La Sportiva Men's Ultra Raptor Trail Running Shoes

Product Information

In all, I would say that while both are great trail running shoes, the Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTXs are more akin to running shoes, while the Ultra Raptor IIs veer more toward a hiking boot build.

Perfect volume adjustment and foot hold thanks to the dedicated lacing elements: the eye-stay webbings are sewn on the inside of the upper and reinforced on the outside with a high frequency TPU skeleton, allowing the lace pull-force to be distributed equally over all areas of the upper

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The boot also has an unusual heel cage and a lightweight rand for enhanced rear and midfoot support. Meanwhile, the lacing system is threaded through a series of webbing eyelets connected to an external TPU ‘skeleton’. It’s easy to pull everything in tight, ensuring a secure fit with no heel lift. The top set of lace hooks is also designed to minimise lace slip. It’s an excellent design. They both are lightweight and fit snugly. The Danners weigh in at one pound, 8 ounces per pair. Each of the shoe soles is grippy, however, the lugs on the La Sportiva are bigger than the Campo’s Vibram 460 Megagrips.

Going both uphill and downhill on some pretty steep grades had me feeling comfortable and stable. I would have no concerns about taking these shoes into some steeper terrain with more exposure, too. Ultra Raptor II vs. Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTX If you’re headed into the mountains on foot, you won’t get too far without a comfortable shoe. The La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II delivers, with a nice balance of stiffness and stability where you need it and plush mesh and cushioning everywhere else. Unlike leather, the synthetic build requires very little break-in period: I took the new II straight out of the box for a 17-mile overnight hike and experienced no hot spots or rubbing. What’s more, with a relatively low weight (1 lb. 7.7 oz. for my women’s size 8.5), the shoes felt nimble while hiking, and a large assortment of sizes (including half sizes and a wide version) makes it easy to nail a good fit no matter your foot shape. Mid-cut version of the Ultra Raptor II Mountain Running icon, ideal for fast hiking and light load excursions. Waterproof and breathable thanks to the Gore-Tex Extended Comfort membrane.In short: You can’t go wrong with La Sportiva’s Ultra Raptor II running shoes. The Raptor is a monster on the mountain. These shoes let runners take technical terrain in stride. The massive soles and lugs handle mud, choss, and steep trails with no problem. The entire shoe is built very solidly with the standout being aggressive lugs combined with FriXion rubber and a Trail Bite heel. The combination provides all-terrain traction and maximum grip.

FriXion™ White sole in soft XF compound with pronounced Trail Bite Heel heel for better downhill braking The Ultra Raptor II is billed as the ideal all-terrain mountain running shoe for long-distance runs and ventures off the beaten path. Yet the stout build of the shoe does not translate to heft — it’s still very lightweight at 12.5 ounces. If you want similar characteristics but are prepared to sacrifice a little extra weight for the sake of even more cushioning, then you could consider the Hoka Anacapa Low GTX or Trail Code GTX, with their trademark oversized midsole. Of course, what you gain in on-trail bounce, you tend to lose in terms of precision and feel, which, in our opinion, makes the La Sportiva a better choice for mixed terrain. There are no additional costs or duties on products marketed in countries within the European Union. Customers will not have to pay anything on delivery.When putting the Ultra Raptor II shoes up against my previous trail runners — the Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTX trail shoes — they are similar in many respects, but the Raptors are much beefier. Completely at home on mountain terrain, whether you’re hiking, mountain running, or approaching a climb. The major change for the second version of the Ultra Raptor is the addition of wide widths for both the men’s and women’s models. The upper also gets an upgrade in this version, making the fit more comfortable and secure. If you’re after a similarly lightweight mid-cut hiking boot, then the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX competes squarely with various rival models from brands like Adidas Terrex, Inov-8, Scarpa, Mammut and Salomon. For more options, out T3's best hiking boots and best women's hiking boots guides.