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I don't think I've worn a full-sized hiking boot since the 2010s. I spent the final three months leading up to that decade tramping around the New Zealand backcountry, and the boots I brought with me were big, leather, and weighed a few pounds each. These days my hiking trips are faster and shorter and so is the cuff height of my boots; like so many others, I often hike in trail runners or low hiking shoes. That's what got me curious about La Sportiva's Ultra Raptor 3, the just-released update to a legendary shoe designed, from its origins over a decade ago, to bring the lightweight nimbleness of trail running footwear into a more rugged trail shoe.
When the first Raptor released in 2010, followed by the Ultra Raptor in 2013, which introduced a hybrid run-hike shoe that wasn't as common as they are today. The originals were more of an extra-burly trail running shoe than a light hiking boot. Two updates later, La Sportiva has subtly shifted its location on the spectrum, neither firmly one nor the other but a true composite, available in mid-height and low models.
La Sportiva pulls off this balancing act through the careful material spec. Starting from the bottom, the Ultra Raptor 3 uses the brand's proprietary Frixion rubber, which has been praised for its grip since version one of the boot. The outsole is designed with 4-millimeter lugs in a pattern that chews into trail and provides braking on descents. On top of that is a dual-density EVA midsole, slightly firmer under the heel for support and softer under the forefoot for a comfy and responsive feel. The synthetic ripstop upper is equipped with a mud guard, TPU lace harness, toe bumper, and a Transkinetic EVO heel stabilizer. Waterproof versions of the Ultra Raptor 3 also have a Gore-Tex ePE extended comfort liner.
The spec list doesn't read like a minimal hiking boot, though these boots definitely look fast enough to pair with a pair of Oakley speed shades. But when I laced up a pair of Ultra Raptor 3 Mids a few weeks ago, during a warm-up that brought northern Vermont into a false spring, I was surprised at how light they felt on my feet. The Mid weighs in at 15.1 ounces per boot (my size 42s measure 14.7 ounces, with some leftover mud on them) while the lows are 14.1 ounces. A few ounces more than most trail running shoes.
