Snug-fitting, mega comfortable and insanely sticky trail running shoes for mountain running adventures
Want to be free in the mountains? Slip on a pair of La Sportiva Bushido Woman trail running shoes and you’ll be ready to take on whatever comes your way. These snug-fitting, super technical shoes provide the perfect balance of low weight, support and grip that will give you confidence to go explore to your heart’s content! Read on to see why these are my new favourite trail running shoes.
La Sportiva Bushido Woman: The stats
| Best for: | Mountain running and off road terrain |
| Heel to toe drop: | 6mm |
| Weight: | 580g / 20.4oz (per pair size US 7) |
| Waterproof: | No |
Features of the La Sportiva Bushido Woman
Outsole
The sole of these trail running shoes features Dual mix FriXion XT which aims to combine excellent grip with shock absorption and durability without adding any unnecessary extra weight. The outsole technology also incorporates an impact brake system that claims to increase traction by 20% whilst decreasing the impact on the body from opposing forces. Clever stuff! Plus, you can attach AT Grip Spike to the aggressive lugs on the base of the shoes.Laces
The shoes feature ghillie laces which thread through loops of webbing rather than through eyelets in the main part of the shoe. The result is a very snug and secure fit without adding any extra pressure to the top of the foot.
Cushioning
There is lots of support through the arch thanks to La Sportiva’s 4mm Ortholite Mountain Running Ergonomic footbed. This creates a very snug and stable feel that is ideal for those with medium to low volume feet. Add to that the EVA and Rock-Guard midsole and you’ve got yourself a mega comfortable, plush feeling shoe that provides a ton of protection without feeling heavy or cumbersome. The forefront of the midsole has less cushioning for greater feel and sensitivity on the trail.
The uppers
The Bushido’s are vegan-friendly trail running shoes. The uppers are super lightweight featuring breathable Air Mesh + thermal adhesive micro fibre that is highly durable. Plus the stretch Air Mesh tongue is gusseted to prevent debris from entering the shoe, and for a more secure and comfortable fit.
La Sportiva Bushido Woman review
I’ll be honest, I was initially a little intimidated at the sight of these super technical, aggressive-looking trail running shoes. Not least because they are designed for skyrunning competitions! What-running?! Yep, skyrunning is actually a thing. I had to look it up, too! It’s basically long distance mountain running that verges on mountaineering! Full of technical scrambles, exposed ridgelines, and usually off-trail. That’s a lot to ask one type of shoe to deal with, and one human runner. And although this skyrunning thing certainly intrigues me, the lack of mountains where I live has prevented me from giving it a go, yet. What a fabulous excuse, huh?!
Instead, I’ve been flying around in the these bad boys, exploring the Cornish coast, and all its rocky, steep digressions. And, once I’d gotten over the fact that I probably won’t be entering any skyrunning competitions any time soon, fell very much in love with them.
Fit and comfort
The Bushido’s are instantly comfortable. The plush padding around the ankle feels very luxurious, and the snug fit through the middle of the foot feels like the shoes are extensions of my feet! Their exceptionally low weight also helps with that. I love the extra support that the arches give, and although there is little room for any kind of movement through the mid-foot and heel, there is just enough space in the toe-box for a little wiggle room. That said, these are on the narrow side, and if you like to really spread those tootsies you might find the fit a little claustrophobic.
Grip
On dry, steep, and rocky terrain, these are the closest thing to climbing shoes I’ve ever worn! They stick to the rock like glue and I feel totally confident trusting the grip on steep uphill scrambles as well as rock hopping back down. On wet rock they are impressively trustworthy and they also deal with wet grassy and muddy terrain well. But hopping around on dry, rocky scrambles is where they’re truly at home — makes me feel like spiderman!
Stability
To further add to the pleasure of sticky-footed rock running, the technology through the midsole makes for super stable striding, however your feet may land! Yes, La Sportiva’s innovative solutions that are “rewriting the rules of the game with a totally new construction, never seen before in the trail running category”, may include techy jargon that is a bit hard to digest. But however they’re doing it, it’s certainly paying off!
Versatility
The Bushido’s deal with almost all off-road terrain you can throw at them. There are certainly trail running shoes that deal with muddy conditions better, but on dry and challenging trails they totally rock. They are also a superb option as a lightweight hiking shoe. Also, despite their modest cushioning through the front of the foot, they do just fine on the road — although I’d rather not test this out on any long runs.
What I love the most
On steep terrain, both up and down, I can put my full trust in these shoes. My feet don’t budge forwards in them at all when flying downhill and the super snug fit makes the shoes feel like extensions of my feet. I especially love how inconceivably grippy they are on dry rocky terrain.
What I don’t love so much
They don’t shed mud as well as I’d hope, which can affect their grippiness on wet trails.
Verdict
The La Sportiva Bushido Woman are my new favourite trail running shoes. They are exceptionally comfortable and snug with great grippiness and superb stability throughout the shoe. The perfect trail shoes for adventure runners that make you want to run further and explore more. And if you’re so inclined, skyrunning competitors will love them too!
Find the latest price at:
La Sportiva | Amazon | REI
Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.
