La Sportiva Karakorum Boot

About This Item

Design and Details

  • Idro-Perwanger leather upper is ideal for water repellency, breathability and durability
  • SBR Aircushion sole provides cushion and helps insulate from cold or hot climates
  • Brand : La Sportiva
  • Web ID: 23QPDMKRKRMBTF09XFBO

REVIEWS

4.6
94%
Recommended

42 Reviews

Very Durable, High Performance, And Comfortable.

I build trails in the mountains of Colorado, full time in the spring, summer, and fall. I'm also an avid big game hunter and overall outdoors man. I put these boots through the ringer over the last 4 seasons (they only rest in the winter), and I've been incredibly impressed by their performance, comfort, and durability. I plan to purchase my second pair this spring. Definitely recommend these boots!

Great Boots Good For Outdoor Winter Activities

Have had these boots for only a couple of weeks. I live in Maine and have worn them hiking in snow up to 2 feet high and slushy trails with deep puddles for 3-6 miles a day. Even shoveled my driveway in them for the last few storms because they’re so comfy. They’ve kept my feet warm and dry and have been super comfortable right out of the box.

Verified Purchase

Great Boot

I bought my second pair of the Karakorums recently, took me about 6 years of summer field work to wear the first pair out. Fit perfect out of the box with no break-in period. Beefy, definitely not meant for light hiking.

Verified Purchase

Comfortable Right Out The Box.

Super comfy boots right out of the box. I wore them while hunting unicorns in Sherwin forest. They served me well of the pack out with being chase by ferries.

Don't Waste Your Money

Don't waste your money. These are the least durable pair of boots i've ever owned. The sole started to peal off after 2-3 weeks, It took nearly a year for la sportiva to "repair" them and two weeks later i'm back to square one with the soles of both boots delaminiating. After a year of trying to get these replaced or at least adequately repaired I just gave up and bought scarpas.

Verified Purchase

First Mountaineering Boots

I wanted to get some mountaineering boots, but didn't want to spend a zillion dollars. I'm not trying to perish on Everest. I'm not trying to "die doing what I love." After looking around online, these seemed to fit the bill. Got 'em a couple weeks ago and have since put around 50 miles and 8,000 vertical feet of gain on them. Terrain ranged from chunky and sharp and cacus-ey karst out in the West Desert of Utah to the streets of Salt Lake City to the snowy Wasatch Mountains. These boots are warm, waterproof, sturdy, and pretty darn comfortable considering that mountaineering boots are much more rigid than typical hiking boots. For what it's worth, I typically hike in size 10 Asolo TPS 520 Evo hiking boots. Getting these La Sportiva Karakorums in size 43 has worked well.

Either A Bad Design Or I Got A Bad Pair

I wear these boots for rugged outdoor use in northern Maine. As a registered Maine Guide and a well-involved outdoorsman, I found these boots to be rather disappointing. In regard to the quality of their construction, both the glue and stitching began to fail at about one year. From day 1, I struggled to keep these boots waterproof. I was never successful with the waterproof issue which I found to be extremely frustrating. I prefer a boot that does not have Gortex because I feel it limits breatheability and wicking. The Pamir (discontinued model) was waterproof without using gortex. The overall integrity of the Karakoram was significantly inferior to similar LaSportiva models I’ve had in the past. The under-performing construction and/or materials used in this boot resulted in the boot becoming very uncomfortable in year 2. From this point on, they caused foot fatigue and aches which prohibited me from wearing them for consecutive days. LaSportiva makes great products. I couldn’t be happier with the Nepal and some older style hiking/mountaineering boots like the Pamir. *the LaSportiva Pamir is hands-down the best overall boot I’ve brought into the north Maine woods for hiking/mountaineering, big-game hunting (in Arizona and Maine), upland bird hunting, snow showing, ice fishing, atv, and general work-boot I have owned. **PLEASE PUT THIS BOOT BACK INTO PRODUCTION !

Verified Purchase

Comfort

This is probably my tenth pair of La Sportiva boots. They are comfortable right out of the box and hold up in rugged conditions. I use them for work and play.

I’ve Worn Makalus Since 1995 !

I’ve owned 3 pair and really miss the first two, they were leather lined and a much better boot imho. They are a great mountaineering boot but a little too stiff for backpacking. The ‘old ones’ were the perfect crampon boot, but a little too stiff. I wore out the first pair in my first tour of Afghanistan, after 11 months in that truly wonderful spot (not only no, but HELL NO). The boots were a shambles after being worn nearly everyday for 8-10 months in hell.

Worn Every Day For 2 Years Now.

I wear these daily doing municipal tree work and forestry, and on my weekends when I’m hiking. Most of my tree climbing coworkers go through about 2 pairs of boots per year. These are holding strong in every weather imaginable for over 2 years now, and I expect years more to come. They stay warm and dry on long days of rain or trudging through the snow. They are a little warm on hot summer days. The rigidity gives you the most confident footing I’ve ever had in a boot allowing me to move smoothly in the trees or sketchy terrain. I know these boots aren’t made for tree climbing but they are the best climbing boots out there in my opinion and some of my coworkers have got some and agree. They do great in spikes or also climbing around they don’t get stuck in tight crotches either. Love them would recommend to anyone who works out side based of comfort and water proofing warmth in cold temps and rigidity to rigors of work. Honestly ultimate boot! Ultimate hiking boot, Ultimate work boot, Ultimate mountain boot, Ultimate climbing boot!

Tough But Not Invincible

This is my second season in these boots and I had hoped that they would be 10 year boots. Sadly a month into their second summer one of the nylon eyelets completely blew out on me, followed quickly by the back of the boot where the leather meets the rubber. Now, with a giant hole behind my ankle, the boots offer nothing in the way of ankle support. That being said they have held up to the wet and damp of bush-alaska for probably 500+ off-trail miles. I had hoped they would last me a few more years, especially since they are only now starting to feel broken in, but maybe my perfect boot is still out there.

Verified Purchase

Great Boots

I bought these boots a month ago and they have been nothing but the best. I wear them every and they still seem like a new pair of boots. I'm a lineman and the support of the boots is unreal.

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Awesome Boot!!

Literally the most comfortable out of the box boots I have ever bought. Have had them for about 60 days and wear every day. Super happy with them so far

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Great Comfort

Great work boot- second pair I’ve owned now and they hold up well. Good support, good looks, I’d recommend. I work in the woods on uneven terrain. They are hot in the summer, but that’s the only compromise

Verified Purchase

Great Boot

Purchased a month ago. Comfortable and holds up to the task. I’ve owned several pairs of the makalu boot, and they keep falling apart. The sole seems to be better.

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