I’ve been looking for a shoe that bridges the gap between trail runner and boot; I thought I’d try the Crispi Attivas to see if they fill that gap.
What Crispi says, “The CRISPI® Attiva Mid shoes are ideal for the light and fast hunter who wants to stay nimble, mobile and agile during early season hunts”
Crispi Attiva
I’ll start with sizing, as that was definitely an issue. First, I ordered the Attiva in my normal size—11 (44.5) — but they were waaaaay too big. I then ordered a 10.5, and it was too big as well. Next, I ordered a 10 and it’s the right fit. I own three pairs of Crispi boots, all in size 11 and all fit great. I own a half-dozen La Sportiva Akashas, all in size 11, and they fit great. So these run a full size too large.
Size 10 and two size 11s
The Attivas do bridge the gap between trail runners and boots in terms of weight, but they are much closer to trail runners than boots. The Akashas weigh in at 12.8 oz, the Attivas at 14.8 oz, and the Thor IIs at 24.1 oz.
Crispi Attiva Construction
The Crispi Attiva’s uppers are constructed with predominantly suede uppers, with a little bit of synthetic. They do not have a Gore-Tex liner, which I think is the right choice for a shoe used in a warmer climate, as it breathes much better without the lining.
The outsole is a nice Vibram Litebase design, much more robust than a typical trail runner.
The midsole construction is very similar to that used in Crispi’s boots. The combination of outsole and midsole construction makes for a stiffer shoe than most trail runners but less stiff than most hunting boots.
Speed Lace System
The Attivas come with a speed lacing “system”, which frankly I don’t care for. The combination of the speed lace and the elastic sealed top makes it difficult to get the shoes on. I ditched the speed lace “system” for traditional laces, which helped. Unfortunately, I also found that the elastic, which continues into the tongue, doesn’t provide enough padding when the laces are tightened up.
My Use
I’ve racked up about 300 trail (and some off-trail) miles with the Crispi Attivas. I’ve worn them on my daily hikes, on several backpacking trips, and on a three-day antelope hunt in Eastern Montana.
Discussion
I think there is room for improvement for the Attivas. First, square away the sizing issue; you shouldn’t have to order a size 10 when you wear a size 11 in all of your footwear (including three pairs of Crispi boots!). Nix the speed-lace system; it’s not speedy, but it definitely gets in your way. Ditto on the elastic seal top and tongue. If you need protection from debris getting into your shoes, wear low gaiters, which do a better job. More padding in the tongue would be welcomed as well.
Not All Bad
On the plus side, it’s a relatively lightweight shoe that I think would be ideally suited for scouting and early-season hunts where you’re not expecting to pack out heavy loads (antelope, Coues deer, etc.) or for extremely rugged terrain.
I enjoyed them on my antelope hunt; they were light, didn’t get hot, and the suede lower portion of the shoe protected me from prickly pear.
The outsole is grippy and perfect for a shoe like this.
I used them on my preseason workouts, which involved a steep slope and a weighted pack. The trail I use for this workout is rocky, and the shoes were plenty comfortable and gripped great. This was even true with a 55 lb pack, which I know would overwhelm my trail runners.
So overall good, but not great.
Comment or ask Mike questions here.
*At the time of this writing, the Attiva Lows, which I’m reviewing here, are no longer on Crispi’s site (the Attiva Mid’s are, however), but there are still several retailers that still have them available. It’s possible that Crispi Attiva is not discontinued, but simply being revamped.
