West Buttress - Boot & Sock Combo Question

[kmehrtens]

I am planning to go to Denali in a couple years and am looking for some boot sizing advice. What is the "common" practice with socks and boots. Do people double up on wool socks? My original plan is to use a pair of LaSportiva Olympus Mons Evo Boots with Smartwool Mountaineering socks and polypro liners. My feet typically run warm and have good circulation.

 

So I an looking for a little advise on socks with those boots so I can get the "right" size of boots.

 

Just how warm are the Oly Mons boots on Denali?

 

 

Thanks.

[DPS]

Wearing two thick pairs of socks often means your boots have a sloppy fit or your feet will be constricted, slowing blood flow and increasing the likely hood of frostbite.

 

I have always sized straight across from my shoe size for plastics as well as leather expect when when buying European sizing I size a half size up. E.g. I wear a size US 9 in most brands of dress shoes, casual shoes and running shoes. In European sizing I fit best into a 42.5 which is usually translated as a 9.5.

 

My experience on Denali was using a similar sock combo as you describe; either Smartwool or polypro/ester thin liner under a VBL sock, under a thick Smartwool 'mountaineering' sock. I like using VBL socks because only a single layer (the thin, easily dried liner) had to be dried on my stomach at night. I rotated through 2 pairs of liners and thick socks. After 5 days the polypro/ester smelled like death while the Merino wool ones smelled fresh.

 

My recommendation would be to use a thin Merino liner sock (Smartwool, Icebreakers, etc) and either a thick wool or synthetic insulating sock. Why synthetic? I wear the heels out on my Smartwool socks really quickly whereas a high quality synthetic sock last me longer and seems to dry a bit faster. As I mentioned, I wear vapor barrier liner (VBL) socks anytime I wear plastic boots which keeps the thick, synthetic outer socks dry and stink free.

 

If you decide to try using VBLs, use them on a few less committing winter objectives, then perhaps on Rainier before committing to using them on Denali. You will need to be vigilant about changing out liner socks and keeping your feet dry. Gold Bond foot powder is well, gold.

 

Olympus Mons are warm as one could hope. I went in a particularly cold year, (-30 F at 17K) and used a pair of Scarpa Invernos circa 1994, an Intuition heat molded liner, with La Sportiva super gaitors insulated with Thinsulate. My feet were plenty warm. The LS Olympus Mons is perhaps the warmest boot I saw on Denali.

 

Unless you are planning on climbing in Antarctica or the high Himalaya you may reconsider the Oly Mons, it is a very expensive boot and not especially well suited to other types of climbs.

 

You could get a boot warm enough to climb Denali as well as practical to go winter mountaineering in the lower 48 as well as technical ice climbing. Get a used, quality shell (I've seen brand new looking Scarpa Inverno's go for $99 at Second Ascent. Replace the liner with an Intuition molded liner if it is beat out. Pop on a 40 Below over boot for high, cold stuff.

 

Edited June 6, 2013 by DPS

[genepires]

+1 to what Dan said above.

 

You also have to plan for some swelling of feet with general abuse and altitude. You may start out with a liner sock/thick sock combo down low and summit with just the thick sock.

 

On the need for oly mons boots, from my one trip up the w butt, about 90% of folks had the usual plastic boot/overboot combo that DPS describes. It may be overkill but if you got the money, it is only $80 per toe. So you may not need the extreme insulation but it is always a good idea to plan for the worst case conditions. So if you can afford it, do it.

You can always sell the boots when you get back.

 

I never really used the liner sock in my boots. Just didn't work right for me and I never got blisters with just one of those smartwool type socks. I think that a small fold in the liners even gave me blisters. Newer socks have a fairly soft inside that slides well on my ski. I just bring a couple different thicknesses of sock for those cold/warm days or foot swelling days. You are gonna have to just try out different sock combinations on your training days. (which doesn't help you with a boot purchase, just get one sized for liner/thick sock)

 

end of rambling

Edited June 6, 2013 by genepires

[kmehrtens]

Thanks for the good advice. I happen to find a pair of lightly used Oly Mons for sale that should be my size based on other pair of mountaineering boots from Sportiva that are the same size. I have a pair of Nepal Evos size 43 (US 10) that work great with a polypro liner, Smartwool "Mountaineer" wool sock and I still have a little room inside for expansion and toe bang, so I am hoping that the Oly Mons the same size will work too. I typically wear a size 8 US in street shoes & hiking boots. I had a pair of Nepal Evos size 42 (US 9) and a pair of Asolo 8000 size 43-1/3 (US 9-1/2) that both seemed a little small. I took the Asolos to Rainier and I could feel my toes touching (not banging) the front of the boots on the descent, so I sized up and have not had any problems.

 

Any other advice is gratefully accepted.

Thanks.

[bargainhunter]

Don't overthink this too much. An old pair of plastic boots with a pair or few of wool socks should be just fine. No need to shell out megabucks. I used some old Asolo AFS 101s a half a size too big and didn't need overboots. At the 14K camp temps dropped to -27F, which was the low during my trip up the West Butt. I had an old heavy REI bag rated to -5F and slept cold, but my feet never got cold.

[BGardner]

I've done 4 trips on the West Buttress in the last 2 years. The Olympus Mons might be the most popular boot on the mountain. As long as you get the fit right for your feet they are a great boot for that route. You could even call them overkill if you have generally warm feet.

 

Personally, I've used the La Sportiva Bruntse and found them more then warm enough. I've summited with overboots and without, just depends on the exact weather of the day and how fast your moving.

 

If you have the money get a modern double boot. Yes, we all used to climb these mountains in plastic boots (and were even happy about it at the time) but there is a reason they are disappearing from the market place. The comfort of these newer boots is outstanding and no more shin bang! Your feet take a beating on Denali so getting the best boots for you is money well spent.

 

You can use vapor barrier socks to add some warmth but personally I hate the things. I just use a thin liner and a thicker wool sock. Bring two sets for the lower mountain so that you can rotate socks ever day and they will dry just fine in your sleeping bag. No need to put them on your belly. I just throw the things in the bottom of my sleeping bag and after two nights they are always fully dried out. I also bring a third set that I keep in a zip-lock and save for summit day so that I have a fresh set that isn't covered in dry sweat. Not a bad idea to bring a thin set of dedicated sleeping socks too.

 

4 pairs of socks might sound like a lot to some people but the West Buttress is not fast and light alpinism. It's expedition mountaineering. Take care of your feet, bring the Gold-Bond. Get yourself to 14,000' camp happy and healthy. You can then cut weight and get your suffering in for the move to high camp and summit day.