Looking for Double Boot Advice

Biscuit - what size do you wear? I have a pair of Vasque Super Alpinistas - i will have to ck size but probably an 8. Have a pair of Black Diamond Sabertooth crampons that fit them for sale too. The boots are in really great shape & the liner doesn't even look used! Leb me know if interested. I also have a men's pair of Merrell Winterras for sale - super warm either a 7.5 or 8.

shadowcat said:

Biscuit - what size do you wear? I have a pair of Vasque Super Alpinistas - i will have to ck size but probably an 8. Have a pair of Black Diamond Sabertooth crampons that fit them for sale too. The boots are in really great shape & the liner doesn't even look used! Leb me know if interested. I also have a men's pair of Merrell Winterras for sale - super warm either a 7.5 or 8.

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47 47.5 (13's US). Thanks for the thoght tho

BISCUT said:

47 47.5 (13's US). Thanks for the thoght tho

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Size 13!!!! Maybe everyone's looking for Bigfoot in the wrong places!

sierra said:

Size 13!!!! Maybe everyone's looking for Bigfoot in the wrong places!

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Plenty of us around here are 13's in winter boots. I'm normally 12, add proper winter socks it's 12.5, oh you can't get half-sizes above 12 and boom, 13!

peakbagger said:

...I need to go two sizes larger and then my toes are a couple of inches back from the front points.

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Unless you're spending lots of time on very steep pitches, that consideration rates a distant third to the boots' comfort and warmth, as you likely already have concluded for yourself.

My own sizing issue is the exact opposite: a boot that matches the length of my narrow foot will usually be too voluminous. My standard remedy for this is to compensate by bumping up the footbed thickness. So theoretically I'm armed for front point bear on sustained steeps - but in truth, I'd still be at a calf strength deficit in the absence of a more aggressive calf exercise regimen...

I'm a freak bro. 5 10 with legit 13 and hands are 2 wide as well. Was great when I was younger and sports were big for me. Not the same now! My Nepals 47.5 with Smartwool PHD are a just right fit. I can only laugh with ya! And I have yet to seek crampon advice. I'm still using Grivel G2 for basic walkin and hiking. They are for sure stretched to the max to fit the Nepals.

I do want to add, there is a boot fitting science for sure! Some of us larger and smaller size guys are at a loss, or should that be us larger volume and smaller volume, or wait, what about.....feet are not that different yet fitting them is sooooo far from any norm.

Perhaps you may want to consider a boot that is not as warm as plastics, but supplemented with a crampon compatible overshoe.

See www.40below.com

Remix said:

Perhaps you may want to consider a boot that is not as warm as plastics, but supplemented with a crampon compatible overshoe.

See www.40below.com

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Very cool. Had no idea they made such a thing. Can you literally hike in these all day or is this an around-camp type of thing?

Remix said:

Perhaps you may want to consider a boot that is not as warm as plastics, but supplemented with a crampon compatible overshoe.

See www.40below.com

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Overboots generally have a smooth sole and generally must be used with crampons or snowshoes. They are pretty much overkill in the NE if one has adequate boots--I don't recall ever seeing them in use here in the NE.

Supergaiters are often a good middle ground. (You can think of them as insulated gaiters that come down to the boot rand.) They generally have a wire which tightens down around the boot rand and can only be used with rigid-sole boots.

Doug

Edit: changed "Insulated overboots" to "Supergaiters".

DougPaul said:

Insulated overboots are often a good middle ground. (You can think of them as insulated gaiters that come down to the boot rand.) They generally have a wire which tightens down around the boot rand and can only be used with rigid-sole boots.

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Are you talking of supergaiters? These (also by 40 Below) glue on to the rand and are permanently attached, but won't interfere with the sole.

David Metsky said:

Are you talking of supergaiters? These (also by 40 Below) glue on to the rand and are permanently attached, but won't interfere with the sole.

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Oops--I meant to say supergaiters. Fixed. Thanks.

Mine have a wire (used on a rigid-sole boot)--other versions use glue or tacks. They are susceptible to coming off the toes of flexible boots--perhaps glue or tacks are better in this regard.

I can think of both advantages and disadvantages of glue/tacks over wires.

Doug

David Metsky said:

Are you talking of supergaiters? These (also by 40 Below) glue on to the rand and are permanently attached, but won't interfere with the sole.

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I dont have a pair but I have read that (klister?) wax instead of glue can be used....making the combination semi permanent. IIRC, the source was a military training manual.

DougPaul said:

Overboots generally have a smooth sole and generally must be used with crampons or snowshoes

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1. Neos overshoes dont work well with crampons.
2. Performance of a boot which is marginal in certain conditions can be improved with an overshoe or super gaitor

I have a pair of the supergaiters that use a rubber rand with cutouts for the heel and front of the boot. The rubber is pulled up over the boot and stretches tightly around the boot rand. A nice concept that worked great initially but I found that the rubber got torn on rocks after a few trips and the Ragged Mountain cost to replace the rubber was just about what the supergaiters cost. When I frequented the IME consignment rack, I used to see a fair share of rubber randed gaiter with the rubber cut back and glued to the boots.

Check out www.fortybelow.com.

I used supergaitors when I ice-climbed because water flow was an issue and the Supergaitors basically kept my boots bone dry. They did add some warmth as well. Mine had the rand that you just pulled down over the boot. Occasionally it would be forced up by snow, but I resisted using to glue to hold it down. When I had my crampons on, which was most of the time thuis issue was moot.