The new La Sportiva Prodigio Max is made for ultra-distance runners—not hikers. But it's often the case that ultramarathon shoes make solid hiking shoes, too. After all, if a shoe is designed to hold up for a 50K, 100K, or 100 mile race, it should hold up for a 5, 10, or 15 mile hike! Plus, this shoe has a similar profile to the HOKA Speedgoat—a Hiking Feet favorite. So I was more than a little stoked to get my hands on the Prodigio Max and test it out on a series of hikes in New Mexico's Sandia, Jemez, and Sangre de Cristo mountains. My La Sportiva Prodigio Max review gives you a hiker's perspective on this new, max cushion trail running shoe that some people are calling La Sportiva's "Speedgoat killer."
Testing out the new La Sportia Prodigio Max in New Mexico's Jemez Mountains
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La Sportiva Prodigio Max Review
I tested and reviewed the La Sportiva Prodigio Max shortly after it landed in the summer of 2025. My test hikes included easy break-in hikes in the Sandia and Jemez Mountains, three moderate trails outside Albuquerque (Pino, Embudito, and Three Guns), and tougher day hike to South Sandia Peak (11 miles, 3600 ft elevation gain). These trails represent a range of difficulty levels and a mix of desert, mountain, forest, and alpine terrain. That way, I could pinpoint the Prodigio Max's specific pros and cons and evaluate its support, weight, fit, comfort, weather protection, traction, and overall value. As an added touch, I alternated wearing them with my other favorite max cushion trail runners—the HOKA Speedgoat, Topo Athletic Vista, and Salomon Thundercross—to see how they stacked up.
The La Sportiva Prodigio Max felt plenty protective in rocky terrain
Support
One category where the La Sportiva Prodigio Max stacks up well is in protection and support. It's not a classic hiking shoe. But by trail runner standards, the Prodigio is stout.
Similar to the HOKA Speedgoat, the Prodigio Max's max cushion midsoles—37mm thick at the heel and 31mm at the toe—are thick enoughto prevent your feet from overflexing on rocks and steep terrain. In fact, the La Sportiva Prodigio Max feels much firmer and (thus) more supportive than the HOKA Speedgoat. There's no stability shank, but the midsoles have a TPU core that stiffens them up and stability wrapping around the in step—which adds lateral stability.
When I tested these shoes on steep and rocky terrain in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains, my feet and ankles appreciated this shoe's lightweight yet sturdy base. I stomped through 30 miles of rock gardens without rolling an ankle or pummeling my feet. You can tell La Sportiva designed this shoe for the toughest races on Earth. Its build translates to hiking.
My Prodigio Max weighs 12.5 ounces per shoe (men's size 12.5)
Weight
All things considered, the La Sportiva Prodigio Max is relatively light for such a cushy and protective trail running shoe. My pair weighs 1lb 9 oz in men's size 12.5. That's average for the trail runners I recommend for hikers and about 6-10 ounces less than most hiking shoes I recommend. Compared to my other pairs of max cushion trail running shoes, the Prodigio Max weighs 1 ounce more than the Salomon Thundercross and Salomon Ultra Glide 2, 1.6 ounces more than my HOKA Speedgoats, the same as my LOWA Fortuxes, and an ounce lighter than the Mammut Sertig II.
The Prodigio max isn't as narrow as most Sportivas
Fit
The La Sportiva Prodigio Max has a standard fit with more room in the toe box than most Sportivas. That extra width (by Sportivae standards) accommodates swollen feet on gnarly ultra runs—and gives hikers' toes a touch of wiggle room. At the same time, this shoe runs a little small.
If you typically run or hike in La Sportivas, the brand recommends sizing up an extra 1/2 size. If you have wider feet (like me), you may or may not get enough room by sizing up at least a full size from your everyday size. My everyday shoe size is a 45 Euro (11.5 U.S.), and I get a snug, performance fit in this shoe's size 46 (12.5 US). My big toe would be happier had I sized up further to a 46.5 (12.5+ US).
