User Review: Scarpa Inverno

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

Reviewed January 28, 1997 by pmurphy@...

Rating:
Materials: Plastic double boot
Use: High altitude mountaineering
Break-in Period: Break in your feet, not your boots.
Weight: 5.5 pounds
Price Paid: $322 US

I have worn my Invernos vertical ice climbing and on expeditions above 21,000 feet. I love them. They fit American feet better than most boots. One favorite feature is the large degree of rocker, or curvature, of the sole. This makes the Inverno far more comfortable for hiking without crampons. Approach hikes and desert training are no problem, even though the Inverno is stiffer than the really soft plastic boots. These are complete all-around boots. They are also about the least expensive boot that can handle extreme cold, altitude, and vertical ice. The Charlet Moser Super 12 crampons fit the soles of these boots perfectly. These are lightweight, convenient, rock solid crampons. The combination cannot be improved upon.

I did get frostbite in my Invernos during an overnight bivouac high on Mt. Elbrus. The fault was mine. I did not have enough clothing to keep my core temperature up. For extreme cold and high altitude, you'll need a larger boot than you would want for vertical ice, so even though the Inverno can do it all, you would still need two sizes of Invernos to do it all. For Denali, I am getting Advanced Base Camp boots (formerly One Sport Everest) in a much large size because those are the boots everyone on Everest uses and I don't want to deal with any more frostbite. The Invernos will still be my favorites for everything short of Denali or the Himalaya.

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