Trango Light Low, The approach shoe?

Innovation with passion... We find directly this sentence when you go on the La Sportiva website. Their climbing shoes have a relatively aggressive look. The approach shoes Trango Light Low have a more casual look. After using them, I got interested in the concept Light it has. I'm even still looking in their approach shoe catalogue, this one is the heaviest of the serie. With 900 grams, it's the little sister of the Trango Hike, an approach shoe that goes above the ankle. I guess the light version comes from there?

But when wearing them you don't notice the 900 grams at all. After the first steps it gets adapted. Even more. They make a couple of painful pressure points disappear. It's while coming back from a hard climbing session at the Sexe Shop that I put them on for the first time. The Sexe Shop is known for it's delicate foot holds and then you have to climb on the end of your toes. Imagine my toes after a climbing session there, numb and painful Miracle ! Once my shoes on I didn't feel anything. They appear to by directly large enough to avoid any pressure on the toes.

The Trango Light Low includes technologies like the IBS (Impact Brake System) and the FriXion XT. In two words, the shoe is very stable on a stiff walk and sticks very well while going up or downhill. I really hate the hike down to Freyr. I wouldn't say they have become my favourite tracks now I wear these shoes, but I didn't slide a bit during the hike, even if there were a lot of leafs and mud.

Lacing up the shoe tight in the middle is a bit difficult due to it's shape. You have to pull hard on the laces on the middle of the shoe. I though at first that this would be only for people having a thick foot but it isn't the case. Me and my son have a quite thin foot and he could lace the shoes very easily. We both have a size 45, but this time I chose the shoes a half-size bigger. For an approach shoe, the bigger size this was a bit of luxury for my toes and to put them on and off quickly.

The inner sole is very smooth and offers a pleasant feeling of warmth during the winter. I didn't put socks on between the attempts or while belaying and my feet weren't cold.

To be a 100% sure I also tested them at my house with and without socks. There again my feet weren't too warm, I had just a gentle warmth feeling. During the summer these shoes should also be a good choice for approaches or between attempts.

By using them every day and during many forest walks, I noticed they were also excellent shoes for trekking. The hard walks in Freyr, Yvoir and in other Belgians crags proved the ground is often muddy covered with leafs and quite steep. Even walking on ice was OK due to the sole. If you want to slide, choose another pair of shoes.

Summary : these shoes are adapted for the following conditions:

• access to the crag on almost every surface
• climbing in easy routes
• via ferrata (it's even stable on a steel cable)
• between the attempts for heat and comfort
• after climbing due to it's wide end (no more painful toes)

Technical details

Composition: Hydrophobic Suede Leather + highly resistant tissue
Sole: Frixion® AT + Impact Brake System
Size: 36 to 48 (half sizes available)
Weight: 900 grams
Public advised price: 99 EUR
Info; www.lasportiva.com

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