iain, you should buy those montets. If you try to drive Mitos in leather boots, you will s-u-f-f-e-r.
Actually, you will suffer no matter what you do if you are convinced that you need to learn how to tele in leather boots. I have heard a lot of people say "it's better to learn in leather." I think people say this because it's what they did, and they suffered, and they want to make you suffer, too. Break the cycle of violence. Go get yourself some relatively soft plastic boots and save yourself a season or two of misery. I've done both leather and plastic, and I'm here to tell you that there's nothing "fake" about making tele turns in plastic. For SAR use in varied snow conditions, you'll be a lot better off, IMHO.
Have fun! Hope to see you on the hill.