Help me narrow down before i buy boots

I want to buy boots. I narrowed it down to La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX or La Sportiva Trango Extreme EVO Light GTX

Nepals
backcountry.com/la-sportiva…

Trango Extremes
backcountry.com/la-sportiva…

What I need them for:

For ice climbing waterfall ice mainly. I also want to climb Mt. Washington this year via ice guided.

I want boots to be able to climb a few pitches of multipitch, top rope some more and boots that are capable of alpine climbing.

Both of these will work for that. Though Nepals are probably a bit better for everything.

With that said, the main question...

What kind of socks do I need to buy? I am new to technical layering systems.

What kind of socks do I need for:
Cragging Ice climbing, Waterfall ice
and alpine climbing ( such as Washington ) while hiking to the summit and also while climbing alpine technical ice (think Huntington ravine)

Once I figure what socks I need I can buy boots so I can get a good fit.

Thanks guys

In general, Trango Extremes are not warm enough for Northeast ice climbing. Even in Nepals, you feet can be cold during January/February. I use regular ski socks for ice climbing and I have warm feet.

Midweight or Heavyweight wool socks are fine for what you asked about. Beware of ski socks which are often too thin (they are for performance fit ski boots). Medium or Heavyweight (aka Expedition weight) socks are what you want. "Darn Tough" is a brand based in VT that makes excellent wool socks.

And I would choose the Nepals over the Trango Extremes for what you mentioned. They have the added benefit that they will last much longer.

wildsnow.com/8710/darn-toug…

Nepals for sure, I think the Trangos will limit you in colder weather.

And I'll counter the comment on ski socks, I love them, switched over from standard wool socks last season and will never go back. They breathe well and keep my feet from sweating and freezing. But everyone's feet are different. I'd suggest trying out a few different sock systems until you find what you like.

Thanks guys,

My reason for asking about socks was to see how much bulk and how much bigger they will make my foot to see what size boots to buy.

So it seems ski socks is the way to go.... how about 5 hose smartwool phds?

I would suggest buying the boots first, then finding socks to fit. If you size the boots for super thick socks and then find that your feet sweat too much and want to switch to thinner socks you'll be in trouble. Also depending on the temperature I'll switch between thick or thin socks.

Everyone has a different preference for socks:
thin poly liners and wool socks
super thick wool sock
thin wool sock
ski socks
etc

The ski socks work for me since my feet sweat a TON, if I wear heavy thick wool socks my feet sweat then the sweat freezes and my toes go cold. The ski socks allow breath ability since they're usually a thinner material in certain spots of the foot. And I like how they have that extra padding on your shin, and that they are longer than typical hiking socks. They work for me but may not work for you.

Also, I wore a medium sized wool sock when I sized and bought my boots. Switching between thin and thicker wool socks I have not noticed enough of a difference in the fit of the boot to justify getting the boot half size bigger/smaller. I would say to size the boot like you size street shoes. But others may disagree

I have climbed in original Nepals, without the EVO, all over New England and found them plenty warm. In my case I found that wearing single layer wool socks, and not really thick ones, was the best for warmth, the lesson being, I think, after trying various systems, that a bit of airspace or circulation helps a lot. Going up Washington I lace the uppers really loosely and don't wear gaiters unless there's a reason.

Super happy with these boots, Evo's are better still.

I like ski socks better because I find regular mountaineering socks tend to roll down my boots as the day goes on. Remember, boots are more important than socks. So buy the right boots and buy whatever socks work for you. Personally, I would go with the new Nepal Cube, lighter and warmer. In the end, try different boots to make sure they fit right.

I don't wear either of these boots, but this is what I know about them. You probably know all this already.

The silver bullets are lighter. The Nepals are a bit warmer. Both should climb ice like a champ, with the Nepals perhaps giving better ankle stiffness for frontpointing, and the Trangos giving better ankle flex for edging and other drytooling footwork.

As far as socks go, no sock will make an ill-fitting boot into a well-fitting boot. So the old maxim "Buy what fits best" applies here. Having said that, most folks seem to go with one medium or heavy sock, or one thin liner + medium. Your needs for warmth will affect your sock needs of course.

I made the move to Trango-like synthetic upper boots a few years ago from traditional Nepal-like leathers and haven't regretted it. Paired with light crampons (Darts) I've shed something like 1.5 lb per foot, and I really appreciate it. Given your plan to do some longish hikes in these, I'd suggest the Trangos. But they have to fit like they were made for you.

Nepals IF you have tried on every other boot out there. Have you tired Scarpa or Lowa boots? Pick the boot that best fits you.

Buy the boots from a reputable shop. You will get the right size.

I like smartwool mountaineering socks. They give cushion against blisters and stay warm when wet. Some people wear ski socks and love them. It's all in what works for you.

I have the EVO's and generally find that my feet get cold when I'm standing around here in New England. If I were to so it again I would probably get a warmer pair.
I highly highly recommend darn tough heavy weight full calf socks. Any pair around that weight or thickness will due, but after trying all the brands you'll probably end up loving Darn Tough