La Sportiva Jackal Trail Running Shoes - Black Yellow

If I had to choose between the three distinct species of Jackals, I'd probably peg this shoe as a Golden Jackal. The Golden Jackal has been referred to as an intelligent creature within the old Indian text of Panchatantra and I think that aligns well with this shoe.Overall I've been impressed by this shoe. I've been running in it for the past few weeks as the snow has started to melt. By this I mean I'm lazy and don't want to hike too much for skiing. And that's what the Wasatch does to you, it makes you weak and destroys your willpower. But that's beside the point.I've enjoyed the tread pattern and the lacing system. Wow, that's pretty boring. You're right, but you're the one reading a trail running shoe review. Anywho, the tread offers quite a fair amount of ... MoreIf I had to choose between the three distinct species of Jackals, I'd probably peg this shoe as a Golden Jackal. The Golden Jackal has been referred to as an intelligent creature within the old Indian text of Panchatantra and I think that aligns well with this shoe.Overall I've been impressed by this shoe. I've been running in it for the past few weeks as the snow has started to melt. By this I mean I'm lazy and don't want to hike too much for skiing. And that's what the Wasatch does to you, it makes you weak and destroys your willpower. But that's beside the point.I've enjoyed the tread pattern and the lacing system. Wow, that's pretty boring. You're right, but you're the one reading a trail running shoe review. Anywho, the tread offers quite a fair amount of traction on sticky to loose dirt. It's pretty confidence-inspiring on the up but more importantly, on the down. The lacing system cinches the shoe for what I felt like was a good blend of added control and comfort.My favorite part of the Jackal is the "trail feel". bUt wHaT iS tRaiL fEeL??? It's the ability to have rapid control whenever adjusting yourself to the terrain under your feet. For me, that boils down to whether or not it's an enjoyable shoe to run in. Is it? Oh, yes.Now it can't be all rainbows, butterflies, and shameless promotion. I'm not the biggest fan of how high the back of the shoe comes up on my achilles. While it's not a gamechanger, it's a bit annoying as I've gotten a little bit of rubbing on my skin. If I weren't incredibly lazy and was actually running a lot then I could see this being a big issue.

A Flawed Shoe

I wanted to love this shoe as it feels quite good in the midfoot/forefoot. The toebox is perfect. However, the heel on this shoe is straight up dangerous. On milder terrain the shoe does fine. On steeper or more technical terrain this shoe digs into the heel in precisely the worst places. Like others, I experienced a great deal of discomfort in the Achilles area. Loads of Achilles pressure, especially on steep ascents. Unfortunately I didn't realize just how bad this issue was until I was deep in the backcountry. This has resulted in quite a bit of Achilles tenderness and injury on the inside and outside of both ankles (likely injuries to my posterior tibial tendon and peroneal tendon). You can feel the aggressive plastic plates in exactly those areas on either side ... MoreI wanted to love this shoe as it feels quite good in the midfoot/forefoot. The toebox is perfect. However, the heel on this shoe is straight up dangerous. On milder terrain the shoe does fine. On steeper or more technical terrain this shoe digs into the heel in precisely the worst places. Like others, I experienced a great deal of discomfort in the Achilles area. Loads of Achilles pressure, especially on steep ascents. Unfortunately I didn't realize just how bad this issue was until I was deep in the backcountry. This has resulted in quite a bit of Achilles tenderness and injury on the inside and outside of both ankles (likely injuries to my posterior tibial tendon and peroneal tendon). You can feel the aggressive plastic plates in exactly those areas on either side of the shoe. Truly painful.Before the injury, my biggest gripe with the shoe is that it's too bossy. It really likes to push my foot around and be in control instead of the other way around. Unfortunately I didn't listen to my feet soon enough and pushed too hard in these awful, awful shoes.This is not a knock on La Sportiva, just honest criticism and an unfortunate outcome. The shoe had good grip (except for mud) and seemed to be as durable as other LS models (which is definitely better than competitors). I liked the attempt at accommodating a wider fit and wider toebox but the heel has left me bitter, frustrated, and temporarily couch-bound. Listen to your feet, people.One-star.

Becoming a favorite!

