I had bought another style of La Sportiva trail shoe in a size 8 which I could try on at a store and they fit great on my wider than average foot. I usually wear an 8.5. Since the closest store to me is 1 1/4 hours away, I decided to try these which looked like the others, but were waterproof. Naturally, I ordered an 8. Too small. I then ordered an 8.5. Still too small. Finally, in a 9, the shoe fit my feet. So, this is now my everyday winter shoe (I live in Kansas), and hiking in Colorado shoe in autumn. Very sturdy. I would recommend. I just wish it was not so much of a hassle to find a pair that fit.
I bought these to have a great shoe for some backbacking and hiking. I took them up Timpanogus to the top for a trail run to break them in. They were warm because they are waterproof but didnt seem to bother me. Then, 7 days later i took the scouts to go hike Kings Peak. I was very grateful for the stiffer base because of the distance to Dollar Lake and then the hike the next day to summit. The shoe was great andbwhen i did hit water, the waterproofing worked perfect! Not a single blister, which is not what i can say about some of the scouts! I did wear "double layer blister resistant socks". I should have broke the shoe in more than i did, but they worked great!
I was looking for a waterproof trail hiker/runner to take to Costa Rica. But I have very narrow feet, and the kevlar lacing systems on most of the other shoes in this category were too painful for the tendons on top of my feet. The Wildcat 2.0 was very comfortable on top of my foot. However, after wearing them for two weeks around town, the bottoms of my feet were incredibly sore. I don't need arch supports in any of my shoes, but these shoes have NONE. The padding on the insole is so thin that I could feel the stitching of the goretex underneath, so that the inside of the shoe did not feel smooth. They also run an entire full size too small. I ended up exchanging them for a full size bigger and replacing the insoles with the CurrexSole mediums. Now, they feel amazing.
I purchased these in December 2018 and was Amazed at how well they fit and performed. I use these as my daily running shoes and will wear them to work frequently. The shoes hold up well to trail and daily use. I am flat footed and find it difficult to find comfortable running shoes that will last at least 6 months of heavy use. These are Great! At 6 months and change they still have some wear left in them. When I saw REI recently selling my exact shoes at a discount I immediately purchased another pair, no point in wasting time looking for something that I already know will work! I highly recommend this shoe!
I was initially very excited about these shoes. the 44 (10.5) fit me very well, and I thought they looked good too. However I was very disappointed with them on the first day out. They had good traction on mud and dirt trail surfaces, but they turned wet footbridges and rocks into skating rinks. There was pretty much zero traction on these surfaces, which is important for me; the trails close to where I live have lots of these features. I understand that traction will be reduced on wet surfaces, but my vans have much better grip on wet wood and rock.
So disappointed. I have three pairs of La Sportiva rock shoes so wanted to love these shoes. Absolutely horrible traction on wet rock, and not even close to waterproof.
Excellent - shoes felt so comfortable at the North Face Bear Mtn Trail Race this past weekend. Didn't need to take them off when done.
shoe seems built well, but for me, the heel was really high - preferred more level footing.
This is my 6th pair of Wildcats but my first version with the waterproof membrane. I use the Wildcat because they fit the best which is more important to me than bells and whistles. These shoes are comfortable right out of the box and still feel good after a 12 hour day on the trail, (PCT and CO Trail). Traction is great on sandstone, and average on rocky trails. On the waterproof version, I recently did an all-day hike in the snow with these, waterproof socks (also purchased at REI) and gaiters and my feet felt warm and stayed dry on a 8-mile, 2k elevation hike. I gave 4 star because construction could be better. They wear out fast. Also wish they would put a big smooth surface on the heel, or, like Atra's, put a velcro patch on the heel so they are compatible with ultra-light trail gaiters from Dirty Girl or OR.
These shoes feel great, but that is all about fit and very individual. My feet are fairly wide and have average arch. Shoes run a little small, so I ordered a half-size larger and they fit perfectly. They are supportive without being overly stiff and have good cushioning. I have only used for 2 weeks so cant really comment on durability. GTX breathes fairly well so tolerable in cool weather, but I suspect would be hot and damp on a summer day.
