La Sportiva - Bushido II GTX Mountain Running® Shoe

I have narrow feet and hike/ backpack I love my La Sportiva Bushido trail runners. They have a non waterproof and waterproof (called GTX). I also like Oboz.

I have narrow feet and hike/ backpack I love my La Sportiva Bushido trail runners. They have a non waterproof and waterproof (called GTX). I also like Oboz.

Keep in mind that depending how technical the trail is, you may want to get a shoe with less cushion/less drop. That stack makes it difficult to feel the terrain beneath you and more likely to trip. There’s a breaking in period where your feet will be sore from all the extra feeling but there’s much more control. I’m on my 5th pair of La Sportiva Bushidos 2 and 3 which do well on the rocky trails I typically run on. And are good for narrow feet. I’ve gotten around 400 miles on each

I wear Bushido 2s. Like you, totally flat. I want to give topo a try

La Sportiva Bushido II/III my beloved. The 3 was just released, you can find killer deals on the 2 right now while their still in stock

La Sportiva Bushido. Excellent for rough terrain running (including grippy on wet granite slab), minimalist heel (6mm), and sufficient suspension.

Same. I liked the Bushido II more but I'm still happy with the III. La Sportiva Bushido is a slightly heavier shoe but the additional traction and stability is incredible for running in rugged/wet/scrambly terrain.

I'm glad Bushidos are so high up in the comments as that's what they're built for. Fit is most important, of course. But if they fit, these are incredible for scrambling on slab and scree.

For tackling big hikes like the Great Traverse or the Pemi Loop in the Northeast, where you'll encounter mud, rocks, and steep elevation, you'll want trail running shoes that strike a balance between durability, support, and traction. Given your description of the terrain and your needs, consider looking into shoes like the [Salomon Speedcross 5](https://www.amazon.com/Salomon-Speedcross-5/s?k=Salomon+Speedcross+5&linkCode=ll2&tag=redit2024-20&linkId=aaa9c40fb070133a450600262b7d75bd&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl). It's known for its aggressive lugs that provide excellent grip on muddy and rocky terrain. The midsole offers decent cushioning and support without being too heavy, making it a good choice for long, grueling routes. Another option to consider is the La Sportiva Bushido II. It's designed for technical terrain with a sticky rubber outsole that grips well on wet rocks. The shoe offers stability and protection with a rock guard in the forefoot and a secure fit that's ideal for narrow feet like yours. If you prefer more ankle support, consider mid-height trail shoes like the Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX. It provides added stability around the ankle without sacrificing agility, and the Gore-Tex membrane keeps your feet dry in wet conditions.

Perhaps Bushido 2 then add insole cushioning for longer days.

I don’t run but I will say bishido 2 is my favorite light weight technical hiking shoe I’ve ever put my foot into. Just did a 15 mile hike with 3,200ft of elevation the other day to end a 45 mile hiking week with them. I also hike with 30-35lb in my pack every time. I’ve been nothing but happy with them, but can’t speak to the Bushido 3’s. Get them from rei with the one year return policy as a member and just return if you don’t like them. Not a direct answer but take this info for what you will.

Another colorado resident chiming in. I wore, and love(d) Solomon x ultras, for a long time. I still have a pair for exactly what everyone else said. Snow and heavy pack hikes. For essentially everything else I have been wearing LA Sportiva Bushido IIs for the last couple of years. I go through them a bit faster but usually hike a ton. I love them because they have enough support to make me confident on all terrain and scrambling conditions. Hiked several 14ers in them and they are the best.

I have both La Sportiva Bushido 2s and Altra Lone Peaks and have used both throughout the Whites. I’ll generally choose La Sportivas for better protection or grip, Lone Peaks for comfort. You can get away with Altras on those boulder fields but I choose not to.

Thirding this. Generally you wanna keep trail shoes on trails. That said, there are some trail shoes that imo can last up to 1k miles, so you may want to consider those. I’d recommend: bushido 2 (if you can find it in a chill colorway that doesn’t scream trail shoe) Peregrines (same as above) These can both run pretty narrow just as an fyi

Warning, the bushido 2 is SUPER NARROW.

