La Sportiva Bushido III Review | Bushido 3

The La Sportiva Bushido 3 is a nimble feeling trail running shoe designed to be grippy on rock (wet or dry) and nimble enough to allow the trail runner to skip over broken ground with ease. The third version of the Bushido is now available in a wide width. That’s great news for those trail runners who don’t have a narrow foot, as the Italian brand La Sportiva tends to fit on the narrow side.

La Sportiva prides itself on providing everything for the mountain athlete, including trail running shoes. The feel of their running shoes is generally on the firm side, especially when compared to the current trend of big soft midsoles. This makes their shoes nice and responsive and gives the runner plenty of ground feel. Ideal for running over broken ground or hacking up a steep mountain side. In my experience, the ride of the shoes is initially stiffer but you are rewarded after a few runs as they break in to become super comfortable.

La Sportiva running shoes are built to last and the Bushido 3 is no exception. The plastic heel cup makes the heel fit snug and helps hold the foot onto the midsole of the shoe. The level of padding is comfortable but not excessive to prevent the shoes from absorbing too much water on wet days. The fit around the midfoot is also snug to prevent your foot from turning inside the shoes, even on a steep camber or when negotiating rock covered tracks. The upper around the midfoot is a thin plastic-feeling mesh with overlays on top. The laces thread through tapes that are attached to the overlays and when pulled tight they pull the upper in around the foot to give a nice snug fit. The open mesh allows water to flow freely in, and importantly out, of the shoes to stop them gaining weight on wet runs. The bottom part of the tongue is made from a softer engineered mesh designed to breathe well. The top section of the tongue is made from a tougher material that comes slightly up the ankle to help prevent debris from getting into the shoes. The tongue is also gusseted to also help prevent debris from getting in.

A plastic piece in the midsole runs from the heel into the midfoot that stiffens up the shoe through the midfoot to give the foot some stability. This is more flexible than previous versions of the Bushido, which was reflected in the ride of the shoes. The Bushido III midsole feels slightly softer than previous versions and the added flexibility in the midfoot section of the shoes makes the ride a bit smoother.

BROWSE LA SPORTIVA BUSHIDO RANGE

For most runners the La Sportiva Bushido 3 will be an out-and-out trail running shoe. Although the outsole rubber is durable enough for some road use, the cushioning feels firm in comparison to a road running shoe. I wouldn’t suggest that they are versatile enough to be used as a road-to-trail type of trail shoe. Although I’ve done half a mile or so happily. On the trails the flexibility in the forefoot and the grip and feel of the shoes helps them ride single track trails with ease.

The outsole is made from La Sportiva’s Frixion Red, which has sections of sticky rubber and a more durable rubber. The outsole is generally durable and offers a good level of grip on wet and dry surfaces. The lug pattern is slightly different to the previous version of the Bushido and although the lugs are still 4mm in length, in my experience they bite into the ground more effectively than the previous version. That’s been handy as the current spate of wet weather has made sections of my usual runs really wet and slippery. Although a 4mm lug doesn’t give you the traction of shoe designed for exclusive use on soft ground, which would have an 8mm lug, the edges to the outsole and shape of the lugs does give some traction so you don’t tend to lose your footing and can pick your way along the wetter of trails.

Despite the Bushido 3’s robust looks it weighs in at only 295gs for a men’s UK 8, which is comparable to other shoes in this category.

La Sportiva shoes come in more increments to get the perfect size for you and the Bushido III comes in standard and wide fit. That’s why you’ll see a UK 7.5+, UK 9.5+ and UK 11.5+ for example. The length is similar to Hoka, Inov-8, Karhu and New Balance. If you use Brooks, Saucony, Altra or Topo then we would suggest trying half a UK size larger to get a similar length.

In Summary

La Sportiva is a trusted mountain terrain brand and the Bushido III is a great consideration for a nice snug fit, cushioning that retains feel for the floor and plenty of grip. All great for taking on broken single tracks or mountain-type paths and it comes in a wide fit too.

Other Considerations

Topo Terraventure 4: A much broader more rounded toe box allows more foot function inside the shoes but, this does lead to more movement when on steep cambers. The cushioning is slightly softer and the lugs are 6mm so offer better traction on soft ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-terraventure-4-review/

Inov-8 TrailFly Speed: A broad rounded toe box and only available in a wide fitting makes these a lot more roomy. The fit at the heel and midfoot is good but, there will still be more movement inside the shoe on steep cambers etc. Traction level is similar. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-speed-review/

VJ Sport MAXx2: These offer a similar nimble feel but the nitrogen infused midsole gives them a bit more cushioning which makes them more versatile. They are still a firm ride on tarmac but more comfortable for most. The toe box is more rounded allowing more foot function. The fit isn’t as snug or secure. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-sport-maxx2-review/

Altra Lone Peak 8: Zero drop with a broad rounded toe box encourages more foot function but, on steep cambers your feet do move in the shoes. The cushioning is firm and offers some ground feel similar to the Bushido. Traction is similar. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-lone-peak-8-review/

Topo Athletic Pursuit: Zero drop with a broad rounded toe box. More cushioning than the Bushido but this makes the shoes stiffer and less able to take the contours of the ground. So, they feel less nimble and you have less ground feel. The 6mm lugs give better traction on soft ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-pursuit-review/

Altra Superior 6: Zero drop with a flexible midsole these ride the ground well. The traction isn’t as good as the Bushido and like all the shoes with a broad rounded toe box the Superior encourages more foot function but the foot does then more inside the shoes when running on a camber. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-superior-6-review/

La Sportiva Akasha II: If you are looking for a La Sportiva shoe that could cope with a bit more tarmac but still ride nicely on single track then the Akasha II would be an option. They aren’t quite as flexible and don’t have quite the same ground feel but, they feel comfortable on tarmac and have 6mm lugs so they bite better into soft ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-akasha-ii-review/