La Sportiva Prodigio Pro Review

The La Sportiva Prodigio Pro is the best running shoe La Sportiva has made so far. Prioritizing technical support without sacrificing super shoe gains, this shoe provides energy transfer that other La Sportivas don't. Its nitrogen-infused foam provides a springy cushion while the seamless knit upper ensures a secure fit on technical terrain.

Comfort and Fit

The upper fit of the Prodigio Pro is excellent, although those with high-volume feet may find the knit upper a bit tight. It has some extra width in the toe box, but its length runs slightly shorter than most shoes. For most people, we think you'll find the fit of the Prodigio Pro to be excellent, and its breathability is better than other La Sportiva shoes. And while the shoe is great, we actually think its standout feature is its fit and upper comfort. One complaint I've had with other super shoes in our lineup is that the fit is subpar.

Receiving high marks for its comfort is the midsole. The nitrogen-infused foam is lively, responsive, and feels great when paired with the excellent upper. Its stack and drop make it workable on more technical terrain, with similar confidence to the Hoka Tecton X 3. Because the model doesn't have a carbon plate, we found it much softener than other super shoes. While the energy return is still there, the foam feels softer and without a firm stopping point.

Traction

We were big fans of the tread pattern on the original Prodigio, so we were glad to see a similar design here. Our in-house lab team measured these at 3.8 mm, providing good all-around trail use. These flatter lugs bite but still feel great on buffed track and roads, where they excel the most. Experienced runners should find more than enough grip even on the most technical terrain. Sporting the stickiest Frixon XF 2.0 rubber, you can expect great traction even when smearing or tackling rocky ridgelines.

While less durable than some of the other Sportiva rubbers, we have yet to see much wear, even with nearly 100 miles of on-trail and road use.

The Prodigio Pro excels in most dry conditions and works just fine across firm wet surfaces. In mud, I'd opt for something with greater lug spacing and depth.

Stability

When I first put on the Prodigio Pro, I was super excited about its comfortable, secure fit. My main question was, how would they perform on technical terrain? Most super shoes don't offer the connection I desire, but if speed is your priority, sometimes that level of connection is worth sacrificing. Impressively, the Prodigio Pro is among the best on technical terrain. Quick changes in foot direction and cornering felt more stable. At times, though, the soft inside edge of the midsole worked against me in truly tough situations.

Those who want to run long-distance ultras over moderate terrain should definitely consider this shoe. Its comfortable foam is both supportive and forgiving, making it an excellent companion when fatigue sets in. And even with the softer foam, the forefoot platform provides good structure to the ankles, knees, and hips. For those who like a more rigid platform, we'd recommend a carbon plate.

Foot Protection

There is plenty of stack (29 mm under the heel) to prevent foot fatigue due to ground conditions. The Prodigio Pro protects against a wide variety of terrain types, and I never experienced rock impacts that felt jarring or painful.

The PES Power Wire upper is supple but durable, and an ultra-welded toe cap helps protect against accidental bumps. With no carbon plate, the Prodigio Pro feels softer than the carbon competition. We'd recommend this most for rolling to steep terrain that is rocky but runnable.

Weight

The Prodigio Pro feels fast, and at 9.79 oz per shoe (men's US size 10), this is one of the quickest shoes we've tested. Few other shoes pack this much performance and energy transfer into such a lightweight package.

This made fast turnover feel efficient and lively. The lightweight nature also helped make technical terrain feel more confident, allowing for hopping and bounding without that bogged-down feeling.

Sensitivity

It's clear that Sportiva wanted to make a shoe that was lively but capable. With a measured forefoot stack of 24 mm and heel stack of 29 mm, the 5 mm heel-toe drop of the Prodigio Pro is one of the smallest in the lineup of super shoes. My main complaint with the sensitivity of that Prodigio is that its reduced rocker and soft foam made the shoe feel slightly vague at times. On more moderate terrain, my foot strike and stride never really felt like it could settle in, but I feel this way with most 'super shoes'. On technical terrain, the soft inside edge often felt unnecessary as I couldn't fully take advantage of the energy transfer due to the terrain and stride length.

That aside, I really like the Prodigio Pro, and I'm hoping, as with most La Sportivas, that the break-in period is extended. I'm excited to revisit this shoe once I get into the 200-mile mark and see how the foam has held up — I'm anticipating that this is the type of shoe that gets better with age. We'd recommend this for a wide range of distances from your 10+ miler all the way up to the 100-mile distance.

Should You Buy the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro?

We recommend Prodigio Pro for experienced runners who desire a cushion that is both responsive and comfortable. Sportiva's traction design makes this usable for many different terrain types, from road to technical trail. It will excel best in the middle ground, offering consistent turnover — but starts to become harder to control the faster you push it in technical terrain. It's a great option as a crossover model — it's perfect for long runs on variable terrain, or for a race day when your legs are focused and ready to fire.

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