Long time Salomon trail runner who for peak bagging reasons bought a pair of La Sportiva Mutants as well as SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra HTs. LOVED the BOA lacing system of the Scarpas but had issues with the course mesh of the shoe not protecting against Eastern Sierra sand (read my review). Really liked the Mutant but had fallen in love with the BOA on the Scarpa -- so purchased this pair of Jackal 2 BOAs.
The Jackal 2 BOA is a double system which is just the cat's meow. Being able to separately and easily adjust the upper and lower area of the forefoot is so conducive to a great fit. To be able to do all this *through* my Dirty Girl gaiters is such a convenience. I'm in love with this system and will literally be choosing shoes based on BOAs whenever I have the chance.
Everyone has different feet and this shoe came with one killer flaw for me (though I solved it easily). The BOA laces attach to a wide 'band' across the forefoot which hold the foot solid rather than being held directly by laces. While this is a very nice idea (wider band .... more comfortable), the upper band is just a shade too high for me and it irritated the tendons on top of my foot right where the ankle bends. It was only on one foot (right) and my buddy who bought the same shoe has no issued with it so it's clearly not a design problem, but rather just a personal fit issue. In the end I was able to fix this problem in 5 minutes by scissoring a bit of the top band off so that it curved around this portion of my foot (The band it not fabric, but a rubber/TPU material that can be cut without fraying).
LOVE these shoes. Took one star off from the 5 they deserve for that custom fit issue, but that's sort of unfair to the shoe as I haven't heard anyone else (on YT reviews) complain about it.
We'll see about durability. 200+ miles and so far so good. My other primary shoe currently is the Salomon Genesis and the Matrix fabric on those is simply bombproof. Perhaps La Sportiva will switch to Matrix at some point and make this shoe near perfect.
La Sportiva Jackal II BOA Shoe
High alpine running requires a shoe that won’t let you down and can outperform the demands of the terrain. With this in mind, La Sportiva created the Jackal II Boa - a comfortable, well-cushioned shoe that can take to the mountains with confidence. Built for distance, this iteration of the Jackal features Infinitoo cushion technology. In short, this means less energy expenditure without sacrificing the support and cushion needed for all-day adventures. When you're packing on miles chances are you'll come across some chossy terrain. A full-length, dual-density rockguard will be the guardian angel to the soles of your feet. But your feet need protection from multiple angles, not just from the ground. To cover you from all sides there is an Ariaprene gaiter to keep the nasty bits of shale and dust out. The Frixion XT 2.0 outsole strikes a delicate balance of grip and efficiency. Leaning towards the side of efficiency, there is still plenty of bite provided by varied lug depths running up to 3.5mm. Wait a minute, we haven't even talked about the double BOA system yet! You can literally dial in your fit with this ingenious setup that helps with heel hold, midfoot security, and forefoot regulation. By the time the designers of the Jackal II BOA were done, they must have looked at each other and asked, "did we miss anything?"
SkyRun Fit Tip - We recommend ordering La Sportiva shoes in your usual European size, or one-half US size larger than you typically wear.
- Varied lug depths up to 3.5mm deep provide a sweet balance of grip and efficiency.
- Recycled abrasion-resistant mesh protects you from the world you are protecting.
- Frixion XT 2.0 dual-compound outsole is grippy and highly durable.
- Ariaprene gaiter and tongue help your feet breathe while keeping debris out of the heel.
- Dual BOA closure system fully secures every part of your foot in every part of the shoe.
- Infinitoo PU inserts offer greater cushion and stability at the same time.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
328g [44.0] |
| Weight (pair) | 656g [44.0] |
|
Lug |
3.5mm |
| Drop | 7mm |
| Stack Height | 29mm |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
| Outsole | FriXion® XF 2.0 |
| Fit | Medium Volume |
| Last | Medium |
| Cushion | High |
| Protection | High |
| Lacing System | BOA |
| SkyRun Says | |
| Usage | Technical terrain, long-distance |
| Notes | Abrasion-resistant mesh exterior |
| Bottom Line | Balanced shoe for high terrain and long performance |
| Compare to other Mountain Running Shoes | |
