Long-term Review - La Sportiva Bushido II
A good pair of hiking shoes/trail runners can make a world of difference when you’re out on the trail. Today we’re reviewing one of our favorite pieces of gear we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing: The La Sportiva Bushido II. They’ve carried us up and down many mountains and through countless miles, including 220+ miles on the John Muir Trail!
MAK wearing her Bushido II on the John Muir Trail
Owen and I started wearing Bushidos around 2015 in their first iteration. Now, the Bushido II have been out for nearly two years and they continue to be part of our very limited shoe collection. Let’s dive in, starting with the technical features and then move into our assessment of them.
Though this blog post was made in partnership with REI, the opinions are entirely our own.
Please note: The links provided in this blog post are affiliate links. If you end up purchasing some of these pieces of gear we get a very small portion of the sales. Thank you as always for supporting us and our life on the road, it gives us the opportunity to share so extensively with you all!
Fresh new men’s La Sportiva Bushido II
Fresh new women’s La Sportiva Bushido II
LA SPORTIVA BUSHIdO II
Owen in the Wind River Range
MAK on the JMT
technical FEATURES
Here are the technical aspects as listed by REI
Best use: Trail Running
Trail Running Type: Rugged
Run Cushioning: Moderate
Heel-To-Toe Drop (mm): 6mm
Height: Ankle
Closure: Lace-up
Upper: Air mesh/thermal adhesive microfiber/high-frequency weld ripstop overlays/TPU toe cap
Lining: Mesh
Midsole: 4mm LaSpEVA/compression-molded MEMlex/1.5mm dual-density compressed EVA; forefoot rock guards
Support: Thermoplastic stabilizers
Outsole: FriXion XT V-Groove2 rubber with Impact Brake System
Rock Plate: Yes
Vegan: Yes
Weight (Pair): 1 lb. 5 oz.
MAK & Owen in La Sportiva Bushido IIs on the Summit of Mount Whitney
At a Glance
Pros:
Amazing on rock
Climbing tread
Lightweight
Great for trail running or hiking
Durable for long-distance hiking
Tread does well in snowy conditions
Dry quickly
Good height for ankle articulation
Cons:
Not great for road running
Lace-up high on the ankle
Laces have a tendency to wear out before the shoes do
Mesh top panels tear easily
MAK on the JMT in her Bushido IIs
Owen on the JMT in his Bushido Trail Runners
Pros:
Climbing tread & incredible traction on rock surfaces: La Sportiva got their start as a climbing company. They know how to make shoes that work well in rocky conditions. That alone is what initially attracted us to La Sportiva for our trail shoes. Over time we’ve started to do more hikes that require climbing and/or rock scrambles. No matter what we come across on trail, we know that the Bushido IIs can be trusted to grip the terrain. We have used them in conditions that are dry, wet, or full-on river fords. We also appreciate how well these shoes allow you to hold a small edge, much like you can with a climbing shoe. One particular climb, the summit of Teewinot, was more climbing than hiking and the Bushido IIs performed admirably by gripping onto small footholds on near-vertical surfaces.
New shoe on the left, one year old shoe on the right
One year old shoe on the left, new shoe on the right
Lightweight & durable over long distances: We chose to hike the John Muir Trail in trail runners rather than a standard hiking boot for many reasons, but the most notable was that trail runners are lightweight. Over long distances, every ounce you carry adds up and the best place to keep your weight down is on your feet. At just 10.5oz a shoe, the Bushido IIs make you feel like you hardly have anything on (from a weight perspective) even when they’re wet. In a year, Owen and I put hundreds of miles on our shoes and they held up far better than I could have ever imagined. In the images above and below, you can see the tread wear pattern after a full year of hiking weekly and 220+ miles on the John Muir Trail.
One year old
Brand new
Above you can see a one year old pair after hundreds of miles of rocky hiking and a brand new pair. As with any shoe, as the tread wears down so does its traction. If we have a particularly long or difficult hike/climb ahead of us where we know grip will be important, we consider getting a fresh pair.
