Sneaker-Like Hiking Boot Tackles Mountains: La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike GTX Review

It’s September in the Rocky Mountains, and the ground is slopped with an inch of slush. I step on a soaked branch as I cross a ravine, half expecting to slip on the slimy surface. But the aggressive lugs of the pliable La Sportiva Aeqilibrium Hike GTX boots on my feet grip hard. I take another step and another as I sidehill a treacherous slope.

“Wild,” I think to myself. “These boots feel a lot like sneakers, but the traction is exceptional.” Unfortunately, my feet are also wet, a puzzling development, but one that I eventually resolve.

The Aequilibrium Hike GTX, new as of August 2025, is a hard boot to understand. It’s a boot of contrasts: light and soft, yet supportive; very grippy, yet pliable. It’s a GORE-TEX waterproof boot that’s entirely waterproof when submerged, but which does allow water into the foot if tromping through tall wet grass.

One thing’s for sure: This boot is awesome on everything from flat trails to scrambling through tricky high-mountain elk terrain. The fact that I wore it for a full week of brutally hard off-trail elk hunting speaks volumes, given that it’s aimed at hiking and recreational use. I pushed it far past the use case for most hiking boots, and it performed admirably.

In short: The Aequilibrim GTX Hike hits a compromise between support and weight that is hard to beat. It’s pliable, feels great on the feet even after many hours, and grips well on very steep slopes. But it came up short on keeping feet dry in extremely difficult conditions, so gaiters are a must when facing snow or off-trail wet weather.

Compare the Aequilibrium Hike GTX with the best hiking boots and best hunting boots.

La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike GTX Review

To start, the Aequilibrium Hike GTX is one rad boot. I want to give it a glowing review because it checks a lot of boxes. This is a hiking boot that can hold up to elk hunting. Not many can say that.

But the elephant in the room is that, when pressed into hard use in wet conditions, they didn’t quite cut it.

To be clear, the boots are waterproof. I tested them by submerging them up to the laces in a stream for 5 minutes. My feet stayed bone dry. But they’re mid-height boots and susceptible to water coming in from the top.

I’ll lay out the scenario. I hiked for about 4 hours through a mix of wet grass, mountain slopes, and short willows. Everything was sloppy wet. I didn’t think to pack gaiters for this early-season hunt. My pants were soaked from mid-shin down, and so were my feet.

I’ll admit that it surprised me. I never hiked through deep water, but I suspect that the ongoing saturation of my pants and boots eventually allowed the soft ankle cuff to absorb water into the boot.

As with many boots, gaiters would have solved the problem. But it’s worth noting that pressing mid-height boots into hard use comes with risks.

On drier days, they have been exceptional. The ankle is supportive, but still allows for an excellent range of motion, which I’ve rarely seen in boots this rugged. For hunters, they’re tough enough to stand up to conditions hikers would consider ridiculous. And they’re still soft underfoot with seriously rugged Vibram outsoles.

I love them for all these attributes. So long as it’s been relatively dry, I’ve rarely taken them off over the last week of testing in the Rocky Mountains. In fact, I’m still wearing them now, 9 hours after slipping them on this morning to hunt.

Now back at camp, connected with Starlink, they feel pretty nice, if a little swampy, while sitting in the sunshine. But it might be time to switch to Crocs.

Comfort

As I alluded, these things feel like sneakers — in a good way. You can wear the Aequilibrium GTX Hike for long hours and feel no fatigue or urge to remove them. I attribute a lot of this to what La Sportiva calls “3D Flex System EVO directional articulation for contoured, protected ankles.” It does allow for unfettered ankle mobility while helping maintain a healthy stance.

Another positive in the comfort department is the sole’s pliability. Many hunting boots and heavier hiking boots have stiff shanks. That can be really helpful on steep terrain while carrying loads, but it also comes with a downside of foot fatigue and a clompy, stiff gait.

Hikers who tend to spend time mostly on trails, even rugged ones, will appreciate this softer sole feel. It’s also nice for hunting, as it allows for quieter stalking. That said, stiff boots still have a big place in the mountains, with both pros and cons.

Support

When trail running shoes won’t cut it (and yes, if you ever get off trail, there are lots of places trail running shoes suffer), these are a great compromise compared with heavier, stiffer boots. The boots have a very asymmetrical toe with fabric sewn at an offset next to the tongue, which is attached to just under the top, soft grommet loop. A single hook holds the laces at the top.

While the boots are soft through the ankle and allow full mobility, they do offer some support. Again, the Aequilibrium strikes a nice balance. They give the right amount of support for hiking and backpacking without locking ankles in place.

They’re far from the most supportive boot on the market, so those with really weak ankles or carrying heavy loads might consider something firmer. But for a lot of hikers and even hunters, this boot hits a very sweet spot.

Traction

The Aequilibrium has shockingly good traction, especially for a boot with such a soft sole. The deep lugs of the Vibram Spring-Lug with polyurethane foam lining and Impact Brake System grab dirt, rock, roots, and logs with confidence-inspiring grip.

In terms of traction, this boot is top-tier. You can get more with a stiffer boot, but for one with a soft sole, the Aequilibrium is hard to beat.

Waterproofness

The Achilles heel of this boot, at least in my initial testing, was its waterproofing. I outlined this a lot above, but to expand on it, I would call the Aequilibrium “water resistant.”

In my first couple of days of testing, I walked through some creeks and dewy grass and didn’t notice much moisture intrusion. And the boot stayed dry inside during hot hikes across dry landscape, showing they do have good breathability.

However, in extremely wet conditions, they didn’t keep the water out. It took a couple of hours for me to notice, but eventually, my feet were wet enough that I left tracks in my socks across a wood floor.

Again, I’d note that gaiters might have helped here. Tall grass tends to leak down into boots, and as a mid-height model, they’re more prone to water intrusion than taller, more stout models. I write this mostly for those who are looking for wet-weather boots who eschew gaiters. There are probably better choices.

But for those who face intermittent moisture, they should keep the water at bay.

On a very positive note, they dried extremely fast when left in the sun for a couple of hours. Compared with my buddy’s leather boots, they dried completely much faster.

La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike GTX Review: Who Should Buy Them

The Aequilibrium GTX Hike is a heck of a nice boot. It seems perfect for a wide range of hikers who want more support and protection than hiking boots, but the comfort of a sneaker. They fit true to size, and run slightly narrow.

Outside of sloppy wet conditions that will challenge many boots, they performed flawlessly. Powering up and down mountains, off trails, and through thick forests, I felt confident and comfortable, and not held back by extra weight.

I’d compare these with Salomon Quest 4 GTX, which I also love, as slightly more aggressive and supportive at a similar weight. If they fit your foot and you want to go far and fast on rough trails and off, the Aequilibrium Hike GTX is worth trying on.