Product test

The Aequilibrium: far from balanced

6/10/2023

Translation: Elicia Payne

The Aequilibrium ST GTX from La Sportiva is a comfortable hiking boot. But it doesn’t like the mountains. With some major damage, the lightweight barely survived a versatile test route through the Ticino Alps. That’s why, after just 19 days, I said «ciao» to the injury-prone Italian.

I packed my backpack and the Aequilibrium ST GTX from La Sportiva was ready for the stress test. The shoe is sold as an «ultra-light mountain boot for technical excursions, ideal for iron paths, trekking, glacier crossings and various terrain.» So I tortured the supposed all-rounder from the Trentino shoemakers over 200 kilometres of rugged peaks and steep alpine pastures of the Via Alta Vallemaggia.

Hiking boots

La Sportiva Aequilibrium ST GTX

Hiking slippers for hot climbs

Let’s start with the strengths. The comfort from the Aequilibrium ST GTX was immediately convincing. Developed at the foot of the Dolomites, this mountain boot feels like a well-cushioned hiking slipper. The sole is unusually soft, which aids the natural roll of your foot. A particular plus was the climate of the boot and foot. While I was being grilled in blazing summer heat at 30 degrees on the mountain, my feet always remained at a pleasant temperature.

On the other hand, when I was walking over snow and ice, it quickly became clear that it’d get rather frosty for the toes in cold temperatures. However, at 630 grammes per foot, the Italian is a featherweight and thus a light-footed companion. With a little training, even Yann Sommer could wear them at the Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium and reach new heights with Inter Milan.

The upper disintegrated within days

Anyone walking across grassy meadows and in rocky terrain can only briefly toy with the Aequilibrium ST GTX. After a few kilometres in the scree, it was clear that the injury-prone Italian had little stamina. Soon holes formed all over the upper. The abrasion-resistant ankle protection frayed, causing the boot to leak in several places. Same for the protective edges on the boot and the heel. The plastic eroded within a few days and the seams started to rip. Especially at the back, where the crampon rests on the plastic seam, there’s visible wear and tear.

The heel: the work of a genius or a half-wit?

For me, the heel is simply built wrong. The idea of giving hikers some cushioning on the descent is certainly laudable. But the effect of the raised heel doesn’t make sense in many respects. Firstly, the heel tends to get stuck on uneven terrain. Secondly, the contact area of the sole in the midfoot and heel area is very small – the boot loses contact with the ground, so there’s no friction. Especially on damp ground, I’d find myself slipping, which is unusual. On two tricky climbs, the Aequilibrium kept me severely off balance. Who wants that, right? Last but not least: the soft studs on the heel can’t stand up to rugged rock. They rip, and sooner or later break off.

I returned the test boots to La Sportiva after two and a half weeks in the mountains and temporarily brought the 10-year-old Nepal Top out of retirement. My conclusion: if the Aequilibrium ST GTX were declared robust trekking boots, they’d get at least four out of five stars from me. They don’t deserve the advertised title of mountain boots because they’re really no match for the rocks.

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Tobias Billeter

Head of Corporate Communications

Tobias.Billeter@digitecgalaxus.ch

Making sure employees and media know what's up at Digitec Galaxus is my job. But without fresh air and a lot of exercise, I basically stop functioning. The great outdoors provides me with the energy I need to stay on the ball. Jazz gives me the tranquility to tame my kids.

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