La Sportiva Men's Ultra Raptor Trail Running Shoes

Product Information

When putting the Ultra Raptor II shoes up against my previous trail runners — the Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTX trail shoes — they are similar in many respects, but the Raptors are much beefier.

Get the fit right, though, and in all other respects, this is a superb boot. All-day comfort is excellent. It has a higher ankle cuff than most, with plenty of padding plus an elasticated rear panel that reduces pressure on the Achilles. The uppers are lightweight yet durable, with a chunky toecap and heel counter. On the foot, the boot feels structured and supportive, inspiring confidence when moving fast on technical terrain. In short: You can’t go wrong with La Sportiva’s Ultra Raptor II running shoes. The Raptor is a monster on the mountain. These shoes let runners take technical terrain in stride. The massive soles and lugs handle mud, choss, and steep trails with no problem.The first thing to note is that the fit of the standard boot is slightly narrow, especially at the toebox. This may or may not suit you, but it’s worth noting that the Ultra Raptors also come in a wide fit, which might be worth trying even if you normally take a regular width. We’d actually say that with this boot, the regular fit feels more like a narrow fit, whereas the wide fit is more like a regular. As ever, try before you buy. Trail running shoes have to do a little bit of everything. They need to be lightweight, but also heavy-duty enough to stand up to rough terrain or weather. A popular model on market, the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor just got an upgrade. The boot also has an unusual heel cage and a lightweight rand for enhanced rear and midfoot support. Meanwhile, the lacing system is threaded through a series of webbing eyelets connected to an external TPU ‘skeleton’. It’s easy to pull everything in tight, ensuring a secure fit with no heel lift. The top set of lace hooks is also designed to minimise lace slip. It’s an excellent design. The heel-to-toe drop on the Campo GTX is 8 mm compared to 9 mm on the La Sportiva Raptor II. The La Sportiva’s a bit stiffer and provides more structure and protection.

Completely at home on mountain terrain, whether you’re hiking, mountain running, or approaching a climb. An Italian shoemaker through and through, La Sportiva is known for their high-quality craftsmanship and durable construction. The Ultra Raptor is no exception, with a premium build quality that is known to withstand hundreds of miles of trail abuse. Compared to other synthetic running and hiking shoes, it offers exceptional durability thanks to the generous TPU overlays and beefy rubber components.There are no additional costs or duties on products marketed in countries within the European Union. Customers will not have to pay anything on delivery.

If you’re after a similarly lightweight mid-cut hiking boot, then the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX competes squarely with various rival models from brands like Adidas Terrex, Inov-8, Scarpa, Mammut and Salomon. For more options, out T3's best hiking boots and best women's hiking boots guides. The Ultra Raptor II is billed as the ideal all-terrain mountain running shoe for long-distance runs and ventures off the beaten path. Yet the stout build of the shoe does not translate to heft — it’s still very lightweight at 12.5 ounces. The entire shoe is built very solidly with the standout being aggressive lugs combined with FriXion rubber and a Trail Bite heel. The combination provides all-terrain traction and maximum grip.

The 9mm heel drop on the Raptor II is in the sweet spot, and the Ortholite Hybrid foam insole provides a plush footbed. (Photo/David Young) The major change for the second version of the Ultra Raptor is the addition of wide widths for both the men’s and women’s models. The upper also gets an upgrade in this version, making the fit more comfortable and secure. If you’re headed into the mountains on foot, you won’t get too far without a comfortable shoe. The La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II delivers, with a nice balance of stiffness and stability where you need it and plush mesh and cushioning everywhere else. Unlike leather, the synthetic build requires very little break-in period: I took the new II straight out of the box for a 17-mile overnight hike and experienced no hot spots or rubbing. What’s more, with a relatively low weight (1 lb. 7.7 oz. for my women’s size 8.5), the shoes felt nimble while hiking, and a large assortment of sizes (including half sizes and a wide version) makes it easy to nail a good fit no matter your foot shape. FriXion™ White sole in soft XF compound with pronounced Trail Bite Heel heel for better downhill braking