Origin
The story of La Sportiva begins in 1928, deep in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. The foundation of this brand was laid by Narciso Delladio. He started as a shoemaker in the villages of Tesero and Ziano di Fiemme. He handcrafted sturdy leather boots and wooden clogs for the local population, particularly for loggers and farmers who needed robust footwear for hard work in the mountains. During the Second World War, Delladio supplied custom-made mountain boots to the Italian army. After the war, demand for his high-quality footwear grew, leading him to hire staff and become known far beyond the valleys under the name "Calzoleria Sportiva" (literally translated as Sporty Shoemaking).
In the 1950s, Narciso's son, Francesco, began producing ski boots and the brand name was officially changed to the current La Sportiva. A crucial moment was the shift to the emerging sport climbing market in the 1980s, establishing the brand's status as a global innovation leader in technical climbing shoes. Today, after more than 90 years, La Sportiva remains a family-owned company, now led by the fourth generation of the Delladio family.
Collection
At Twinseasons, you will find trail running shoes and hiking shoes from La Sportiva. In these products, you can clearly recognize the company's heritage. A characteristic of the Dolomites is the rocky and mountainous terrain. Compared to other well-known footwear brands such as Lowa or Hanwag, La Sportiva's shoes are more focused on this specific terrain. Their soles are optimized for it, and the shoes offer more protection against loose, sharp stones. Consequently, La Sportiva officially calls its trail running line "Mountain Running" to emphasize the focus on technical, alpine terrain. La Sportiva generally offers a slightly narrower, "athletic" fit that provides more control in this environment.
Technologies and innovations
La Sportiva is known for applying techniques from technical mountaineering to their hiking and trail running collections. This results in shoes that excel in grip, stability, and breathability on technical terrain. Below is a selection of some technologies and innovations you can find in the brand's footwear:
- FriXion® Rubber Compounds: instead of a single type of rubber, La Sportiva uses various FriXion blends (such as White, Red, Blue), each with a specific balance between grip and durability for different surfaces.
- Impact Brake System (IBS): the lugs on the sole are positioned at a specific angle. According to La Sportiva, this provides 20% more shock absorption and better grip during descents, as more lugs make contact with the ground.
- 3D Flex System (EVO): this system at the ankle allows for natural freedom of movement of the joint without losing the necessary lateral support. This is highly beneficial for stability on uneven terrain.
- P3 System (Permanent Power Platform): although originally designed for climbing shoes, this concept is also used to maintain the shape of the shoe over time, ensuring that performance does not decline after extensive use.
Sustainability
At La Sportiva, sustainability is deeply rooted in their identity, partly due to their location in the UNESCO World Heritage area: the Dolomites. Their policy rests on three pillars: repairability, responsible production, and the use of recycled materials. Instead of throwing away a worn-out shoe, La Sportiva encourages resoling. They have a network of authorized resolers who use original spare parts (such as Vibram soles) to give mountain and climbing shoes a second life.
La Sportiva has been a registered Bluesign System Partner since 2012. This means their entire textile supply chain is audited for the use of harmful substances, water consumption, and safe working conditions. Additionally, many of their laces, meshes, and linings in their trail running and hiking segments are certified as recycled materials.
La Sportiva Store
In the Netherlands, Twinseasons is an official La Sportiva dealer with a physical store and a diverse range in the webshop. Shop in our La Sportiva store and experience the durability and high quality of La Sportiva products.
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