W’s approach shoes, ankle support

Edit: went with the Scarpa Mescalito Mid. Hoping the thread can now serve as a reference for others looking for a similar shoe

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I’m looking to get some approach shoes or light hikers for my girlfriend and was hoping for some recommendations. She has a history of bad ankles so I’m not sure I want something like a TX3 or Boulder X or Scarpa Crux that doesn’t have much ankle support.

I guess the ideal shoe would have the same ankle support as a traditional hiking boot, but have a lighter construction with some good ol’ sticky rubber on the bottom. Does it exist? Please point me in the right direction :)

Also hoping to not spend a pretty penny since I’m not sure how much use they’ll get.

There's a mid-cuff version of the La Sportiva TX4 (I think it's the 4s-- the all-leather one) that I love as my scrambling/14er hiking/light backpacking boot.  It has the same design and sticky rubber sole as the low-cut TX4s.  Note:  they are cut to be a little roomier in each size than the comparative low-top TXs.  I find them to still be true to size in terms of length, and you can generally still crank the lacing down a lot if you wanted to do real scrambling/approach climbing, as the laces still go down closer to the toes like an approach shoe, but the toe box has more room (as it should if you're going to use it for more hiking than approach/scrambling).  I really appreciate the extra internal volume relative to a low-top approach shoe, and they have climbed/scrambled just fine overall.  If I were doing some real edging / low 5th class terrain, I would want my old super-tight low-cut La Sportiva Gandalfs (they also made those in a low and a roomier mid-cuff, I believe-- the TX4 is essentially the descendant of the Gandalf), but for most stuff the mid-height TX4s have been perfect.

Good tip, Josh. Definitely a strong candidate if I can find them for cheap in the right size.

Does anyone have experience with the La Sportiva TXS hiking boot? Or the Scarpa Moraine hiking boot? They look to be a bit more all around, but am curious about their performance on rock for approach style scrambling. 

Other suggestions?

Doctor Drake wrote: Other suggestions?

Definitely a strong candidate if I can find them for cheap in the right size.

Other suggestions? Be willing to pay full price for them. Your girlfriend is worth it!

FrankPS wrote: Other suggestions? Be willing to pay full price for them. Your girlfriend is worth it!

Lol, you got me there.

Other suggestions on potential candidates for a lightweight, ankle supportive, approach shoe?

Some less conventional suggestions:

I've been eyeing the mid-top Mammut Hueco shoes for a while, after liking the low-top version (but having to return them because the heel back was so low it didn't stay on my foot). Outdoor Gear Exchange has some of the only pairs left: https://www.gearx.com/mammut-hueco-advanced-mid-gtx-w

In the meantime I scramble in unpadded leather boots made by Palladium. My feet are narrow and tend to twist and float around in shoes without ankle support, so these are actually great for navigating talus. But the rubber kind of sucks so I'm planning to resole the front half with climbing rubber. A professional resole with 5.10 dot can be done on a pair of boots that fits your girlfriend well.

Tree Soloist wrote: Some less conventional suggestions:

I've been eyeing the mid-top Mammut Hueco shoes for a while, after liking the low-top version (but having to return them because the heel back was so low it didn't stay on my foot). Outdoor Gear Exchange has some of the only pairs left: https://www.gearx.com/mammut-hueco-advanced-mid-gtx-w

In the meantime I scramble in unpadded leather boots made by Palladium. My feet are narrow and tend to twist and float around in shoes without ankle support, so these are actually great for navigating talus. But the rubber kind of sucks so I'm planning to resole the front half with climbing rubber. A professional resole with 5.10 dot can be done on a pair of boots that fits your girlfriend well.

Great tips, thank you!

Doctor Drake wrote:

Lol, you got me there.

Other suggestions on potential candidates for a lightweight, ankle supportive, approach shoe?

Scarpa Mescalito Mid GTX W

Salewa Mountain trainer Mid GTX W
La Sportiva TX5 GTX W

Fabien M wrote:

Scarpa Mescalito Mid GTX W

Salewa Mountain trainer Mid GTX W
La Sportiva TX5 GTX W

Thanks, Fabien!

You can also add the Scarpa Mojito Hike GTX W.
As a side note my wife love her Scarpa Mescalito but she use the non GTX lowcut version. 

I've been very curious about using the inov-8 running scrambling shoe as an approach shoe? They're a little spendy so any input is also appreciated. I'm not as concerned as Dr D about the ankle support. Thanks.

Cigdem . wrote: I've been very curious about using the inov-8 running scrambling shoe as an approach shoe? They're a little spendy so any input is also appreciated. I'm not as concerned as Dr D about the ankle support. Thanks.

Which model exactly? 

Anyway, if I m refering to the "Hike" section of their website I m not convinced.
As usual it depends of what you are looking for, those shoes looks like slick trail running shoes but they lack pretty much all the caracteristics of an approach shoes, namely:
Support
Rigidity/Stiffness
Toughness
A climbing zone
Sticky rubber
Waterproofness
Having a resolable shoes is always appreciated as well

They really don't look like the shoes I would pick to walk for hours on scree, climb a ridge, scrambling, cross patches of snow or climb 5c/.10a and lower but, as you say here, YMMV.
If you compare inov-8 shoes to benchmark approach shoes such as Scarpa Mescalito or La Sportiva TX4 (there is at least a dozen of other references in other brands as well) it will be pretty obvious.
Now, if the « approach » is walking 30 minutes from the car to the crag using a trail I m sure they will work just fine.

Edit: if you want a trade-off between an approach shoes and a trail running shoes I would try the Arc’teryx Konseal FL W

I have Scarpa Air Crux, La Sportiva TX2 & TX4. I prefer the LS over Scarpa - but I also don't have ankle problems.

Not sure what size your girlfriend is, but I found a couple shoes on sale that look like what you have described:

Boreal Flyers Mid - I know nothing about this shoe, so not sure how great it is.
La Sportiva Mid Hiking boot - I know nothing about this shoe and how it performs. I also didn't see a weight spec.  

*I didn't realize how fucking old this post is... but since I did the google searching I am still posting it. 

Eh, at this point, it’s probably just good to have a collection of approach shoe mid’s that people can sift through. 

Ended up going with the Scarpa Mescalito Mid, they’re great! Lack of a pull loop on the heel is a bummer, but they’re a good choice if you can find a decent price (got them half off). They’re pretty lightweight and have been easy to carry in pack when climbing.

Thanks for everyone’s recommendations!