Runner\'s World USA - 09.2019 - 10.2019

tain built from the
sheer number of La
Sportiva’s trail offer-
ings—the brand’s
16 trail shoes are
devoted to nearly
every type of dis-
tance, weather, and
terrain imaginable.
But if you’re looking
for the model that

it’s the Kaptiva.

The shoe borrows

the best bits from

La Sportiva’s ultra-

distance arsenal (like

firm cushioning to

support you well

past 25K) and its

short-stretch picks

(a 6mm drop with

confident ground

most of the time. On

top, the Kaptiva has

a skin-hugging com-

pressive mesh upper

with a tall collar that

seals out dirt and

slips on like a pair of

crew socks. Sticky

rubber tread keeps

you anchored on

steep descents.—M.P.

• ing Alpha Centauri,
  and that’s fitting for a
  shoe like the Antora.
  This trail model has
  a techy new foam
  called Q-Form 2, a
  compression-molded
  EVA engineered for
  women, which places
  softer zones in the
  heel and forefoot

Combined with a

solid heel counter

and removable insole

for extra cushioning,

the Antora caters to

neutral runners who

want an extra pinch

of stability with soft-

ness to spare. The

shoe feels best on

mild trails, but many

of our testers liked

the sticky Vibram

outsole’s grip on

tougher trails, as long

as they were dry.

The standout feature

is the sturdy upper,

which marries dura-

ble TPU overlays to

an odor-zapping anti-

microbial mesh, and

ties up with durable

rope-like laces.—M.P.

BEST FOR DRY

TRAILS; THE

TREAD DOESN’T

HOLD AS TIGHT

TO WET ROCKS.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 59