Mike Zegama 2 are amazing all around shoe. VJ MAXx and LaSportiva Bushido 2 are great if u have a narrow foot.

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.

As others said these are two very different shoes. Bushido is low stack and narrow, but good for really technical terrain, including scrambling. Prodigio Pro is much higher stack and more unstable because of that, and much wider, to the point that it is too wide for me. The ride is nice and energetic, however I think it is best used on runnable terrain. I really enjoyed running rocky dirt roads in it where it swallowed rocks very nicely. I'd have to be far more cautious running in Bushidos on the same terrain. I also really like regular Prodigio, that is perhaps closer to Bushido than Prodigio Pro, and it fits me a bit better.

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 some scrambling wearing La Sportivas - both Mutant and Bushido. That included some alpine climbing such as Mount Stuart in Washington state. In general I prefer Mutant as Bushido is a bit too narrow. Also, Vibram Megagrip outsoles have very good grip on rock, including wet rock. I wonder why a post like this gets downvoted. It is perfectly appropriate for this subreddit, much better than many other posts.

I like Altra and La Sportiva brands. Altra's shoes tend to have a wider toe box, making them more comfortable for those with wider feet. Both brands have waterproof options. I primarily hike in La Sportiva's Bushido II trail runners, which are more suitable for narrow feet.

I did the same. I bought the endorphin edge as soon as they came out. Planned on racing in them but didn’t make it to the 50M because 6 weeks before it I rolled my ankle and it wasn’t THE cause but it was the final straw in a history of ankle rolling and I had surgery. Some suggestions… Shoes with my ground feel that I’ve tested: - Nike Terra Kiger - La Sportiva Bushido - Salomon S/Lab Genesis Unexpected but good - New Balance More Trail ( counter intuitive but these are ABSURDLY wide, so they’re both really tall and really stable - I call them hulk hands) I run most of my miles in the mid Atlantic section of the AT - it wasn’t until I raced in California did I realize why these super trail shoes exist, and it sure isn’t for beast coasters like me haha I still look at new releases and wonder but I come to my senses

I only use boots if I need crampons. Scree, talus, bouldering is sooooo much better with the right trail runners. They are stickier and give you better feel for the rock. You are more nimble and quick to react. I’ve done thru hikes and off trail high routes in trail runners. I sometimes use running gaitors. The only real protection boots give is if shifting rocks hit your ankles. They don’t prevent you from rolling an ankle. I like La Sportiva Bushidos, which have a relatively stiff sole and a good rock plate. Not all trail runners have a rock plate.

These are the only shoes I've ever repurchased after the first pair wore out. The fit is amazing for someone with a narrow foot. No heel slippage ever and love the way they hug your feet.

I hike in La Sportiva Bushido's and love them. Needed something with really sticky soles because the trails around here often require a few Class III moves to get up to a peak. But they run narrow. Friend of mine hikes in Hoka Speedgoats and they are great on groomed trails, but for bushwhacking off trail not so much.

La Sportiva Bushido are great for narrow feet.  I highly recommend you don't do 15 km for your first trail run. Let your joints get used to the uneven terrain. Build up slow.

I loved the Jackal 1 (haven’t tried the newer model but it looks great) and currently am in the Mutants for seriously rocky/bouldering/loose gravel and they’re like I have gecko feet on lol. I did have an issue with the Bushidos however; the middle of the sole doesn’t have any grip on the bottom, literally just a plastic plate with branding on it. I found myself slipping on rocks right jn that section of the sole which led to some of my biggest spills.

I find the higher the stack leads to more rolling ankles. Shoes that have not worked for me: Brooks Cascadia, New Balance Hierro Shoes that have worked for me: La Sportiva Bushido, Topo Terraventure. Also would like to find a more cushioned shoe but they have been directly correlated to rolled ankles for me and I'm sick of spending money on shoes for now. I'll see how far I can go in the Bushidos, I did a 50 miler in them and it was good, although I was definitely hurting at the end!! The more you do the more you adapt though!