MAK going over a snow covered pass in her Bushido IIs
Tread does well in snow & drys quickly: We come across a lot of wet conditions when we venture into mountains and alpine elevations so it’s important to us that we have good traction in a wide range of conditions. The Bushido IIs always deliver. We’ve found that we only need crampons or microspikes early in the morning when the sun hasn’t warmed the snow enough to soften it up, but that’s pretty standard. On the John Muir Trail, we hiked for over six miles through an unbroken snowfield and never once had slipping issues in the shoes. Snowy conditions inevitably cause wet shoes and we are no stranger to hiking in wet shoes*. The Bushido IIs are in no way water-resistant, but they’re pretty quick to dry. Any time we stop for a break with wet shoes from snow or a river ford, we pop our shoes off to let our socks, shoes, and feet dry.
*Hiking in wet shoes is common for longer format hiking and backpacking. If you’re prone to blisters, you may want to pick specific socks to help eliminate that issue. In general, wool performs well when wet and we recommend the Darn Tough Hiker Socks. They’re tough (as the name suggests) and will take care of your feet, wet or dry. If you get blisters in between your toes easily, we recommend the Injinji Running socks. I’ve always been prone to blisters when my feet get wet, and on the JMT my feet seemed to be wet for two weeks straight due to the 3-10 fords a day, but thanks to the Injinji socks I didn’t get a single blister. That’s quite the accomplishment in my book.
MAK wearing her Kahtoola Micro Spikes with her Bushido IIs, 35mm
On the subject of crampons and microspikes, we carry the Kahtoola MICROspikes for the rare conditions that do require extra traction in snow. These fit beautifully over the Bushido IIs.
Owen after a skip across a creek on the JMT, 35mm
Good height for ankle articulation: Another reason we choose to hike in trail runners is the height around the ankle. Though some people need ankle support, Owen and I see our ankles being covered as a hindrance. We like being able to fully articulate our ankles in sections of trail that require rock scrambling and climbing to be sure that our shoes aren’t hindering our range of motion.
Profile of a new Bushido II and a one year old Bushido I
CONS:
Not great for road running: I could talk about how much I love these shoes all day, but one thing I don’t love about them is that they’re uncomfortable for running on pavement or roads. To be fair, that isn’t what they’re made for. This probably won’t be an issue for most people because they have room for more than one pair of running/trail shoes. If you’re looking for a crossover shoe, this isn’t the one for you. The Bushido IIs were made for trails and thus that is where they are best used.
Year old shoe on the left - note that I don’t lace using the metal eyelets
Year old shoe on the right - note the massive holes in the mesh
Lace-up high on the ankle and the laces have a tendency to wear out before the shoes: The way the shoe fits on me makes the top metal eyelets for the laces too high on my foot/ankle and so I’ve stopped using those top metal eyelets all together. Owen still uses them, but it has caused his shoelaces to break long before the shoe gave out. We thought this was a one-off issue but our friend Chase from Tight Loops Fly has had the same issue which resulted in buying a new set of shoelaces. It seems that the tearing laces can be prevented by not using those metal eyelets and it will not compromise the fit of the shoe.
Mesh tears easily: These shoes are lightweight and breathable because there is so much mesh on them, but we’ve found that the mesh tears easily across the top of the shoe over time. As you can see in the above images, both of the year-old shoes have holes in the mesh. Owen’s in particular, got bad in the last month of him wearing this older pair. Once it started, it was hard to slow down the spread of the holes. Still, it took a year of abuse to get to that point.
MAK in the Wind River Range in her Bushido II
Conclusion:
If anyone ever asks me about hiking gear, the Bushido II will always be at the top of my list for recommended gear. They’re lightweight, durable, and will grab onto any terrain you can toss at them. I currently am on my third pair and I know they won’t be my last because I know what they’re capable of. If you’re wanting a trail shoe that will take care of you in unpredictable conditions look no further. If you’re on the market for more of a crossover style shoe, maybe these aren’t the best option for you. For that, I’d recommend the On Cloudultra Trail Runners or something else from the On Running line.
From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank REI for the communities they’ve fostered, and the real change they support in the outdoor industry. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to work with a company that we love so much. And as always thanks to you all for stopping by and reading!
- Love MAK & Owen
