UKC

Just interested on peoples opinion on leather and plastic winter mountaineering boots for Scottish winter climbing?

In reply to Jeremy Foster:

As in Plastic shelled boot? Better to go with a synthetic (which is technically still plastic). Lightweight and comfortable

In reply to Jeremy Foster:

I've owned both.

They both worked equally well for climbing. I suspect that that is mainly down to good fit.

My plastic boots were perfectly watertight, never, ever needed cleaning and were brilliant. But they were rather hard on the feet for walking on roads in.

My current leather boots are perfectly watertight, do need cleaning and are brilliant. They are lovely and comfortable for walking on roads etc., with.
But they have just a little flex in them which my plastic koflachs didn't have.

In reply to Jeremy Foster:

With boots, definitely the ones that fit you!

In reply to Jeremy Foster:

No point going for hard shelled plastic (if that's what you mean) nowadays with all the great synthetic boots out there. Ie- scarpa phantoms etc...

Personally Id go for that sort of shoe over a leather pair, but if I were to go for a leather pair, id definitely want one with a goretex lining in, despite what some people say, they eventually let the water in without (even if goretex does too sometimes!)

As others say, its all down to fit, but getting a balance for comfy walking in and getting decent performance for climbing if you need a technical pair.