Like many here, found myself concerned when finding out the Akashas were being discontinued. While these are not (at least to me) similar to Akashas, they are going to fill the gap nicely that the Akashas use to fill for me, long distance runs.First off, unlike pretty much everyone else, I did not half size up when buying a pair and am very glad I didn't do so. My usual size in LS fits perfectly in this shoe and had I half sized up, I believe my foot in the wider toe box would actually have too much room.Speaking of the toe box, it's roomy but not like so dang roomy my foots slips around in it. Fit is secure on the midfoot, heel is locked in and I did not experience in blisters in these shoes, even when tackling steep terrain. Lots of cushion but the shoe still ... MoreLike many here, found myself concerned when finding out the Akashas were being discontinued. While these are not (at least to me) similar to Akashas, they are going to fill the gap nicely that the Akashas use to fill for me, long distance runs.First off, unlike pretty much everyone else, I did not half size up when buying a pair and am very glad I didn't do so. My usual size in LS fits perfectly in this shoe and had I half sized up, I believe my foot in the wider toe box would actually have too much room.Speaking of the toe box, it's roomy but not like so dang roomy my foots slips around in it. Fit is secure on the midfoot, heel is locked in and I did not experience in blisters in these shoes, even when tackling steep terrain. Lots of cushion but the shoe still feels fairly nimble on the trail, foot protection is fantastic, softening the blows even on more technical terrain. Very stable shoe as well. I thought that grip might be a weakness but it has handled the steep muddy trails of the Pacific Northwest quite well. Haven't taken it scrambling yet as I don't envision it being the shoe made for that but I'm starting to believe it would do just fine on class 3 routes.After 200 or so miles, no signs of wear or tear and the outsole is in perfect condition still.I am always hesitant to give something a five star review but these shoes have earned it for me.

Excellent, love them!

I love these shoes, second pair, fitted with Enertor insoles. Best trail shoes I have yet had the pleasure of wearing, (I’ve trawled through many). Stable, cushioned, flexi & breathable uppers, super comfy midsoles, grippy as f**k, toe guard, lightweight rock plate, integrated tongue, simple lacing, they suit my current style of running, (Cornish coastal paths, creekside footpaths, woodland, granite moorland, trails, footpaths, some tarmac). Love the fact that the soles don’t abrade to death immediately on contact with tarmac like most trail running shoes. (Why are there not more hybrid shoes out there? Most of my trail runs involve at least some road, in the winters more so). Sizing is a bit off, get a size bigger at least, maybe even 1.5 sizes. I’m normally a 43 ... MoreI love these shoes, second pair, fitted with Enertor insoles. Best trail shoes I have yet had the pleasure of wearing, (I’ve trawled through many). Stable, cushioned, flexi & breathable uppers, super comfy midsoles, grippy as f**k, toe guard, lightweight rock plate, integrated tongue, simple lacing, they suit my current style of running, (Cornish coastal paths, creekside footpaths, woodland, granite moorland, trails, footpaths, some tarmac). Love the fact that the soles don’t abrade to death immediately on contact with tarmac like most trail running shoes. (Why are there not more hybrid shoes out there? Most of my trail runs involve at least some road, in the winters more so). Sizing is a bit off, get a size bigger at least, maybe even 1.5 sizes. I’m normally a 43 in most footwear but for these a 44.5 is perfect. The heel tabs have a habit of pulling off too, but maybe that’s my fault? All in all a great shoe. Love the colourways too, first pair was orange/black, now have the green/blue version. Yellow/black is also gorgeous. If you can dial in to the right size for you, I think you’ll love them!

Favorite shoe

Takes little research to learn that La Sportivas are not for everyone. But if they are for you, you’re lucky to be able to use the best shoes on the market for technical trails. Took a hard turn away from minimalist shoes about a year and a half ago and these were the first I came to. I can’t believe I used to hike in anything else. So far I’ve put 400+ miles on these and am pretty sure I have a couple hundred more. Treads only slightly worn and a couple smalls holes where the toes crease. Have worn them from North Carolina to Alaska. Extremely grippy on all kinds of terrain and rock, stable, and comfortable. They breathe well and dry pretty quickly. Both them and your feet take a little breaking in at first — socks with heel tabs are helpful for the Jackals as they ... MoreTakes little research to learn that La Sportivas are not for everyone. But if they are for you, you’re lucky to be able to use the best shoes on the market for technical trails. Took a hard turn away from minimalist shoes about a year and a half ago and these were the first I came to. I can’t believe I used to hike in anything else. So far I’ve put 400+ miles on these and am pretty sure I have a couple hundred more. Treads only slightly worn and a couple smalls holes where the toes crease. Have worn them from North Carolina to Alaska. Extremely grippy on all kinds of terrain and rock, stable, and comfortable. They breathe well and dry pretty quickly. Both them and your feet take a little breaking in at first — socks with heel tabs are helpful for the Jackals as they will rub the skin on the Achilles tendon. Don't be afraid to try several sizes to see about a good fit. I usually wear a 42 and wear a 43.5 in these.

