Reviewing the La Sportiva Aequilibrium Top Boot: Backpacking, Mountaineering, and Climbing Trips
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ส.ค. 2024
- La Sportiva created three versions of the Aequilibrium boot to help alpinists lose the weight of needing multiple shoes for trips that contained dry approaches with backpacking, snow filled mountaineering, and technical climbing. Can the boot accommodate all of those disparate needs? We provide a full review.
For more information on this video, go to:
www.shortguysbetaworks.com/al...
0:00 Intro
0:05 Bumper
0:14 One Boot to Rule Them All?
0:43 Three Aequilibrium Model
1:07 Comfort and Fit
2:07 Performance
4:47 Crampon Attachments
4:57 Durability
5:20 Summary and Conclusion
6:05 Outro
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You can find the La Sportiva Aequilibrium Top, here:
bit.ly/3yTx3MG
The other Aequilibrium versions can be found, here:
Men's LT (leather) - bit.ly/3PK0SGq
Men's ST (synthetic) - bit.ly/3Pqe6YV
Women's LT - bit.ly/3B98TAt
Women's ST - bit.ly/3OryiIT
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Top review, thank you!
@@MykhailoUlianchenko Thank you 🙏 Hope it helped!
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks it did, I ordered a pair of lasportiva today, thanks to this review!
@@MykhailoUlianchenko Now I hope you like them 😉
Excellent review.
Thanks.
Glad you liked it. Hope it helped!
Very good and informative video, thank you very much
Thanks for watching. Hope it makes a difference for you!
Great review! I just got these for shoulder season Colorado mountains and looks like they’ll be perfect for them
That's how I use them. 👍⛰️🏔️ Have fun out there!
great review, thanks bro
Glad you liked it! Hope it helps out!!
Great review thank you
Thanks for watching! 🙏 Hope it helped.
Thanks, this review was very helpful. I was especially interested in how these walk compared to full shank winter boots. I might just have to pick me up a pair
Glad you found it helpful. Come back and tell us what you think of them!
Thanks helpful review....trying to eliminate the approach shoe heavy Mt boot combo for Rainier in the summer. Seems like a good option
Depending on the Rainer route, I think it could make sense.
How do you handle your footwear when varying conditions suggest different boots/shoes may be needed for different sections of the outing? Do you have any favorite boots or shoes that are your "go-to"?
Hi, I recently purchased a pair of these. Have worn them three times now for some big days out and every time the Boa dial has dug into my leg and left boa dial shaped swelling on my legs. The right boot isn’t too bad and seems to fit pretty well other than that but the left boot is very painful after barely any walking in them!
Another viewer was talking about getting a strong pressure point from the top strap. I never had either of those issues, but seems like the upper part of the boot is becoming a serial problem for certain types of people. I wonder what people having these problems have in common in terms of foot or ankle or calf shape? Or maybe it's something else entirely. Hmmm. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience and adding to the conversation.
You mention a fell runner as being pretty good in the wet with th traction. What type is it please?
I couldnt seem to find a review of it on your YT.
But thanks for the LS Aeq review. How deep are the lugs on the sole?
I seem to find the lugs on most boots (hiking) to be pretty shallow and wear out far too rapidly.
The lugs on the Aquilibrium are huge. Biggest lugs of any boot I've ever put on. For the fell runner, I've been using the Inov8 Roclite 315g GTX. 6mm lugs, so they hold up pretty well. Here's that review you were looking for (new models look a little different, but are pretty much the same): th-cam.com/video/gnyP59I4QuE/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the review. Do you feel it’s best to order true size or maybe to size up? Thanks.
For me, they have run true to size. I have quite a few different La Sportiva boots, and I haven't sized up any of them.
Best review on this boot in YT! Just tried them on last week, and I hada strong pressure point on where the strap at. Escapilly going uphill, the buckle almost dig into my ankles. Do you have a similar experience? btw, do you always tighten the strap? Thank you!