Bought these shoes since I New I was going to have 17 weeks of running in the snow and rain. First day out running I wore no shoe socks and got a blister on heel of my foot is only negative I could say. I remedied that with wearing higher length socks and have been comfortable since then. Why other classmates have suffered from cold soggy feet, mines have remained dry. I'm happy with purchase after week 15 of wearing.
I’ve joined the ranks of those with multiple pairs of Wildcats. These GTX’s are a great complement to the non-GTX’s I’ve been loving for several months. Fit is very individual (shouldn’t be a cause for a negative review IMHO) and both of these are wonderful to wear. I have a low volume foot and use upgrade insoles to compensate, which also add noticeable support. The same size GTX ordered online fit as well as the non-GTX purchased in-store.
I have had these shoes for quite a while now. Overall I am very happy with them. The only issue is that they are AWFUL when it comes to wet rocks, wet trees, practically any wet surface in general. When I first got them I wore them into a local grocery store when it was raining and almost ended up on my face, when my feet hit the tile floor it felt like i had walked onto an ice skating rink.
I have worn this shoe for a few weeks now and have absolutely loved it. Great comfort, pretty water resistant, nice grip on rocks and mud. Unfortunately though, the heel is not padded well and rubs my Achilles raw if I do not wear heavysocks. Hopefully, this can be improved for future designs because I would love to keep buying this shoe.
The wildcats are built very well. They look great and keep out the wet stuff. Great traction. However I had to send them back. I just could not get the fit right. My feet are a d width while widening towards the ball and forefoot. Like most running shoes I have a difficult time fitting. I really wish I could have kept them.
This is my third pair. They stay dry unless you step in water over the ankle and are comfortable and relatively light. They can be a little warm in hot weather due to the liner, but the intended use is wet or cold trails. LS also makes the same shoe without the Gortex.
These are just plain awesome. I've hiked 1000 miles in these shoes and never had a blister. My feet are slightly wider than average, and they seem to work very well for me. An REI employee turned me on to these, and I will be forever grateful.
I’ve had these for two years and have done about 30-40 hikes of all terrain and these shoes gets it done! Water proof and easy to clean, comfortable and great foot support. Keeps my feet warm in the winter and allows it to breath in the summer.
These La Sportiva shoes are indeed waterproof. Wore them twice for all-day rainy events and my feet were dry and comfortable. They gripped well on wet grass, yet I was able to make quick turns as needed running agility.
I've bought 4 pairs of men's 47.5 Wildcats 2.0s this year, and my wife is now wearing the shoe, albeit in a men's 43 They have replaced a famous brand sneaker, offered with or without a GTX liner, which I'd purchased annually since 2009, and wore for city walking, country walking, and trail hiking. These provided great stability, support and traction, but the design and build evolved to a point that they no longer provided these highly desirable characteristics. After a bit of research, I opted to try the Wildcat 2, and it was a revelation!!
I love these shoes, fit right out of the box. No break in, great trail shoes. I really appreciate the Gortex, it keeps my feet dry and warm. Next time I’m at REI I’m getting another pair.
I bought these a few days before my climb up Mt Baker. I used these as approach shoes and they worked wonderfully. I added my own insoles for extra arch support (the insoles that come with it isn't too bad). My old trail runners were Salomon 3D Pro or whatever it's called. They no longer fit me and was tearing apart anyways so it was time for a new shoe. I got the 10.5X which is a wider shoe I believe.
These are well made and pretty comfortable all-around trail shoes. The GoreTex option makes them a bit warm to wear on a hot day. But the fit nicely and I'd buy again.
So far these are amazing shoes, i put about 6 miles on them today on a rough trail, no stability issues great grip. Might be the best true tail shoes i have owned
Walked 50 miles in 3 days of the West Highland Way in Scotland. It rained about half of the first day and my feet stayed dry, and comfortable, the whole time.
This is my third pair of wildcats. Excellent fit characteristics right out of the box. Great shoes if you need or desire toe box room.
If you like a firm stable sports car like feel then theae are the shoes for you. I feel very secure when I do my 10 to 15 mile walks.
I bought these for backpacking the Paria Canyon after 4 days of soaking wet feet i have to say they held up well. No issues at all.
Used for urban hiking about 3 mi per day with bad feet. Very good support. IO also like water resistance.
A bit heavy for running, awesome for jogging.
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