UKC

I'm still on the hunt for a new pair of mountaineering boots and am struggling to find information on some of them, was hoping people could possibly help fill me in.

My primary needs are light, able to fit a crampon and warm. I know the first and last don't go together, but I'm trying to find the best compromise possible. These will be for use on peaks up to the 5,000m mark in spring - autumn. If I ever want to do higher than that or winter I'll likely look at a double boot.

Part of the reason I'm not looking at doubles for the moment is the long walk-ins before hitting the snow on many of the peaks on my list, so want something that doesn't overheat too easily and is comfortable with shorts, so wary of the gaitered boots. One thing I'm wondering is how easy it is on such boots to unlace the top section and fold down the top of the gaiter to let a bit of air flow for the walk in. Is this feasible or are the too stiff and will just get in the way?

This leads me on to the boots mentioned in the title. The smaller gaiter on the Trango Ice looks soft enough to fold down out the way for a bit extra breathability. I worry about the overall warmth of these though. With the Gore-Tex insulated liner and carbon honeycomb sole they sound like they should be comparable to the Nepal Cubes. Is this the case or is there a noticeable difference (the nepal cubes are currently top of my list). As a few of the routes I currently have planned can involve prolonged rocky scrambles depending on conditions the reportedly grippier sole also sounds beneficial.

Any thoughts on my comments or the other options out there?

In reply to Dheorl:

I got a pair of Trango Ice Cubes in the late Autumn of 2015. The sizing is exactly the same as Nepal Extremes and the Batura IMO. They are extremely light and very stiff, I was also sceptical about whether they would be warm enough for real winter cold. I used them in January 2016 at the Sottoguda ice festival in the Dolomites and was shocked at how warm and comfortable they were for all day use in temperatures between -8 and -14 degrees C. I generally don't suffer from cold feet, and I forgot that I was wearing these. I then used them on Scottish mixed in Glen Coe and on the Ben, then managed to get on Mega Route X later in the season. They were warm and precise, and they really looked after me.

For proper Alpine winter I would probably still wear the Batura (very warm) but for everything else (Scotland and euro ice cragging) I would use the Trango ice cube. Too early to comment on durability but at this weight I don't expect them to last forever. I used them with Grivel Rambo 4s and Grivel G20s, the fit was better on the G20s.

The gaiter will fold down or you could leave it unzipped for the walk in. If I was going over the top of Mont Blanc or upto 5000m in the Spring or Autumn I would use the ice cubes - I don't suffer from cold feet, so you'll have to make your own call on that one. I've not used the Nepal cubes so can't give you a fair comparison. Good luck with your adventures............Jeff

In reply to Dheorl:

Echoing the above somewhat I really like mine.

I've only used them in Scotland so far as I've not had them long, but they're super comfy even on walk in's, felt warm enough there (not v cold though), really precise, light, super grippy on rock, can't fault them really.

I don't expect them to last super long though..

I use mine with Petzl Sarkens and they seem to work really well.

In reply to Jeff Ingman:

Thanks for the reply Jeff.

When you say they are sized the same as the Nepal Extremes, is that width as well as length? I've ordered some in to try at a local shop but the standard Trangos I know are to narrow for me so am a bit concerned, but the Nepal range seems a much better fit.

I'm kinda buying them with the thought that I'll likely get some G2 SMs or Phantoms a couple of years down the line as I have high altitude aspirations and they'll cover alpine winter nicely.

Out of curiosity you mention folding down the gaiters on the Trangos is no problem (good to hear). Is it possible to do similar on the Baturas or are the gaiters simply to large and stiff? Also what's your opinion on the walking/slogging up snow slopes comfort of them compared to the other B3s you mention?

In reply to jezb1:

Thanks for the reply.

Good to know about the walking comfort. The durability does concern me slightly, but I'm normally fairly "light" on my gear, so fingers crossed I'll get a fair few seasons out of them.

Really good to hear about the Sarkens as those are the crampons I'm likely to be using most with these boots. Do you normally use the toe welt or just strap-on?

In reply to Dheorl:

I've been using the plastic front bale as sometimes I use the Sarkens on other boots without welts, been working just fine that way

In reply to Dheorl:

Sizing - I meant length really, the ice cube is slightly narrower than the Batura but it's not caused me any problems. I slacken the laces off for the last hour of the walk out. When you try yours on I suggest that you go in the late afternoon when your feet will be at their largest.

The gaiter on the Batura is made from several different fabrics and mine tend to stick out rather than fold down. I've walked with the zip undone a few times when it's been warm.

When slogging up a slope light foot ware is a big help - I like the trango ice cubes for this

Best regards.....Jeff

In reply to Jeff Ingman:

Thanks for the info. Yea, I normally aim to try on boots late in the day.

This may be a silly question, but what's the main downside of the Tango Ice vs for instance the Nepal range. Is it simply a durability trade-off or is there really that much difference in warmth to go with it?

In reply to Dheorl:

I haven't found a down side yet, just my own mind telling me that I might get really cold feet if I have to stand in one place for ages on a cold day. I've worn heavier, bulkier boots all my life so the ice cube is really different for me. Only time will tell on the durability.

In reply to Dheorl:

FWIW I've gone through the sole and rands of a pair of Nepal Cubes in about 6-7 weeks in the alps. Not that impressed with durability to be honest.

In reply to guy127917:

That's slightly worrying. I've had my current boots 9 years now and they're still on their first sole.

I have to say the choice from La Sportiva to put the branding in the rand as they have does puzzle me a bit.

If you don't mind what other boots have you had in the past and how well have they lasted?

In reply to Jeff Ingman:

When you say your own mind telling you you might get cold feet, is that just because the weight means you lack confidence in their insulating ability or have their been times when you've actually got really cold feet in them?

Sorry, just want to check, as warmth is a fairly big sticking point for me.

In reply to Dheorl:

Yeah the rand has gone quite weird, like it's dried out and gone a bit powdery. I didn't expect this- assumed it was synthetic. These have been my first pair of mountain boots so don't have anything to compare against except my general expectation.

In reply to Dheorl:

Dheorl

I've been going out in Winter since 1974 and everything I use has got progressively lighter and better, that's the only reason that I'm still able to winter climb. The Trango ice cube is massively lighter than anything else that I have ever used and when I first got them out of the box i was shocked. That said, I've never been cold in them..... but I sort of expect to be! maybe I should just accept the advance of technology and smile - I was over in Slovenia 4 weeks ago in -25 c and they were fine.

In reply to Jeff Ingman:

Thanks for confirming that for me. Didn't intend to be picky, just wanted to be sure, as I know I can run quite cold and always overpack on clothing because it's a feeling I hate.

My last pair of boots became quite ill fitting towards the end so virtually anything will be an improvement in the warmth department, but want to make sure whatever boots I get next will be fairly "future proof" for trips I'm hoping to do.

In reply to Dheorl:

Unfortunately after all that I managed to find somewhere to try them on, and no matter what tricks I employed I couldn't get the heel to hold =(

Shame as for me they seem like the absolutely perfect boot.

Thanks so much for your help though everyone.