Gear Review: La Sportiva Wildcat Mountain Running Shoe

La Sportiva Wildcat Shoe

I walked into the Nantahala Outdoor Center’s (NOC) Outfitter on March 16th just after closing time.  My 2007 Montrail Hardrocks were falling apart after a mere 70-miles of hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and I needed another pair of shoes to continue hiking north.  The salesman, a previous Appalachian thru-hiker named Alpine, told me that he’d take care of me.  Thank God.

My hiking partner, Found (PCT ‘06, CDT ‘10) had a pair of green La Sportiva Wildcat mountain running shoes, which he highly recommended, saying that they are now the new standard for long-distance backpacking.  I noticed that Alpine also had a yellow pair.  The gear shop sold a red-colored pair of Wildcats for $99, so I asked to try them on.

  

I tried on my usual size 9, which Alpine thought was a half size too small for my foot - I agreed.  Then I tried on a shoe a half size larger, which allowed for more room in the toe box. After ambling up and down a small, portable ramp, I felt that I found the right fit, and bought them.  I thanked Alpine for staying 15-minutes after closing time, and walked out with my new pair of shoes.

The Wildcats were super comfortable.  Unlike the rigid Hardrocks, which have a rock plate in the sole, the Wildcat’s Frixion soles had give to them, and felt gummy.  My feet liked this feeling.

Out on the trail, the soles gripped the AT’s tread of angled rocks and wood steps.  I felt confident with each step, and rarely did I ever slip on these surfaces, even when it was wet outside.  Muddy conditions were the “achilles heel” of this shoe, as I slipped and slid on ascents and descents.  However, I  think mud on the AT would cause most trail running shoes to do the same thing.

650-Miles of Wear on these Shoes!

I also found the Wildcats to be very breathable.  For the uppers, the shoe uses a lightweight mesh and thin inner liner, and in wet conditions, the shoe drained well, and dried out quickly.  I hiked a 350-mile stretch through the driest parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, and my feet never felt stifled by heat in the Wildcats.  They were perfect for the PCT!

I liked the lace harness on the Wildcats.  The shoes I purchased were roomy for my feet, but I felt that my feet were locked down in place due to the lacing.  Finally, I don’t know what La Sportiva did with the laces, but they never came undone on me on the trail.

Mesh Tearing from Sole

Alpine told me that I’d get about 450-miles out of the Wildcats, and he was right.  After hiking from Walker Pass to Highway 58 on the PCT in California, I noticed that the mesh was starting to tear apart from the sole on the right foot.  Then after hiking another 50-miles into the Antelope Valley, the mesh and inner lining on the Wildcats continued to tear away.   However, the soles had so much life to them that I continued to hike in them, and I added another 200-miles to Alpine’s 450-mile prediction.

I highly recommend La Sportiva’s Wildcats for long-distance backpacking, especially if one is going ultralight.  The soles are grippy and durable, the uppers are breathable, and the shoe is designed for the comfort of feet.  Even though they started to wear out after 450-miles, one can get extra miles out of them.  I believe in these shoes so much that I’ve already purchased another pair of Wildcats.  This time they are green!

* Here's a little article that was posted on September 18th, 2012 about the Wildcats being a hit among PCT thru-hikers.