La Sportiva Mutant Shoe

Like a few other reviewers, this has been my go to shoe for what seems like a decade now. I have a somewhat narrow foot with a very low instep and often have to size down in other shoes to get a good heel hold but the weird wrap tongue on the Mutant is amazing at customizing the fit to my foot so I can give my toes plenty of space and still have my heel locked in place. I've also talked to people with higher volume insteps who get a really good fit so the tongue is just magic.

Toe box is mid volume so I can handle technical terrain and steep sidehills if I need to but I still have room for it to stay comfortable all day.

Sole has super chunky tread that is amazing at finding traction on scree slopes but is made out of a super sticky rubber so friction climbing on slabs works a lot better than you'd expect. Not quite like the Bushido but really close.

The only negative thing I can say is that the shoelace sheath always breaks really soon into the shoe's life, often after only 100-200 miles. The core stays fine so it's not catastrophic, but it does make tying the shoe a pain until you replace the laces.

If I know a run will be exclusively in rocky technical terrain then I take my Bushido IIs. If I know a run will be long and only on smooth trail then I want my Speedgoats. But for everything in between (or for runs with a little bit of everything) it's always the Mutants.

I am curious how these fit compared the the TX Guides. I am a 42 in those and have a super narrow foot.

Thanks!

I unlike the prior reviewers have never tried this shoe, preferring to hold onto wildcats and gardas for trail running and technical approach shoes. These have been excellent, both at trail running, and even dirt roads. I wouldn't use them as approach due to aggressive lugs, but they are not intended for that.

They are precise without being too tight on my flippers (I have flat wide 12s). The last is the same as my other La Sportiva shoes and boots, and size 46 works great. I do use an aftermarket ortho, like a green or copper superfeet.

I found the asymmetrical lacing a bit odd at first, and it can cause one lace to get longer than the other, but that's easily addressed and the control it gives is very good. I have a pretty neutral strike, and don't like a big ramp in shoes or skimo setups, and these are fine.

I was running with a guy who claimed big ramp make for harder heel strikes which then hurt his knees. Sounded convincing enough, but I don't have any issues with the very heel soft Hoka for road running, so who knows. As a prior reviewer said, if in doubt you don't like them, and I have no doubt, I like these. I like them a lot.

These shoes are the cat’s pajamas. I have been wearing out Mutants at least since 2014. Is that possible? I think that is possible. How long has Sportiva been making Mutants? That might mean I have worn out 15(?) pairs. Seersly.

[you can skip this paragraph] Believe it or not, at one time in my life, I got paid to test shoes. Not particularly because of my climbing or running ability, but because I am a perfect size nine (or 42, if you like). Not too wide, not too narrow. I am not bragging. I am perfectly average and I drive a very large truck to prove it. Before a shoe goes into production (or it was true), the Italian shoe manufacturer makes shoes only on one last, which is typically size nine. After testing a lot of shoes, I came up with the following guideline: if you are wondering if you like your new shoes, then you don’t like them. Trust me. If the answer is not, “yes!” Then it’s, “no.” If you’re wondering, Is this shoe OK? Do I like this shoe? What if I used a different insole? Are my feet kinda cold in these shoes? Send them back, ASAP. You’ll know right out of the box. Don’t listen to the semi-retired guy at the [redacted] store.

[you can skip this paragraph, too] Here’s another thing about the Mutants. I am grateful for Sportiva for continuing to make winning shoes. There were particular years when Nike or Asics or New Balance (even Fila!) made winning trail shoes but they ‘innovated’ themselves into irrelevance by making a new model every year. This is why road runners hoard shoes that are good. I’m guessing the ‘athleisure” or lifestyle market makes way more money. I’m not here to complain. Let’s just be grateful for Sportiva. The fact that this shoe has been the same for years is a good sign. Another thing that can happen, is that after many production runs, the [nationality redacted] manufacturer will start to cut corners — the size even begins to shrink! The shoe makers in Lombardi are the best.

I’m here to say the Mutants are great shoes. These shoes can go a lot of places: up, down, over, under, around, through, past. Shoe manufacturers brag about ‘stability.’ Unfortunately, for the mass market, stability means you are running on mattresses. That’s not stable. (I don’t know if that term is still used). The Mutants are stable because of their reasonably low center of gravity (not as great as a Bushido, mind you) and traction-y (but not clunky) and cushion-y (but not squishy). They last a long time, probably the last pair of shoes you’ll ever need for lawn mowing. I think these shoes would not be good if you have Hobbit feet, but then you wouldn’t need shoes. The only competition for these shoes is the Bushido. I own a bunch of them, too. But I don’t own the Bushido II, so I can’t compare them. But I will.

I’ve thought about this.

How does the last/fit compare to ye olde Wildcat?

I've owned three pairs of Mutants over the years. They've been my go to long distance, technical scrambling shoes. My feet feel pretty comfortable even past the 10 mile mark and they handle vert like champs! Where these things really shine is in rocky, hands on terrain. Something about the rubber on the sole makes you think you've accidently brought your approach shoes rather than your trail runners... and that's a good thing!