Alpine Boots

[David Trippett]

I want to get some alpine boots that I can use in the winter/cold. My requirements are warmth, durability, waterproofness, and light weight. I would prefer single boots to plastic doubles. Mostly I will use for alpine ice snow and rock...and some waterfall cragging. Advice and/or opinions appreciated. Thanks

[genepires]

I got some nepal top and nepal extremes. Love them both. Good reliable leather. Good steep ice boot.

 

I also have some older freney which I like also. I bet the new ones are nice too.

 

(I probably have as many leather boots as your girlfriend has shoes)

 

gene

[Ade]

As has been noted before; warmth, durability, waterproofness, and light weight - you can have the former at the expense of the latter.

 

I have a pair of Nepal Extremes that I've used a fair bit in the Cascades in winter. They climb very well and are pretty warm (just make sure you don't lace them too tight). They're also very waterproof and very well made. Look at some of the other threads here on lighterweight boots, they're not going to last like a pair of Extremes.

 

If you want to go warmer then check out the Vasque Ice 9000. This is the only plastic double boot I've ever used tha climbs ever remotely as well as a single boot (I've owned Koflach, Asolo and Scarpa plastics in the past). The liner is very thin giving you a much lower volume boot than a traditional plastic. These would be overkill for the Cascades however.

 

Other manufacturers are taking the same approach to double boot design as Vasque. Check out the Sportiva Nuptse for example. Like the Vasque the outer is thinner and softer than a traditional plastic giving you a much better fit.

 

Worth reading:

 

http://www.planetfear.com/article_detail.asp?a_id=273