The La Sportiva Aequilibrium LT is Kirsty Pallas’ first choice for Scottish winter days.
On first glance, I thought these were designed for the Alps, and wouldn’t be warm or waterproof enough for Scottish winter. How wrong I was! They’ve become my first choice for both winter walking and mountaineering routes.
Kirsty Pallas’ Best in Test 2025
The Aequilibrium is a light and comfortable boot, that will take winter hillwalking and easier graded routes in its stride.- comfort
- warmth
- weight
- laces come loose
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: £345 |
| Weight: 1156g (UK5 pair) |
| B rating: B2 |
| Waterproofing: Goretex Performance Comfort |
| Upper: Nubuck |
| Crampon welts: Heel welt |
| Sole: Vibram SpringLug Tech rubber |
| Sizes: EU 36-42 or UK 3.5-8 with half sizes |
| Men’s version? Yes |
| www.lasportiva.com |
The upper is nubuck with a fabric tongue, and a high rand around the boot. Extra features with increased comfort in mind include a pre-creased ankle area for flex and additional midsole cushioning. I found them really comfortable on big days, even on rocky tracks where I might struggle in winter boots. The sole has deep lugs throughout, but very pronounced on the heel, to help with braking on descents.
The depth of the lugs is great for slicing steps into snow, and combined with the stiffness, they feel very secure on steeper gullies and ridges. There’s a climbing zone at the toe, for those rocky steps in spring as snow starts to melt.
The boot is set up for resoles – a more sustainable choice.
The tongue is connected to the boot right the way up, keeping it in place and stopping debris getting in. Likewise, the back of the ankle collar hugs in to keep things out. The lacing starts at the forefoot and there’s a hook at the top of the foot to capture the lace and keep the heel in place.
Two hooks on the ankle let you adjust the tightness, but I did find the laces coming loose and needing reknotted a couple of times throughout the day. The Aequilibrium is a light and comfortable boot, that will take winter hillwalking and easier graded routes in its stride.
Testing Conditions
Kirsty is a UK size 5/EU 38, with a wide forefoot. These boots were tested in winter 2024 in the Scottish Highlands on both personal mountaineering days, and delivering winter skills courses in all weather and conditions. All weights are from Kirsty’s own scales.
This review was first published in the February 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors. To compare this model to others suited to winter mountain days, as chosen by the experts, see our guide to the best winter mountaineering boots.
