La Sportiva Akyra, $140
This shoe is like a good SUV, ready to
charge off-road
Weights: 11.4 oz. (men), 9.8 oz. (women)
Heel-to-Toe Offset: 9mm; 25mm (heel),
16mm (forefoot)
Like a four-wheel drive, souped-
up SUV, the Akyra is ready to
tackle rugged mountain terrain.
Its aggressive tread provides
great traction uphill and espe-
cially down—smartly patterned
traction under the heel provides
solid braking downhill. The
rubber toe cap protects you up
front. But like a premium-mod-
el SUV, the interior comfort of
this shoe and its ability to fi t a
range of foot types securely
gives the “driver” solid control.
Testers raved about the heel cup
making them feel stable, and
the secure-fi tting upper allowing
them to feel “one” with the shoe.
The outcome is a confi dence-in-
spiring ride on everything from
rocky, technical trails to steep,
slippery slosh.Mizuno Wave Daichi 2, $130
Low-volume fi t, ideal for smooth trails
Weights: 10.4 oz. (men), 9.0 oz. (women)
Heel-to-Toe Offset: 12mm; 29mm (heel),
17mm (forefoot)
The Daichi 2 merges ruggedness
with nimbleness—a great combi-
nation. The Daichi 2 feels lighter
on the foot than the scale reads
(a good thing!). We chalk that
up to the lively cushioning and
protective, yet not overbuilt upper.
Despite a somewhat stiff outsole,
the shoe runs smoothly and is very
at home on moderately technical
terrain. The X-shaped, Michelin
rubber tread on the outsole does
a decent job on rougher trails, but
the traction isn’t as aggressive as
some in this review. It’s a low-vol-
ume shoe, meaning narrow feet
and those preferring a secure
feel from the top of their feet to
the bottom will enjoy the fi t more
than those with wide, full-volume
feet. Bonus: This shoe is notably
breathable.43[MOST
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