Pancho_Villa Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 So I just got these boots from the co-op. What a pain!! I have size 13 feet so it is a little challenging finding anyone with boots in my size. So far I have worn them around town which is pretty amazing considering how stiff they are! They are extremely comfortable! I have wide flat feet for those of you who are looking for boots, and you know the size already. I have shock doctor insoles in them and they feel great. Overall I am extremely impressed with this boot construction, fit, design, style, are all excellent. It comes in some sweet rasta colors, a little bright for around town but who cares, whose gonna wear them around town after their broke in. They fit my BD Bionic cramps PERFECTLY! By the way some Bionics are on recall go to the Black Diamond website for more info. Can't wait to get out there and try these things out for reals. I am going to hike Si in them to break them in some more before Rainier in June. Just got back from Baker two weeks ago and my 10 year old Tecnica's bit the dust hence my new boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fern Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 The sole cracked on mine, right across the green bit at the toe. Anybody else have this problem? I am going to W/R them to the co-op once I find the stupid receipt ... I'm concerned the sole might start peeling off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 I got a pair of these at the Northface sale, and they are by far the stiffest boots I have ever owned. I have used them on a couple trips, and they have great support and are nice an toasty warm. I wore them up to Mailbox peak to break them in, and instead I think my feet were broken into the boot! I would just wear them on snow, and skip breaking them in on a steep non-snow hike if I did it again. I haven't had any problems like fern mentions, but it doesn't surprise me. The soles don't flex at all...so more likely they would crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 I've had mine for two years and I do everything in them. I don't really think they are that stiff but maybe I'm just used to it. They are fine for hiking on dry trail too. Climbed Olympus in them 2 years ago (~45 miles round trip) but I probably won't do that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancho_Villa Posted May 19, 2004 Author Share Posted May 19, 2004 Got back from Si today. Got a few small blisters on my heels (to be expected). I should have taped up but I am retarded. Other than that they felt great. I thought they might get hot but they really weren't bad. So far I have to give these things the thumbs up. They are really comfortable out of the box. I agree with the breaking in of the feet in instead of the boot. This is my second pair of climbing boots and I find it's my feet that need the breaking in as opposed to the boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted May 19, 2004 Share Posted May 19, 2004 Ugh...soooo heavy tho... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancho_Villa Posted May 19, 2004 Author Share Posted May 19, 2004 Yeah they are a burly boot but my feet are jacked and they NEED the support. Had a guy tell me yesterday that he summitted Baker in a set of montrail trail runners. I laughed and then he said he was serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Yeah they are a burly boot but my feet are jacked and they NEED the support. Had a guy tell me yesterday that he summitted Baker in a set of montrail trail runners. I laughed and then he said he was serious. Hehe...well, yup, sometimes it doesn't need much. I climbed Sahale during a minor showstorm with tennis shoes. There was about 5" of snow on the glacier. My feet got wet, but it worked out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsroll Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have had mine for a year and love them. The only time I had blisters was when I was practically running on the trail. Enjoy the boots, ya they are a bit heavy so I only use them for snow and low top approach shoes for everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashw_justin Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Yeah they are a burly boot but my feet are jacked and they NEED the support. Had a guy tell me yesterday that he summitted Baker in a set of montrail trail runners. I laughed and then he said he was serious. Doesn't Dan - use golf shoes or something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Climbed Olympus in them 2 years ago (~45 miles round trip) but I probably won't do that again. OUCH! So they don't teach common sense at Conservative State U? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have a pair that I took out of the box and climbed Eldorado with a beginner in tow. These have got to be the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. I've been told that this is the last model of La Sportiva boots completely made by hand in Italy. I've used them to climb Rainier, Ixta & Orizaba in Mexico, and Illiniza Norte, Illiniza Sur, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo in Ecuador. They have become my primary mountaineering boot, and I save my Alpha's for multi-day climbs where keeping my boots dry is imperative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Climbed Olympus in them 2 years ago (~45 miles round trip) but I probably won't do that again. OUCH! So they don't teach common sense at Conservative State U? Refer to all the posts about them being super comfortable.