I did so much research on this subject last year before landing on the la sportiva jackal. IMO the bushido are too soft for serious scrambling. I also used scarpa ribelle run xt’s, which I liked, but did not fit my foot correctly. Scarpa also makes an approach/ runner, but from what I’ve been told, they aren’t great to run in.  I listened to a podcast recently where the guy was talking about how great norda is for scrambling due to the dynema upper. If I could try them on and they weren’t so expensive, I would probably go that route. The biggest downside to scrambling in running shoes is the mesh when you are jamming. I’ve climbed up to low fifth class in my jackals for what it’s worth.

I find Bushidos really comfortable and ran a 50 miler in them one time, but acknowledge that my feet are exactly a La Sportiva fit and their shoes are often wildly narrow for other people. In terms of comparison to TX4s, they are lighter, less stiff, and slightly more cushioned. I think they are more comfortable than TX4s for hiking long distances, and I’ve climbed up to around 5.4/5.5 in them, though of course without climbing rubber, they’re not as secure as approach shoes on rock. If Bushidos are comfortable on your feet, I’d recommend them. Sure, maybe don’t run a 100 in them, but for hiking or running techy trails, and the occasional scramble, they’re a great little shoe.

Bushidos are designed for techy, mountainous running, and I believe excel at what they are designed to do. They are not as “comfortable” as something like a Hoka, because they are meant to have a close, precise fit, so they just don’t pack as much midsole foam as other, more cushioned shoes. However, I find that the precision feels more comfortable on technical terrain. I would absolutely wear mine for distances up to 30km. And given the choice, I’ll always prefer a running shoe over an approach shoe if I’m going to be running, or even hiking long distances. TX4s are great approach shoes and are nice for approach hikes, easy climbing, etc. but can be heavy and feel a little clumsy for running, in my experience.

If the shoe fit is good, you should definitely be good for longer than a few kilometers :) The rock plate helps mitigate a lot of foot discomfort and fatigue on rocky stuff, and if you’re used to hiking in TX4s, which also don’t have a cushy midsole, I feel like the Bushidos will feel light and fun and comfy for you.

I heart my La Sportiva Bushidos, which are the nimbler little brother to the mutants. They’re stickier and have a lower profile/drop so I like them better for scrambles on dry desert terrain and talus. I posted a few weeks ago that you can absolutely tell they were engineered by rock climbers, which is a compliment. I’ve raced half marathons in them and hiked 20 miles in them. But I’m seriously considering getting the Mutants for longer distances. Obviously the answer is to get both. (My feet are on the narrow side but I also wear road running shoes with a wide toe box and zero drop and find the Bushidos comfy.)

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.

La Sport Bushido. The mutants are supposedly more comfy for longer days but I've done multiple 12+ hour consecutive days in the Bushido with no issue. Also backpacked in them.

My personal rec is La Sportiva Bushido. I play a couple times a week and got 3 years out of my first pair, 1 year so far on the second. I only wear them for DG.

I absolutely love my bushido for shorter and technical runs Surprised you basically recommend everyone stop running in them

Nnormal Kjerag and La Sportiva Bushido are perfect for this.

salomon speed cross: unmatched traction and high cushion, not super stable though saucony peregrine: great grip with deep lugs similar to the speecross, not as cushioned but more stable hoka speedgoats: good balance of stability, traction, and cushion, but if you’re running consistently on sharp rocky terrain they are gonna fall apart. their foam is notoriously easy to break down and tear altra experience wild: great cushion and stability, tread isn’t as aggressive but still grips on a wide range of surfaces, doesn’t run quite as wide as some other altras which may be a good thing for you to get a more secure fit la sportiva bushido ii/iii: my personal fav of the shoes mentioned, universally grippy on all surfaces, best lateral stability and rigid support, cushion is a bit lacking but not the worst

I did Panorama ridge a couple of weeks ago and I wore trail runners (bushidos, if that helps). There was only one slightly tricky section in terms of footing and the trail runners did great. In terms of jacket: I had a windbreaker that I put on top of my sun hoodie when I stopped for pictures and a snack. Have fun! It's a great hike!

