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Approach Shoes

The best approach shoes, reviewed and curated by the Trailspace community. The latest review was added on January 25, 2024. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily.

user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
La Sportiva TX4
$89 - $159
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
La Sportiva TX3
$72 - $334
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Scarpa Zodiac Tech GTX Approach Shoe / Mountaineering Boot
$118 - $300
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Scarpa Rapid LT
$249
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Scarpa Zen Pro
$89
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Vasque Pingora
$160
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite
$105 - $159
user rating: 3.5 of 5 (3)
Salewa Wildfire GTX
$125 - $169
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
evolv Cruzer Psyche
$33 - $78
user rating: 4 of 5 (4)
Scarpa Crux
$37 - $159
user rating: 4 of 5 (3)
La Sportiva Boulder X
$42 - $319
user rating: 4 of 5 (2)
Salewa Mountain Trainer
$230
user rating: 4 of 5 (5)
Garmont Dragontail
$94 - $135
user rating: 5 of 5 (2)
Salewa Wildfire Pro
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
La Sportiva Ganda
$215 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
TrekSta Granite
$130 MSRP
user rating: 3 of 5 (2)
Arc'teryx Acrux FL
$190 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (3)
evolv Cruzer
$75 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (4)
Asolo Distance
$150 MSRP
user rating: 4 of 5 (2)
Garmont Dragontail MNT GTX
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (2)
Five Ten Exum Guide
$160 MSRP
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
La Sportiva Gandalf
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (3)
Salewa Mountain Trainer GTX
user rating: 4 of 5 (15)
Five Ten Guide Tennie
$120 MSRP
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (3)
Five Ten Insight
$135 MSRP
user rating: 4 of 5 (5)
Scarpa Zen
$129 MSRP
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
Lytos Le Florian m16
user rating: 3.5 of 5 (1)
Five Ten Access Mesh
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
evolv Maximus
$140 MSRP
user rating: 4 of 5 (1)
Asolo Cactus GV
user rating: 3 of 5 (1)
Mad Rock Fury
$80 MSRP
user rating: 2.5 of 5 (1)
Salewa Firetail EVO
user rating: 2 of 5 (1)
Five Ten nie
$110 MSRP
user rating: 2 of 5 (1)
Scarpa Zodiac Approach Shoes
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Scarpa Zen Pro Mid GTX
discontinued
user rating: 5 of 5 (3)
Scarpa Cinque Terre
discontinued
user rating: 4 of 5 (14)
Five Ten Camp Four
$150 MSRP
discontinued
 
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (7)
Garmont Sticky Weekend
discontinued
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (7)
Montrail D7
discontinued
user rating: 4 of 5 (8)
La Sportiva Cirque Pro
discontinued
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (5)
La Sportiva B5
discontinued
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Vasque Talus Mid GTX
discontinued
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1)
Five Ten Guide Tennie Mid
discontinued
user rating: 4.5 of 5 (2)
The North Face Buildering
discontinued
 
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Scarpa North Route
discontinued
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Lowa Triolet
discontinued
user rating: 5 of 5 (1)
Patagonia Finn
$100 MSRP
discontinued
user rating: 4 of 5 (3)
Montrail Tamarack
discontinued

Recent Approach Shoe Reviews

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite

Well made, durable hiking shoes that are a little niche but perform as designed. I use boots and shoes in rotation and try to cover my weather and terrain needs. I'd read some good things about the Italian-based Salewa and while European sizing can be a little tricky, grabbed their Mountain Trainer Lite shoes on sale in the never-ending quest for the perfect footwear. I've only them for about a year but they've had a fair amount of use and are holding up exceptionally well. I was a little worried… Full review

rated 1 of 5 stars
Salewa Wildfire GTX

The company offers a "no blisters" promise that they will NOT honor. The toe box on this shoe is extremely narrow. Wearing the shoes on a hike of any meaningful distance has resulted in large blisters under several toes on each foot. I am not prone to blisters and I wear proper liners and hiking socks. I would not consider this a big deal if Salewa would stand behind their "no blisters" promise and allow me to return the shoes. But they will not work with me, or even respond to my inquiries. Most… Full review

rated 2 of 5 stars
Scarpa Zodiac Approach Shoes

Well made but bad heel cap system. This model is not discontinued. It is in production and sells all over as of early 2022. Good for approaching mountains, forest, and rocky trails. Stiff and supportive, apart from around heel. I will not recommend this. Get the old Scarpa Vitamin or something else. I've been using Scarpa for ages, amongst them three pairs of Scarpa Vitamin approach shoes. and they work exceptionally well—easy to lace and make them tight, looong row of holes to lace, good grip,… Full review

rated 4 of 5 stars
Lytos Le Florian m16

An awesome alternative to tennis shoes, great light hiker for dry climates. Unfortunately hard to find because they are, I believe, discontinued.     Bought these two years ago on clearance. Not waterproof so I sprayed them with SOF which has done a good job protecting them. I've used them for hiking on trails when dry and as a general out and about shoe. They have even seen snow dozens of times when it wasn't sloppy conditions. My wife tells me to keep them nice because she likes how they look… Full review

rated 3 of 5 stars
Scarpa Crux

Great until you walk on slabs. These have been great walking around, and climbing 5th class ridges. Off trail they work well, too, including alder scrambling. However, when on sustained slabs or talus-hopping, the tongues rotate to the side. The slot in the tongue for the laces doesn’t help at all. In my case, with kind of fat ankles, the top eyelet on the inside of my right foot digs in. I untied the top eyelets, but that was a bit insecure. This only happens on slabs.  Full review

rated 3 of 5 stars
Five Ten Guide Tennie

Mediocre precision and grip, but very durable. It is a solid and durable shoe with fantastic grip on pure rock. That is its main advantage. However, when it comes to grassy or unstable mixed soil slopes, it quickly becomes unfit for purpose.  There are better approach shoes today, in terms of frontshoe precision, fit, and multi-surface sole grip performance. Full review

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
La Sportiva TX3

The La Sportiva TX3 is an approach shoe, which means that it is intended for both hiking and scrambling or light rock climbing. Like many of the best approach shoes, it has sole made from rubber that is very sticky and grippy on rocks, has the kind of close fit that rock climbers like, and a longer run of laces than a typical hiking shoe that helps them fit almost "like a glove." At the same time, their mesh uppers, cushioned midsole, and healthy tread depth make them better than most approach shoes… Full review

rated 2.5 of 5 stars
Garmont Dragontail MNT GTX

Very solid hiking shoes; but they are not entirely comfortable. These are superbly-made shoes, heavy duty hiking shoes rather than a boots; but, so far, I am not entirely happy with them. The problem is the sizing. I have LOWA and Hanwag shoes and boots, all in European size 42; but the Garmont runs small in both length and width and I do not have wide feet. Being fairly rigid, they may need to be broken in; but I have never had this issue with shoes of any kind before.  I ordered the shoes through… Full review

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
evolv Cruzer Psyche

Well-made shoe that does the job and is super lightweight. Fits well. The Evolv Cruzer Psyche is a very conventionally-designed shoe that came AFTER the Evolv Cruzer, which has an unconventional upper in the heel area. Its one departure from classic shoe construction is an overlapping slit instead of a tongue. This non-tongue seems to work just fine, makes entry a touch easier, and is very comfortable.  I don't climb; I hike and backpack in this shoe with 30 pounds or less on my back, no poles,… Full review

Other Types of Footwear

Find more footwear reviewed in these related categories:

Mountaineering Boots

Backpacking Boots

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