Mountaineering boots!

[MountainMan]

I'm looking for help on picking out a mountaineering boot. I normally get regular hiking boots but since my job requires I hike 5 days a week and I cover on 10miles/day on average in the summer they last about 5 months and than the soles are shot and it hurts my knees and feet to wear them. I want to do some winter hiking with crampons and all and I was suggested that since I wear my boots out so fast I should just get a mountaineering boot. I was looking at the La Sportiva's and really like them. Any suggestion on other brands or this one. Also, where in the Catskill area can I get La Sportiva's at a reasonable price?

 

[shadowcat]

Mountaineering Boots

i know that garmont outfits a lot of their trail workers in the n.e. in their GARMONT PINNACLE boot. it is crampon compatible but a slightly lower boot. these are very stiff and are made to take heavy loads and handle the abuse. you should be able to find on sale too. they ran about $230 off the shelf but i have seen them on sale for as little as $59. lasportiva also makes many great boots. keep in mind that they are sized euro sizing and i have found they tend to run narrow and small. it took me about 5 tries to get into the right size. some of their more popular styles are the GLACIER and the makalu. the glacier looks exactly like the makalu but is a bit lighter and very comfortable. you could wear them yr round unless it got really frigid in which case maybe an insulated gaitor or overboot mite come in handy.
it is hard to find good deals around here (i live in albany - but i know there aren't a lot of choice down around the catskills either). i don't mean to take away from local business but i have found the best prices on the net. in albany i can recommend: albany mountain gear if you are up this way. now is a good time as there were many good mountaineering styles just recently on sale for over 1/2 off. for the winter there's some good heavy duty mountaineering boots such as the salomon pro thermic (ck sierra trading post: on sale for $179 /reg $400). they also have the lasportiva EIGER, a 3-season boot and the LHOTSE, winter boot for 1/2 off. scarpa makes a good boot as does salomon, VASQUE ALPINE/ SUPER ALPINIST, asolo titan, the MERRELL HIGH CASCADE is good heavy duty boot - ck out onlineshoes.com. LOWA has some really nice boots too: the ALPINE GUIDE (3-season/year round) & the MONTAFON (Winter) .there's a lot off good ones out there. the hardest part is finding a pr that fit you, your tastes and your price range. actually the fun part is surfing for the best prices. ck out places like: sierratradingpost.com, mountaingear.com, Altrec, etc. or if you have a boot in mind just do a search on it and see what kind of pricing you find. good luck!

 

[giggy]

I can recomend Montrail Morraines becuase I have them and love them for summer to winter. They are actually closeouts now - but this happened recently - the tannery in boston was sellling them for 49 bucks 2 weeks ago. If you look - I bet you can find a pair real cheap.

 

[Cloudsplitter]

La Sportiva boots rock

I have had three different mountaineering boot selections from La Sportiva in the past ( the K3- no longer available, the Nepal Extreme- more suited to vertical ice, and the Makalu- the pair that I'd recommend for you), and I have been very impressed with each in their respective performance niches. I wore the Makalus for many extended trips in warmer weather with moderately heavy packs (25-40 lbs), and they provided great support and durability. I also used them on a few winter trips, and they proved to be stiff enough to handle moderately steep snow and ice for general mountaineering, but I wouldn't climb steep ice in them.
A few words of warning for you before choosing any boot:
*Shopping online is very convenient and probably the easiest way to get great prices on some products, but it is imperative that when buying a more technical mountaineering boot (or any boot for that matter) you take time to go into a shop and get properly fitted in the boot first. A good shop should measure your feet, match boots to your foot volume, length, width, and foot spread, and will be patient with you as you try them on a boot ramp and walk in them.
*Although I recommend the Makalus, they may not work for you. The Maks are a narrow to med width boot with a relatively low volume (good for my long skinny feet). If your feet are wide or high volume, you may want to consider Limmer, Garmont, Vasque, or Asolo. Buy boots for fit and comfort above all other factors, and your feet will thank you.
Happy hunting!
-C

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

I have no idea about the boots. But the real question here is:

What job do you have that REQUIRES you hike 5 days a week?

 

[sierra]

boots

Ive been hiking in Makalus for 6 yrs now, they are rugged and last, I wouldnt switch from them for anything summer wise. This winter, im using the lasportiva Lhoste, man does that boot rock. Took 4 long hikes to break in and they are very comfortable, take step ion crampons very well and are warm. I am in colorado and the coldest Ive seen is about zero, so IM not sure about sub-zero of the Whites.
My advice is to get the boot that fits, that does what you need and pay whatever it cost to get that boot. Many people are tempted to buy boots that are on sale, big mistake, espechally considering how often you will use them. Im in mine 3 to 4 days a week, IM not scimping, I paid 300 bucks, worth every penny. ONe thing though get the new model, they are black, the grey model has a defect on the side of the boot, that will rip for sure. I had to return my first pair because of that, dont buy the old pair on sale they will fail you.

 

[rangermatt]

limmers!

i have the same issue. im a wilderness ranger in the whites and hammer on my boots in the same fashion, ive had good luck with limmer standards, kind of pricey but worth it, you get what you pay for, a bit of a narrow fit but it works for me, ens they are fully resoleable

 

[Pete_Hickey]

But the real question here is:

What job do you have that REQUIRES you hike 5 days a week?

