The Scarpa Rush 2 GTX just might be the best hiking shoe overall. It balances weight savings and with support better than most hiking shoes, and its standard fit works for a range of feet. That makes it the rare hiking shoe that may appeal to everyone from fast-and-light hikers to serious alpine hikers. My Scarpa Rush 2 review has the scoop on this premium hiking shoe that now sits at or near the top of my list of the best hiking shoes for men and women.
Meet the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX
Scarpa is best known for its climbing shoes, mountaineering boots, and burly alpine trekking boots. However, they've recently branched out to the lightweight hiking category with their new "Rush" series of hiking boots and shoes for fast-and-light hikers. The low-cut Scarpa Rush 2 GTX is the flagship hiking shoe in the lightweight Rush line.
Updated in 2023, the Rush 2 hiking shoe is the lightest style in the Rush series. Similar to the best-selling Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX, the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX is one of the rare hiking shoes that's both lightweight and supportive. It's light enough to appeal to speed hikers and supportive enough to rank among the best alpine hiking shoes. This premium hiking shoe lists for $199 (MSRP).
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Scarpa Rush 2 GTX Review
After loving the original Rush Mid hiking boots, I reached out to Scarpa to review the new low-cut, Scarpa Rush 2 GTX hiking shoes. Over the past couple of months, I've worn them on a serious of test hikes that I've handpicked to evaluate their support, weight savings, comfort, fit, weather protection, traction, and overall value. For example, I've hiked marshy trails and blueberry bogs to evaluate waterproofing and breathability, hiked fast on well-maintained trails to gauge weight savings, and stretched them on steep and scrambly trails, scree slopes, talus fields, rocky ridgelines, and technical singletrack to judge support, durability, and traction. Here's my preliminary review of the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX Lows:
Scarpa Rush 2: Support
ABOVE AVERAGE
In the hike category, Scarpa is best known for sturdy hiking and trekking boots that are made for tough alpine trails and summit bids. The Scarpa Rush 2 is much lighter than those burly boots, but its support is still solid.
A TPU stability frame adds midfoot support and torsional rigidity, giving this shoe some heel-to-toe stiffness that stabilizes my ankles and takes some heat off my feet. My messed up ankles have felt comfortable in this sturdy hiking shoe, and my flat feet have stayed fresh on rocky footing and long-distance hikes that take their toll on me in less supportive hiking shoes. This shoe has plenty of support for moderate to difficult hikes and uneven terrain.
Scarpa Rush 2: Weight
LIGHTWEIGHT
My unofficial cut-off for a lightweight hiking shoe is 2 pounds. My pair of the Scarpa Rush 2 Lows weighs exactly two pounds in a men's size 13 (above average size). That's impressive weight savings, given this shoe's excellent stability and support. Weighing approximately 4 ounces less than the average hiking shoe, the Rush 2 could save hikers a little energy if they hike fast enough or far enough for a few ounces to matter. This shoe's blend of support and weight savings is pretty impressive.
Scarpa Rush 2 Low for women
Scarpa Rush 2: Fit
STANDARD
The Scarpa Rush 2 fits true to size with a standard fit— not as narrow as most Italian brands. That means the Rush 2 potentially fits a wider range of men and women than other premium alpine hiking shoes, such as the La Sportiva Spire GTX (which runs narrow in men's sizes).
Hikers with wide feet may be able to wear the Scarpa Rush 2 by sizing up more than normal. My moderately wide feet fit well in the size 13—I wear a 12 wide or 12.5 in most brands.
Scarpa Rush 2: Comfort
WELL BALANCED
Comfort has a lot to do with fit, hiking style, and hikers' personal preferences. In this case, the Scarpa Rush 2 has a more forgiving fit than many hiking shoes, and it fits a wider range of hiking styles than most shoes with its unique balance between stability and agility.
For me, this is a comfortable hiking shoe. That has a lot to do with Scarpa's unique cushioning. They've placed softer EVA foam under the heel and balls of the feet to soften the ride while using firmer EVA foam elsewhere for lightweight support. The Rush 2 feels more cushioned— and more supportive— than the Salomon X Ultra GTX.
This shoe's cushy enough to feel comfortable on well-maintained trails while also being sturdy enough to keep my feet fresher on harder, longer hikes.
Scarpa Rush 2: Weather Protection
GORE-TEX
The GTX in the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX stands for GORE-TEX. Gore remains the industry standard for durable and breathable waterproofing. Shoes only offer a few inches of weather protection—less than boots. But this shoe's waterproofing has performed as expected in puddles, wet grass, and shallow stream crossings that don't extend over the waterproof and breathable membrane inside the shoe. For the best performance, keep your hiking shoes clean and re-apply a DWR when you notice water no longer beading up on the outside of the shoe. That will maintain your shoes' breathability and minimize moisture wicking into the shoe to maximize its waterproofing.
If you want more waterproof protection, check out the Scarpa Rush Mids.
Scarpa Rush 2: Traction
VERSATILE
I'm a fan of this shoe's Presa outsoles. The lugs are moderately deep and widely spaced to gain purchase in snow and mud. Their SuperGum rubber is relatively soft, creating friction for good grip on rock. That adds up to versatile traction that's good on most trails.
The lugs aren't as aggressive as those on the Salomon X Ultra 4, so the Rush isn't quite as baller on steep trails with scree, gravel, and mud. But I managed a steep descent down a slippery scree shoot yesterday with loose rocks, gravel, and damp leaves. There's enough heel brake and bite in the lugs to dig into those dodgy conditions pretty well. At the same time, the Rush 2 is much better on rocky terrain than the X Ultra 4. This is good tread for the Appalachian trails where I do most of my hiking.
Scarpa Rush 2: Value
PREMIUM SHOE AT A PREMIUM PRICE
My Scarpa Rush 2 review hasn't dug up any weaknesses. This is a premium hiking shoe that seems to be well made and strong across the board. At the same time, it's not cheap, coming in at $199 (MSRP). That's a premium price—$40 more than the X Ultra 4—but it's for a premium hiking shoe. That's the same price as the Altra Olympus 5 Hike GTX and $10 less that its most appropriate comp, the La Sportiva Spire GTX ($209). For me, the price is steep but fair since the Rush 2 GTX clearly ranks at or near the top of the best hiking shoes for men and women.
Scarpa Rush 2 GTX Low: Pros vs. Cons
My Scarpa Rush 2 review is overwhelmingly positive. Here are the pros and cons of this premium hiking shoe:
Conclusion:
The Scarpa Rush 2 hiking shoe probably gets my vote as the best overall hiking shoe, based on this review. There's not much this shoe can't do, and it's special blend of stability and agility, support and weight savings, stiffness and softness means it could appeal to many hikers, from fast hikers with light packs to the average day hiker to the serious alpine hiker.
best fit
standard feet
best match
serious hikers, day hikers, fast-and-light hikers
Do you like the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX?
If you're looking for a premium hiking shoe, it'll be hard to beat the Scarpa Rush 2 GTX Low. That being said, it's not a smart choice if it doesn't fit you well or if it doesn't match your style. My Scarpa Rush 2 review should help you figure out if it's a good fit for your feet and a good match for your hikes.
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