foot fatigue. The upper material held up great under the crampon straps and occasional scraping of rocks while scrambling over a talus slope.

I am happy to report my feet were just as comfortable in the Trango S EVO GTX boots when I finished my hike as when I started. I am very happy with how they performed. I could see myself using them as a hiking boot for trips where snow may be present. They should be a great all-purpose alpine climbing boot in warmer weather.

See Jefferson Park and Park Butte adventure where the La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boots were used.

Available from amazon.com.

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