Good Boots?

[Dawg]

I am hoping to climb Mt Rainier this next season so I have been in the market for some good boots. I found a great deal on Salomon Super Mountain 9 snow and ice. I was wondering if this would be a good boot for this mountain?

[slothrop]

For next summer on the DC route, those will probably be just fine. The important thing is that they fit and keep your feet warm, both of which are subjective judgments, but feature-wise those boots fit the bill.

[North_Cascades_Mtn_Guides]

Dawg;

 

Three things to look for; fit, fit, and fit. You must try them on. Each company uses different lasts (even from model to model). French boots, as are Salomon, tend to have narrow toes and wide heels and have had this tendency since my first pair of Galibier Super GUides in 1976. A good all around mountain boot will be stiff enough to allow you to climb rock moderately well and have a soft enough upper to allow easy ankle movement for French tech. People will have there own favorites for sure but those will no doubt share many of the same qualities. Buy from a good high quality manufacturer and you'll get many seasons of use.

The Saloman Super Mtn 9 is a well made boot for sure and will give you good service if it fits well. For my money it is too high and the upper too stiff to allow easy ankle motion for both ice and rock climbing. It's also quite heavy. La Sportiva (Italian) makes some very high quality technical mountian boots. I have several seasons hard usa on a pair of Trango Extremes and they have proven themselves over and over on all sorts of terrain and conditions. I also use the Trango S in the summer. It is super light and a great rock/ice/general boot. Durablity has been an issue with the S however. But La Sportiva boots fit me well hence my preference. Go to a good shop with several to try on and spend some time. When you amortize the cost over the many trips you'll do in them, the time and money spent to get the right pair will be worth it. It doesn't sound like you are, but don't be fooled into thinking you can buy a pair of trail hiking boots (even heavy duty ones) and make them do double duty on technical terrain. The compromise in performance is not worth it. They are two different critters and I'd rather hike in my mtn boots than try to climb in hikers.

Good luck,

Scott (NCMG)