UKC

Does anyone have personal knowledge of the fit of Lowa Civetta double boots? I’ve got the option of a pair for a trip to Nepal in Nov to Island Peak, just over 6000m.

I get on well with Lowa boots normally and have both Renegades and Baldo’s, which fit my wide forefoot very well. Does anyone know if the Civetta’s are similarly wide at the forefoot?

Also, I’ve seen some reviews that say they aren’t very warm- again, any personal experiences?

Thanks

Phil

Phil

Brilliant boots. I used a pair extensively years ago. That could be a problem though.  I believe that plastic boots can go brittle over time. Lowa plastic seemed far more malleable than the ubiquitous Koflach and Berghaus variants but I would not want a pair of boots cracking in a UK winter nevermind in Nepal. Asolo's were soft but they self destructed all the time.

I found Civetta's to be incredibly good for ice and mixed climbing. Very precise and not bulky like the Asolo 105s. They were very comfortable for plastic boots as the plastic was softer, they flexed where they were designed to flex around the ankle but not as good as modern boots. Think Civettas had the option of two inner boots. Standard one was Loden wool and a really rare warmer version.

Thinking about it I still have mine in the bottom of the gear cupboard.

Sorry - missed the bit about fit.

Mine are true to my shoe size (44)

Plenty of wiggle room for toes. Fit was fine with liner sock and thick sock. Warm enough for Scotland but prob not Nepal. Hope you enjoy your trip but do enquire about the age and origin of those boots. Mine were the original green but black ex-military ones used to appear in online marketplaces.

+ 1

There's a good chance they will fall to bits. Not worth the risk.

Thanks- I did wonder if they’d have become brittle over time. Great info- thanks v much for the response.

I had a pair years ago, the red ones with the alveolite expedition inner. They were good, but fitted wide, but in terms of sizing I seem to remember I had to size up to a 48 or 49 (I'm usually a 47 in Sportiva etc) but with packing down of the inner they became a bit sloppy. They had a relatively low profile toe box which made them good for mixed climbing and any (relatively) precise footwork. Mugs Stump wore them on his big climbs in Antarctica and Alaska.

I'd agree with the above about possibly shattering. Civettas were pebax, like Asolo ASF 101s, so they were softer, unlike Koflachs or Scarpa Vegas - which now commonly shatter in the cold if they're 20+ years old - but I still wouldn't risk it. Modern boots are so much lighter, warmer and more comfortable.

I bought a pair of like new Lowa double boots a few years back.   (Lowa Quantums.)  

They had literally never been worn.  

Took them to my local ice climbing spot.  By the time I had walked about 400 yards, they had cracked all apart and literally disintegrated.   I was left with a bunch of plastic pieces and the soles.  

I would be very wary of old plastic boots.