UKC

Hello,
I am on the market for B3 boots which I intend to use in Alps in the summer. It would be great if they could be the last pair of boots I ever buy (to accompany my plastic Spantiks and approach/hiking shoes).

It seems like La Sportiva Nepal Evo GTX is the longstanding champion of B3 category. Howevr, I have heard that the new La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX is... well, newer, better. Though some of the reviews are mixed (suggesting they are in fact colder etc.).

Which boots do you think I should go for, assuming that they both fit me well? Any thoughts/suggestions/opinions welcome! (the review here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=6411 mentions that Nepal Cube are not as warm as Nepal Extreme (which are no longer available), but it does not make any direct comparisons with Nepal Evo).

Thank you for help.

In reply to theriel:

I've not used the Cubes, but as no one else has replied… I have used Nepal Extremes for years and I held one of them in one hand and one Cube in the other and they definitely feel quite different.

The Cubes feel thinner and lighter and have a narrower and more shaped heel, from what I could see. I remember thinking that if I went to buy a pair of Cubes, I would definitely want to try them on first, rather than just rely on Extremes (and all my other LS boots) having fitted me. They looked good. Not sure that the patterned rubber rand toward the rear will stand up to abuse on rocks, cracks and moraines.

In reply to theriel:

Hi,

After another season of use in my Nepal Cubes, I still think they are great.

To the OP: try on the Cubes, if they fit, then I would go for them - you already have some Spantiks for when it is really cold! I stick by my original review linked above, and really big routes in the coldest part of an Alpine winter would be too cold for them (on my feet at least) but I did climb several Grand Course north faces in them either side of this winter season - October and March - and they were great.

In reply to Damo - the rand is getting cracked, scuffed etc from abuse in granite/moraine, as you would expect, but actually the fancy bit is fine so far, it;s the other bit that looks the worst! Odd!

Cheers,

Jack

In reply to Jack Geldard - UKC Chief Editor:
Thank you both for your helpful replies!

Jack - would you mind helping me understand - is there any reason to get Evo GTX over Cube GTX? (apart from price). Let's forget about Extremes for the time being as they are not produced anymore. My read of your review suggests that Cube are better than Evo.

If you had to buy only one pair of boots to accompany Spantiks, would Cube be the best all-rounder? (I can imagine that having Batura or something even warmer in July in Alps would not be great either).

In reply to theriel:

Sounds like the Cube are the ideal summer alpine boot, especially if you have a pair of Spantiks for colder weather. Might also be worth considering these? http://www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/mountain/trango-extreme-evo-%20lt...

Great! It seems like Nepal Cube GTX it is!

Thank you all once again for your help.

In reply to theriel:
I've got the cubes and had the evos. I find the cubes just as warm as the evos, but a lot lighter and they feel more dexterous. Not had any issues with durability either.