Lone Peak 9 vs Targhee IV Waterproof
How these two compare on everything we measure — where the AIs rank them, what reviewers and buyers say, and how they price. We don’t crown a winner — the differences are the point.
Take Lone Peak 9 if you weight reviewer scores, a lower price and marketing honesty; take Targhee IV Waterproof if the AI ranking and buyer ratings matter more. That's where they diverge — elsewhere they're close.
Built from what 5 AI models (Google-ai-mode · Gemini · Claude · ChatGPT · Perplexity) recommend for real buyer questions, layered with reviewer test summaries, Google buyer ratings, street prices and press. The short answer and verdict are derived from where those signals diverge — not written by hand for either product.
Independent — not a vendor, not advertising, not a paid review. How we score →
The numbers
Side by side, how the AI models rank them, and which wins each buyer-question.
Side by side
Every signal we hold, on one shared scale. The leading side is lit — but the tally below doesn’t crown a winner.?
How the AIs rank them
Four models rank both products. Here’s each model’s pick (lower rank = higher).?
Which is better for what
Across the buyer-questions both appear in, who the AI panel ranks higher — and the widest gaps.?
What people say
Where the AI panel and reviewers line up, and what reviewers and buyers think.
Do AI and reviewers agree
The model panel’s rank next to the video reviewers’ score — where they line up, and where they don’t.?
What reviewers say
Distilled from the video reviewers — the score, what they praise, where they push back.?
Reviewers praise
- Wide, foot-shaped toe box gives genuine room for toe splay and suits medium-to-wide feet well
- Zero-drop, 25 mm even-stack platform provides a grounded, natural feel while still protecting the foot on technical terrain
- MaxTrac outsole traction is praised across muddy, wet, rocky, and loose terrain
Reviewers push back
- Heel lock is mediocre by trail-shoe standards — multiple reviewers note the heel has never been a true strength of the line
- Midfoot fit is not genuinely wide, and softened overlays help only modestly; narrow feet will struggle
- Weight runs heavier than the shoe's stripped-back appearance suggests
A well-built, zero-drop trail shoe with a wide toe box and reliable traction that earns broad approval, though the Vibram-soled variant's real-world grip advantage over the standard outsole is disputed.
Where reviewers split on Lone Peak 9: Midsole feel divides reviewers: some describe the LP9 as firmer and more energetic than its predecessors, while the BarefootRunReview tester found the 9 Plus trending softer and more flexible than the preceding two versions
The reviews behind this
The actual video reviews the “what reviewers say” summary above is distilled from — tap any to watch on YouTube.
What buyers say
Aggregated Google Shopping ratings — the score, the aspects owners rate, and a real quote.?
Price and the verdict
How they price, who each is for, whether you can trust the claims — and our read.
Which one is right for you
How each suits the seven buyer types — a good fit, a maybe, or not for you.?
Can you trust the claims
Each maker’s marketing weighed against independent tests — how many claims hold up, and the weakest one.?
The verdict: which to buy
Our read of everything above — who leads each point, and who each is for.
Net: Lone Peak 9 leads 3 of 5 · Targhee IV Waterproof 2.
Each leads on different points — pick the one strong where you shop.
Take Lone Peak 9 if…
…you weight reviewer score, lower price and marketing honesty.
Take Targhee IV Waterproof if…
…you weight ai panel rank and buyer rating.
We don’t crown a winner. Both are strong; the differences above decide it for your use. Where a signal is missing, we leave it blank rather than guess.
as of June 29 · 3 shared buyer questions?
Common questions
The questions people ask comparing these two — answered from the data above.
The AI panel ranks Targhee IV Waterproof higher (avg #7.3 vs #10.1), but it’s close — reviewers and buyers split differently.
Lone Peak 9 — $145 vs $160–$170 across retailers.
Google buyers give Lone Peak 9 4.1 and Targhee IV Waterproof 4.4 out of 5.