My son, JR has a job that fits this. He works with the ADK on their pro trail-crew. 5 days a week in the woods, walking, working, sleeping in a tent. I'm sure there are other jobs as well.

 

[shadowcat]

Many people are tempted to buy boots that are on sale, big mistake

why is buying boots on sale a big mistake? you buy lhotse for $300 - you can now get them on sale 1/2 off is that a mistake? same with the makalu and glacier - all on sale. heck the glacier you can get for around $50! but you probably just meant don't buy a boot strictly bec it's on sale? i strongly recommend looking for quality boots on sale. there is no reason to pay $300 for boots none. there are always deals out there and there's nothing wrong w/ buying last yrs model to save a few bucks. i don't know about anyone else but i don't have money to burn. as far as lhotse problem goes if you run into any problem w/ a boot of course ret but i doubt the whole line is defective! one good thing about sierra anyway is they take anything back - and i mean anything.
here's some examples i found and had posted on another thread: (there's a mixture here of styles)

asolo afs 800 - 400 / sale 199
asolo afs ottomilla - 200 / sale 240
salomon expert - 250/ sale 160
salomon pro thermic -390/ sale 180
lasportiva eiger 275/sale 129
lasportiva lhotse 325/ sale 169
asolo afs guida 350/ sale 90
lowa montafon 300 /sale 195


montrail morraine 260 / sale 99
asolo mtf 500v 200/ sale 120
lowa alpine guide 230/ sale 99 (i have these and love them!)
lasportiva glacier 223 / sale 80 (*more comfortable version of the Makalu AWESOME BOOT)
asolo mtf 650 210 / 126

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Fit most important

Just remember, that the most important thing is that it fits you. Others have mentioned it, but IMHO, it is the absolute MOST important.

Now, do you go to a local shop, try on the boots, then buy them over the net at a better price? Kind of tacky IMO. It is also the kind of thing that helps kill the smaller local shops.

When shopping there, you are paying for expertise/advice/skills of the salesperson, not just the product.

A good bootfitter, can be worth the additional cost.


Now, once you know that XXXXXX bots fit you perfectly, make subsequent purchases over the net to get the great prices... Buy your next pair before your current pair wears out if you see a great price, but make sure you get a good boot fitter for the first ones.

 

[Michael M]

La Sportiva boots rock

M-man

Sportivas are the boot and I would highly recommend the Nepal Extremes, for winter and high mountain summer use. They are not as warm as doubles but are lighter and more comfy; they also are fairly nimble on rock and ice. They are narrow. I use an OR foam lined gaiter for the 20 to 40 below times and have been OK

Michael

 

[bruno]

i have the same issue. im a wilderness ranger in the whites and hammer on my boots in the same fashion, ive had good luck with limmer standards, kind of pricey but worth it, you get what you pay for, a bit of a narrow fit but it works for me, ens they are fully resoleable

i agree with rangermatt. the black limmers are worth it. well worth it. i have a pair of the lightweight ones too and they also are worth it. i generally use the light ones when it's less rocky. but boy howdy do i love 'em. like a son i do!!

 

[BrentD22]

Boots a personal prefrence...

For me double plastic boots are the last thing I would ever want to wear again. I rented the boots wore them around the store and decided to give them a try. Parked at the Lowe's Path Store and started up Lowe's Path. I got to the historic Lowe's Path sign and turned back to put back on my trusty leather alico aspen boots. I slept at Gray Knob and yes my boots where cold in the morning, even a little frozen. It took an hour of so for them to warm up a little, but it was better than never making it at all if I wore the plastic boots. I know other love the boots, but not me. I just purchased Merrel Winterra's. I have not used them in the backcountry yet, but I will be later this month. I will post a report on how they did.

I also purchased some Merrel low cut trail runners that I am going to experiment with this summer.

 

[sierra]

sale boots

shadowcat, I think you missed my point, let me clarify, I wouldnt buy boots solely (pun) because they are on sale, peticuliarly in the Lohste's case the old Lohste has a serious defect that at even half the price would be a mistake to buy, the new models are fine ( I own them). Now if someone finds a sale boot that fits and meets there use requierments then by all means have at it.

 

[rangermatt]

personal preference

im a big fan of the limmers, both lightweight and standard, ive put many miles and much more backcountry abuse on them and they keep coming back for more, but while i hike i traditional waffle stompers one of my fellow rangers hikes all season in low cut trail shoes,over the same terrain, he has strong ankles i guess, but he also goes through two pairs a season, me id rather have one pair of boots that would last for years.

 

[Jay H]

Looking at Sportiva's website:

http://www.sportiva.com/dealers/dealers.php?id=NY

Looks like there is a shop in Gardner, a little south of the high peaks region and a bunch in Albany...

Can't vouch for the prices, might as well call them first.

Jay

 

[shadowcat]

boots - sales - shopping local

sierra: i figured that's what you meant, which is why i said "but you probably just meant don't buy a boot strictly bec it's on sale? "
also; i think someone mentioned the web sales vs local. please check out the mountianeer's website. i believe they have a few lines on sale right now and also here in albany there's albany mountain gear. altho a small store and still fairly new so big sales are a bit more difficult for him; in all fairness it's worth stopping in and talking to him to see what he has to offer.