Fashion & Footwear › Running Shoes
Akasha II
Trail running shoes
Premium · top third of running shoes
Quick take
In short: what each side says
AI panel · Buyers — each opened up in full further down ↓
Gemini ranks this product at #25.0 on average
Owners love the exceptional grip, technical performance, and comfort for long mountain efforts, but durability concerns and inconsistent fit—especially pinky toe blister issues and sizing…
The juries split — Divided. Check both sides before you commit.
Quick read · who it’s for
Main competitors
Top rivals in Running Shoes.
The verdict
What the panel makes of it.
The Akasha II earns strong buyer confidence (4.6/5) for its grip and technical performance on long mountain efforts, though durability questions and inconsistent sizing—particularly pinky toe fit—remain common friction points for buyers.
Act one
What the machines think.
Several AI models read the category and place this product — model by model, list by list, over time.
Model by model?
How each AI sees it.
Gemini ranks this product at #25.0 on average Averaging across the AI panel, Akasha II sits around #25.0 this snapshot.
Grok
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Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
GPT
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Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
Perplexity
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Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
AI Mode
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Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
Claude
Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
Rank trajectory?
Weeks of movement.
Act two · ★ new
What the people say.
The same product, judged by the owners who bought and filmed it — what they praise, what they knock, who it's for.
What buyers say?
What Google knows about it.
Beyond the video critics, Google pools 272 buyer ratings of the Akasha II from across retailers — a far wider, if blunter, jury. Here’s the shape of that opinion.
272 ratings · 7 written
across 3 retailers
What owners single out
The pinky toe blister problem that buyers report (reviews 1, 7) aligns with the fit inconsistency that reviewers flagged as a key weakness.
In their words
“I switched from Altras (because of constant redesigns and low-mileage expensive shoes as of late) and have worn these for years on rock, ice, & mud - they’re bomb-proof! The upper has the perfect amount of elasticity/hug to feel aggressive, but aren’t too tight for a wider foot to go the distance in 100 mile races and long efforts.”
Pizzasteve · verified purchase · REI
“Bought these for a backpacking trip-- I usually wear Altras but was afraid they would not be tough enough for technical terrain. Well, they would have been way better than these! I tried on sized and a size up was definitely too big (I'm a woman so I bought the mens to make sure they were wide enough) but still, 4 days into the trip I was getting a hole around my left pinky toe.”
Jane · verified purchase · sportiva.com
as of June 16 · 272 buyer ratings?
Find your situation?
Made for some — wrong for others.
You value a flagship from an established, respected maker.
La Sportiva is a prestige trail brand with strong heritage; Akasha II sits in their core lineup with premium positioning and design intent.
You love gear that delights beyond specs—design, feel, heritage matter.
La Sportiva's design pedigree and passionate trail community following, combined with high grip and technical terrain praise, signal sensory and aesthetic appeal.
You need a proven, low-risk shoe with broad consensus.
272 buyer ratings with 4.6 average and established La Sportiva brand signal maturity; no newer successor detected, supporting settled-product status.
You want capable trail shoes without overpaying for brand prestige.
Mid-range price with high grip and technical terrain ratings offers solid value; however, mid-tier durability and weight suggest cheaper rivals like Bushido II cover basics adequately.
You want a shoe that works straight out of the box.
Trail shoes inherently require terrain familiarity; mid-width fit and technical terrain focus suggest this is not a universal safe-default pick.
You demand objectively top-tier performance across every dimension.
Strong 4.6 rating and high grip/technical scores are offset by mid-tier fit, durability, and weight—clear compromises prevent top-class standing. Consider Bushido II.
Grounded in our buyer-review, reviewer-video, price and successor signals — a poor fit names a closer pick · as of Jul 8.
Frequent rivals?
What it competes against.
- Terrex Speed UltraAdidasLa Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Evadict XT8DecathlonLa Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Deviate Nitro Elite TrailPumaLa Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- ProdigioLa SportivaAkasha II leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Flow Velociti Wind 4 TrailUnder ArmourLa Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Parkclaw Ultra 2Inov-8La Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
- Ribelle Run 2ScarpaLa Sportiva leads 1–0 · 1 sharedRead
Alternatives by price · Same field?
Same field, less money.
The recap
Where it stands today.
- PositionBest rank #25 across 1 intent tracked (slipped 17 this week).
- FootprintStrongest in Best Trail Running Shoes (#25).
- TraitsMost often described as “protection”.
- Closest rivalTerrex Speed Ultra (1–0 across 1 shared intent).
- MakerBy La Sportiva — see how it ranks across other intents on its brand profile.
browse Akasha II in these categories