La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX Trail Running Shoes
An in-depth review of a superior winter trail running shoe
August 25, 2025
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Our verdict
The La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX are the best waterproof trail running shoes we’ve worn. Many trail runners come in a waterproof version, but few feature a full-coverage integrated waterproof gaiter like these, making it a selling point for this shoe.
Thanks to the Cyklon Cross GTX, we could trail run five or more days a week during a very snowy January in Colorado. We tested both the men’s and women’s versions of the Cyklon and ran hundreds of miles on both trails and roads. We even climbed 14ers and snowshoed in these fully waterproof shoes. The waterproof gaiters kept our feet dry and warm even in temperatures near zero degrees fahrenheit. These shoes have transformed our winter and wet-weather trail running.
The BOA dial system is easy to operate with gloves or waterproof mittens, allowing you to quickly tighten or loosen the shoes as trail conditions change. The 7mm lugs combined with La Sportiva’s stickiest rubber outsole handle snow and mud with ease. We rarely felt the tread on these shoes wasn’t enough on its own, and only felt the need to add ice traction when running on smooth ice. The shoe that sits inside the integrated gaiter is very comfortable, too. Over many full days on rough trails, these shoes remained comfortable.
Given the price, the Cyklon Cross might not be worth it if you’re only running or hiking in the snow a few times a year. But if you’re a hardcore, foul-weather runner, they might be the winter trail runners you’ve been waiting for.
For more of our favorite trail running shoes, check out our Best Men’s Trail Running Shoes and Best Women’s Trail Running Shoes guides. If you’re gearing up for cold and snowy running weather, also have guides on How to Run in the Winter and Winter Running Gear Essentials.
La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX
Men's
Women's
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La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX Specifications
Price: $270
Weight (per shoe, men's and women's): 10.5 oz (women’s); 12.5 oz (men’s)
Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Stack height: forefoot 20mm; heel 28mm
Cushion level: Moderate
Support type: Medial and lateral stabilizer inserts
Upper materials: 2-way stretch mesh
Midsole foam type: Injection-molded EVA
Outsole material: FriXion XF 2.0 rubber
Rock plate: No
Available sizes and widths: 6-13.5 Men’s; 7-14.5 Women’s
Waterproofing: ePE GORE-TEX Extended Comfort with GORE-FLEX
Best for
Winter-weather technical runners and hikers; people with narrow feet.
Rugged, wintery terrain.
Medium to short runs.
Comparison table
| TRAIL RUNNING SHOE | WEIGHT MEN'S | WEIGHT WOMEN'S | CUSHION | HEEL DROP | STACK HEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX Men's Women's |
1 lb 9oz | 1 lb 5oz | Moderate | 8 mm | 20mm - 28mm |
| HOKA Speedgoat 6 Men's Women's |
9.8 oz | 8.2 oz | Maximum | 5 mm | 35 - 40 mm |
| Altra Lone Peak 8 Men's Women's |
10.7 oz | 9.15 oz | Moderate | 0 mm | 25 mm |
| Salomon Speedcross 6 Men's Women's |
10.5 oz | 9.2 oz | Moderate | 10 mm | 32 - 22 mm |
| La Sportiva Bushido III Men's Women's |
10.5 oz | 8.8 oz | Moderate | 6 mm | 13 - 19 mm |
What we liked
Integrated waterproof gatter
Excellent Traction
BOA dial lacing system
What could be better
Very expensive
La Sportiva sizing runs small
How we tested
We tested both men and women’s Cyklon shoes to get the full spectrum of how they perform, testing on both road, trail, and off-trail. Our testers ran hundreds of miles on trails, climbed 14ers, and snowshoed in these fully waterproof shoes. We ran and hiked in wintery landscapes, like the front range of Colorado and the Tahoe Basin on both trails and on residential streets and pathways.
Performance in the Field
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One of our only complaints about the Cyklon Cross GTX is that the sizing is finicky. We found the fit was best when ordering a size up from what we normally wear in trail runners. La Sportiva typically runs narrow and doesn’t offer a wide fit, so this can be challenging for those with wide feet and/or are used to roomier toe-boxes (like the HOKA Speedgoat 6 or the Altra Olympus 6). But overall, we found the snug fit of the shoe added to our feeling more solid on technical terrains, and didn’t experience any hotspots or discomfort.