I appreciate that! 🙏 Thank you! I had that problem with the strap on one foot and not the other. You certainly don't have to tighten the strap on the approach, although you might actually get more rubbing, then, but maybe not. I would tighten it and really lock in my foot if I was doing anything technical. I also found that making sure I wore both a liner sock and outer sock that could go above the strap line kept the strap from rubbing as much. Hope that helps, and good luck! 🍀
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks thanks for the quick response. My issue seems to be the metal buck creates a pressure point when I descend and pressure into my lower shin. I did not have a rubbing issue as you mentioned in the video tho.
@@seanshang11 Oh... I get you, now. Now, I didn't have a problem with the buckle. You might be able to stick a "corn pad," like for corns on your feet, on the corner of the buckle and then tape it there with some athletic tape. It'd be tricky to not have it get in the way of the strap as you do and undo the strap; but it is possible. I've done that with some other boots.
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks thanks for the help! Love your videos, Keep them coming!
Very unrelated question here but definitely one I've been wondering, what sort of altitude and temperature range would you use the la sportiva G5 in? I use mine for winter Scottish conditions for mainly mixed and ice climbing and have seen no problems down to the likes of -10 and below but as in the Americas you guys see much deeper winters and also much taller mountains i was wondering what i would be able to push their limits to overseas without having to upgrade to a double boot
Well, there are a lot of variables that play into whether a boot is warm enough. Am I keeping my core warm? What sock system am I wearing? Am I climbing an alpine route, where I will be stopping to belay every so often or more of a mountaineering route where I cam constantly on the move. So, I'll need to make some assumptions and talk about a few different circumstances. I've worn my G5s comfortably at -18C or 0F. But if I'm going to be standing around a lot, I will move to the G2s even at those temps. As far as altitude, a good rule of thumb is 3F degrees or 5.5C degrees lower temperature for every 1000 ft up; so, you can do a back-of-the-napkin assessment of what the temp will be on the summit of a 14K foot peak in North America or the like, but it's better to get a pinpoint weather forecast. I take double boots to both South America for anything about 17K or higher and Alaska for, well, basically anything thee. But, again, if you are going to rev the engine really high and get that internal fire going, you might be able to get by with higher altitudes in the right weather. I guess the question is, how much is a toe worth? 🤣🏔 Hope this helps, some. Happy to chat more if you have other thoughts/questions/comments on it.
How is the stiffness? Much flex when you wear the crampons?
About 4:00 to 4:45 I cover flex and crampons. Never so much that I worried about them coming off, and no real difference in feel with on moderate snow. But on vertical, I definitely needed to consciously keep my heels low; the flex "allows" me to do a bit of calf raise, which is bad form and a good way to burn out my calf muscles. A truly stiff mountaineering boot won't allow that, so it's easier to keep good form.
Hi! Do you recommend this shoes for summiting 5000m in summer season?
It probably depends on how much of the climb is on snow. Because they aren't insulated, the conduction of cold from the snow through the metal crampons and onto your foot could be bad if you were on snow for most of the climb. If it's just the final push on summit day that demands crampons, it would probably be fine.
wet grip - best is idrogrip like in the TX Guide... I think the Trango, Cube and Aeq use Megagrip - hard wearing but not the best in the wet
I use the Boulder x la sportivas with idrogrip and I wear them on scrambles with approaches in weather. But actually the best wet reaction I've found are the Inov8 Roclite series. They are fell runners, so designed for wet conditions in the UK, Iceland, etc. If I don't need anything stiffer for edging and such (like a true approach show) the Inov8s have become my go-to.