High-Volume Mountain Runner

I own 8 pairs of Jackals. After owning 18 pairs of Akashas, this is now my go-to shoe for high volume days in the mountains. The level of cushioning is balanced to still provide sensitivity and feedback useful for precise, technical footwork moving fast in class 1-3 terrain. The Jackal is NOT a clunky, insensitive shoe. Unlike other shoes I've tried, the rock guards are NOT too stiff to impede natural foot motion through the gate cycle.I spend 25-30 hours / week training on my feet in the mountains, which has widened my forefoot and forces me to seek a wide toe box. The Jackal's wide toe box is a significant improvement over the Akasha's in that it perfectly accommodates my wide forefoot! Furthermore, there is reinforcing material at the forefoot flex point, which ... MoreI own 8 pairs of Jackals. After owning 18 pairs of Akashas, this is now my go-to shoe for high volume days in the mountains. The level of cushioning is balanced to still provide sensitivity and feedback useful for precise, technical footwork moving fast in class 1-3 terrain. The Jackal is NOT a clunky, insensitive shoe. Unlike other shoes I've tried, the rock guards are NOT too stiff to impede natural foot motion through the gate cycle.I spend 25-30 hours / week training on my feet in the mountains, which has widened my forefoot and forces me to seek a wide toe box. The Jackal's wide toe box is a significant improvement over the Akasha's in that it perfectly accommodates my wide forefoot! Furthermore, there is reinforcing material at the forefoot flex point, which has significantly reduced the problem I had with every pair of Akashas blowing out the upper by the pinky toe. The near-seamless upper also is true to Sportiva's word in that I haven't had any hot spots.The closest thing I can draw to a complaint is that although the shoe fit isn't sloppy, it doesn't fit my feet as perfectly glove-like as the Kaptiva does. I own 10 pairs of Kaptivas for normal volume days (<20mi & 10k vert). My ideal shoe is a Kaptiva upper on a Jackal base.My 2020 volume was ~3200 miles and 1.4 million vert (w/ 2 months off). 100% of my volume is mixed running and hiking in the mountains. The only flat I run is on high plains between peaks or dirt roads along the base of mountains when doing loops. I typically get 400-500 miles out of Sportiva shoes. 99% of my volume is in Sportiva runners.

Jackal is a miss, bring back the Akasha!

This shoe was close to being good. Good sole, traction, feels like a serious trail running shoe for rough terrain, however a couple issues:1. The achilles cup design - it comes to a point and somewhat points into into your heel instead of being a kind of u shape that cups your achilles, very odd. I spent time working this part of the shoes before wearing so that it would flex more and this helped however it wasn't very comfortable especially when the fore foot is extended forwards.2. Uppers - The deal breaker for me was that they were extremely unsecure when going downhill. No matter how tight i tied the laces my feet would still slide forward even though the fit of the shoe was right. The laces are thin like most La Sportivas however combine with an unusually ... MoreThis shoe was close to being good. Good sole, traction, feels like a serious trail running shoe for rough terrain, however a couple issues:1. The achilles cup design - it comes to a point and somewhat points into into your heel instead of being a kind of u shape that cups your achilles, very odd. I spent time working this part of the shoes before wearing so that it would flex more and this helped however it wasn't very comfortable especially when the fore foot is extended forwards.2. Uppers - The deal breaker for me was that they were extremely unsecure when going downhill. No matter how tight i tied the laces my feet would still slide forward even though the fit of the shoe was right. The laces are thin like most La Sportivas however combine with an unusually thin tounge you will feel the laces cut into the top of your foot if you tie them tight enough to secure your feet. I just couldn't get them secure enough that i had to run painfully slow/cautiously downhill as my feel would frequently slide forward.Like many others i've also resorted to buying overpriced Akasha's from Europe on ebay since that's the only place you can get them. La Sportiva just needs to start selling Akasha's in the US again, it's a perfect trail shoe!