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 (edited) Nepal Extremes are INSULATED and weigh >4lbs. They are designed/intended for winter mountaineering and technical ice climbing. Olympus is a LOOOOOOOONG hike on a flat trail with a little snow slog at the end done in spring/summer. Nuf said. Edit: BTW, I apologize for the "snipeyness" of my "common sense" comment. Edited May 20, 2004 by Alpinfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 I have owned a pair of these for about 4 years now. They are great summer mountaineering boots, but I have had very cold feet on winter climbs including two numb toes on Leuthold that took a couple months to wake up! While I like the stiffness of the soles, the lateral and back-leaning support in the ankles is very soft, especially compared to plastics, so they are not as fast on the downhill side of a climb, but they are fantastic for climbing 'uphill' on snow/ice. They are about one pound lighter than plastics and are great for 'packing' along on an approach where trail runners are worn. My .02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 Why not just wear the trail runners w/ some strap-on pons on the climb? Or wear some lightweight hiking boots for the hike AND the climb? Olympus is climbed in warm weather so an insulated boot is not required and it has no steep snow/ice sections which would require a stiff boot. If you have some circulation problems in your feet (Raynaud's syndrome or something) then consider bringing a chemical toe heater pack along and using it for the summit day. Weighs much less than insulated boots. It seems excessive to me to bring two pairs of footwear on a trip like Olympus, especially when one of those pieces of footwear weighs 4+lbs. However, to each his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancho_Villa Posted May 24, 2004 Author Share Posted May 24, 2004 Just a quick update I have been wearing these things down here in the real world and they don't seem overly warm. They are definitely warmer than my old Tecnicas but not "HOT". These boots are really starting to feel like a burly backpacking boot rather than a stiff climbing boot. Also there is a lot of room in the toes which is nice for my Fred Flintstone feet. These have very quickly become my favorite boot. Out of all the ones I tried (Raichle 90 Degree GTX, Vasque Alpinista, Vasque Ice 9000, Montrail ICE 9, Montrail Lotus, Montrail Olympus)they are the most comfortable and most useful. Comfortable as an approach boot and really nice on the steep stuff. Leather is SUPER waterproof too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Why not just wear the trail runners w/ some strap-on pons on the climb? Or wear some lightweight hiking boots for the hike AND the climb? Olympus is climbed in warm weather so an insulated boot is not required and it has no steep snow/ice sections which would require a stiff boot. If you have some circulation problems in your feet (Raynaud's syndrome or something) then consider bringing a chemical toe heater pack along and using it for the summit day. Weighs much less than insulated boots. It seems excessive to me to bring two pairs of footwear on a trip like Olympus, especially when one of those pieces of footwear weighs 4+lbs. However, to each his own. ...Olympus? I think you have your posters mixed up. As far as your comments, I would not bring two sets of footwear to Olympus, but would likely wear my midweight Technica Bioflex boots with some lightweight Stubai crampons. A situation where I would wear trailrunners and carry full boots (like the Nepal Extremes) would be something with a four to six mile approach like Baker or the Emmons Glacier on Rainier. Additionally, I would never wear trailrunners down a very steep or rocky trail while carrying a climbing pack. Thanks for your 'advice' though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Additionally, I would never wear trailrunners down a very steep or rocky trail while carrying a climbing pack. To each his own, but everybody that I've talked about stuff like the NR Stuart says they use sneakers. As did I. Or is the terrain there flat dirt? Maybe I've got my talus definitions mixed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Nepal Extremes are INSULATED and weigh >4lbs. They are designed/intended for winter mountaineering and technical ice climbing. Olympus is a LOOOOOOOONG hike on a flat trail with a little snow slog at the end done in spring/summer. Nuf said. Edit: BTW, I apologize for the "snipeyness" of my "common sense" comment. Do you own a pair? They are not that warm. Certainly not a great winter mountaineering boot. I use them all summer long and my feet don’t get hot, but my feet do have a wide temperature comfort range. Besides, they were the only pair of crampon compatible boots I had at the time. I would do things different now but that was my first year of climbing and probably my 4th or 5th time on a glacier ever. I rarely have any problems what so ever with my Nepal Extremes on approaches under 6 or 8 miles (15 miles round trip). PS – my Nepal Extremes weigh 5.75 lbs, my scarpa alphas weigh 5.48 lbs... Yeah, really. PSS - whats up with folks on cc.com being all nice and stuff lately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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