The shoes are predominantly gray, with black toe and heel pieces and a black stripe and with a few pieces of orange trim.  The uppers and the tongue are mesh construction.  The heel area is reinforced with solid material.  There is a hard plastic short shank in the instep area of the shoe.

The soles are made of Frixion, a black rubber material (see the website for more details).  There are two deep grooves in the tread pattern running across the width of the shoes.  These grooves are just behind the toe and right at the ball of the foot.  There is what appears to be a short piece of cord at the depth of each groove.

The shoes have conventional laces and are tied in the old fashioned way.  The laces pass through six pairs of fabric loops before reaching a pair of eyelets at the ankle.  There are no catches, latches, or hooks.

Long Term Report:

I remain very pleased with these shoes.  I now have over 400 miles of road and trail use on them.  They are showing expected wear on the soles.  I have not yet noticed any appreciable lack of traction.  The last few weeks of walking have been in volcanic areas.  This rough rock has caused a few cuts and small gouges in the soles.  The photo below shows the condition of the soles.

Please see my previous reports on these shoes at: http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Trail%20Shoes/La%20Sportiva%20Rajas%20Trail%20Runner/Andrew%20Claus/Field%20Report/ and http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Trail%20Shoes/La%20Sportiva%20Rajas%20Trail%20Runner/Andrew%20Claus/Initial%20Report/

There is one new development to report on.  There is a minor problem with a small fold, or “pucker” in the uppers just below the laces.  For some reason, I notice this most when sitting still or driving.  On my last 15 mi (24 km) walk, I had some minor pain in my big toes which may be attributable to this problem.  The astute observer may notice the fold, just barely visible in the photo below, at the bottom right.

I have still not noticed any problems with moisture or sweat.  I have recently worn the shoes in wet and freezing conditions and got cold feet.  The shoes dried well even in those conditions.

I was able to bring these shoes on some day hikes in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, USA.  I did not have any problems with thorns or sand in the fabric of the shoes.

There is no apparent deterioration of the midsoles or any other non-visible features.  Since I began the test, I have temporarily relocated to a small town in Oregon, USA.  I have not been able to locate a new pair of these shoes locally to compare to the old shoes, as I had stated in my strategy.  I can report, though, that of the six sporting goods stores visited or phoned, only two clerks were familiar with the brand name.  (One said, “No, but we have Tevas.”)

Thank you very much for the opportunity to test these shoes.