Our verdict
Where surefootedness over rugged terrain is concerned, the super-comfy Hyper GTX appears to be a bankable gear. It is also a reliable shoe when it comes to stability and water protection.
Pros
- Track and field
- Mighty comfortable
- Waterproof
- Impressive stability
- Lightweight
- Eye-catching aesthetics
- Breathable
Cons
- Non-durable sole
- Slightly expensive
- Abrasive laces
Add a product
The Hyper GTX has enough positives to be considered amazing on approach routes. It is a solid option if you:
- Prefer an approach shoe that provides adventurers with multi-faceted solutions to their trail-to-rock challenges.
- Prefer an approach shoe that has the ability to stave off wetness, courtesy of Gore-Tex.
- Prefer an approach shoe that delivers added walking comfort, especially over level terrain.
Excellent traction on different types of terrain
The Hyper GTX can claw into different types of terrain thanks to its Vibram outsole, called Idrogrip. It is made entirely of a kind of rubber that, come rain or shine, delivers sufficient surface traction.
Slip and skid resistance
Over loose soil, this component produces enough slip and skid resistance with its grippy lugs and treads.
Slip and skid resistance
The Idrogrip outsole has a climbing zone—a feature that allows users to edge and smear with extra stickiness. It is imbued with IBS or Impact Brake System. This brand-exclusive tech, as its name suggests, doubles down on braking power. Moreover, this technology mitigates shock or force by approximately 20%.
Offers comfortable underfoot and foot balance
This approach-specific hiker from La Sportiva is equipped with the MEMlex midsole, which is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which provides comfort underfoot and footing balance. It comes with a cushy injection-molded element and an extra-stiff wedge, called Rock Guard, making it a multi-density component. Making twisting maneuvers as safe as possible is its heel with an anti-torsion stabilizer made of thermoplastic polyurethane or TPU.
Excellent ventilation
Completing the Hyper GTX’s midsole equation is a cushioned footbed. It brings to the table additional cushioning and midfoot support. Its perforated construction delivers sufficient breathability.
Easy to wear
The comfy low-top shell of the La Sportiva Hyper GTX is mostly leather-on-leather construction. It features not one, not two, but three synthetic pull loops that enable easy on and off.
Excellent waterproofing and toe protection
Gore-Tex’s Extended Comfort membrane lines the shoe’s main bootie, giving wearers a protected experience against wet elements without sacrificing ventilation. What takes point in this approach shoe, on the other hand, is a hardy polyurethane (PU) toe cap that provides knock and bump protection.
Offers comfortable underfoot and foot balance
The Hyper GTX is one of La Sportiva’s watertight approach kicks. In it, hikers-slash-climbers can reach their preferred rock sites without fear of having wet feet along the way. That said, the limelight the featured shoe finds itself in is shared by yet another La Sportiva footgear—the TX4 GTX. When it comes to water protection, buyers could choose one or the other. That said, outside waterproofing (and a handful of other minor aspects), the two offerings are quite different. The following points will highlight these distinctions.
Weight. On this front, the La Sportiva TX4 GTX seems to be the more appealing approach shoe. Yes, it is lighter than the Hyper GTX by approximately 50 grams.
Price tag. The two La Sportiva approach hikers in this head-to-head may both be considered almost expensive. That said, those who strongly prefer affordable kicks might find the Hyper GTX the better deal in this regard. Indeed, the featured shoe is less costly than the TX4 GTX by roughly 5 U.S. dollars.
Rand coverage. When it comes to randing, the competitor edges the La Sportiva Hyper GTX quite a bit. This is because the bottom portion of its leather upper is fully randed. The Hyper GTX, on the other hand, only sports a toe rand (cap), which has more forefoot coverage than the TX4 GTX’s.
Footbed technology. Both offerings in this comparison come with removable footbeds. That said, the one in the La Sportiva TX4 GTX is an approach-specific insole courtesy of Ortholite.