Bushidos are a good choice. It might take you a bit of time to get used to the lower stack height if you're used to a more maximal shoe. Consider the Prodigio. More cushion, but not enough to get in the way or lose precision. Outsole is a combo of Frixion Red and Megagrip so it's nice and sticky.

The lug pattern matters just as much as the outsole material. For example, the Bushido is likely going to be a better rock shoe than the Cyklon just because of the outsole design. For rock, especially wet rock, you want large lugs with lots of surface area. Look at the outsole of an approach shoe vs a mud shoe like the Speedcross for example.

LS Prodigio, Merrell Agility Peak and Topo MTN Racer as my go-tos. LS Bushido for techy shorter stuff. Saucony Peregrine ST for mud. Old pair of Cascadias with screws for the snow and ice.

I like the Prodigio (regular) for long runs but not in steep terrain because the collar starts to bite into my ankle. Prodigio Pros look like a different collar design though. I wear Bushidos for techy and shorter runs. Curious to hear thoughts on this as well!

Bushidos are my hiking, scrambling, techy trail, and shorter (10k ish but will go more) trail runners. I find them very comfy even though they seem built like a tank. Great mountain shoe.

I have done 30k of a mix of off trail and on with scrambling with 4k ft gain and >7k ft decent in a day on them and they seemed to do fine. That was mostly more hiking speed other than some jogging when I could. I could’ve been more comfortable at the end of the day but then again I loved the stability when I was in the scrambling parts. If I did that again, that would be the shoe I chose again. I am seriously considering them for a 28k mountain running race in the fall that has almost 8k ft of vert because of how technical the trail gets. I may also look at La Sportiva Prodigio Pro for that race because I like the normal Prodigio for longer runs (but not technical or too steep because of the upper). Normally if I doing those types of distances, I am doing more hiking than running, so the Bushidos seem great for that. The race will be a long one for me. If I was running that long, I may want something with more cushion, but I am old now! 🤣 I feel like for hiking, the Bushidos would still be my go to for now.

They are wider and have more room so they feel a little bigger. Not as snug as Bushidos (I have same size in both). That seems to be a good thing for longer runs though. I have a narrow foot so La Sportiva works well for me. They are also pretty light and well padded - run great. The only downside I see is the uppers are kind of hard plastic and it digs into my ankles on steeper grades. Love them for longer runs as long as the grade is not too steep because of that. I am looking into the Prodigio Pros for that one reason - the uppers look different. Hope that helps!

The durability of the upper is nice but I find the fit in the 001s too sloppy - if I’m edging it tends to twist around my foot. Whereas something like my Bushidos feel like an extension of my foot. I’ll use Nordas scrambling on a multiday backpacking trip, but they aren’t my first choice for a quick scramble. 

Everyday road: Mizuno Wave Inspire Long road/race: Puma Deviate Nitro Light and mixed trails: La Sportiva Kaptiva More technical trails: La Sportiva Bushido Slushy winter misery: Arc’teryx Norvan VT Goretex At my mom’s house when I visit: North Face Endurus Backpacking/fastpacking/looser fit: Norda 001 (two pairs, both at 900ish km) I’d buy everything but the Norvans again. I’ve already got a spare of the Mizunos, Nordas, Pumas and Kaptivas on standby. 

I agree with this. I've also run 50 plus miles in them, honestly it was pretty painful for the last 5 or 10 miles, it's not the lack of cushioning for me but the way they're stiff and clunky. . . Still, that stiffness makes them work well on talus and 4th/5th class rock. If they fit your for I think 15-20 miles would be fine.

I have fat, hobbit-esque feet, and have found La Sportiva and Altra both have good shoes. Altra are frankly road/smooth trail biased, while Sportiva tend to be good on more technical terrain. For hybrid stuff I'll do Altra Lone Peaks, and have a buddy that really love their Timp and Olympus. I run my ultras in Bushidos (which I'll probably change soon), but LS has a bunch of "Mountain Running" shoes in their lineup.

