UKC

Hi all

Im after a pair of winter boots for winter walking mainly, but possibly venturing into some climbing at some point in the hopefully not so distant future.

Wondering if anyone's got any reccomendations for some boots to fit wider feet like? My current boots are Alt Berg Mallerstang's, in an extra wide fit, duno if that helps or not. Aint had chance to go into a decent store yet, but wouldnt mind a few suggestions as to what to look out for when i do.

Thought about the obvious-Scarpa Manta's, but have this feeling that Scarpa's tend to be more of a narrower fit? Not sure on that un like.

Cheers for any help.

In reply to HikerPunk: Hi mate, I have Mantas and I have wide feet, I went for the 10.5 even though I'm only a 10 and they fit like a glove, extra length is good for jogs down hill.

Would STAY AS FAR AWAY from La Sportiver's as possible as they really are a narrow fit, great boots just not my fit. Trying to think of some others but most are about the same as the Scarpa.

Raichle (Mammut) Mountain boots are supposed to be pretty good, and it would be worthwhile seeing if Meindl did a lovely set of winter boots too.

But as far as personal experience goes, the Mantas have me sold. So much so I've just ordered some Phantom Guides. The only thing I don't like about them however is that the toe box and rubber rand sticks out over the sole so they are a bit iffy for scrambling/climbing in as your foot tends to just bounce off everything you go to place on.

Oh, and stay away from this 'GSB' idea, it's complete garbage.

In reply to Richiehill: +1 for Raichles for wide feet, hopefully still the same under Mammut

In reply to Richiehill:

Cheers for that guys, sounds promising ill give the Manta's a try, mebes this weekend although ill have to wait a few weeks before i can afford to splash out yet.

Any more suggestions gratefully recieved btw, always like to have a few options.

In reply to HikerPunk:

Have a look at the meindl range as in my experience they are quite wide fitting. Good luck


G

In reply to HikerPunk:
my salomons pro thermic were very wide and roomy, now have cumbres with a similar ,though not as wide,fit
seb

In reply to Removed Usersebastian74:

Manta's & Meindl too narrow for me. Got sorted with Asolo, tried 2 or 3 different models - all ok.

In reply to HikerPunk: My mate's got wide feet and he has Mantas...

In reply to HikerPunk:

I know it's a common belief that La Sportivas have a narrow fit, but I have 2 pairs all of which are perfectly fine for my broad forefeet. My problem is that I have wide forefeet and narrow heels, which makes finding boots that fit pretty difficult. I tried Scarpa Charmoz, - they were brilliant up front, but my heels slipped around in them, despite playing around with insoles and the like. Eventually traded them in for a pair of La Sportiva Trango Alps which were pretty much perfect. Killed the Trangos with a self inflicted injury, and have just bought myself a pair of Asolo Alpines, which seem to have a similar fit.

Bottom line is - I wouldn't discount any brand until you put your feet in them with the proper socks on.

In reply to Richiehill:

What is the GSB idea - why is it garbage?

I bought Millet Alpinist for my wide feet. La Sportiva were like Chinese binding shoes on me.

In reply to HikerPunk: I have wide feet and Meindl are the best range of boots I've found...

E

In reply to Richiehill: Your knowledge and experience really shine through with that post. Any chance you could enlighten us all as to why the GSB is so bad? Personal experiences only please.

In reply to petemacpherson:
I've seen pairs of new-style Mantas (less than a year old) with the toe section so worn down that the GSB slot is completely unusable. It just seems like a ridiculously non-durable way of doing things. What's wrong with a standard newmatic crampon binding?

In reply to HikerPunk: I have wide feet and tried what seems like hundreds of boots ended up with Meindl Himalaya (Approx B1)and have stayed with them for years and found them fantastic boots straight from the box. Good for walking in winter with airtech crampons with flexible bars. When progressing from winter walking to basic winter climbing I really struggled getting any comfortable boots and ended up with Meindl Matterhorn GTX (apprtox b2) great for grade 1, 2 and 3. Realy struggled getting b3 meindl dont sell them here. Whilst all scarpa boots traditionally fit me horibly I have bought lots to wear indoors for 10 days or so and too narrow at the front and too wide in the heel I have ended up with Scarpa Mont Blanc. They are a horible colour but very wide at the front and snug heel not climbed in them yet but for a B3 boot they are unbelevably comfortable, had them 3 weeks and 3 walks and 40 miles later broken in with no blisters. Sorry for the length of post but has been real pain for me hopefully may shorten list for you

In reply to petemacpherson: Sorry it's a bit late pete, and I appreciate you were being sarcastic but I'll answer the question as well as I can, although I doubt my experiences will be justify the apparently audacious comment I made earlier.

Like the person that posted below you, I've only had my mantas just over a year and already the sole is worn down to an extent where I wouldn't chance my feet in them.

Also if the plastic cover comes out before you want to wear them it fills with crap meaning it's almost imposible to get the crampons on.

But if the plastic cover doesn't fall out then, in winter, with gloves on, how do you suppose to get the cover out? the only way I have thought of was to use your crampon itself, which could lead to a nasty injury. The plastic bits are hard enough to get out in the warm and dry with perfect visibility and no gloves on. I can only imagine how hard it must be in a winter blizzard, wearing gloves.

But my main issue with the idea, is that there is absoloutly nothing wrong with the traditional step-in crampon, infact, unless you walk around with the plastic cover out of your boot, I would even go as far as saying that I think it's probably quicker to use the more tradition ones too. Plus you don't have to rely on buying a new set of boots every year and a half.

So that, in my finite wisdom, is what is wrong with the GSB idea crampon.

Rich

In reply to HikerPunk:

GSB as an idea was actually quite good though in practice it didn't work in this country.

Perfect for places where you get out of the cable car and put a crampon stragight on but not for Scottish 2 hour walk ins where the hole filled up with crud which then froze. I regularly had to use the hammer on my tools to put the crampon in.

Once fitted however they were the most secure fitting crampon I have used and I never thought they would fall off.

In reply to HikerPunk: Always found that saloman are a fairly wide fit"i have hobbit type feet",agree with whats said about the la sportivas as there very narrow but they are a european boot.

In reply to HikerPunk: Zamberlan make boots that fit wide feet. I bought their winter boot last year in Aviemore, in Mountainspirit. They fit my feet miles better than Sportivas ever did.

In reply to HikerPunk:

garmont is known as a wider foot boot. mountain guide is a nice boot.

Scarpa Omega boots (plastic, but very light and soft) have wide (but low) toe box. But they are realy narrow in foot arche.