What are you using for deep show? What La Sportiva model are those at min 6:00 (left)? Thanks
Those are the G2 SM boots. I took those to the Himalaya (7000m peak). I would have taken them to Denali if they existed, then. It's not really about snow depth, it's about temperature. With most mountaineering boots now having integrated gaiters, you can keep the snow out of your boots even if you posthole. Or, you could always throw on a knee-high, external gaiter if you were really worried about it. It's really about temps. As things get colder, you want to go to a "double boot" (something with a removeable liner boot). And there are multiple models of those that have increasing insulation in them. Most manufacturers will talk about 6000m, 7000m, or 8000m boots, and that's a good rule of thumb. But, for example, Alaska climbs to 6000m will often benefit from a 7000m boot simply because you are so near the arctic circle. You wouldn't wear a single boot (no removeable liner) to Vinson Massif in Antarctica even though it's lower than 5000m. Hope that helps! Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching! 😁
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks thank you so much for the detailed response, I appreciate it! Do you think these boots are overkill for lower than 4000m winter hiking? I really don’t know what to buy and I have a friend that sells a pair of g2SM new for 350€.
@@eddy.alexandru probably overkill. If you are hiking rather than climbing them you probably don't need stiff-soled, crampon-compatable boots. That being said, it's always condition dependant. I've worn the G2SMs on rallt cold days in Colorado, and that doesn't get much above 4000m. You don't want your feet to sweat l, because then you get blisters and/or cold toes once you stop and the sweat starts to evaporate. If you ever think you might get into winter mountaineering (even at 4000m,) then it might be worth getting them at such a good price; just know that you probably want to supplement with a standard "winter hiking boot" with a more flexible sole and which isn't quite so warm as the G2SM. If you don't need crampons, here is a good resource for winter hiking boots: www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/shoes-and-boots/best-winter-boots
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks should I go for La Sportiva Aequilibrium Top or G5 for winter hiking? What I need the most is waterproofing because of the wet snow that I usually encounter at low altitudes.
@@eddy.alexandru both will be waterproof. The Aquilibrium will walk a little better due to the flex in the ball of the foot. Walking in a stiff-soled crampon-compatable boot when you don't need to is hard on your feet. The G5 will be a little warmer and will work with crampons a little better (because it doesn't flex at all).
very good - i bouhgt it ride away
Hope it ends up working well for you!
Is the boot insulated?
No. Being GTX and with the Cordura gaiter, it is warmer than other non-insulated boots, but don't mistake it for a true, four-season mountaineering boot.
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks thank you
@@fitdoc565 no problem. Thanks for watching! 🙏
Camp 2 shoes in Everest.
I don't think these would be warm enough.
もしTOP買おうとしてる人がいたら絶対に履いてからにしてください
ベルクロの締め付けがすげー痛いです
Yes, the Velcro rubbed my shin on one leg (not the other) and created blisters. After I broke it in, it was fine, but originally it was quite bothersome.
How is the stiffness? Much flex when you wear the crampons?
About 4:00 to 4:45 I cover flex and crampons. Never so much that I worried about them coming off, and no real difference in feel with on moderate snow. But on vertical, I definitely needed to consciously keep my heels low; the flex "allows" me to do a bit of calf raise, which is bad form and a good way to burn out my calf muscles. A truly stiff mountaineering boot won't allow that, so it's easier to keep good form.
@@ShortGuysBetaWorksgreat, cross-sectional review.
I'm not a native speaker, would you please tell me what do you mean by saying "moderate snow"? Do think about the inclination? I'm lookin for something versatile since my mountains are the combination of few hours approach and slopes of no more then 35 - 45 °, max 400 m up. That would be great to find a golden mean between comfort and stiffness. I assume usage of semi-automatic crampons. Do you think these boots are enough?
Thanks for feedback!
@@ukaszs4671 yes, moderate snow slopes are between 30-50 degrees (depending on the climber, of course). As long as you aren't above 5000m or planning on winter ascents (these boots aren't insulated), I think they are probably ideal boots for the type climb you described. And yes, you would need semi-automatic crampons because there is no toe welt for a wire bail.
@@ShortGuysBetaWorks many thanks for the quick replay!
@@ukaszs4671 have fun up there! 🏔🧗♂