Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
He is a backcountry expert, long-distance backpacker, rock climber, kayaker, cyclist, wannabe mountaineer, and the world’s OK-est guitar player. But aside from that shortcoming in terms of lifetime durability, this is still a great three-season boot for fast and light summit-bagging missions or lightweight backpacking trips.
If you're looking for a comfortable hiking boot that offers protection from the elements while moving quickly through technical terrain, then look no further than the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX. Hiking boots are critical to your comfort and performance on the trail, but this no longer means a stiff and burly model that will weigh you down.
The midsole is made from Memlex EVA with shock-absorbing injection, and the outsole is composed of Ultra-tight FriXion White with an Impact Brake System and an integrated anti-shock rubber toe box. Our testers also appreciated the added comfort from the padding that wraps around the entire ankle and the tongue of the shoe and the soft comfort collar with a pull-tab feature whose material is soft to the touch and makes it easy to pull on.
We assume this is due to La Sportiva's compression-molded MEMIex midsoles and nylon molded flex TPU shanks. The sock-like upper and one-piece tongue also help immensely with locking things down and providing a snug all-around fit, and there are minimal seams along the interior to reduce hot spots and rubbing. All in all, it’s done a remarkable job at keeping my feet dry while allowing a decent amount of airflow, even when temperatures reached into the mid 70s Fahrenheit during our trip to Patagonia. If you don't need a full boot, but prefer something a bit more supportive and weatherproof than a typical running shoe, then these robust shoes might be just up your street. The Raptor II also features a TPU skeleton that links the laces to the midsole of the boot for a comfortable and supportive fit by enabling the lace pull forces to be distributed equally.
When he’s not running his company, he is often found climbing mountains or hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Great Deal 
New Comment