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Posted by Tom D on December 31, 2006 at 10:13:47 pm EST
In reply to Boot Help posted by Boots4 on December 28, 2006 at 8:28:13 am EST

Ed, I don't profess to be an expert on climbing boots, but, here is what I would consider-there are basically two kinds of climbing boots-leather and plastic-all boots are one or the other, or in a few cases, a combination of the two. I am not including lightweight boots made of synthetic materials that look like macho running shoes.

Before plastic boots came along, all mountaineering boots were leather. Plastic boots are a variation of the plastic ski boot-stiff, warm, pretty much indestructible. There are single and double boots-doubles have a removable liner-singles are more like a ski boot. Plastic boots are not all that comfortable for long walks-I've worn the old Koflach Viva Soft for hours on glaciers and wound up with bad shin bang (bruising)that made walking very painful.

From what I have seen on tv (no personal experience), Kilimanjaro is cold, but not like high altitude mountaineering. For that, a sturdy leather boot seemed to be what the people I saw on tv were wearing.

For Scotland, where the weather is colder, especially in winter, a plastic boot would most likely be recommended.

However, no matter what you choose, fit is more important than brand. A $400 boot that doesn't fit you right is worse than useless-it can cause you to become incapacitated and unable to walk. Virtually any mountaineering boot is crampon compatible. The best thing you could do is go to a reputable shop with a good bootfitter, explain what you need and start trying them on.

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• Re: Boot Help - Rosh 12:48:02 01/10/2007

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