Not for mountainous terrain

I am a big fan of La Sportiva trail running shoes and have run in almost every La Sportiva shoe since Wildcat and Electron. What I really value is La Sportiva shoes is great traction and precise control on steep mountainous terrain.Today I finally had a chance to do a real mountain run in Jackals and I should say I am really disappointed. This is certainly not a shoe for mountainous ultras, at least not for me. While the outsole of the shoe is outstanding and the ground feel is nearly perfect, I don't know what designers of the shoe were thinking when designing the upper to be so lite on structure and when departing so drastically from the typical La Sportiva fit.There two serious issues for me:1) The fit. This shoe is too wide in the midfoot and lacks the ... MoreI am a big fan of La Sportiva trail running shoes and have run in almost every La Sportiva shoe since Wildcat and Electron. What I really value is La Sportiva shoes is great traction and precise control on steep mountainous terrain.Today I finally had a chance to do a real mountain run in Jackals and I should say I am really disappointed. This is certainly not a shoe for mountainous ultras, at least not for me. While the outsole of the shoe is outstanding and the ground feel is nearly perfect, I don't know what designers of the shoe were thinking when designing the upper to be so lite on structure and when departing so drastically from the typical La Sportiva fit.There two serious issues for me:1) The fit. This shoe is too wide in the midfoot and lacks the structure to lock the foot down. My feet kept sliding in the shoes sideways and I just couldn't open my stride on the downhills like I do in other La Sportiva shoes. Furthermore, for being so wide it is also quite short compared to the size. I am always 45.5 in all La Sportiva. For Jackal I had to go up to size 46, and I am still hitting the front of the shoe with my toes on downhills. Let me give another example for how wrong the sizing is. The insole from US size 12.5 (EU 46) Jackal is a little bit shorter than then insole from US size 11.5 Hoka Torrent.2) The tongue. A good tongue design helps a lot to lock feet in place for a technical terrain. Examples of really great tongue designs are Helios SR and Mutant. Well, the tongue in Jackal doesn't do the job well. It is too thin and and too soft. It lacks any protection at all at the bottom (see the picture), and it doesn't stay in place sliding on one side. The material at the bottom is very thin and has no padding. If I tighten the laces to try to lock feet down, I get pressure points on downhills at the bottom (see the arrow on the picture) and sometimes at the top. If I relax the laces just a bit, my toes start hitting the front of the shoe. Either of these issues would be a disaster even in a 50 km ultramarathon. My feet were swelled at the top after just 15 miles with 4200 ft of downhills in this shoe.While this show worked quite well on a moderate terrain, I do buy La Sportivas for mountain running, and that is the reason for only 2 starts.

Seem like good shoes, but unwearable

On sizing: I'm a size 9.5 in Nike, 9 in Salomon Ultra Pro, 10 in Salomon Cross. I got these in an EU 44 and they were too small. Exchanged for a 45 which was right for me.These seem like good long distance trail shoes. The sole and upper materials seem very good quality (better than Salomon Ultra Pros, which are my go-to). They have a good amount of cushion, without losing the responsiveness which accompanies a very thick sole. I really wanted to use these shoes!Unfortunately, I absolutely could not wear them and have returned them. The key issue: the heel has been designed terribly (in my opinion). It rises up incredibly high up the Achilles, is very firm, and angles slightly inwards. As a result, after testing these shoes by walking for 5 minutes, I had deep ... MoreOn sizing: I'm a size 9.5 in Nike, 9 in Salomon Ultra Pro, 10 in Salomon Cross. I got these in an EU 44 and they were too small. Exchanged for a 45 which was right for me.These seem like good long distance trail shoes. The sole and upper materials seem very good quality (better than Salomon Ultra Pros, which are my go-to). They have a good amount of cushion, without losing the responsiveness which accompanies a very thick sole. I really wanted to use these shoes!Unfortunately, I absolutely could not wear them and have returned them. The key issue: the heel has been designed terribly (in my opinion). It rises up incredibly high up the Achilles, is very firm, and angles slightly inwards. As a result, after testing these shoes by walking for 5 minutes, I had deep blisters on both heels. I've never experienced a shoe doing so much damage so quickly. There's absolutely no way they'd soften enough to even consider the long distance running they were designed for. Perhaps my feet just don't fit this shoe, but the rest of the shoe fit perfectly, just the heel was way off. Having looked at other reviews online, it seems to be a common issue, but I'm sure they must work for some!

Unusual fit for Sportiva

Well-designed shoe. Love the weight, minimalist uppers, protective midsole and sticky outsole. Classic Sportiva in terms of thoughtful design and build quality.True to size, but the fit is unusual for Sportiva: as advertised, these are wider and higher-volume than most Sportiva designs. My feet are narrow and low volume; my feet are happy all day in a pair of Bushidos, and Akashas feel perfectly roomy for high-mileage trips. As a result, I find the fit of the Jackals is loose and sloppy, with problematic bunching of the upper material when I tighten the laces. FYI for other folks with similarly-shaped feet.TL;DR -- these are wider and higher-volume than classic Sportiva designs; would recommend to anyone who usually finds Sportiva shoes too narrow or low-volume ... MoreWell-designed shoe. Love the weight, minimalist uppers, protective midsole and sticky outsole. Classic Sportiva in terms of thoughtful design and build quality.True to size, but the fit is unusual for Sportiva: as advertised, these are wider and higher-volume than most Sportiva designs. My feet are narrow and low volume; my feet are happy all day in a pair of Bushidos, and Akashas feel perfectly roomy for high-mileage trips. As a result, I find the fit of the Jackals is loose and sloppy, with problematic bunching of the upper material when I tighten the laces. FYI for other folks with similarly-shaped feet.TL;DR -- these are wider and higher-volume than classic Sportiva designs; would recommend to anyone who usually finds Sportiva shoes too narrow or low-volume for their feet.