La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX Womens Boots Tested

You won’t get very far if either of them are worn, cheap, or in otherwise bad condition. At OVR, we use overlanding vehicles to get around, but we also hike, bike, climb, and do many other outdoor activities.

I recently tested the La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX Womens Boots to see how they stacked up against other popular hikers, such as Oboz, Vasque, Keen, or even Danner. My time with the Prodigio Hike GTX boots covered lots of ground in dirt, gravel, pavement, and some rocks.

La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX Womens Boot Features

I wasn’t familiar with La Sportiva, but learned it’s an Italian-based brand started in 1928. Founder Narciso Delladio started making wood and leather boots for farmers and lumberjacks by hand. After WWII, the demand for boots increased and he hired additional employees.

Fast forward to today and La Sportiva makes boots and specialized shoes for a wide range of outdoor activities. This includes mountaineering and climbing, mountain running, hiking, and more.

La Sportiva is located in Ziano di Fiemme, Italy, a small mountain village in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. (FYI: The North American headquarters is in Boulder, Colorado.)

The La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX boots come in women’s and men’s versions and are designed for hikers who cover rugged and uneven terrain. They feature an ePE Gore-Tex Extended Comfort shell for waterproof protection and breathability—perfect for the soggy Pacific Northwest weather I experience each year.

The Prodigio Hike GTX boots showcase a futuristic and funky design. This model boasts a wide sole and midsole base which, like a wider 4x4’s stance, increases support and stability. Unlike more traditional hikers, these include a unique thin and flexible tongue and ankle “collar” that’s made of a four-way stretch knit fabric. La Sportiva’s design intent is to wrap the foot and angle to add even more stability. It’s also meant to keep debris out of the shoe, which it did very well.

This hiker’s sole is made from dual-compound FriXion XT 2.0 rubber. This helps increase heel durability and traction in diverse terrain by having a stickier rubber in the center and more rugged rubber on the sole’s sides.

A rubber toe cap is integrated with the outsole, too, creating a shield to help protect it against trail hazards that could potentially damage it. This sole’s design features a progressive rocker, encouraging smooth and effective motion when wearing.

Women’s Prodigio Hike GTX Specs

The La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX Women’s boots are made with vegan materials and boast bluesign certification. This means this boot’s textiles are safe for the environment, the workers who make them, and people like me who wear them.

This shoe comes in half sizes (women’s European 36-43). Don’t worry, their website shows U.S. sizing in addition to the European sizing. They’re also sold in authorized stores like REI and some independent shoe outlets.

Together, the pair weighs only 10.5 ounces. The women’s Prodigio Hike GTX boots are made with partial recycled materials, like the washable 5 mm Ortholite Hybrid insoles that includes 5% recycled rubber and 15% production waste foam. The multicolored laces are 100% recycled polyester, and the lining includes recycled 3D mesh, too.

Fit and Impressions

At first glance, the Prodigio Hike GTX Womens boots look like something Nike would’ve designed. They’re colorful, modern, and their appearance and function is different and welcomed. The Onyx/Rosebay colorway, my test pair, is the most vibrant of the three color choices. This combo hides dust and dirt fairly well.

These hikers aren’t the easiest to get into. Thankfully there are two pull-loops to help you slide in: one on the tongue and the other on the top of the heel. Even so, a shoehorn would make life easier when putting these Prodigio Hike GTX boots on.

Pro tip: Certain socks have material that drags more when slipping these on whereas others slide into these boots much easier. I wonder how long the pull-loops will last before they start pulling the fabric apart where they were sewed on the collar?

Once on, the wide toe box is spacious and the design wraps around your feet and ankles in a way I’ve never experienced. They’re insanely comfortable and feel natural. It’s a bit like wearing “leggings for feet” with this edgy design. Although once you’re used to their fit and feel, it’s like wearing supportive grippy slippers.

The laces are thin but stay tight after long hikes, only if you tighten the knots as much as possible to start with. Once on, these boots are stylish, fun, and make my large feet (size 10 or 42.5) look small. That’s not an easy feat to accomplish!

Walking and hiking in the Prodigio Hike GTX Womens boots feels solid. The soles have large tread lugs to help grip off-pavement terrain and no matter what I’m hiking over, my ankles are kept in place. The beefy side soles and solid membrane areas just above them help to keep sticks, burrs, and other nasties at bay, too.

The La Sportiva Prodigio Hike GTX Womens boots quickly proved their worth as part of my go-to adventuring attire. They have since kicked other mainstream brands in my arsenal aside. Price: $179.00

Access More Great Stories!
For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.