User Review: Scarpa Inverno

Scarpa Inverno
Above: The current Inverno, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed January 31, 2009 by leadbelly2550

Rating:
Materials: plastic
Use: winter hiking/mountaineering
Break-in Period: they need some break-in
Weight: 5 1/2 pounds
Price Paid: $125

I purchased these lightly used for winter hiking and climbing. they are a double boot, plastic exterior shell with an inner insert, similar construction to a downhill ski boot. the inner boot laces up separately from the outer boot and can be easily removed used to walk around in a cabin, tent, or snow instead of a bootie.

My primary use has been at and around Mount Washington, the Presidentials in New Hampshire. i have used them to walk on snowy trails, with automatic/step-in crampons, and with snowshoes, and they work extremely well at all three of these.

The only place they don't work so well is dry trail, where the stiffness tends to feel clunky and uncomfortable. if you anticipate any significant amount of dry trail walking, bring a light pair of hiking shoes.

Fit is a little tricky, important to try them on. The sizing is not exactly the same as normal US sizes, and the plastic shells are sold in whole sizes only; variation of the size of the inner boot accounts for their availability in half-sizes.

In terms of comfort, these boots are significantly stiffer than a normal heavy hiking boot, so take the time to get used to them. they don't really 'break in,' but your feet and shins need to get used to them. shin bruising can be an issue; i have successfully avoided that by loosening the inner laces or not using the top set of eyelets on the inner boot, and that works fine. keeping them too loose can leave your toes banging the front of the boot on steep downhills.

for the coldest weather, well below zero, the regular inner boot isn't warm enough for me, and i tend to run warm. i have worn them on hikes in -20 fahrenheit without frostbite, but my toes were pretty numb.

Scarpa sells a fairly expensive 'high altitude' or 'alveolite' liner that is probably a lot warmer - i wonder whether it would take up more volume and change the sock combination; it's worth testing if you get the cold-weather liners.

i have, so far, opted to use insulated overboots instead (mountain hardwear absolute zero, but outdoor research and forty below have great overboots too). with overboots, i think these boots will probably work in just about any conditions. one issue with overboots generally, step-in crampons don't work too well, so better to bring strap-in crampons if you may use overboots.

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