My feet felt comfortable on a half-day test hike in the Sandia Mountains
Comfort
The La Sportiva Prodigio Max has a distinctive feel that's simultaneously lightweight yet sturdy, firm yet cushy. Some hikers will find this unique build supremely comfortable, but it will be a bit much for others. You can certainly feel an extra something-something under your feet.
In the field, this shoe's thick soles kept my feet feeling fresh on both long hikes and tougher terrain. Those extra-thick midsoles do take the edge off rocks, cobbles, and uneven steps. Just keep in mind that the Prodigio Max features firmer cushioning than most max cushion trail runners, including the HOKA Speedgoat 6. It's more sturdy and responsive than soft and squishy.
Personally, I like that. But if you prefer plush cushioning, you won't confuse these soles with mini-mattresses. They're made to tackle gnarly terrain on masochistic trail runs.
Non-waterproof shoes wear cooler in New Mexico's high desert mountains
Weather Protection
Made for ultra-marathons, the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro is not waterproof. Water crossings, wet grass, and snow will soak your feet.
The upside is that these shoes wear cooler than most waterproof hiking shoes and trail runners. I just finished a 10-mile test hike in 90-degree temps without my feet cooking. Plus, these shoes should drain and dry reasonably quickly if they get swamped with sweat, rain, or snow.
Testing rock traction in a New Mexico slot canyon
Traction
Traction was yet another plus feature of the Prodigio Max. My test hikes ran the gamut from desert crust and slot canyons to scree slopes, slick rock, pine forests, and alpine scrub. This shoe handled all this terrain well—and particularly stood out on rocks. I scrambled up and down sandstone boulders in a slot canyon in the Jemez mountains, smooth granite boulders in Embudito canyon, and weathered granite boulders off Three Guns Springs without any slips, even on technical scrambles.
La Sportiva's FriXion rubber sticks to rock extremely well, and the moderately deep, horseshoe-shaped lugs handled steep gravel switchbacks well, too. This tread wouldn't be as good on mud. But the outsoles certainly impressed me on my mountain hikes across arid New Mexico.
The La Sportiva Prodigio Max provides mountain-ready performance
Value
With a MSRP of $185, the La Sportiva Prodigio Max is an expensive trail running shoe. For that money, though, you do get several standout features, including excellent support, foot protection, cushioning, and traction. This shoe also has a distinctive feel—with more support and cushioning than most trail shoes—that you won't find in another trail runnner. On the plus side, the Prodigio Max also costs $40 less than the Prodigio Pro.
It may be a good splurge. At the very least, this is one shoe that I'll keep coming back to well after I'm done reviewing it. You may find discounted prices at the links below:
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Men's La Sportiva Prodigio Max
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Women's La Sportiva Prodigio Max
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La Sportiva Prodigio Max: Pros & Cons
The key to buying hiking footwear is to choose a shoe that fits your feet and your hiking style. Here's a quick overview of the pros and cons of the La Sportiva Prodigio Max trail running shoe:
Should you buy the La Sportiva Prodigio Max?
The Prodigio Max may be made for ultra runners, but many ambitious hikers will be stoked to slip into this sturdy yet cushy trail running shoe with excellent traction for mountainous terrain. This shoe slays tough trails while protecting your feet with thick yet responsive nitrogen-infused foam midsoles and protective uppers that combine to give this shoe a unique feel. Some max cushion fans will want a softer, squishier trail runner, and the max cushion Prodigio may be too much shoe for the casual day hiker, too. But I'm a fan of the La Sportiva Prodigio Max—it's wider and cushier than other Sportivas I've tested and reviewed. If this shoe fits you well, it may provide prodigious performance, especially when you're hiking big miles on mountainous trails.
If you're not feeling the Prodigio Max, please browse my pro picks for the best trail running shoes for hikers or my other hiking shoe/trail running shoe reviews. But if you are feeling this new premium trail running shoe from La Sportiva, please purchase them through the click-button links in this post. That's free for you but does me a solid because Backcountry or REI will share a small percentage of the sale with Hiking Feet.
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Men's La Sportiva Prodigio Max
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Women's La Sportiva Prodigio Max
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