La Sport Spantik or Vasque Ice 9000??

[Jedi]

I cleaned Zappo's out of Spantiks in search of a boot for Alaska this coming spring.

Looks like a fantastic boot but the toe box is too narrow for my 4E toe box. The biggest pair (43.5's) appears to be no bigger than the 43. I even got out the tape measure and could find not different. I could not feel ANY difference either. There was a noticable difference between the 42.5 and the 43.

Why not go for the 44 you ask? If I pull the insole (on the 43 or 43.5) out and stand on it, barefooted, there is an 1 1/8" from the end of my big toe to the end of the insole. My calves start to burn thinking about going bigger.

Sooo...has anyone tried both the Spantik and the Ice 9000 and found the Vasque to have a more boxy/wider than the Spantik??? It does not have to be much of a difference but a little would help.

Any other recommendations? Well besides my wife's "well, those don't fit, I guess you can't go".

Thanks,

Fred Flinstone

[layton]

I hear they are more roomy, but my wide ass feet didn't fit the super alpinista vasque makes either.

Check out and see what Scarpa is selling these days. They fit wide feet usually.

[marcus]

Hey John - good to hear you're still out there! Spantiks(like most Sportivas) are definitely narrow, perfect for my foot, whereas the Vasque boots tend to be much wider.

But look on the bright side: selling off them fancy shoes should pay for your whole airfare into the Range this year...where ya headed?

[Jedi]

Marcus! Good to hear from you man. I bet you've been slaying dragons and what not.

Thanks for the heads up.

I am also going to look into Kayland boots (as someone recommended to me). I have been told they have a wider toe box also. At a glance, they are not easy to find on the internet (need mail order).

 

We are going to for go the Ruth this year and hopefully head up Denali. Maybe the Cassin, if the weather and luck are on our side.

Gotta send all but one pair of Spantiks back to Zappo's (free shipping both ways). You have a year to see if you like them. I'll see if I can find another brand to compare them to the Spantiks and go with the ones that hurt my feet the least;).

 

You gonna be in the range this year or are your dragons elsewhere?

 

Jedi

[Dane]

Any more feed back on how the Spantiks worked out?

[96avs01]

I definitely found the ICE 9000/Super Alpinista to be far more comfortable for my moderately wide hooves than the Lhotse/Nuptse that I had tried previously. However, the ICE 9000 are generally bulkier than any LaSportiva boot, but a likely necessity to handle a wider foot. My $0.02

[Kane]

I have the Ice 9000 boot in Size 11, after a long trop my big toes rub, so I am thinking of switching. If you would like them, pm me.

[Jedi]

I had the Spantiks toe box bumped out at Neptune Mountaineering. Still a little narrow but they worked fine.

We did not take overboots or even gaitors. They worked fine and climbed well. We put the miles on them on the West Buttress. Our toes would get cold just sitting around camp in the early morning or late evening at 14K.

They are light for a big boot and plan on taking them next time I head to AK. I trashed the front rand on the Cassin. I hit the rand with my crampon points while frenching on the summit day. Pilot error. La Sportiva did glue the rand up for me at not charge.

 

My favorite crampons, Petzl Sarkens, are recalled. Damn it, now I have to find a new lightweight pon for alpine.

 

Jedi