Fashion & Footwear › Hiking Shoes
Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX
Waterproof mid-cut hiking boots
More about it ↓Mid-range · middle third of hiking shoes
Quick take
In short: what each side says
AI panel · Buyers — each opened up in full further down ↓
Best on ChatGPT (avg #6.0), weakest on Perplexity (#18.0)
Owners praise the boot's comfort, durability, and lightweight versatility across varied terrain, but waterproofing reliability divides them—some report excellent protection while others experience…
Every side lands high — Holds up.
Quick read · who it’s for
Main competitors
Top rivals in Hiking Shoes.
About
What it is.
La Sportiva builds the Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX as a mid-cut hiking boot within its broader Ultra Raptor family, combining a GORE-TEX membrane with a supportive ankle collar for trail use. It sits in La Sportiva's hiking lineup as a boot form factor rather than a low-cut shoe, suited to varied terrain where ankle support and weather protection matter.
The boot is built for hikers who want a dependable option from an established outdoor brand carrying a flagship reputation, backed by broad consensus among trail users. It fits those seeking a well-regarded boot without paying for premium branding beyond what the design delivers, making it a straightforward, low-risk choice for regular hiking use.
The verdict
The Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX ranks #14 for winter hiking boots and earns 4.5/5 from 602 buyers who prize its comfort, durability, and lightweight design across varied terrain, though waterproofing consistency remains a weak point with some owners reporting leaks despite others confirming solid protection.
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.
Best on ChatGPT (avg #6.0), weakest on Perplexity (#18.0) Averaging across the AI panel, Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX sits around #12.0 this snapshot.
Gemini
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Didn’t rank Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX this snapshot.
Grok
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Didn’t rank Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX this snapshot.
AI Mode
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Didn’t rank Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX this snapshot.
Claude
Didn’t rank Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX 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 602 buyer ratings of the Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX from across retailers — a far wider, if blunter, jury. Here’s the shape of that opinion.
602 ratings · 7 written
across 3 retailers
What owners single out
Review 7's critical waterproofing failure (water absorption through sole) aligns with the broader buyer concern that waterproofing performance is inconsistent across the product line.
In their words
“I have put about 250 miles on these boots over the last year now and I am so glad I bought these over trail runners. Yes, they are heavier and hot in the summer but I have put these boots through the ringer and they have stood the test of time.”
East By Northwest · verified purchase · REI
“I purchased a pair of these boots last year because they fitted my foot well. In light rain they kept the water out. Anything more than this and they were useless! I mainly used these boots for walking my dogs on the side walk. If there was any surface water on the floor it seemed to get absorbed from the sole and soak the entire bottom of my feet.”
Colj · verified purchase · mec.ca
as of June 16 · 602 buyer ratings?
Act three · ★ new
Do they agree?
Put the machine's rank and the owners' score in one frame, settle it with a verdict, and answer the only question that matters: should you buy it?
The disagreement
Where the juries actually split.
ChatGPT
#6avg rank
ranks it highest of the panel
Perplexity
#18avg rank
the most sceptical model
owners 4.5★ sits outside the models' split.
owners 4.5★Per-model average ranks from this week's panel?
Find your situation?
Made for some — wrong for others.
You value a respected outdoor brand with a flagship reputation.
La Sportiva is an established prestige maker; the Ultra Raptor II is a recognized flagship model with heritage and design credibility.
You want a proven boot with broad consensus and low risk.
602 buyer ratings show mature consensus; La Sportiva is an established brand; the product is settled and widely trusted.
You need solid hiking boots without overspending on premium branding.
Mid-range street price with high ratings across comfort, durability, and support; delivers core hiking performance without luxury markup.
You appreciate thoughtful design and the sensory joy of quality gear.
La Sportiva's design heritage and high comfort/durability praise suggest craftsmanship; lightweight and supportive construction appeals to gear enthusiasts.
You want objectively excellent boots that excel across the board.
Strong 4.5/5 rating with high marks on comfort, durability, and stability; waterproofing is mid-tier, which slightly tempers top-class standing.
You want boots that work straight out of the box with minimal fuss.
Waterproof mid-cut design is straightforward to use; high comfort and fit ratings suggest low break-in friction, though any hiking boot needs some adjustment.
Grounded in our buyer-review, reviewer-video, price and successor signals — a poor fit names a closer pick · as of Jul 15.
Frequent rivals?
What it competes against.
- Newton Ridge Plus II WaterproofColumbiaLa Sportiva leads 2–0 · 2 sharedRead
- Quest 4 GTXSalomonEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Fugitive GTXAsoloEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Nucleo High II GTXLa SportivaEven 1–1 · 2 shared$239–$259Read
- Bridger Mid WaterproofObozEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Renegade GTX MidLowaEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Anacapa 2 Mid GTXHokaHoka leads 1–0 · 2 shared~$195Read
Alternatives by price · Same field?
Same field, less money.
The recap
Where it stands today.
- PositionBest rank #6 across 2 intents tracked (slipped 1 this week).
- FootprintStrongest in Best Waterproof Hiking Shoes (#6). Weakest in Best Hiking Boots for Winter (#18).
- TraitsMost often described as “technical” (2 mentions).
- Closest rivalNewton Ridge Plus II Waterproof (2–0 across 2 shared intents).
- MakerBy La Sportiva — see how it ranks across other intents on its brand profile.
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