La Sportiva Jackal, My Review: More Cushion, Same Confidence

La Sportiva Jackal vs Bushido: A review from an aging trail runner

Wider toe box, rock plate, and cushion—without losing trail feel. An alternative to the Bushido.

I’m 59. I don’t chase race calendars—aside from one Montana ultra at summer’s end. These days, I love heading out with my La Sportiva Jackals as I run for adventure and the joy of moving through places in an in‑touch, personal way. I’m not an expert with a competitive pedigree; I’m just another guy on the trail.

I originally started running trails in 2001 while living in Phoenix, there was a large mountain preserve a few blocks from my house that I loved exploring. Then I ran in my rode shoes until I discovered trail specific shoes from Solomon. A move to Minneapolis put me back on pavement 11 years ago and a move to The Black Hills. The love of exploring via running trail was reborn As I transitioned from city streets to trails, my “go‑fast” road shoes stopped cutting it. Ignorant of what I needed for the varying terrain, I picked up the Akasha for more cushion and protection.

I started running trails in 2001 in Phoenix, I loved exploring a mountain preserve a few blocks from home. Back then, I ran in road shoes until I discovered Salomon trail shoes. A move to Minneapolis put me back on pavement for about a decade; then we moved to The Black Hills and my rediscovery of the joy of running trails. As I transitioned from city streets to real mountain trails, my “go‑fast” road shoes wouldn’t cut it as earlier. I was older and the trails more rugged. Unsure what I needed for the varying terrain, I picked up the Akasha for more cushion and protection.

It provided comfort but felt disconnected from the ground, making it unstable on off-camber situations, loose descents, and technical sections. I did the research I should’ve done to start and chose the Bushido. It brought the structure, foot protection, and precision I wanted.

Bushidos have served well for years. Now, runs are longer, higher, and steeper. I’m getting older, pain is coming quicker, and injury is always a concern.

I considered options outside the La Sportiva lineup, but my track record with other brands hasn’t been great. I wanted a shoe that added protection for longer, rougher days without sacrificing meaningful trail feel. Given how consistently comfortable La Sportiva has been for me I stayed with the family.

Enter the Jackal

I’m finishing 3 weeks and over 25 hrs, 100 miles & 15k’ with the Jackal. All on trail, from high-stepping boulders, loose fast descents, technical off-camber and of course, that smooth flat velvet that is never long enough.

I’m really enjoying this shoe. It took a few miles to get used to and appreciate. At the trailhead, the start was a mix of wet dirt and I wasn’t sure if the ground was soft or it was the shoe. It’s quite a switch from the Bushido. That run was lower elevation, mostly soft dirt with rocks and roots. The shoe felt good underfoot and the wider toebox was nice. I stopped to lace my shoes a little tighter than in the Bushido.

My big test came in The Black Elk Wilderness. The hardest terrain most of us will ever run or speed hike on provided my 14 miles, 3000’ of climbing and a summit of Black Elk: steep scree, rocky ridges, high step boulders, and long fast uncertain descents. The Jackal feels like a practical compromise. It’s more forgiving under the ball of the foot than the Bushido: The shoe showed its benefit in the final hour. The wider, higher‑volume forefoot gives the toes room to splay, helping spread impact across the front of the foot instead of concentrating it into one area. Repeated hits that once would build to a sharp, bruise inducing crescendo felt more muted.

At the same time, in support of the Jackal not behaving like a soft, high‑stack shoe. The shoe performed well on the Bear Bu tte trail, a 1.5-mile trail to an 1,100’ summit. It’s an unrelenting combination of soft sand, sharp scree, tallis, and big boulders. Ground shape and camber are easy to read under foot, and the platform felt stable rather than wobbly on off‑camber sections and loose scree. I use this as a speed route, both ways, strength up and confidence down, taking it 2 or 3 times. The shoe was firm and direct, confident and stable like the Bushido. The thicker midsole, Infinitoo inserts, and full‑length rock plate cushion sharp rocks and spread impact across the foot and really came into play here.

My final take on the Jackal

Bottom line: The Jackal hits a solid middle ground if you want a forgiving shoe without losing trail feel. After three weeks and roughly 100 miles/15k’ on a solid variety of trail types and extremes, the shoe muted the late‑day sting while staying firm, direct, and stable on off‑camber sections and fast descents. The wider toe box lets your forefoot relax and spread impact over long hours, and while it needs a snug lace and a short adjustment period, it pays you back with predictable handling and enough ground feel to keep technique honest. For a regular runner pushing more hours and technical terrain with an aging body, it feels like a realistic daily tool rather than a niche ultra‑cushion experiment—and for me, the right next step beyond the Bushido.

For Those Who Want the Details

Stack and purpose: Bushido vs Aksha vs Jackal

Bushido II: About 19 mm heel / 13 mm forefoot, 6 mm drop—low stack, firm, very high trail feel but relatively harsh on long, rocky outings.
Jackal: Mid-20s heel / high-teens forefoot, ~7 mm drop—moderate cushion, aimed at long mountain runs with more protection but meaningful surface feedback.
Akasha / Akasha II: About 31 mm heel / 25 mm forefoot, 6 mm drop—high-cushion “Cushion Platform” midsole for comfort and shock absorption over long distances, with reduced ground feel.

Foot protection: what’s under your foot

Bushido II:
- Midsole: LaSpEVA over MEMlex EVA, tuned firm.
- Rock protection: Thin EVA rock guard focused under the forefoot, plus TPU shank / STB inserts in the midfoot.
- Outsole: Dual-density FriXion XT with pronounced lugs and strong toe bumper.
- Effect: excellent targeted protection under the metatarsals and toes, strong stability; limited foam and a forefoot-only plate mean more sharpness and repeated impacts under the ball of the foot.
Jackal:
- Midsole: Compression-molded EVA with Infinitoo polyurethane inserts in heel and forefoot.
- Rock protection: Full-length EVA rock plate / rock guard from heel to toe, sometimes noted alongside an internal high-density EVA “rock shield.”
- Outsole: FriXion XT with moderate lugs.
- Effect: continuous, global protection that spreads and softens impacts from sharp rocks, reducing “ice‑pick” sensations at the ball of the foot while keeping the overall trail shape readable.

Fit, toe box, and impact distribution

The Jackal has a wider, higher-volume last and is described as “wide for La Sportiva,” with a roomier, rounded toebox. The Bushido is described as narrow and snug, especially in the forefoot.

A wider forefoot allows natural toe splay, distributing landing forces across a broader area instead of concentrating them under a single metatarsal head. This extra room, paired with the thicker midsole and full‑length plate, lets the foot and platform deform over irregularities instead of locking the forefoot into a tight, rigid cradle, reducing localized stress and sharp “zingers” under the ball of the foot.

An aside: My take on those high stack running shoes

From a non‑elite perspective, it’s easy to assume that more cushioning means more comfort and fewer injuries. However, data and coaching experience suggest a more nuanced view. Studies on maximal cushion shoes indicate that very soft, high stack designs can increase leg stiffness and vertical impact loading, and can change how people land and load their joints. Coaches and clinicians also note that thick, soft midsoles can reduce ground feel, encourage overstriding, and let runners accumulate more distance with sloppier technique, which may increase injury risk higher up the leg and body.

For everyday runners, foot pain is often a signal that something—tissue capacity, training load, technique—is being pushed too hard. Masking that signal with more foam doesn’t remove the stress; it can shift it to the knees, hips, or back. That’s why a moderate‑cushion shoe like the Jackal is appealing: it offers enough protection for long, rough days while still providing enough feel to keep technique honest and the brain engaged with the trail.