Dane Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 Thought some might like to hear this if you have the Sportiva Trango Ice. Which BTW is a lot warmer than the new Trango Extreme S which is uninsulated. The Ice is also lighter to "boot" The gaiter sucks if you have big feet (11.5 USA) for easy on and off, (read nightmare on a multiday climb) the velcro and weird lacing won't hold your heel down if you have a problem fit in the ankle (read narrow heels) . Fast fix and really helps getting the boot on and off is chop the fabic gaiter, forget the back lace system and have a set of three eyelets installed for lacing the upper cuff on the boot. After a week at -30 in the Rockies, a bunch of walking in hip deep Cascade slush and some french technique, I vote these one of the best all around cold weather ice boots out in the last 20 years. YMMV but they are one of the few boots I think worth the coin for all around technical use here, Canada or Alaska. Quote
Lambone Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 Just a side note: I used the Trango s on Chair peak saturday and they worked great. Plenty warm enough. The Trango Ice looks cool too, maybe next year. Quote
cracked Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 What crampons? The snow was soft enough that I imagine vertical points would be dicey. Though I did notice some tracks of rigid, cookie-cutter 'poons on the approach. Quote
Lambone Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 G14's, they worked fine...awsome crampons IMHO. We didn't put them on until just before we traversed below the face. Quote
jja Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 I used trango s's on chair saturday as well, absolutely love these boots , I don't know what took me so long to get a pair of leathers! the M10's I had might of made those tracks, I had the plastic dealies on the bottom, and they're hinged in the middle (semi-rigid) so they do real well in snow. Quote
minx Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 I'd love to see what the ladies out there use. I have a horrible time w/boots. Any recommendations from the girls or any of you who are just knowledgeable gear junkies? Quote
iceaxe23 Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 I thought the Trango Extreme S which you said is uninsulated was insulated with that alumina stuff and thicker Ibi thermo (that is what sportiva says)? I was going to get rid of my trango ice boots and get the trango extreme S cause it has a lace top (I hate the velcro top and gaitor too) and should be warmer and the same weight. Wow if what you say is true i will just modify my trango ice boots. how did you add the lace eyelets? you have a pick of the modified boot? thanks much for all the help Quote
Dane Posted January 13, 2003 Author Posted January 13, 2003 (edited) I too was told the new Trango Extreme S was insulated. I ordered in the same size as my Ice thinking these dudes are "rocking". The didn't fit the same...bigger actually...and they didn't feel like they were insulated to me in a side by side comparison. (I am no shoe maker but that was my 2 cents) Suppose to be the same last and same insulation as the ICE. They actually felt just like my old trango extremes but with all the new materials which make the ankle flex even softer in comparison. Nice boot but not what I was looking for. The fact that the ICE was lighter didn't help either. The S went back and I rethought what i was going to do with the ICE. Dave Page set the eyelets and I would suspect he'll rememeber where I punched the holes (let him do that too) . One set low and two high with grommet backs. Velcro strap now adds some (its all relative) support for front pointing and the yellow material (what ever it is) offers more suport than the black stuff they are using on the new Trango S cuffs. Seems like a worth while improvement for the 10 minutes to cut off the gaiter and $15 to Dave Page. Minx, if you have small feet and want a good all around boot...that is really stiff in the sole with good ankle flexability and warm, the Ice would be fine as is. Best bet is call Sportiva and talk to Rose in customer service. They have a good number of women climbing in their boots and can give you better advice. Edited January 13, 2003 by Dane Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 Those boots are real nice. I used a pair last year I think it was. I was able to climb M1 Wi9 in them. They do rock for many obvious reasons over plastics. But I aint running out to buy them. Quote
Rainier_Wolfscastle Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 Aren't the Trango S and the Trango Extreme S different boots? Sounds like previous posts are considering them the same boot. I thought the Trango S was the red one with no toe bail, and the Trango Extreme S is the new version of the old Trango Extreme. Correct me if I am wrong. Quote
Dane Posted January 13, 2003 Author Posted January 13, 2003 You are correct, Trango S (red) isn't what I was talking about. Trango Extreme was/is yellow and all leather and takes clip on crampons. New boot is the Trango Extreme S and much like the Trango Ice, all synthetic, but with black a lace up cuff, no velcro. Little confusing helps to look here: http://www.sportiva.com/products/mountain/mountain.html Quote
Lambone Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 Yeah, i was talking about the red ones... I was trying to figure out the differences between the Ice and S (other than the gaito and velcro strap). It's hard to tell from the web site if the S is insulated or not? Seems like it sort of is? Trango Ice: Trango Lining: 100g Aluminia® Trango Extreme S: Trango Lining: 100g Aluminia/Drilex in the heel area Quote
Dane Posted January 13, 2003 Author Posted January 13, 2003 (edited) Red S is a soft flexing in the sole boot and no toe clip, Extreme S seems insulated, as you say in the heel, ( I sure couldn't tell it) has crampon clip points and a near rigid sole, but a really soft ankle compared to the Trango Extreme ....makes some sense now after looking at both compared to the Ice. Now we are nit picking I suspect anyone under size 9 with normal feet would have a hard time telling the difference between any of them. Things get a little more clear when you wear 47s. All three are good boots IMO. I suspect in another season or two they'll have a really good boot Edited January 13, 2003 by Dane Quote
