Looking for New Boot Feedback

The time has come for me to retire my old Salomon boots. I've had them for 6 years. They've been very faithful to me, but the last two monsoon seasons have produced a stink like a Yeti making a grunt sculpture. So I'm looking for feedback. I'm old style and like the leather feel and high top. I've been looking at these:

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/scarpa/sl-m3/

But seeing that I have no experience with the brand I would also like to consider any that you have had good experiences with.

Many, many thanks! This is a major purchase for me and I've got time to think it over. I hate putting the old ones in semi-retirement (now relegated to trailwork) but buying new ones is a major rush too.

I have these boots and like them a lot. I am a big fan of Scarpa and have worn various models for over a decade. I prefer Scarpa's leather models as I go through the mesh ones in about 18 months. I also prefer over-the-ankle boots as I tend to roll my ankles a lot due to clumsiness and fatigue.

They are very secure around the Achilles tendon, provide great traction especially on rock, and to me feel flexible without too much "give." I can wedge them into cracks and use just the toe on boosts (something I felt uncomfortable doing with Asolos).

However, they are very hot. Very very hot. So hot I haven't worn them since April, opting for below the ankle Merrells instead. I find Scarpas tend to be narrow as well, so I had to special order an extra wide size to get enough room in the toe box. I also replaced their rather thin insoles, which meant going for a larger-than-expected size.

One last thing: they are beautifully crafted, but you have to apply polish and wax liberally.

Oh yeah, I think I paid around $170-180 at Tent and Trails in NYC.

Thanks Dan! When you say 'wax", what are you referring to?

Fisher Cat said:

Thanks Dan! When you say 'wax", what are you referring to?

Click to expand...

I am so clumsy I tend to scuff the toe leather. I put polish on the boot, let it sit a day or so, then try to seal it on with Sno-Seal. I guess any beeswax solution would do the same.

I own these boots, and I love them. I'm not sure love is too strong a word, either. I have had them for over a year, and they are still in great shape!

I got a pair of Scarpa boots in '94 that were the ancestor of this boot, and I still wear them for trailwork and outside work around the house!

They fit well on me. My heel doesn't slip, my toes don't slide forward. My feet feet great after a long hike. I can't possibly say enough about how much I like these boots.

I clean them with a stiff brush after each hike, and reapply Nikwax Aqueous Wax. I like the aqueous wax because it doesn't soften the leather. I think my first boots would have lasted longer except they softened up considerably, which I believe I may have contributed to by using Mink Oil, and similar products.

Hope this helps.

They look pretty similar in design and construction to my Asolo's, which I love. I've found that with hiking boots, (for me personally) it's best to have as much solid leather as possible- they'll last a lot longer and stay waterproof better that way.

I used to use LLBean boots that were very breathable but were made of many different pieces of fabric sewn together. They didn't last very long at all, the seams would always start to come undone after a few months.