Advice on Overboots?

[justclimb]

Any advice on overboots for leather climbing boots. Thanks in advance.

[hikerwa]

Where are you going to be using these at. I would say that if you are using overboots with leather boots, it may be just as well getting some plastic boots.

I would recommend any over boots by OR, the brooks rangers should do nicely, but not knowing you application they may not be what you need...

[justclimb]

We will be climbing some minor peaks in Nepal (approx 20,000 ft) and have decided not to take our plastics. (by the way, I think you are right about OR Brooks Rangers for plastics, we used those on Denali) Plastics are pretty much slow us down due to the weight, inflexiblity, lack of feel, and poor performance on the approach.

We are looking for advice on overboots that leave the sole exposed (I'll be using my La Sportiva K2s and my wife will be usings her One Sports).

Thanks, Jim

[mattp]

I've been to Nepal, twice, and for me coldness was not a major problem at that altitude. On a south facing scree slope I wore trekking boots to 20,000 feet withoug even using gaitors, and on some snowier north facing slopes, I wore plastics and gaitors but trekking boots with just about any insulated overboot would have been plenty warm -- though they wouldn't have been as good with the crampons. Do you know what you intend to climb? Plastic boots may well be worth their weight.

 

[Matt]

I have a pair of over boot gaiters made by Bergshrund. They are insulated and have a rubber rand made with climbing rubber. They are great and I highly recommend them. In the event of an unplanned bivowac at high altitude in inclimental weather overboots may save your toes from frostbite. They leave the sole of boot exposed so they can be used on leather telemark boots, leather or plastic mtneering boots, or whatever you have that needs an insulation boost. They are warm enough to wear over plain leather hiking boots and be comfortable climbing Mt. Hood on New Year's Day.

I wore my La Sportiva Makalus for trekking and climbing minor mountains in Nepal and in general I found they were overkill. I felt foolish hiking in my huge mtneering boots while Nepali porters carried 60 - 80 lbs tubs of expedition gear with flip-flops on their feet. To top it off, they carried their loads with a strap on their forehead--- no shoulder straps or waist belts!

If the mountains you are planning to climb are mostly non-technical and you think 80% of your trip will be casual trekking then you should consider hiking in approach shoes or super comfy light hikers and carrying plastics.

[justclimb]

We will be climbing ImJeTse (Island Peak) and Loboje East, both a little over 20,000 and requiring crampons and ropes.

We are going in October and plan on treking in with light weight trail runners and then plan on switching to our heavier leathers at base camp for each climb. We only "plan" on spending one night above base camp. We were thinking about our leathers because they are so much more comfortable than plastics and the first day above base on each climb will have a lot of hiking on rock/scree. We were thinking we could get away without overboots as mattp suggusted, but we are planning apline starts on each climb and would like the added safety of the overboots.

Matt where did you get the Bergshrund overboots? Was there anything you did not like about them? Any other suggestions?

 

[Matt]

Justclimb--

I bought my overboots at Climbhigh http://www.climbhigh.com/ in Shelburne, VT about 10 years ago.

The one thing I do not like about my overboots is their tendency to peel off the toe of my leather boots when the boot is flexing. It is fairly easy to fit the rubber rand of the overboot around the sole of your hiking boot while sitting in your living room, but sometimes difficult while on route and this happens occasionally.

This problem can be fixed by putting a huge gob of shoe gu on the toe of your boot creating a "ridge" that will grip the overboot rand. It doesn't always work though. Sometimes ducktape is necessary to seal the deal.

The last time I wore my overboots I climbed the S Arete of S Early Winter Spires in March during full winter conditions. I wanted to wear my leather hiking boots b/c they offered more sensitivity while edging on rock, but it was well below freezing and snowing off and on so I thought my feet would be cold. They worked great!

The rubber rand has lasted ten years without any repairs. I recommend this product. Good luck finding them.

[justclimb]

Matt,

Thanks for the link and advice on the pitfalls of the overboot. I have purchased some gear from climbhigh in the past (love their customer service and products they carry), but their web site is very limited and I just ordered a new catalog a few days ago. I will let you know how it works out.

Thanks