Customer Reviews La Sportiva Akasha

I like the shoes because they are comfortable and durable. The shoes are awesome for long hikes and trail runs.

I had a couple of pairs before that were just a tad too small to wear longer than 20 miles. I went up a + , and it's perfect. I just wore them for an entire 100 mile race and had no issues at all. The grip is good. I had no blisters. I would and have recommended them to anyone. The only thing is that they run smaller than American sizes, so you'll have to go up about a half size bigger than what you'd normally wear.

Before testing the compatibility of my picky feet and the Akasha's on a smaller mountain run, I bestowed my faith in these shoes when I ventured out for a 4-day backpacking trip in the Zirkle wilderness. I couldn't have been more surprised. Amazing shoes! Very stable. Great for bagging peaks and trail running. I'd recommend this shoe for anyone who wants something light weight but built to withstand long trips and gnarly terrain.

Great shoe!!! I ordered a size larger than what I would normally order, and I was happy I did so. I used the shoes for a pretty long/vertical hike immediately after purchasing, and was really impressed with how grippy and supportive they were, while being really light and comfortable. I always seem to get blisters with my hiking shoes, but not with these. I also forgot my running shoes on the same vacation and ended up using these shoes for a normal run, and they worked really well for that purpose too.

Love this shoe and it is great for the technical running adventures I take it on. I go off trail and scramble fairly often and this shoe keeps me confident. The lugs are holding up well and they don't seem to chip off like some of my older ultra raptors. The fit feels similar to the mutant but there is more cushioning and protection. The ride is still pretty firm. I feel it on all day adventures compared to some of my other shoes. But overall these shoes are pretty much perfect for the gnarly stuff I enjoy. And they look more attractive in person than they do in the pictures.

I trained this summer for a 100k, so these shoes got a lot of miles on them very quickly. Right out of the box I went on a 50k run (I was desperate, and didn't plan ahead as much as I should have!). I had a feeling they would work, and they totally did. The fit was excellent - a great combo of support and cush. A few of my runner friends/sportiva fans think this shoe "too heavy/big/clunky" but that has never even crossed my mind. In contrast to my saucony shoes (that I used interchangeably with these during training and the race) I have an even stronger appreciation for the quality and support. My feet don't even hurt after a 50k-ish distance in these. I have 500+ miles on both these and my Saucony. The Akasha's still feel wonderful, and there are no rips or holes. My Saucony's have three holes in them, on EACH foot. So, there's that :) The construction of this shoe is obviously of a higher quality - and not just in comparison to Saucony. However, I feel like the price is spendy, and therefore the value isn't a 5-star either (in terms of value being what you get for the cost). I would be OK paying "more" relative to other shoes for these, but there is a line where they become almost outrageously expensive and unaffordable, and I think these shoes are right there (though I will also say, it's not like Sportiva is the only company with the issue). My one other small complaint is that because I tend to land on my forefoot, and I have high arches, and that can create some pain on the ball of my foot. I have to be *very* careful to do more midfoot/heel strike otherwise I will have sharp pains (no matter which shoes I am in - even Hokas). I wish Sportiva would make a shoe that put in a little more forefoot cush. The Akasha's are at the max I believe of all they offer, at 20mm. There is more than enough cush in the heel, but I think a lot of heel striking has been shown to cause other issues, and mid/forefoot is (arguably) better form, so intuitively I would think more cush in that area would be helpful for some runners.

I have ran in the Akasha for the past year on varied terrain from dirt roads to technical trails. The Akasha is very stable, has amazing grip and is comfortable on long runs! I ran my first 50 mile trail race in them and my feet were in excellent shape at the finish! They have a moderate, not too high, drop and the cushioning is quite adequate without feeling like you are running on marshmallows. I love these shoes and highly recommend them for any trails!