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The Injection-molded EVA on the Cyklon makes for a responsive running experience, but due to its deep lugs, the energy return is not as high as other trail runners. For being completely waterproof, the Cyklon performs almost like a boot but without the losing range of motion in your foot and ankle. Even with its deep lugs and grippy outsole, we didn’t feel weighed down when running in the Cyklon’s, and felt able to sustain our normal (albeit slower) winter weather running pace.
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The 28mm stack height in the heel made for less impact when descending down steep trails. Despite losing some range of motion, we don’t mind the 8 mm drop from heel to toe. We found the Cyklon comfortable during medium runs and long wintery hikes. After wearing them for a season of running and hiking, our testers found the midsole still has plenty of support left.
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The 7mm lugs, FriXion XF 2.0 rubber outsole, and La Sportiva’s Impact Brake System made us feel extra secure over rugged terrain. Even on snowy, muddy trails, we never felt worried about slipping or losing balance over rough, winter surfaces, and only found it necessary to add traction devices on slippery ice. One of our testers reported that she now wears her Cyklons on mountain climbs she only could previously access with snowshoes (that’s how excellent the grip is!).
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Considering we only tested the Cyklon Cross GTX in winter (and wouldn't recommend wearing them outside of winter), we can’t speak to the breathability of the shoe in other seasons (although we have to imagine it wouldn’t be the best, given the waterproof gaiter). But the waterproof features—the gaiter uppers constructed from water-repellent and highly abrasion-resistant 2-way stretch mesh, and the waterproof ePE GORE-TEX membrane—helped keep our feet not only dry, but warm. The durability and temperature regulating features of the upper make it a great choice for runners whose feet get cold easily in winter conditions.
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With its 8mm heel-to-toe drop, the Cyklon offers great support for folks with high arches. Because of the narrow design, we found our feet felt secure in the shoe, and did not slip in and out of the heel cup. The lug design helped in stabilizing our foot with each step or strike, preventing us from wobbling or rolling or ankles on snowy trails.
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The weight of the Cyklon Cross GTX (1 lb 5 oz per pair) is fairly average for a technical trail running shoe, and we didn’t find it cumbersome on runs or long hikes. Since this shoe is designed for winter, we didn’t test it doing longer trail runs in sunny weather, so it’s hard to say how we’d like it compared to lighter, more breathable trail running shoes. But given that people usually run fewer miles in the winter, we found that these didn’t feel heavy on a slower, shorter snowy run.
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One of our testers has owned her pair of Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX for three seasons, and they’re still going strong! Another tester has worn his Cyklon pair for over 200 miles running and hiking, and the outsoles and lugs still look brand new. After three winters of trail running and hiking, the midsole still has life left and the traction and grip on the rubber is still good. These are well constructed shoes that (depending on how many miles you run in the winter) might last you multiple seasons.
We try to avoid running directly on cement in these, so we don’t wear out the beautiful lugs.
Features
Drop measurement and impact
The Cyklon Cross GTX has an 8mm drop, which is on the higher end for a trail running shoe. This encourages striking with the whole foot, rather than just the midsole and forefoot, like a low-zero drop does. Since this shoe is designed for wintery, rugged terrain, we found the higher drop helped distribute impact nicely throughout the whole foot.
Stack height philosophy
The stack height on the Cyklon Cross GTX is 28 mm on the heel and 20 mm at the toe. They use an Injection-molded EVA foam for the cushioning, and we found this to provide plenty of comfort on our hikes and runs, but making for a less responsive experience compared to other trail runners.
Lacing system
The Cyklon Cross GTX has a BOA micro-adjustable dial on the outside of the full-coverage gaiter, making for easy lace adjustments on the go. When you zip down the gaiter, you’ll see the tongue and lightweight cable laces and low friction laceguides, but the lace system is hidden when the gaiter is zipped up. This makes for a sleek look and keeps the laces (and inside of your shoe) dry.
Heel tab design
Because of the full-coverage gaiter, the heel tab is at the top of the gaiter, more like a boot.
Reflective elements
There are no reflective elements on the shoe, which is unfortunate because wintery days are darkest. See our guide to Best Reflective Gear for Running in the Dark for accessories you can add to be seen.
Colorway options
There is only one color option for the Cyklon Cross GTX— Black for men’s and black/iceberg for women.
Similar products
Since the Cyklon Cross GTX is a pretty niche running shoe (a reason we like it) there are few products to compare it to. But here are a couple good contenders.
