La Sportiva - Akasha II Mountain Running® Shoe

I was having ankle pain from over pronation and needed a shoe with stronger support, I ended up going back to my Sportiva Akasha’s and the pain started the let up right away. They’re a heavy shoe and may not fit your needs based on where you are but I like em! I also just got a pair of Sportiva prodigio pros that seem to be super cushiony but still supportive, but I only have 1 run on them

I found a pair in Italy when I was there a few weeks ago and they’re objectively the best shoes I’ve ever felt, however they don’t work with my feet-I get ankle pain in shoes that don’t have a super stable/supportive arch and heel. I wish I could use them but I can’t. Does anyone have any suggestions that feel like a blend between the Prodigio Pro and the Akasha? I love my Akashas, but my feet run very hot and they melt in them. A more breathable version of the Akashas with the same fit, cushion and support is what I’m trying to find! If anyone wants to buy my Prodigio Pro’s in a 45 EU worn twice for a total of maybe 10mi, let me know!

For me it’s a tie between the VJ Maxx 2 and La Sportiva Akasha II. They are both amazing over technical terrain. The VJ can handle longer distances well, the La Sportiva is a bit burlier and my go-to if I know it’s going to be a rocky and rooty mudfest.

I’m walking 100km later this month and swear by La Sportiva Akasha ii. They fit small so go up a size.

La Sportiva Akasha ii. You may need to go a size up.

You could try the Akasha II as well. It's wider than the mutant according to la sportiva (https://www.lasportiva.com/media/MicrosoftTeams-image\_39\_.png) and perfect for the mountains imo.

La sportiva akasha II .These beasts last forever and have perfect grip,fit and protection.

Akasha II is my go to. They can handle everything.

I have been searching for the same thing!  For a wider feet take a look at La Sportiva Mutant or Scarpa Ribelle Run Kalibra HT. Both have stickier rubber and scramble really well. Those two were a bit too wide for my narrow feet so I will wear Akasha 2s until the end of time which my favorite shoe of all time. 

I never liked the Bushido, but have run in the Akasha and Mutant a fair amount. The Prodigio Pro fits my foot a lot like the Mutant but with a much more responsive midsole and more forefoot room. The Prodigio Pro isn't an evolution of any existing LaSpo shoe, though -- it's a much bigger forward leap. Responsive, sticky like the Mutant, nimble, and far more stable in the heel than the Akasha. Would I scramble low 5th Class in the Prodigio Pro like I do in the Mutant? Probably not on purpose... But long runs are a dream in them.

Akasha 2. I'm on year 3 of using these on my fastpacking trips all over the PNW Cascades. They come out specifically for all the old volcano rock I have to deal with. If you liked the Bushido, but want more cushion this fits the bill perfect. They have great protection, drain well, and are honestly a joy to run in. When they stopped making the first version, people were hoarding them so they could keep using them. With version 2 they just made it lighter and use better foam.

La Sportiva, Adidas shoes with Continental Rubber. Salomon on their high end rubber blend. Also the newest soles on a bunch of shoes that have the new formula Vibram Megagrip. I'm testing a pair of Hoka hiking shoes right now with them and they are fire. I personally like La Sportiva Akasha 2 the most for grip and high mileage.

Asicsgrip is amazing. I have a pair of old Fujilyte 2 to walk the dog and these MFs still stick to the ground as fairly new. I've done super fast series on technical terrain where at first I would've swear I was about to kill myself but nope. On the other hand I have always Found LaSportiva Akasha awesome, I guess the rest of the lineup will be similar regarding the proper sole/terrains intended. Once you've run a few miles to get rid of that "new sole coating" they move incredible. Less over wet rock/soils but very nice anyways, slipped just two or three times in a +1000kms distance span.

La Sportiva Akasha II is fairly wide and great for technical terrain. Brooks Cascadia is wide and has a great outsole. Hoka Tecton x3 is wide has a great outsole but the upper does not give a super hold down. Still a great shoe.

Replying to myself so everyone sees. Would probably never pay full price for them, but as mentioned by others I find that the price is justified when considering their durability. I also love La Sportiva Akasha II, but they have issues with durability, and it’s the same with Altra LP’s. 

I have tried trail shoes from Mizuno, Altra, Salomon, Scarpa, Nnormal, La Sportiva, and Nike. Typically around a US 8 or 8.5 they fit perfect in the shop but need a bit more room around the front to allow for swelling during longer distances (training for 100k). But every time I size up, at the very least they bunch up around the top and have to be laced at their tightest, and sometimes my foot will shift around in them. I don’t think I have a particularly narrow foot, I think one person sizing me said I might have a slightly low instep. The best fit I’ve found so far were Scarpa Ribelle but I’m not ready to go down to a 4mm heel drop. Happy with 6mm+ drop. I would LOVE a pair of La Sportiva Akasha but have the same issue with them, otherwise they’re a good fit. Has anyone had this issue and landed on a solution or a shoe brand/model that worked well?

