UKC

Hello All,

I am planning a trip to EBC on April and would like some advice on what boot selection I should make. From looking online I narrowed it down to 2 canditates: Salomon Quest 4 or Salomon X-Ultra Mid.

I already bought Salomon Quest 4 boot but I have in mind that I dont just want to buy something for one trip and not really use it later on for easier hikes. The boot is solid but seems a bit of an overkill for day hikes and easier trails. My question I guess is whether the Salomon X-Ultra Mid boots are suitable for EBC so I can swap.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Regards,

Kyriacos

In reply to Kyriacos3:

I think either would be fine. I've done the walk twice (some time ago) and used a pair of Scarpa leather boots and they were fine (apart from blisters).  I did it both times in April/May and didn't encounter any snowfall so no real problems with cold feet.

I think if I was going to do it any, I'd opt for some walking shoes.

What I found useful both time was having some kind of walking stick which helped on the descents.  The first time I used a Charlie Chaplin style one which I found and the next time someone lent me a modern one.

Hope you enjoy the walk

In reply to Kyriacos3:

EBC is not the hardest hike in the world. It is on well maintained trail that have been part of Nepal’s infrastructure for centuries. It is getting a bit more rugged in the end though, but nothing too difficult.

When I did it back in 1987, I went to one of the many second hand stores in Kathmandu and bought a pair B1 leather half mid boots that fitted me well, and they did a great job. Should I do it again, I would probably just use a pair of hiking shoes like Scarpa Zen or La Sportiva TX4.

It’s a good idea to bring hiking poles as well. I suffered from knee pain the last few days when on the way back down to Jiri, and I believe they would have prevented that.

In reply to Kyriacos3:

I am on EBC trek right now wearing Salomon Quest 4 boots and they are ideal. I am on my second pair and find them very good.

However the lighter boots would be fine

In reply to Kyriacos3: fyi I use trail shoes (Moab 2s currently) rather than boots for the STANDARD EBC trail even when it snows. I’ve been twice in the past year and there again this November). Light boots or trail shoes will be fine, whichever are comfy for you. Most important is to have a Vibram or similar hard soles as the trail is rough/stones in places. I see some walking in trainers but don’t think they are suitable at all. regards 

In reply to Kyriacos3:

There's really only one suitable option:

https://www.moncler.com/en-gb/men/shoes/boots/n-black-I20974H00020M3489999....

In reply to Kyriacos3:

I did it in knackered old Brashers that were falling apart. Whatever you wear will be fine as long as it is comfortable.

If you're on an organised tour then you won't be going far each day to allow you to acclimatise, so your feet/supporting muscles etc.  will get stronger throughout the trek. And the quality of your boots matters less. 

Many of the porters do it in flip flops, so as long as you have something comfortable you will be fine.

GTE

In reply to Kyriacos3:

I’ve not done the EBC specifically but the quests would be good trekking boots, they’re fairly sturdy but (for my feet at least) very comfortable to wear a few days in a row.  

However my first pair had the sole coming away in 11 months and were replaced under the 2 year warranty and customer service was very good - I  did something like 40-50 hill days in that time though I would hope the replacement pair last a lot longer than that!