Pro Mountain Sports Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 We recently received a few pair of the new Trango Extreme S here at the shop if anyone wants to touch and feel. They are similar to the Trango Ice, but without gaitor (open up more-dry faster) and they are $40 less that the Trango Ice. Still trying to evaluate the warmth compared to the Trango Ice which we also have in stock. I think of both as being more snow/ice oriented than the Trango S, but Lambone may be changing my perception some. I used Trango Ice on S Rib of Guye recently, but Trango S may have been an even better choice. Does the new gear lower the grade? Quote
COL._Von_Spanker Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 The trango Ice has a stiffer layer in the shank and doesn't have the "cushon" layer that the trango s has. The trango s also has more "rocker". So what's the difference in the trango ice and the trango ice comp? What's the trango extreme? is that different than the nepal extreme? Anyone used the kayland K1's? Regarding sportiva-There seems to be different info on different sites, wassup wi dat other sportiva shizz Quote
Pro Mountain Sports Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 "Which BTW is a lot warmer than the new Trango Extreme S which is uninsulated." My understanding is that the Trango Ice, and the new Trango Extreme S have the same insulation. This includes a 3mm layer of PE micro-cellular closed cell foam. You can feel it. Warmth wise, they should both be similar (or a little warmer) to both the Nepal, and the older Trango Extreme. Quote
Rainier_Wolfscastle Posted January 13, 2003 Posted January 13, 2003 How do you become the "Official" supplier of great emotions? Are there other companies providing "great emotions" without government approval? I don't get their motto. Who would describe their climbing/mountaineering experience as being full of great emotions? Must be a bad french to english translation or something like that. Quote
Dane Posted January 13, 2003 Author Posted January 13, 2003 (edited) "My understanding is that the Trango Ice, and the new Trango Extreme S have the same insulation. This includes a 3mm layer of PE micro-cellular closed cell foam. You can feel it." I had a new pair of the Trango extreme S from Neptune via Sportiva in Oct. They were not insulated in the same manner as my ICE are. They did not fit the same, in the same size...everyone tells me they built on the same last. The last size comparison, I believe, insulation on the two pair of boots I had here to play with made me doubt the rest. If that has changed, cool! No disrespect directed to anyone posting, best thing to do is make your own comparison and forget what the ads, salesmen and "official" web site says. Jim has them both at Promountain Sports...and I suspect he has forgotten more about Sportivas than I know. The Extreme S I had here would take at least one more pair of woolies and felt like a boat in comparison to the ICE. Not what I wanted or paid for just telling you what I saw comparing the two in person. "Does the new gear lower the grade?" When you started in Galibers/Harderers and terros the new gear does lower the grade by a good number of suffer points. But you already knew that Edited January 13, 2003 by Dane Quote
iceaxe23 Posted January 14, 2003 Posted January 14, 2003 thanks for the photos...I think I may try a pair of the extreme S's as you say they fit bigger...I had nepals in size 42 and they fit great and I got rid of them (I hate myself for it) so I got trango ice's and sportiva Jannu (very different boot) boots in 42 to seek out my new perfect boot and the jannus are too much boot and the trango ice boots are snugger on my toes...I get cold feet easy and would be better off with a bigger fitting boot. Any one want to trade a trango extreme s for a new trango ice??? (had to try)....... since you have handled the boots is the new extreme S made out of paritial leather??? or is it fully synthetic as the ice? thanks for all the info...also were can you get the trango extreme S boots??? thanks again Quote
daler Posted January 14, 2003 Posted January 14, 2003 The grade is the grade. How hard it feels is relative to gear and talent. Grade 5 is still grade 5 but many choose to down rate it because they are getting better and the gear is way better than it used to be. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 14, 2003 Posted January 14, 2003 The grade is always wi2 m0 if I can climb it. Quote
fern Posted January 14, 2003 Posted January 14, 2003 FWIW I have nepal top extremes. They are good and quite warm. I also have Salomon SM9 (Snow and Rock) which are more comfortable and feely but not insulated so not ideal for cold ice days. Supergaiters + foam between sole and crampon helps a little. In small boot sizes it is more important to make sure that the crampons are compatible. For example, I found that the lanier style 2Fs don't work because the small boot toe protrudes through the plastic toe-cage thing out almost as far as the front-points. I found that Switchblades didn't work with the asymmetric last on the SM9s and the heel of the crampon worked its way off sideways. I found that Rambos just barely adjust small enough to fit my sz38s ... I might have to drill new holes for the heel bail. Quote
Alex Posted January 14, 2003 Posted January 14, 2003 minx, Summer uses LaSportiva K3s. They have seen 2 seasons on Banff now and a fair amount of alpine, and do very well. A great all-around boot! Quote
cracked Posted January 16, 2003 Posted January 16, 2003 The K3 isn't made anymore. I have the new replacement of the K2, the Eiger. The support isn't enough for steep snow and moderate ice, like what we found on Chair. Also, when kicking into hard ice the flex of the boot seems to reduce penetration of my crampons. I have essentially no ice experience and have never tried any other boots, but I think a rigid boot would be more appropriate for steep stuff. Quote
Dane Posted January 17, 2003 Author Posted January 17, 2003 (edited) As noted the Trangos, in any version, are stiff enough for Chair. Anything up to, say WI 3 should be fine, I think? They are light on the feet too and warm enough most of the winter around here I suspect. I am going to use them myself on the next "alps" climb. I won't take them to Canada in winter but the Ice is certainly warm enough for the Rockies on my feet (as the Trango extreme S should be). I was happy with them on some pretty cold (-30) climbs last year. On another note I did not realise the tongues are velcroed in on the Ice and easily removable to dry the boot out. I supect everyone but me already knew that.....but the tongues do "rip" right out and the boot drys fast opened up. Edited January 17, 2003 by Dane Quote
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