The shoes look bulky but feel light for their actual weight, and they required no real breaking in period. I pulled them out of the box and within a couple of hours went on a 5 mile, mostly off-trail run in the Sierra Nevada foothills (nothing but rock, sand, and sagebrush to maneuver through). I returned home with happy feet and an astonished grin on my face. No matter what I have done with them, I've never had a hot spot or blister.
With my flat feet and bad ankles from way too many sprains from sports and over-zealous adventures, I need shoes with serious support, which the Raptors have provided without breaking down. I wear custom orthotics, and in many shoes the depth of the inserts compromises the ankle support, but not in these Raptors even with their low profile design. After approximately 500 miles of wear, I still have all the support I need for running and backpacking, although the mesh is finally developing holes and the plastic toe bumper is separating hence the need for a new pair.
Over the decades, my toes have taken a beating from all the miles of downhill running and backpacking I've lost a lot of toenails along the way. The Raptors are the first pair of shoes / light hikers that have never once bruised or blistered my toes because the toe box has just the right amount of roominess even after my feet expand from a day of hard backpacking or running. La Sportiva's proprietary Impact Braking System () is the technology behind its astonishing capacity for non-skid turning, braking, and stopping on all surfaces, angles, and speeds.
The sticky rubber on the Raptors is the same quality as my climbing shoes, and I use the Raptors with confidence free soloing up to easy 5.2 routes. I have equal confidence on wet rock and loose sand.
The shoes provide great ventilation when worn with appropriate socks, keeping my feet perfectly dry and cushioned. They dry out quickly after creek crossings. The only downside of all that ventilation is that a small amount of desert dust does filter in through the mesh, but every shoe with comparable construction has this same issue.
The lacing system permits multiple methods for fine-tuning the fit and tightness, including the ability to center the shoe laterally on your foot so that it doesn't roll when you are off trail traversing steep hillside slopes and boulders. At first I had a problem with the tongue slipping to the side, but then I figured out a different zigzag lacing system at the top that keeps the tongue centered.
My average shoe size is 11.5, but depending upon the manufacturer it can be anything from 10 to 13. My Raptors are 12.5 (46.5 European).
Now that I have ordered my second pair, the only question is whether I should order another couple of pairs at the same time just in case La Sportiva decides to "upgrade" the Raptors in a way that isn't actually an improvement for my foot and the ways I use them.
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My husband bought a pair of these shoes at a gear shop in NC while thru-hiking the AT last year.He stubbed his toe on a rock (if you ever hiked, you understand that this kind of thing is bound to happen) on the 2nd day of wearing them and the entire toe ripped open. The fabric is very weak on the toes and above the foot.
When he contacted the company they told him that he could send them in, they would check the damage, and decide whose fault it was, it THEY decided it was their fault, he could expect a new pair of shoes in 6 weeks or so. NOT A BIG HELP WHEN HIKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY! So, he stopped at a gear shop where the manager looked at the shoe, thought it was a defect and called La Sportiva. They wouldn't even believe him and his store carries their products. He was kind enough to offer to replace the shoes on his own dime, but they didn't have a relevant size.
Every other gear company customer service dept. knows that thru-hikers are important brand representatives/testers and therefore make it a point to go above and beyond with them. Day hikers LOVE to know what kind of products stinky smelly skinny 25 mile a day hikers are using! La Sportiva doesn't get it I guess. I've heard their climbing shoes are good. Unfortunately, this company doesn't care about you once you've purchased a product from them.
My husband said these aren't even great shoes in the first place. The best thing about them is their aggressive tread pattern.
SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE for hiking usage: Salomon Synapse, WORD! At least if you buy Salomon's you get free replacement for 2 years if something goes wrong.
Best Deals on La Sportiva Raptor Trail Running Shoes - Men's
These shoes are fantastic! I wore these at the Glen Rose Spartan Beast race this passed weekend. It's a 13 1/2 mile obstacle course running through mud, hills, rivers, monkey bars, barb wire, fire, rope climbs, and the occasional fire hose... These shoes have lugs on the bottom that where able to help me maintain control while going up and down hills also preventing me from slipping which would have been terrible considering I was carrying a 45lb sand bag on my shoulder up the hill. Also they have a toe guard that protects your toes from smacking them on rocks. They do not absorb water but simply allow water to drain out very quickly. Best trail running shoes I've ever used!!Only down side is to not run with these guys on concrete and if you do your shins will suffer!!
Honest reviews on La Sportiva Raptor Trail Running Shoes - Men's
I live in Ketchikan Alaska-we get 13 feet of rain a year on average-yes-13 feet! Not a typo!I thought the way to go for trail running up here was a gore tex trail running shoe with gaiters. I finally got tired of wet,soggy itchy feet during a run and askeda fellow trail-runner who has been up here for 30 years what he runs in. He told me he wears a smart wool liner sock with a gore tex sock over them, and gets a size bigger trail runner THAT IS MESH AND NOT WATERPROOF, drains quickly and dries fast too. I found the Raptors and ordered them and ordered ONE SIZE BIGGER than my normal 42(9). I am using a smart wool liner sock with Sealskinz waterproof socks. I tried the Raptors on and oh my Gawd!!! These fit like a dream!!! 1st test-flight was a 3 mile trail with over 300 lincoln-log steps and it was hard to stop! I am going to order another pair immediately in case they get discontinued. Also of note on the fit, I have a narrow foot(9B),no arch and narrow heels and the Raptors feel like they were made just for me. Hope this helps!
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I have tried and bought trial shoes from Puma and Nikes but this Raptor is my new favorite.1: It look smaller (does not look bulky) when I first open from the box but fits me Perfectly around my feet and shoe size is spot on. I thought i had bought a size too small due to its first look since it look smaller than my other shoes. Its the way i like it and sure look proportion to my weigh and height.
2: Its light weight like all my other trail shoes.
3: It looks rugged and have features dedicated for only trail especially from laportiva/solomon/Scarpa etc. They are pioneer in hiking and trail shoes so in this regard most all of their shoes are design for durability, function and performance.
4: It looks great and love its design.
5: If you ask me , 'will i wear this for everyday use?' Definately! Except I suspect the sole will wear off quicker. Its like having a ferrari meant to use to its fullest potential on the track but that doesnt mean i wont drive it on the street.
6: First thing I notice when I open the box was a smell. Not new smell we are used to when you open new pair of shoes, but this smell from the raptor like most shoes made for trail purpose have this ultra sticky rubber sole that emits strong smell. Nothing bad but you know immediately, this shoe means business and its purpose is to run this shoe on any trail.
7: I will buy another on red. Love it!
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