UKC

These boots with super gaiters, for example La Sportiva Batura, Scarpa Phantom Guides and other by Mammut, Keyland, Salewa and Boreal have been out and about for quite some time now and I was wondering how they are holding up? Over the last few years or so I have just been using La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX, a really good work horse, good shelf life but heavy and I find I get cold feet in them (I got frost nip in both feet while dog sledding a few years back).

I should point out I live in Valdres and in the winter typical winter climbing temperatures are -15 or so.

Specifically

Longevity? (have they held up to many days, how many days?)

Warmth? (for example in temps between -10 and below)a few people have told me they are warm enough, others says not as warm as they had been lead to expect and another said warm most of the time, but they have been properly cold in them (This was Northern Norway however).

Drying out time? (For example if you’re on a weeklong ice climbing trip can you dry them out each day or do they gradually become damper and damper? Some reviewers said they are difficult to dry out, is this true?

The super gaiter? Are they really that “Super”?

Would you rush out again and buy the same boot without hesitation, or would you be more cautious? Think about a double boot Spantik or Scarpa 6000 for example?

To save someone the trouble, yes it goes without question the best boot is the one that fits your foot etc. Not always possible when you live 4 hours north of Oslo.

Thanks in advance!

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

This guy is the internet's designated mountain boot reviewer, you'll find his archives well worth a trawl:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/

In reply to AlanLittle:

Already have. I imagine reviewers have to balance very carefully saying what they want to say and still remaining on the receiving list. Saying that the blog you mentioned is by far one of the most detailed and impartial out, quite humorous at times, but I would still like to hear from people that part with hard earned cash expecting nothing but blister in return.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: We'll I hope they are great since I've just shelled out for Phantom Guides. They fit fantastic and climb well on my wall. Really tough to get crampons to fit, had to buy special toe bails. Can't comment on warmth or durability yet. I tried spantiks and phantom 6000s but they were very bulky, didn't fit too well and since I don't plan any multi day winter alpine seemed overkill.

In reply to David Bennett: Apparently the Petal Lynx fit the Guides really well (Needlesports). What crampons do you have?

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

But rigid boots are crap in the cold if you're not actually ice climbing. Get some Sorels or Sorel knock-offs (mine are Jack Wolfskin and I found in a spring sale for about 30 euros a decade ago - never had cold feet in them).

I've not got boots with fixed gaiters, it does seem like something that can go wrong. I have mates who have had nightmares with the zips on Baturas - I remember one mate having to have his sent back to Italy, so spent most of the season using his old not so good boots. After much messing around they finally just replaced the Baturas with the newer model, which he got back in time for a trip to Northern Norway. In the cabin in Norway, night before the first route, the zip failed again on them. Cue boot being thrown across room. Fortunately a team effort and some lube from a Scarpa boot and we managed to get it working again - but still seems a weak point.

If you want warm boots that are simple see if you can track down the Sportive Baruntse. Mine are as warm as my old baggy Scarpa Vegas but feel like Nepal Extremes to climb in - i.e. rather good. I'm wearing them in my profile pic which is about as steep as I can do!

In reply to BnB: Hi, got BD cyborgs which with the new narrow toe bails fit OK, Needlesports came to the rescue.

In reply to David Bennett: I'm weighing up Guides vs Jorasses now. Had a go in the latter on the ice wall this afternoon. Unbelievably light, comfortable and flexible (more so than I expect the Guides to be), but solid on routes up to tech 6. Reckon the Guides will win on warmth, waterproofing and durability. Decisions, decisions...

Glad to hear the Cyborgs fit. It's those or the Lynx I've got my eye on.

In reply to TobyA:

Hi Toby,

Thanks for the info, I thought the zip issue on La Sportiva Baturas had been sorted? Anyway I also thought these boots had a narrow last is that right?

The frost nip wasn't because of using climbing boots for dog sleding. I have (had) sorels that got wet. Sleding over frozen fjords when suddenly we found water over ice. I know have water proof boots rated to -100C for dog running.

I wanted to try the Sportive Baruntse, they still have them on the Sportive website but where can you buy them?

I know what you mean about the gaitors, what happened to yeti gaitors I always thought it was good work out getting them on.

