the Right boots for South America?

[Ajay]

I am not sure if this is the best place for this post, but I couldn't find a good fit otherwise.

 

I am moving to Ecuador at the end of the month and want to do some climbing while there. I could be living (and therefore climbing) anywhere from Ecuador to Patagonia ultimately and will be gone for a few years total. I will only be doing moderate to easy climbs.

 

Are there any good resources for discussion/reading about the correct boots. I don't plan on going real high altitude if I can find good climbing lower. Currently I have a pair of Sportiva Nepal Evos and don't want to buy new boots, renting plastics is an option for occasional high climbs if I need them.

 

That is the question though, when do you transition from insulated leather to plastics? What kind of weather/altitude/temperatures/length of trip would be a turning point from one to another? I am new to anything higher than the Cascades and spend most of my time climbing rocks not snow and ice.

 

Any help is very appreciated,

Kelly

 

 

[cbcbd]

The weather in Ecuador is pretty mild. On Chimborazo I had a baselayer and a shell and that worked fine. One of the guys had his Nepal Evos, at the time I had Degres. I think you should be fine with the Evos down there.

[genepires]

I have never been to equadar so my opinion is less than perfect. But I would buy a cheap pair of plastics here (maybe an well used rental pair) and take them over there. Just to be safe and have the right gear to do what you want to do. For all seasons, not just their summer.

 

Jason Martin has been there many times (as a mtn guide for AAI) and would be a good man to ask. He is an office monkey at AAI now and is easy to find on there website. Throw him your question. I think his username for here is jasonmartin too.

[cbcbd]

For all seasons, not just their summer.

Not gonna argue against getting more gear, if you can, but just a reminder that along the equator the seasons don't change too much temperature-wise. It's more like rainy season/dry season.

 

Most of the big peaks have huts right at the base and don't usually require multiple overnights in the elements - so it's easier to use leathers and be able to dry them. But this is just Ecuador... I can't speak for Peru/Patagonia, etc...

[rbw1966]

I used a pair of Makalus in Ecuador. In Bolivia and Peru, I used Salomon boots. You don't "need" plastics in Ecuador, especially given your emphasis on easy or moderate climbs. I'd get a good pair of lightweight mountaineering boots that would double as trekking boots and call it good.

[Mark_Husbands]

I used old Viva Softs in Ecuador, but my buddy used first generation Nepal Tops and they were warm enough and better on cobbled roads and cow trails. I plan to use plastics in Peru next year (maybe).

Edited December 11, 2008 by Mark_Husbands

[chris_stolz]

You will be fine with a pair of decent hiking boots or the ones you have. If you want plastics, you can rent them for f**k all per day-- anywhere in South America that there is climbing, you can rent very good basic gear. Save $$ and luggage space. The thing you REALLY want to bring that costs $$ down there is rock gear. It's all imported into a tiny market and hugely marked up, so bring 2 ropes and your rock rack and a couple of pairs of rock shoes. In Colombia, rock gear (e.g. Camalots) cost twice what they do in North America.