La Sportiva Akasha II Review

Incredibly popular for amateur and experienced off-road runners alike, the La Sportiva Akasha II (2) is getting a review this week. La Sportiva makes clothing and footwear for all mountain exploits, including trail running. The Italian brand has been making footwear since 1928 and you could say the focus is on making footwear and apparel that ‘does the job’. They don’t change their shoes every 6 months, like the more fashion-orientated running brands. They make shoes that work and only change/update them when there is some real improvement to be made. That means a new version of the versatile trail running known as the Akasha is a big deal, as this shoe hasn’t been updated since its inception in 2016.

In the 6 years the Akasha has been on the market it has earned a reputation as a durable, comfortable, solid, versatile trail shoe. It’s no surprise that American’s Ultra Running Star Anton Krupicka chose to run in the LA Sportiva Akasha when he returned to racing in the 2021 Leadville 100.

Like most of the off-road brands (Inov-8, Salomon, Scarpa, VJ, NVii etc..) that have a mountain heritage, La Sportiva talks about ‘underfoot protection’ rather than cushioning. Trails are softer than tarmac so you don’t need the same levels of cushioning underfoot as you would if you were putting the miles in on the road. Trails are also not smooth and you need know what you are landing on, so your body can react to the trail and you can run smoothly along it. For that reason, although the Akasha II has a high level of cushioning aka underfoot protection it retains some feel for the trail underfoot. The more road orientated brands (Brooks, New Balance, Hoka) make the midsoles of their shoes much softer. This gives their trail shoes a similar ‘running on pillows feel’ to their road shoes. They rely on the softness of the midsole absorbing the smaller lumps and bumps in the trails as you have no feel for the floor. Whether this is good or bad is not a topic for today and depends on the runner and their experiences!

The La Sportiva Akasha II could be the go-to trail shoe for most trail runners. It is versatile enough to do a few miles on the way to the trail via the road so unlike some, it can cope with those mixed runs from home. Despite this versatility, it is grippy and protective enough for use on mountain tracks. There is enough underfoot protection for ultramarathons of 50 miles and above. The Akasha II is more flexible and has more underfoot feel than the La Sportiva Jackal, which is La Sportiva’s most cushioned/protective shoe, which we also reviewed: La Sportiva Jackal Review

I would consider La Sportiva shoes to be on the narrower side. The Akasha II has a higher volume in the upper than other La Sportiva shoes, but this doesn’t make the width as wide as a 2E (or women’s D width). In my experience, I would say that the fit is a comfortable standard width, with some room for your feet to function and expand. The big toe line is straight, which is great for exploding off your feet and the toe box is a rounded shape, which gives your toes some room to spread and function in the shoes. The toe box isn’t as wide and roomy as an Altra or Topo foot shaped trail running shoe. These features are ideal for a shoe you intend to be running in all day.

The main difference between the original Akasha and the Akasha II is the upper. The upper is made of a new mesh that offers increased breathability and durability. It is softer and has a bit more stretch. This has made the upper roomier than on the original version. Personally, I found the original version of the Akasha a bit too narrow and restrictive, as a foot shape fan, but the upper of the Akasha II is a complete contrast. A welcome one for me.

The tongue is nicely padded, which adds to the comfort of the shoes and protects the foot from the laces. The tongue is also gusseted to prevent debris from getting into the shoes. The gusset is stretchy, which together with the TPU overlays that the laces are threaded through and the snug, padded heel gives the shoe a nice snug fit. The heel cup is made with a half plastic heel cup to give the heel some structure. As a result, the fit and structure of the shoe is maintained even when you have been running all day. The toe protector is similar in shape to the La Sportiva Mutant, but much softer and more pliable.

The midsole is made of an injection moulded EVA that gives a stack height of 31 millimetres in the heel and 25 millimetres in the forefoot, giving the Akasha II a drop of 6mm. I find that La Sportiva shoes are like shoes ‘used to be’ in that they are a little firm and a bit stiff to start with, but once worn in they become a shoe that feels like it has been made for you. This is a complete contrast to the current trend in running shoes, which is shoes that feel instantly soft and ‘cushioned’. Personally, I find that shoes that have midsoles that are very soft lose their rebound and structure when you have been running for a long time. The nice thing about La Sportiva shoes is that they don’t get a lot softer when you have been running in them all day. You get the same rebound at the end of a long day out as you do at the start. That said, the La Sportiva Akasha II does now have a 3mm thick, soft strobel board. This sits on top of the midsole and under the insole and makes the shoes feel that little bit softer when you initially touch the ground.

The insole is Ortholite Hybrid, which is made of 20% recycled materials. The Akasha II uses the Ergonomic version of this insole that is slightly thinner to maintain some feel for the trail.

The outsole on the Akasha II is the same as on the Akasha I. This is La Sportiva’s Frixion Red, which is designed to offer a balance of grip, durability, and shock absorption over a variety of terrain. This is the same outsole rubber that is used on the La Sportiva Jackal. I have done nearly a thousand miles in my Jackals now. I retired them from running when they got a bit flat after about 600 miles and they have become a walking/knock-about shoe. The outsole is showing some wear, but all the lugs are intact and function. The Akasha outsole has slightly more pointed lugs. This will bite better into the mud than the Jackal outsole pattern but won’t be quite as durable. Due to the current heatwave, I haven’t been able to test the Akasha II in the worst mud. However, it is the same pattern as on the Akyra and I found these to be a very versatile shoe too. Even if they do clog in the clay, the sole kicks the mud out once you hit some more hard trail.

La Sportiva shoes are available in every European size so there are more sizes available than UK sizes. You get a UK 9.5 and a UK 9.5+ for example. In my experience they are smaller fitting like Hoka or New Balance. I would wear a UK11.5 in these brands and found the UK 11.5+ to be a similar length, as with the La Sportiva Mutant, Jackal and Akyra.

The Akasha II is not designed to be an out-and-out racer, instead with a solid, reliable feel that you absolutely need for everyday training, pushing higher milage and even tackling an ultramarathon on mixed ground including hard packed tracks. Furthermore, I n my experience they get more comfortable the more you run in them!

Other Considerations

Brooks Cascadia 16: These have a much softer ride and less feel for the trail. They are a similar everyday trail running shoes that would cope with Ultra’s. Here is a link to our review:
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-cascadia-16-review/

Icebug Outrun: A softer more flexible ride. Similar underfoot feel. Here is a link to our review:
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/icebug-outrun-rb9x-review/

Topo Terraventure 3: These are 3mm heel to forefoot with a broad rounded toe box. Wider than the Akasha II. If you are after an everyday type trail shoe with less of a tilt toward Ultra’s then this would be the Topo shoe to consider. Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 Review

Topo Ultraventure 2: These are 5mm heel to forefoot with a broad rounded toe box. Wider than the Akasha II. These would happily work as an everyday trail shoe with a softer more cushioned ride than the Terraventure 3 and therefore often the preferred shoes for Ultra’s between the two. Topo Athletic Ultraventure 2

Hoka Speedgoat 5: 5mm heel to forefoot. Soft cushioning with a rocker to aid with propulsion. We haven’t yet reviewed the Speedgoat 5 but here is a link to the comparison between the Speedgoat 5 and 4/Evo and a link to the Speedgoat 4/Evo review:
Hoka Speedgoat 4/Speedgoat Evo Review
Hoka Speedgoat 5 vs Speedgoat 4

Altra Olympus 5: Zero drop, broad rounded toe box. Stiffer and more plod a long than the Akasha II. So, not quite as versatile. The Olympus 5 is designed more for hard packed tracks and everyday running. The cushioning is softer.