La Sportiva Xplorer or Xplorer Mid GTX?

[bddonovan]

I am in the market for some new canyoneering footwear and I heard the La Sportiva Xplorer was pretty good. Has anybody had any experience with either the Xplorer or the Xplorer Mid GTX? Would the regular Xplorer suit me just fine, or would it help to have the ankle support of the Xplorer Mid GTX?

Thanks!

[Bo_Beck]

Have used the Xplorer for over a year now. Pretty good shoes. The laces are weak, but the rubber is pretty dang sticky, and the shoes drain well. Since 5.10 has discontinued the Savant, these shoes seem to be a pretty good all purpose hiking/canyon shoe! The mid is G-tex and I think aren't necessary for water hikes.

[skiclimb3287]

Both my fiance and I have the Xplorers. She has had hers for a year and loves them. She uses them in every canyon we do and on many desert hikes. I just got mine last month and used them on a hike near Snow Canyon right after I got them and in Alcatraz Canyon last weekend. Loved them! The rubber was as sticky as I needed it to be for stemming. Highly recommended.

[Homeslice]

I bought a pair strictly for water canyons. I LOVE THEM! Not as bulky as 5.10 canyoneers, plus they are great for hiking those long approaches and walk outs. They don't hold water and have great sticky rubber.

[bddonovan]

Anyone have any experience with the Xplorer Mid GTX? Those were the ones that initially caught my eye because they provided some ankle support, like the 5.10 Canyoneer does. Throughout the posts on Bogley, all I have seen is people talk about the Xplorer, not the Xplorer Mid GTX.

Cheers!

[Taylor]

My wife just bought me a pair of the mid's. I had seen the low-tops at a gear rental place in Zion and those guys love the shoe. She thought she ordered the low-tops as that's what I wanted, but Amazon sent mid's. Anyhoo, I have worn them around town a couple times and will keep them and see how they work in a canyon this weekend. One thing: they are a narrow shoe, which I believe is typical for LaSportiva. Almost too narrow for my average/wide feet.

[bddonovan]

Let me know how they work for you.

Cheers!