I have Salomon Speedcross and La Sportiva Bushido trail runners I got from Boulder goodwill. Both are great for summer

If you have a narrower foot, la sportiva bushidos are fantastic. Very grippy- did well even in thick mud. Dries in 5-10 mins on a warm day. I’m already on my 2nd pair. For wider feet a lot of people like the altra lone peaks

I have more miles on these shoes than any other single pair of shoes. I have had five pairs of speed goat fives but I can only seem to get 300 miles on those shoes while these have over 500. I will say that 500 is about as much as you can squeeze out of these shoes though, but that’s saying something

Up to 9 models of trail shoe and still looking... La sportiva bushido (500+ mi): great shoe but not enough of a rocker and limited cushion for longer days. Salomon ultra glide (350 mi): great shoe but limited durability of midsole and not stable enough on varied terrain. Hoka speedgoat 5: loved this shoe but can only seem to get 300 mi out of the midsole before I notice significant decline (still brought 5 pairs of these to 300+) Hoka Mafate speed 4 (320+165mi): loved this shoe but a set or two of the eyelits are not reinforced and will eventually rip, and the toebox is too narrow for me and gives blisters on the outside of my big toes. Saucony peregrin 3 (150 mi): like this shoe but long days or steep ascents are too much and the heel counter gives blisters (disclaimer: I have bony heels). I wear this for shorter runs with some tech but not much steep uphill. Saucony xodus 1 (250 mi): like this shoe but doesn’t perform well on technical terrain in terms of stability and outsole-lugs sheered off on first technical downhill. I wear this for non technical trails. Altra lone peak 7 (300+ idk): like this shoe but just for non technical trails, Toe box is too wide to get a full lockdown. I use this shoe for hikes and walks on non technical terrain and it is the shoe i wear more than any other bc it is my daily shoe at work, where i am on my feet a few hours every day. Nnormal tormir 2 (200 mi): like this shoe but the lockdown doesn’t prevent my toes from cramming into the front of the toebox on steep descents. I wear this for technical trails without steep descents. Hoka tecton x2 (12 mi): I have only worn this shoe twice for shorter (6 mi) runs, but it doesn’t seem to have the level of midsole comfort/cushion that would get me past 20 miles. I wear this for workout/faster runs on trails. Hoka tecton x3: bought these for a race because of the upgrades to the midsole and then got injured and couldn’t do the race. Feel amazing on my feet and am excited to try these out when I have an opportunity. My trail shoe rotation is almost complete. But I am still searching for the unicorn: a trail shoe that has a grippy and durable outsole, a lockdown that is a good for technical trails and steep descents, and a midsole that is sufficiently stable, cushioned, and resilient. I like the outsole of the tormir, the midsole feel and durability of the tormir and xodus. And I like the lockdown of the bushido and speedgoat. If only the tormirs had a better lockdown…if only the speedgoat midsole didn’t degrade at 300 miles. Should I try the Nnormal Kjerag? Is there a frankenshoe out there for me? Redditors what say you TLDR: is there such a thing as a trail shoe that has a durable and grippy outsole, durable,stable, and cushioned midsole, and a lockdown for technical trails and steep descents?

I can't confirm that La sportiva is bad in muddy conditions. It totally depends on the shoe. The bushido is definitively an allrounder that can handle muddy conditions very well. It clogs less than most of my other shoes. I also have the cyklon cross gtx which is a beast in snow and mud. The only shoe on par with it was a Salomon speedcross - but the latter is much worse on all other conditions. However I use the cyklon only in winter.

Everything that is good for scrambling will be "tough" on your feet. For scrambling you want a thin midsole, low stack height and also important - a low profile. I love the bushidos for that and also use them for runs up to marathon length without any problems. I know a few people that use the the Dynafit feline sl for scrambling - that one could be a bit more comfortable

They have a very wide toebox compared to other La sportiva shoes. At least compared to the Bushido and Cyklon, those are the other shoes I have. Around the heel and midfoot they still fit snug.

I was scrambling all week in the Nevada desert in my bushidos this week.

Google will never get you there. And even individual reviews can be biased. You’re gonna have to try them on and see what works for you. “These run narrow” or “these run wide” is BS. It’s all relative to the individual. Sounds like you want a “low” and not a “mid”. And we’re immediately going to rule out Oboz and Keen and Merril. Try Solomon, try Topo, try even a bushido by La Sportiva.