What are the most suitable, preferably not too heavy, shoes for hiking in the mountains in the UK? I generally hike in trail runners outside the UK, but I've heard they're not as suitable for the UK. I have a pair of la Sportiva boulder x approach shoes. Would those work better?

I have a pair of la Sportiva boulder x approach and Akasha ii trail runners. Sounds like they could be a good start at least, and if I find them lacking for what I'm doing I can look for something else. I will definitely be doing scrambles, but I suspect the boulder x are grippy enough.

+1 to Sportivas! I find the traction way better than Speedgoats. Personally have had great luck with the Akashas in very technical, wet, terrain.

I run northeast trails with La Sportiva Akashas, absolutely love them for technical terrain—anything with roots, rock scrambles, wet and muddy, etc. I’ve run 4 ultras in them and they’ve never let me down.

LaSportiva Akasha II. I have 450+km on them over two years and use them only for serious long hikes, never for training. Best shoe you can get in my opinion. Durable, stable, comfortable.

Trabuco rubber is pretty good. I have the Trabuco 11. I also have LaSportiva Akasha II and it’s the best shoe I own, and I own maybe 8. It is great at everything, long hikes, scrambling, grass, dirt, roots, rocks, uphill, downhill, just everything. I’ve done 460km with them and they are really robust, still have plenty km in them. And, I think they pretty wide in the toe box area for a LaSportiva shoe.

Don’t but cheap ones. I have La Sportiva Akasha II and they are awesome

Had the old La Sportiva Akasha as one of my shoes from 2017 - 2020 - they were great, built like a tank and good grip. I have the La Sportiva Bushido ii now, good shoes but for some reason their grip feels lacking on wet rocks/roots. Read and watched quite a few reviews before buying them, so was slightly disappointed. Switch to my Topo Athletic Pursuits if the trail is unknown/ has dense tree cover keeping rocks and roots wet. That being said, the Bushido ii works great on scree, rocky terrain, sandy if not for wet, slimy rocks/roots.

Here is my excessive collection of trail running shoes - all of them still have some usable mileage, although a number of shoes are nearing retirement Salomon * S/lab Ultra 3 * 2x S/lab Genesis * 2x S/lab Pulsar * S/lab Pulsar 2 SG La Sportiva * 2x Prodigio * Kaptiva * Bushido 2 * Mutant * Akasha NNormal * 2x Kjerag Dynafit * Ultra 100 * 2x Alpine * Feline SL Hoka * Zinal * Speedgoat 5 Also have 3 pairs of road shoes Note: obviously I didn't buy these all at once. Many of these are several years old.

I’ve done everything in the akasha 2 from 50k to low class 5. It’s my preferred scrambling shoe. I have done a lot of flatiron scrambling in the muntants but I just don’t like them as much as the akasha (just personal preference, no real reason) That being said I have done a lot of class 3 in all sorts of trail runners. Here is my take - what makes a good scrambling shoe makes a bad long distance shoe (or in your case a carrying a heavy pack shoe) I would recommend finding a shoe that fits your foot and is comfortable, has decent lug depth (4-5mm) and isn’t a max cushion shoe. Being confident in scrambling abilities is significantly more important than the shoe.

I ended up quite disappointed with the La Sportiva (Akasha II) on a 1000km trek, with less than 500km I already had to sew the upper in all places and the sole wore out prematurely.

I have the same passion for good trail shoes and also a colourful rotation at the moment. In my rotation I’ve got 2x La Sportiva Akasha II - my absolute favourites for technical terrain and yes it is a very simple shoe, but I’ve ran a 100 miler in them and had no problems at all. Also here in Greece we have very technical mountainous terrain, so that’s why they are my go to. Just retired my SG 5s which I loved for daily training. Did 1000K in them - Never made it to a race though. Altra Olympus 5 - not a huge fan of the zero drop. I took my time and I’ll throw them in there every once in a while. The Salomon Slab Genesis is an interesting one. Could work for you, if you have narrower feet. It grew on me, but it does not compare to the Akasha II. Merrell Agility Peak 5 - not really a hidden gem anymore. Many say it’s like the SG 3. I like the shoe. Rugged, solid, but with a little bit of a loose heel. Every foot is different though. I’ve tried to find something that might blow me away just like the Akasha II did, but haven’t found that shoe yet. Give it a try!

The La Sportiva Akasha is the single best "do everything" shoe on the market.