La Sportiva TX2 - Women's Review

The La Sportiva TX2 is a fabulous blend of lightweight style and sleek climbing performance. Though not as cushioned or durable as some of its competitors, we found the balance of comfort, support, and weight to be unparalleled.

Performance Comparison

These lightweight, high-performing approach shoes had us dancing through the talus.

Credit: Alexa Flower

Climbing Ability

A lot goes into technical climbing performance, and it's the main feature that makes an approach shoe so much more than a hiking shoe. As climbers, we're often boulder-hopping, talus-scrambling, or kicking steps in snow to reach our objectives, whether they're alpine peaks or hidden boulders. Climbing performance often comes with diminished comfort, as a cushier shoe is much less sensitive to precise movements. Our testers found the TX2 to excel in climbing performance without sacrificing too much comfort.

With a firm edge and a rigid sole, the TX2 has excellent edging abilities, making it a fierce competitor in this category. This shoe has few competitors with comparable climbing ability, soaring away from most of the pack. The smearing zone is similar to that of the TX4, but with a secure lacing system that reaches down the foot and lighter weight, the TX2 is superior. Also, the toe was significantly thinner than the TX4's, which significantly aids in its competency at crack climbing.

The narrow toe and sleek profile of the TX2 make them great for precision foot placements and narrow cracks.

Credit: Alexa Flower

Whether scrambling around Yosemite or running up peaks in the High Sierra, the TX2 surpassed our expectations for this scoring metric, earning one of the highest scores of any of its competitors.

Hiking Comfort

To separate "comfort" from "support," two closely linked metrics, our expert testers decided "comfort" would refer mostly to the top of the shoe, leaving "support" to describe the bottom. We looked at fit, sizing, materials, breathability, and lacing to determine the overall feel of each product.

One of the first things our testers noticed about the TX2 was its soft fleece lining around the heel and tongue. The heel is incredibly comfortable, sitting at a great height and full of plush padding. The width is ideal, and the toe is narrow enough for excellent climbing precision but wide enough for hiking comfort.

The TX2 has a knit upper that is lighter and more breathable than the leather of the TX4. The tongue is wide and padded with comfy fleece to the toes. The tongue is attached to the side of the shoe on the inside half, and this ensures the tongue stays in place and never bunches up. The lacing extends down the foot to the toes, which we'll explain a bit more when we talk about technical climbing performance. As far as comfort goes, it was easy to pull the laces tight for moving on technical terrain or loosen them up for more casual outings.

The TX2s have a slimmer midsole than most of the shoes in this review, making them slightly less burly than models like the TX4.

Credit: Alexa Flower

Overall, our testers found the TX2 to provide a significant amount of comfort, especially for its weight, but we did notice that it is a bit slimmer than some of the other shoes we tested. If width is a big concern for your feet, we would likely suggest sizing up a half of a size.

Support

For our reviewers to judge support, we looked at each shoe's stiffness, arch fit, stability, and ability to protect your feet from the elements. These are approach shoes, after all, and what good would they be if they couldn't carry us through talus, up snow slopes, or on loose trails? The TX2 has an above-average amount of support due mostly to a solid and rigid base.

The TX2's sole is very rigid, especially when considering that it's one of the lightest approach shoes we've ever tested. Dense, stiff rubber soles tend to add significant weight, but somehow, these shoes are surprisingly supportive and light underfoot. Compared to other lightweight shoes that tend to have floppy constructions, this shoe is a much better fit for variable terrain. While it still may not be the #1 choice for high alpine terrain, many of our reviewers found the TX2 to be a good fit for rocky scrambles and loose talus approaches.

The TX2 (bottom) is a slimmer, less supportive shoe than the TX4 (top).

Credit: Lauren DeLaunay

The toe is well-protected when compared to many of its competitors, but when laid side-by-side to the TX4, it's clear that the latter is the much burlier shoe. The TX2 lacks the lateral support of the TX4, a crucial factor in both long-distance hiking comfort and protection from loose rock. The TX2's heel is impressively sturdy but is still a measure behind its big sister. The only element the TX2 does not protect from is water. The knit upper has zero waterproofing capabilities, though they do dry quickly. While this may not be our first choice for prolonged wetness, we wouldn't mind getting a little damp, knowing how quickly we'll be dry once again.

Weight and Packability

Weight in an approach shoe is important for a few reasons, and to make sure we got the right measurements, we put each shoe on our scale to see how it stacked up. We didn't need a scale, however, to be immediately impressed with the TX2 as soon as we took it out of the box. Its low weight makes it an incredible shoe for multi-pitch climbing, and it is much more comfortable in casual settings for this reason as well.

Weighing in at a remarkable 8.4 ounces per shoe (size US Women's 7.5), the TX2 is impressively lightweight. We've tested shoes in the past that were up to two ounces lighter, but they lacked the structure and comfort of the TX2. We'd happily strap these shoes to our harnesses or stuff them in our packs for long days, especially if the descent route requires a lot of hiking, scrambling, or boulder-hopping.

The TX2's mesh upper and small amounts of reinforcement help keep weight down while increasing breathability.

Credit: Lauren DeLaunay

We often suggest using weight as a secondary category once you've established which of the other metrics are more relevant to you and your objectives. With approach shoes, the ratio of weight to stability is an important consideration, especially if you participate in the full spectrum of climbing types and environments. This ratio is the thing that is so impressive about the TX2. No other shoe that weighs less than 10 ounces per shoe has even close to the amount of comfort and support of the TX2, which makes its weight even more impressive. If you frequently climb in areas like Yosemite and Red Rocks that require technical descents off long routes, we can't imagine a better shoe.

The TX 2s are so light and sleek it's hard to compare, especially when clipping them onto the back of a harness.

Credit: Alexa Flower

Value

The TX2 is priced at just about average for today's approach shoes. With a price that's typical for modern approach shoes and performance that soars above the competition, we think the value here is tremendously high.

Great climbing ability, high comfort scores, and a lightweight package combine to make the Sportiva TX2 our go-to for most approaches.

Credit: Alexa Flower

Conclusion