What about mountaineering boots and shoes

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What about boots and shoes?

From an email I received in 2000: I have a question about boots. Do you think that it is best to get plastic boots with step-ins for around here, leather boots that are crampon compatible, or do you need 2-3 kinds of boots? What is your recommendation? I would love to get info on this one.

1. The best strong boots for the long dry approaches and snow climbs on the Oregon Cascades volcanoes are the La Sportiva Makalu.
They are snap-on crampon compatible, are lighter than plastic, won't get wet (really) and you can hike in them for miles (once broken in a bit and the right fit). They are sold almost every where including Mountain Supply and Redpoint in Bend, Oregon.

These Italian made La Sportiva boots are crafted of leather tanned with a process that prevents the leather from absorbing water. Forget the lore about covering your boots with heavy petroleum-based lanolin-rich wax "snow seal" and trying to keep your heavy water soaked boots from freezing at night. This lanolin treatment can badly soften the leather and cement. In fact, you will void the warranty from several modern boot makers if you use old-time "waterproofing" techniques.

Use Nikwax water-based (aqueous) products as recommended by the manufacturer. Note: I have recently exchanged emails and phone calls with techs at La Sportiva and Nikwax. They both advise a light coat of "Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather" once a year (only) with periodic touchups with spray-on "Aqueous Wax Leather Waterproofing" to take care of light scuffs.

You must have a boot with a stiff sole for climbing snow: you must be able to kick "flat" steps. Flexible soles will oooch in and can oooch right out. Stiff soles, that are good for walking on forgiving snow, present a problem when walking on a long dry trail approach. The answer is a sole designed with a slight rocker. The Makalu has this feature enabling you to hike in on dry trails and then climb steep hard snow.

You must buy crampons for your winter boots (or boots for your crampons). The Makalu has grooves at the toe and heal that accommodate bomber snap on flexible crampons. I really like GAB crampons made in Germany. They have a scissor feature that assures the side points are lined up with the edges of the boot. Do not put up with unsafe crampons that have points on the ball of the boot that are three quarters of an inch in from the edge. See photos of these boots and crampons.

No single boot model will fit every one's feet. At the Outdoor Retailer's Outdoor Market in Salt Lake City this summer, a Montrail designer told me he "did not design his line to fit my foot, my foot (and a lot of others) just happen to fit Montrails". Just try several brands of the "types" of boots we list here, make sure there is a finger width at the back of your heel before the boots are laced up tight, make sure they are not designed too narrow, that there is plenty of room for the ball of your foot and for your toes. The heel should not be to tight or too sloppy. I prefer a boot that fits big, not tight.

Take your own set of double sox to the store(s). I use thin synthetic Patagonia under-sox for the smooth transfer of sweat and heavy Smartwool "Hiker" outer sox for cushioning. I use the same combination for hot and single digit weather. (As a chairlift operator at Mt. Bachelor a few winters ago, I stood on the snow eight hours a day at all temperatures for two seasons, in my Makalu boots and this sock combination. It works.)

Walk around the house (stay off the kitchen floor!) and be "sure", before you use new boots outdoors. Make sure you can take them back, especially if the store has to order your size. I know this is hard on the smaller retailer, but they must compete with the very big stores. I have switched sizes mail-order from REI, several times without paying excessive shipping. Your boots should fit from the beginning - forget the old time one-season break-in period for heavy imported mountaineering boots, soaking the boots and wearing the wet boots until dry, etc.

If you must get plastic boots, choose the lightest model from a well known manufacturer like La Sportiva of Koflack. Most plastic boots are double boots. You can get double leather boots as well. If you are climbing Denali, do more research.

Recently, Conrad Anker did a report for La Sportiva on using leather boots at high altitude. Unfortunatley, the link is has "left the building".

2. A second boot for summer is the Montrail Gore-Tex model Torre GTX ankle high boot sold by The FootZone in Bend.
It is good for scree, lava fields, wet trail conditions and rough heavy hiking and snowshoes..

Many folks believe that an ankle high boot will protect them from sprained ankles. Not so, in my experience. Only the stiffest heavy mountaineering boots designed for ice climbing, high altitude clumping along or tele skiing prevent the ankle from flexing. Any boot you can walk with on a trail, should allow full ankle flexion. What the ankle high boot or shoe will protect you from is a nasty wound on the thin skin of your ankle bone if your foot should slip between rocks, or break a sharp branch.

The real purpose of high lacing on a shoe or boot is to keep your foot from sliding foreword when you are going down hill. The traditional alpine mountaineering stop-break to lace up the boots before starting down, is recognition of this. Many stores have a slanted floor device so that you can test your toe clearance. Folks advocating light low shoes usually won't tell you they have black toe nails!

This boot is breathable with a waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex liner. Periodic touchups with Nikwax aqueous liquid will restore water repellency. It will take care of light scuffs that may appear to wet out a little and it is designed to not obstruct the breathability of the Gore-Tex membrane.

I use these light, ankle high, Gore-Tex boots for snowshoes. I use the double sox combination detailed above.

3. For light scrambling, backpacking and easy snow climbing, I wear the Merrell Reflex Mid Waterproof.
This model laces high enough up the front to keep your toes back while going down hill. I wear the Thorlo, "Hiker Thor-lon® Crew" model sox with these shoes. These thick sox never wear out, shrink, tear or lose their shape. Pretty much, I wear them all the time, stylin' 'round town.

The Merrell Reflex Mid is completely waterproof. Wearing a low OR gaiter assures dry sox after a misstep on a stream crossing. It has an aggressive sole and is a bit higher than most trail shoes. They are heavy and stiff compared with say, the Montrail but they don't slip, keep your feet dry in the rain or hard snow and protect from bruising from running talus or hitting sharp rocks embedded in the trail. See photos of these shoes with light weight Stubai summer crampons

4. For on-trail hiking and light and fast backpacking, for the past seven years, I have used the Merrell Radius Gore Tex Waterproof.
"Uppers feature supple yet supportive and waterproof nubuck leather with protective rubber toe bumpers and injection-molded heel counters. Leather bellows tongues provide a superior fit and allow ventilation; narrow webbing lacing eyelets offer firm instep security. Waterproof laminates and polyester linings offer waterproof protection and disperse moisture quickly; taped seams and stitching add protection. Anatomic foot beds offer precision comfort and moisture management. Compression-molded EVA foot frames with Air Cushion® heel pockets provide cushioning, stability and durability. Molded nylon arch shanks supply torsional stability on uneven terrain. Aggressive Vibram® Multi-Grip™ outsoles feature sticky rubber and deep lugs for stability and braking on various surfaces."

If you mention TraditionalMountaineering, Teag Hatfield, the owner of The Foot Zone in Bend Oregon, will show you these Montrail and Merrell boots and shoes.

Note: I wrote this page years ago. I still recommend these same boots and shoes in 2011!
Copyright© 2000-2011 by Robert Speik. All Rights Reserved.
--Robert Speik, TraditionalMountaineering

La Sportiva Makalu Montrail Torre GTX Merrell Reflex Mid Waterproof Thorlo Hiker
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