La Sportiva TX4 Evo Approach Shoe
CERTIFIED tier
The TX4 Evo is La Sportiva's answer to the approach shoe's oldest problem: the sticky rubber that makes it grip is the same rubber that wears out first.
Origin
Made in Italy
Warranty
One-year manufacturer warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, including the lacing system; patented Resole Platform enables outsole replacement through La Sportiva's resole program or a qualified cobbler.
Price
~$179 (Mid)
La Sportiva built the Evo around a patented Resole Platform, a midsole insert that lets a cobbler or the brand's resole program swap a spent Vibram MegaGrip outsole without rebuilding the shoe -- so the thick nubuck leather upper, recycled rubber rand, and reinforced toe cap can outlive several sets of soles. Reviewers rate its durability at the top of the category, and long-term owners report six years of hard use before the upper shows real wear.
The one-year warranty covers manufacturing defects and the lacing hardware, historically the first thing to go. At about $179, a resoleable approach shoe that can reach thousands of miles undercuts the disposable trail runners that get landfilled every season or two.
The Evo is the current version of a shoe climbers have trusted on granite for over a decade. It earns its listing by making its highest-wear part the one part you can replace.