Gear Review: La Sportiva Bushido III Running Show
BY KRISTIN SMITH
When I’m heading to the mountains with anything less than a 20-pound pack, I’m reaching for the La Sportiva Bushido III. A month after acquiring my pair, I’ve certainly put them through the ringer, heading through snow, deep mud, slippery clay, wet sandstone, and alpine trails a few degrees away from being a cliff. They haven’t slipped on any of it.
Just as impressive, with no break-in time at all, I haven’t gotten a single hot spot. They lace up snug and secure even on my notoriously narrow feet, and the laces have never come undone. This year’s model has a new outsole and rubber compound, which places stickier rubber at the center of the sole and more durable rubber at the edges where the lugs wrap all around the midsole. Those lugs are another great feature–with the extension around the midsole and toe they fend off sharp rocks and roots while accelerating downhill or when distracted by the scenery. The lug pattern also claims to reduce impact forces, and while I don’t have a way of objectively measuring that particular metric, I haven’t had a single bit of joint soreness even after miles of steep, technical descents or long trail runs.
My verdict: For grip, comfort, and support, the Bushido III is one of the best low-top hiking/trail running shoes I’ve ever worn.
Photo: Thomas Monsorno
