La Sportiva Aequilibrium Women’s GTX Hiking Boot
Reviewed by Paula Pont (August 2025)
I was heading to the French Alps for my first proper hiking holiday and desperately needed of a pair of comfortable hiking boots. Having previously thought I’d found comfortable boots (they seemed comfy enough in the shop, right?), I’d suddenly find boots “shrinking” on descents and my toes taking a battering. My hikes were getting painful.
Taking some good advice from James Turnbull at Outside in Hathersage, my feet were measured with the recommendation to go up 1 size from my street size. Together, we looked at a variety of alps terrain-appropriate boots.
Not wanting to make another boot purchase mistake, I asked how I would get this right, so my toes aren’t pinched. James made the simple, yet incredible useful suggestion that I remove the insoles from any boot I was trying on (wearing the usual sock combination I planned to wear), place the insoles onto the floor, and step onto them with my heel to the back of the insole. This immediately showed me the gap left between my big toe and the front of the insole (boot).
Now, the Big Q: “What is the right size gap for a hiking boot”? He suggested a thumb width from my toe, to the front of the insole(boot). This was such a great visual, that I quickly ruled out a few pairs of boots, seeing there wasn’t enough space.
Having quickly narrowed down my options, one pair stood out - La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike Woman GTX Boots. I immediately noticed how fully supported my ankles felt, compared to other mid-cut hiking boots. I also noticed the soles were thicker, with James explaining they were designed
to provide extra comfort over spikey and uneven terrain. Feeling more confident in my choice, I bought them.
The real tester was the hiking holiday in the Alps, which involved long days, and some very decent elevations and descents. I can honestly say these boots were absolutely fantastic.
There is a lot of “tech” in these boots and it all seemed to work. I had no heel lift, and my feet and ankles felt very secure in the boots. The lacing system is supported with 3D Flex SystemEvo directional joint at the ankle level, providing excellent ankle support, whilst still offering good foot and ankle flexibility and movement. Also, I reminded myself to re-lace before each descent, stopping my feet from potentially sliding forward. The soles have deep lugs and “double heeled” gussets, which create an “impact braking system” to help control descents and assist over very uneven terrain/ascents. The tread made me feel more sure-footed, which is unusual for me as I normally look like Bambi on ice when it comes to walking on scree slopes. I couldn’t test the 100% GORE-TEX waterproofness of the boots, but feel confident they would hold up.
For me, these boots were a great decision – no rolled ankles, no blisters, no crushed toes, no sliding and no discomfort. I now have a pair of hiking boots that my feet love and that give me the confidence to plan future long hikes and hiking holidays. And, with the tread being resoleable, I hope not to have to buy another pair of hiking boots for a very long time.
Note: These boots are not crampon compatible.
What La Sportiva say about their boots:
An agile and lightweight mid-cut boot, the perfect addition to the Aequilibrium family for mixed-terrain hiking. The synthetic fabric guarantees a lightweight and breathable feel without sacrificing protection and durability, also thanks to the abrasion-resistant welt in the most highly exposed areas. The 3D Flex System Evo™ ensures natural flexibility and mobility at the ankle and guarantees secure traction on all types of terrain. 100% waterproof thanks to the GORE-TEX Extended Comfort membrane. The resoleable tread extends the life of the product and ensures the durability of the sole.