User Review: Montrail I.C.E. 9

Montrail I.C.E. 9
Above: The current I.C.E. 9, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed April 25, 2004 by Lyle Wing

Rating:
Materials: leather
Use: Rough with heavy pack occasional crampon
Break-in Period: Not going to
Price Paid: $247

i purchased the Ice 9 because they claimed it would do well as a all around hiking boot that you could strap crampons on occasionally and use for ice climbing and crossing glaciers. I needed the Ice 9 wide due to having wide feet. It felt different than the La Sportiva Makalu and squeezed my pinky toe. The stainless steel crampon hook on the bottom of it is awkward also while hiking across a boulder field it was like walking on a piece of round pipe and would slip. the Ice 9 may be fine for just ice climbing but i would not purchase it for an approach or all-around boot like Montrail claims it is. I'm taking mine back tommorrow for a refund. I guess there is still no all around climbing boot for a wide footed person.