UKC

Hello, can anyone recommend any comfortable B1 boots for intermediate UK winter and Alpine Mountaineering? 

I've had some Mammut Trovat Guide II High GTX boots for the past few years but have never found them very comfortable and quite difficult to climb in. They were my first B1 boots so was expecting them to be more rigid and heavier than my normal walking boots, but feel there must be much better options out there? 

Personal recommendations aren't going to be much help, I'm afraid: what other folk find comfortable may not fit you, and vice versa. If at all possible get yourself to some shops and try  some different boots on. 

I have the same Mammut boots as you: they are great for winter hillwalking, but I wouldn't choose to climb anything harder than Grade I gullies in them: they are too soft. You might want to consider moving up to B2 or even B3 boots. 

I think you’ll need to first define what “intermediate UK winter” is (Grade III Scottish? Hiking in Winter?) as this will determine what boot you need (B1-3). This is the same for your Alpine Mountaineering aspirations (I used my Scottish Winter B3s in Alps this Summer and thought a pair of B2s would have been sufficient!).

I would recommend reading this article: https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/buying-guides/the-absolute-guide-to-mountai... to gauge which boot you need. Once you know, (for example I decide I’m in the market for a B2) go to a store to try on different brands, as (echoing Mark) everyone will be different views on comfort.

How big are your feet? Remember that a "heavier gent" with big feet will find a boot far softer and someone slighter with small feet.

I use the now discontinued La Sportiva Trango Cube which is, on paper, a B2 but is fine for UK hill walking through to low grade Scottish Winter.

I went through a couple of different winter boots before finding my current La Sportiva Trango Tower GTX pair. They've been brilliant. I have quite thin feet and have had real problems with heel blisters in particular. These have been much better, comfortable on full Scottish winter days out (I use a pair of Grivel Air-Tech New-Matic crampons) and no blistering. I do still use a precautionary blister plaster on each heel whenever I use them, but my old boots would cause blistering through any attempt at protection so I'm wary. Had real problems with toe-pain on long descents in previous pairs also - no such issue with the La Sportivas. I think they just fit my foot type, I've since bought a pair of their approach shoes and recently some trail running shoes also - all fit like a dream.

the ones which fit...

What attributes are you looking for? I generally want my boots to be as light and flexible as possible so your Mammut's sounds great.

I don't own a B1 boot. Never seen the need for them. Summer I just wear very flexible footwear, and use my Scarpa Manta B2 boots when I need the extra warmth and crampon use.

I am missing decent scrambling footwear, is this your use case? B2's are too cumbersome, and flexible footwear tires my feet out. Is this your use case?

What was uncomfortable and what made them difficult to climb in? If you prefer a stiffer heavier boot just go with B2. 

Thanks for the various replies. I guess in a nutshell I'm just looking for something crampon compatible, which I can ideally use for Grade II Scottish / PD Alpine. I've also done a few via ferratas recently which required crampons for glacier crossings / had long approaches, but then also had full days of VF Grade D climbing, so just looking for a really good all-rounder - if it can be done with just one pair of boots? 

I think the fit with my current Mammuts could be an issue. I have flat feet (UK9) so sizing can be tricky. I think lightweight suits me better for climbing but then that's obviously less good for traction in the snow. Have seen a few people mention La Sportiva as being comfortable. 

These might be roughly what you're looking for?

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/scarpa_zodiac_tech_-_walking_boot_me...

But as others have emphasised, you need to try boots on rather than buy unseen. With flat feet you might also want to invest in a decent insole.

The Scarpa Ribelle Lite is perfect for Uk winter and summer Alpine climbing, if they fit your feet. I think they're sort of a B1/B2 and they're comfortable for scrambling long Alpine rock ridges, as well as good in crampons.

Mine had their 2nd day out yesterday..
I have Scarpa feet so tend to stay with that brand. 

99.9% success so far with walk ins, scrambles, descents. 
however....

There does seem to be a pattern here. 
" Secondly the ‘sock fit’ tongue just digs right into the ankle so much so that I have too leave the top hooks unlaced. None of these problems were apparent before I took them out for the first time so I can’t return them. "
From:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/scarpa_ribelle_lite_hd-729188

There is also a similar comment in another forum. 
And I can concur. 
For me, it is just the left boot and the inner side of the tongue at the fabric join between the top of the tongue and the main inner boot fabric. 
It seems to be a very slight extra bit of fabric in the stitch area which then causes pain after a few hours. 
On descent yesterday, there was no other option but to miss out the first row of upper boot hooks. 

Something to look out for if you do go for them (I am very pleased with the boots in general and currently have that area clamped to try and flatten it!!)

The reality is you are unlikely to find a bad quality boot from one of the main manufacturers, they are all pretty good. Comfort is incredibly personal and pretty much impossible to advise on. I have really wide feet with really high arches so what works for me is unlikely to work for your flat feet. Unfortunately in my experience the only way to find if a boot is really comfortable is to wear it on the hill for a few days but obviously by that point it's too late to change your mind