Long Term Report: La Sportiva Venture XCR Mid
(Trail Shoes)
Date: 3-7-06
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: Bob Sanders
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 190 lb (81.6 kg)
Shoe Size: 11 U.S. 44.5 European
Email: sherpabob(at)mac(dot)com
City: Boulder, Colorado
Backpacking Background: I went on my first backpacking trip as a Boy Scout at the age of 16. Over the years I have hiked the Wonderland Trail in Washington and section hiked parts of the Florida Trail and the Appalachian Trail. In 2003 during a seven week period I hiked 740 mi (1191 km) of the Pacific Crest Trail. Best vacation I ever took. I continue to backpack and hike year round in the Colorado mountains. I have evolved from a heavyweight backpacker to a lightweight backpacker. My three day summer solo adventures (using a hammock) have me hovering around a 12 lb (6.8 kg) base weight.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Manufacturer: La Sportiva
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Manufacturer Website: www.sportiva.com
Size: 11 U.S. 44.5 European
Listed Weight: 2 lb 8 oz (1.1 kg)
Measured Weight: 2 lb 13.5 oz (1.28 kg)
Color: Olive
MSRP: $125.00 US
Manufacturer's Specs:
Super light, breathable and waterproof multi-purpose trail shoe for everyday use. Built for protection from the elements as well as off-road terrain. Mid height and low cut options with contoured heel pocket to keep your foot firmly in place when the terrain is technical and the footing tricky.
• UPPER: Nubuck Leather/AirMesh/Rubber coated rands
•
CONSTRUCTION: Slip Lasted Strobel
• LAST: Magic
• LINING: Gore-Tex® XCR lined to keep the wet stuff out, with sturdy full Nubuck leather protection for the rigors of daily life
• SOLE: AT compound FriXion® rubber outsole provides soft, resilient ride and superior traction on rocky loose dirt trails
• MIDSOLE: Trailon with polypropylene shank
On the La Sportiva website the Ventures are listed under their Trailsport category and defined as a "multi-purpose trail shoe for everyday use". I would further define them as lightweight hikers with scrambling capability because of the sticky aggressive tread.
In my Initial Report I discussed my out-of-the-box impressions and a detailed description of the boots. In my Field Report I discussed and evaluated the field performance over the first 2 months of use.
LONG TERM REPORT
Testing locations and conditions: These boots have been used on almost a daily basis in and around Boulder, Colorado. Temperatures have been between 60° and 0° F (16° and -18° C) and elevations between 5000 and 9000 ft (1524 and 2743 m). They have been used on a multitude of surfaces ranging from asphalt, hard-packed and muddy trails, rocky and rooted trails and on snow and ice. I have used these boots to climb Mt Sanitas (numerous times), Green Mountain, Boulder Peak and on trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. I have also worn these boots on a 3 day backpack in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.
Between walking the dog, fitness walks and weekend hikes in the mountains I estimate I have put nearly 200 miles on these boots. They have held up well and have far exceeded my expectations. I love these boots!
Sizing: From day one these boots have fit my feet almost perfectly. I have worn these boots with a variety of sock combinations depending on the weather. On warmer days in the 60° F (16° C) range I wear only a thin wool blend sock liner. My preferred sock combination is a mid-weight wool sock and a thin wool liner. This combination has kept my feet warm (while hiking briskly) down to 0° F (-18° C). This combination also gives me the best fit. I have also tried heavy-weight wool mountaineering socks but I feel the boots are just too snug. Even after relacing the boots much looser they still felt very tight.
Comfort: In the four months I have worn these boots I have developed no blisters and at the end of the day my feet are tired but happy. I experienced a very small initial break-in period. I estimate 2-3 hours and the boots felt molded to my feet.
Moisture management: During the first 2 months of use the temperatures were quite cold. So the only moisture I encountered was frozen. It was only during late February that I had the opportunity to cross some creeks that were flowing. As long as the water level is below the top of the boots they are completely waterproof. The only moisture I ever encountered inside the boot was my own sweat.
The Gore-Tex® XCR lining is waterproof but it does add a small bit of warmth because it slows down evaporative cooling. That being said I am glad I had the opportunity to test these boots during the cooler months. During the warmer months and especially during the summer my feet sweat a lot. During those times I usually wear a lightweight trail shoe or running shoes with thin mesh uppers and a very lightweight liner sock. Although I have not tested these boots in 90° F (32° C) weather I do not believe they would be my first choice because of the sweat factor. I learned long ago that lots of sweat (moisture) equals lots of blisters. The breathability of Gore-Tex® XCR seems to excel when the environment outside is dry and cold and the inside (inside the boot) is humid and warm. When the outside environment becomes similar (warm and humid) to the inside environment, breathability becomes reduced.
Construction: Overall the boots are very well made. They have held up well with only small scratches and scuffs. The rand is still glued tight and all the stitching is intact.
Soles: The soles of the Ventures are a proprietary tread pattern and rubber compound referred to as "FriXion AT (All Terrain)" The soles have lived up to their name with good traction on most surfaces. The boots have not done well on extremely wet slippery surfaces, like wet tree roots or ice. Not sure exactly why. What I experienced was quite a bit of slipping and sliding while crossing these surfaces. The soles have worn some but there are still plenty of miles left.
CONCLUSION
Plain and simple "I love these boots". For me they are the perfect lightweight boot for cool to cold weather hiking and backpacking. And when they wear out I will be replacing them with a brand new pair.
I would like to thank both BackpackerGearTest and Sportiva for the opportunity to test these fine boots.
Read more reviews of La Sportiva gear
Read more gear reviews by Bob Sanders
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