User Review: La Sportiva Makalu
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Rating: 
Materials: leather
Use: general mountaineering, heavy backpacking
Break-in Period: still going (but getting better)
Weight: 74 oz/pair on a scale
Price Paid: $235
Like someone said here, one boot to get you from the car to the top of a snowy mountain.
The new crampon toe groove in the '97s is great -- I can't throw even an ice crampon, no matter how much I twist and thrash.
A bit fatiguing for extended front-pointing, due to the flex, but stiff enough (I weigh 150 lbs) for a short pitch of german or thin alpine rock. (I am not a very good rock climber, but didn't do much worse in the Makalus than in my rock shoes)
And they climb rock a lot better than approach shoes or my Sundowners!
I fit a lot of boots at the outdoor shop I work at, and the Makalu does seem to be a quirky fit, due to its very low volume. Either it fits exactly right or it fits like hell -- unlike a OS Moraine, there is not a lot of interior volume to accomodate a wide range of foot shapes.
Unlike just about anything heavier (Scarpa Manta, Assault, K3, Nepal Tops, Super Mtn Guides, etc), I can't imagine it will do very well on waterfall ice (I will find out as soon as it forms!) but you can comfortably *walk* miles in them.
Bottom line: a quirky fit, but a good general use boot for climbing mountains. There are better choices for backpacking or ice climbing.
Where to Buy
Buy Online We found the Makalu at 2 online stores:
| Store | Product Description | Price |
 Moosejaw 2 purchase options: | Women's Makalu Boot (Spring 2008) | $255.00 | Buy Now |
| Men's Makalu Boot (Fall 2008) | $270.00 | Buy Now |
 Backcountry.com 2 purchase options: | Makalu Mountaineering Boot - Men's | $269.95 | Buy Now |
| Makalu Mountaineering Boot - Women's | $269.95 | Buy Now |
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