Price – $140
Weight – 11.35 oz
Heel to Toe Drop – 6 mm
The Akasha is a sleek new addition to La Sportiva’s mountain running line. With an aggressive outsole, a comfortable and forgiving last, and stability in spades, it’s a perfect middle ground between the Helios and the Mutants. We tested the Akasha in packed snow, loose sand, thick mud, and slick rock technical terrain and it held its ground without hesitation. The combination of the interior shaping and support and the Frixon outsole make for a stable fit with great control. It’s worth noting that the shape and design of the heel cup makes it the one part of the shoe that may get uncomfortable during longer runs, at least until the shoe has been broken in beyond ~60 miles. The new lug pattern and outsole construction make for a great multi-purpose shoe across many types conditions, however, the Akasha didn’t quite fare as well on hard-packed snow or slick rock terrain as the Mutant. Sizing is consistent with the Mutant and Bushido.
TAUR Tester Rating based on a 5 Cairn scale
TAUR Tester Quotes
“Beautiful, sleek design with high quality materials and great colors.”
“Great combination of response and protection for the midfoot.”
“What comes to mind with this shoe is that it is solid in just about every area. It has excellent tread and technical ability of your typical Sportiva shoe while at the same time giving you more comfort, allowing you to run farther, making it the perfect shoe for long adventures in the mountains. In every area it is just a solid shoe and doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses. It performed very well in technical terrain as well as smoother buffed out trails.”
“This is one of the best looking trail shoes that I own.”