La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX

For two winters straight, I was a heavy user of the Salomon S/LAB XA Alpine 2 trail runner. The shoe performed quite well but came with two minor flaws: 1) the shoe or more the gaiters are water-resistant but not waterproof and 2) the sole is rather stiff. Both aspects can be good as in 1) it can be more breathable and 2) it bites better in snow covered terrain. I mainly used the Salomon in deep winter below freezing and in snowy conditions. For that, the performed well to excellent.

This fall I got my hands on the new La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX. They did catch my eye, mainly due to the Boa lacing system. I tested the La Sportiva Cyklon shortly this spring in “a summer version” and already was quite fond. With the newly released gaitered version, I entered a more serious testing phase.

Great sole with excellent lugs

The Cyklon Cross GTX not only comes with Gore-Tex gaiters attached, a BOA closure system, but also a great sole with deep lugs. The sole is on the softer end, resulting in a nice and comfy run.

I used the trail running shoe for about 100 km of distance so far - on snow covered trails, in muddy conditions and rainy weather. The shoe keeps me comfortable and dry. The gaiters are excellent and keep your feet warm but not hot. Sweating is manageable (with temperatures up to 10 °C). The softer sole makes for a very relaxing run not only on snow but especially also when transitioning to harder surfaces such as roads or ice covered trails. The lugs are deep and grippy, performing very well also in muddy conditions.

I usually wear a 45.5 in trail runners, same here with the La Sportiva. It might be a bit on the bigger end, but with “wintery socks” they are perfect. The Boa system allows for a finely dialled in fit and keeps my heels in place. My toes have enough wiggle room not to feel cramped also on longer runs (>60 min). Getting in the shoe is substantially easier than on the Salomon and I prefer the softer sole.

The Cyklon Cross GTX became my favourite boot for winter or bad weather conditions in colder temperatures. The Boa system is simply great, allowing also for fast adjustments on the go. Let’s see how the sole and gaiters will hold up. Hopefully the shoe will last for a bit, as they do not run on the cheap end. So far I can highly recommend the trail runners, well done La Sportiva.