In reply to TobyA:

Could you give any info on sizing of the Sportive Baruntse? There seemed to be a change in sizing from my old Nepal tops to the newer Nepal EVO GTX? I had to go up one full size.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: Got mine from Telemark Pyrenees but unfortunately they don't seem to do them any more. You need to get a bit creative with your googling; google.de turns up European seller but you'll have to use your German! A German friend says this shop is very good: http://www.bergfreunde.de/la-sportiva-baruntse-bergstiefel/

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: I got 42s just like my Nepals, Trango Ss and Trango ice-thingies. At first I thought they might be pushing a bit on my little toes, I have wide feet - obviously bad in a boot for cold as that's a quick way to get frost bite. But then I thermoformed the inners as you are meant to and that's not longer a problem. They fit great and seem very warm now. I paid my local ski tech guy to thermoform them for me but he didn't really do anything special and just said to do again in my home oven if I didn't think it was working right. He was very relaxed about it and though it hard to go wrong.

In reply to TobyA:

ok thanks.

In reply to TobyA:

If you dont mind me asking why the Baruntse and not the Spantiks?

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: Very very simple answer - Telemark Pyrenees had a pair in my size for 259 euros and I had been getting cold feet in my other boots that winter, it had been a chilly one that year. Spantik's retail at about double that, which I couldn't afford.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: I guess you could also say secondarily was that I had read lots of peoples stories about the Spantik laces breaking and hassle getting it fixed. There seemed very little to go wrong with the Baruntse old school lace ups!

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

Have had first gen baturas for 6 years, maybe 150 days in them, wore them last week. A few scuffs and a bit heavy, but wouldnt hesitate to get a new pair.
That said, for most winter stuff i wear spantiks as theyre better for multi day trips.

In reply to ice.solo:


Were you somewhere excitingly icy already? Not that I'm jealous or anything... <grrrrrrrrr>
And did you see my email from last week?

In reply to TobyA:

Hey toby, yes and yes. Been out in my boots for 3 weeks. Will reply in a day or two.

In reply to ice.solo: Don't think it actually needed a reply anyway - but three weeks of ice climbing already?! No fair.

We had dribbles down a local crag I drive past taking my kids to school on Monday morning, a few nights down to -9, but its +8 and pissing down now so still lots of waiting to do before I need my warm boots.

In reply to TobyA:

We werent on ice, just in the cold and travelling light so big boots only. Ice only above 2900m as yet.
Great pre season tho. Good to get the wunderlust out before serious conditions arrive.

In reply to ice.solo:

Anyone else, I am sure many people have shopped Scarpa boots and other super gaiter style boots.

Again mainly interested in warmth & longevity.

Thanks in advance!

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons: hi,i have a pair of the scarpa 6000,s and they were very warm last year,got down to about -15 one day and everybody was complaining about cold feet..well everything,i was happy enough in the 6000's,i bought them too big at first and had to size down.

i wore nepal evos for years but got cold feet when -5 or lower,-10 and i was struggling,great supportive boots though,bought a pair of the 2nd version of the baturas( not the one now) and my feet were colder than the nepals a lot too.

have climbed with peeps with the guides and they have had much colder feet than me,when i have had the 6000.s on,personally i would rate the nepals warmer than the guides from what i have heard and seen..but i can not say for sure as i havent tried the guides myself.

the fit and climbing ability of the new baturas seems to impress a lot of reviewers but they still say their feet are cold when the temperature drops,i dont think technology has improved that much that a single boot can be much warmer than they were a few years ago,sure they are getting lighter but also a lot less durable too.

In reply to Jamie Simpson - Alpine Dragons:

I've used Scarpa Phantom Guides and Ultras, as well as some old Raichle All Degree XP (I think).

The Ultras seem the closest fit and most minimal, so probably the least warm, but they're also the lightest, so that's probably to be expected. I think they're really good and would be happy to wear them to reasonably below-freezing conditions, and to recommend them generally - they seem to have come down in price quite a lot this year, too, for some reason.

I don't recall any particular instances of cold feet in any of these boots (worryingly numb toes, hot aches etc) - but I suppose it's hard to have a properly objective assessment of them since other variables can have such an influence on one's warmth.

I've not had the Ultras long enough to comment on longevity, I'm afraid, but the sole unit is thinner than on the Guides, so I suppose they'd be bound to wear down more quickly with lots of walking-in or use on rock.
My Raichles have done pretty well, apart from the crampon welts getting a bit mangled - but you can't buy them now so that's by the by.

In reply to cliff shasby & TeeBee:

Thanks for the good info. Interesting points on cold feet. As you say it all depends on the person and the climate. I never got cold feet in my Koflach ultras but that might have had someting to do with the amount of energy you needed to swing them about