Fashion & Footwear › Running Shoes
Akasha II
Running Shoes
Premium · top third of running shoes
Should you buy it??
Check closely
based on 3 of 5 signals
Quick take
In short: what each side says
AI · critics · buyers · brand claims — each opened up in full further down ↓
perplexity ranks this product at #20.0 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 unpredictabi
The juries are split — worth a closer look before you commit.
Main competitors
Top rivals in Running Shoes.
The verdict
What the panel makes of it.
La Sportiva makes the Akasha II hiking shoe in Italy. The shoe arrived around 2022. It weighs 270 grams per shoe, built light. Hikers buy it to move fast over rough terrain. AI systems rank it tenth among lightweight hiking shoes.
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.
perplexity ranks this product at #20.0 on average Averaging across the AI panel, Akasha II sits around #20.0 this snapshot.
Gemini
—
Didn’t rank Akasha II this snapshot.
GPT
—
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. The rubber compound is the grippiest I’ve encountered, though it d”
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. By the time the ba”
Jane · verified purchase · sportiva.com
as of June 16 · 272 buyer ratings?
Frequent rivals?
What it competes against.
- Sertig Trail Low
by Mammut
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- HOVR Summit Fat Tire 2
by Under Armour
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- Ultra Glide 3
by Salomon
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- Zionic Mid WP
by KEEN
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- Magnify Nitro Trail 2
by Puma
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- Floatride Energy Trail 2
by Reebok
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
- Mafate Speed 5
by Hoka
Akasha II leads 1–0
Across 1 shared question
Alternatives by price · Same field?
Same money, different answer.
The recap
Where it stands today.
- PositionBest rank #20 across 1 intent tracked (slipped 12 this week).
- FootprintStrongest in Best Trail Running Shoes (#20).
- TraitsMost often described as “durability”.
- Closest rivalSertig Trail Low (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