HOKA Speedgoat 6 Mid GTX
Sizes available: 5 - 15 (men’s), 5 - 12 (women’s)
Widths available: regular, wide
Heel Drop: 5 mm
Stack height: 38 mm heel, 33 mm forefoot
Lug depth: 5 mm
Weight: 1 lb. 6.8 oz (men’s), 1 lb 3.6 oz (women’s)
Cushioning: Balanced
The HOKA Speedgoat 6 GTX Mid is a good option for a winter trail running shoe if you’re looking for something less technical than the Cyklon and at a better price. While the Speedgoat 6 GTX Mid doesn’t have a full coverage gaiter like the Cyklon, they still have a Velcro, mid-coverage, waterproof GORTEX collar to provide protection against splashing water, snow, and slush on winter runs. To get the same protection, you'll want to add a winter gaiter.
The Speedgoat 6 Mid GTX are a slightly lighter shoe than the Cyklon with shorter lugs (at 5 mm), and offer the responsive, cushioned ride that HOKA is known for. Check out our in-depth review of the HOKA Speedgoat 6 to get a vibe on the Mid GTX waterproof version.
HOKA Speedgoat 6 Mid GTX
Men's
Women's
Sizes available: 4.5 - 14 (men’s), 5.5 - 15 (women’s)
Widths available: N/A
Heel Drop: 4 mm
Lug depth: 5 mm; carbide tipped spikes
Weight: 1 lb. 6.8 oz (men’s), 1 lb 3.6 oz (women’s)
Cushioning: Maximal
With its full-coverage protective-gaiter, Quicklace system, and deep lugs, featuring Salomon’s All Terrain Contagrip in addition to carbide tipped spikes on the sole lugs for extra grip on icy surfaces, the Cross Winter Spike is the the biggest competitor for the Cyklon. At a similar price ($250 compared to $270), the major difference seems to be the Cyklon’s waterproof gaiter. We’re hoping to test out the Salomon Winter Cross Spike soon to see how it performs!
Salomon Winter Cross Spike
Who should buy this
Buy if you're a die-hard winter runner or hiker who spends time in cold, mountainous landscapes. This is a useful option for people who access mountain trails in the winter, particularly those who have narrow feet and high arches.
Skip if you only go running or hike on trails a few times in the winter. Also, if you don’t have it in your budget, and would rather save money wearing your favorite running shoes with traction devices. (Check out our review on “Best Traction Devices of 2025”)
Where to buy
The Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX trail running shoes are becoming increasingly popular, so you have options when it comes to retailers. Here are some of the pros of the retailers.
REI
Pros: 100% satisfaction policy for 1 year; 10% dividend for members.
Amazon
Pros: Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime membership
Why you should trust us / About the Authors
Our team of testers are a range of athletes, runners, and hikers based in Colorado and California.
Sam Schild is a thru-hiker, runner, cyclist, and mountain athlete based in Colorado. He’s been a runner since he was a child when he ran five days a week as cardiovascular training for soccer. As he grew older, he stopped playing team sports and focused on running and cycling.
Sam regularly runs five days or more per week. He has completed countless ultra-distance, self-supported trail runs on trails throughout the American Southwest. He has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Appalachian Trail, Arizona Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, and the Colorado Trail twice, always in running shoes.
You can read more about Sam on his author page or his website.
Becca Downs ran D1 cross country and track for Indiana University—Purdue University of Indianapolis (IUPUI) and continued racing everything from elite miles to an ultramarathon in her post-collegiate years. She earned a USATF Level 1 certification and coached boys and girls high school cross country and track in Indianapolis for four years. Becca then joined the IUPUI women’s distance coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach in 2020-2021.
She geeks out on trail running, track and field, and cries every time she watches a marathon (they’re just so beautiful!).
After notching a few small FKTs under her belt, she was diagnosed with hip arthritis and now channels her passion for running into coaching, crewing, writing, creating training plans for her friends, hiking, snowshoeing, and running as much as her hip allows. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the Mile-High MFA Program at Regis University. Becca is based in Denver, Colorado.
Find Becca at her website, on Instagram, and at her Treeline Review author page.
Sara “Socks” Kruglinski, who contributing testing notes to this review, is an artist and overall gear nerd based out of Tahoe. She has been a backpacker for over 20 years and with her dogs for the last 10 years. Sara wears La Sportiva Cyklon as their go-to winter shoe for runs and climbs in Tahoe, and wishes the La Sportiva had made the Cyklon Cross GTX 15 years ago when they first started winter running!
