La Sportiva G2 SM. Any input

So I am interested in getting the new Sportiva g2SM's but was wondering if anyone has had any firsthand use/ reviews. I am torn between getting the Baruntse or the G2's. My toes do get cold and this year I have been trying the vapor barrier system to try and keep them warmer (unfortunately it hasn't been a very cold winter thus far). Obviously the baruntse is the warmer option but its also like 5LBS per boot in a size 48!! and that adds up significantly if Im logging higher mileage. The sportive review claims the G2 is very warm... warmer than spantek but, has anyone put this to test? They seem so light that I wonder how much insulation they could actually have. Here are my activities and location. More mountaineering style climbing and trekking with light ice climbing. so Im def not doing WI6-7 and sitting at a belay for hours. Maybe doing some WI2 WI3 climbing. Most of my hiking and climbing is in the Whites in NH or up in Maine. Obviously the weather on washingon can be all over the place. Id love to et into more serious mountaineering with a possible trip to the Cascades this summer. I love the ease of use of the Boa closure system (its what I have on my snowboard boots)but just am worried about the actual warmth of the boots. thanks for your input cheers •****UPDATE***** So this may be helpful for you cold toed big footed lads like myself. I was finally able to get out in my new G2SM's this past weekend. Climbed Mt Willard on "Left hand Monkey Wrench" and then up "The Cleft" (WI2-3)with a bit of hiking and traversing mixed in between pitches and the walk off. Temp was about -5 deg F at the start of the day and warming up to a balmy 20-25deg. I wore 1 pair of thick smartwool socks and Petzl Vasek crampons. Out for about 7.5 hrs Boots fit great with 1 thick smartwool sock (too much room with just a thin pair). toes did begin to get a little cold while I was standing at first belay in the shade in cold temps but not really bad. The rest of the day my toes were totally fine- warm on the hike out. My crampons fit great on there (with the long bar cuz I have size 49 boots) The only complaint that I have and, I believe someone else noted the same problem in an earlier post, is this. I found that during the hiking portion of the day the boa coil for the forefoot part of the boot seemed to dig into the joint where my foot meets my leg. It wasn't necessarily painful but more irritating. Ill have to play around a little more with the tension on the lower coil and maybe its just a matter of keeping it loose to hike and then tight to climb. Seems like something that could be alleviated if they distributed the tension from the coil a little more. My boa coil snowboard boots don't have this problem but they only have 1 coil that covers the whole boot. Other than that everything felt great and Im looking forward to getting lots more use through the season and giving another update later. These boots are so light weight it really just felt like hiking in some nice winter boots. Thanks for everyones feedback and input. Ill keep you posted. Enjoy the winter. Climb On

*****update 4/4/17******

Ive been climbing in these boots all season, mostly multipitch ice and mountaineering (WI2-3) stuff but some harder single pitch climbs on toprope (WI4 ish) and I am still in love with these boots. Comfy to hike all day in with the lower BOA loose, great performance on ice with the BOA's cinched up. My toes havnt been cold at all all season and after climbing shoestring gully (6 pitches and about a 1500 foot approach climb) with a friend this past weekend who wore Baruntses I am happy to have the G2's. He complained about how uncomfortable they were to hike in long durations. 

So far durability has been great. they get on and off very easily and Im not left messing with laces loosening up or anything. Hope this helps anyone out there looking. 

Never even held the G2SM in my hands, but a couple things can be deduced from the marketing material:

• It's being billed as a 7000M boot. The Baruntse is billed as a 6000M boot. So, LaSportiva is very confident that the G2 is a warmer boot. How much warmer? About 1000M worth. Some of that will be due to the integral gaiter. Some of that will be due to thicker insulation.
• The G2 is also 20% lighter than a Baruntse. The tradeoff here will obviously be durability. The Baruntse is the Mack Truck of alpine boots. The G2 will be like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, try out the G2. But it's definitely not necessary for your objectives.

On the flip side, if you're on a budget, try and find a pair of older Sportiva Nuptse boots. Those were my double boots for years and I did tons of snowshoeing/backpacking and mellow ice (e.g. Trap Dike) up in the Northeast with them. Those are the boots Steve House took up the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat.

I've also never even held g2's, but I have a pair of Baruntse and they are super warm. My feet were comfortable when it was -35 degrees while I was in Alaska last winter and I have no complaints about them for ice climbing in New Hampshire this year, my feet usually sweat in them, but I'd rather be too warm than too cold.

- Chris

Jon H wrote: Those are the boots Steve House took up the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat.

Steve House definitely was wearing Spantiks on the Rupal Face.

youtube.com/watch?v=oIkmYiw…

Check the video around 9:35.

JBennett wrote: Steve House definitely was wearing Spantiks on the Rupal Face.

No, he wasn't. He wore Nuptses. Watch the video again. He never actually claims he wore the Spantiks.

Being a sponsored climber means keeping your sponsors happy, and if they tell you to talk about a different boot, you talk about a different boot. The Spantiks had recently been released and they wanted to drum up sales, hence that video.

But don't take my word for it. Just look at the summit pic:



Or his Instagram photos...
instagram.com/p/7KeNkmpne0/
instagram.com/p/7VNbDYJnQh/…

Clearly not Spantiks. Nuptses with G12 hybrid crampons.

I've checked out the G2.

It's worth the money IF you need that much boot. The fact that LaSportiva used the Boa lace system should tell you the fit is amazing with none of problems the early Boa laces had. I thought the best part of the boot was the fact you can loosen and tighten the boot easily during a long route.

Haven't worn them outside so can't say how warm. The G2 is light

I stand corrected.

Yea My main concern is the warmth because my toes have a tendency to get pretty cold but if I don't have to lug around 10 LBS of boot that would be fantastic. I'm 6'6" 215LS so that's enough to lug around as is especially with my pack full of gear and I do love the idea of the Boa ties and not having to lace up and re-tie with cold fingers. The G2 is pretty expensive. Damn these hobbies. Photography and climbing are not a poor mans games I guess.
Thanks for everyone's input.
Still hoping to hear from someone that has actually worn G2's in the cold.

If you go to the Whites a lot check out IME, they have them in stock.

For what it's worth summer climbin in the cascades doesn't need more than Nepals. In fact anything more than Nepals and you'll be kicking yourself...with sweaty feet. So I wouldn't take cascade summer climbing into consideration when looking at G2s

Thatcher wrote:For what it's worth summer climbin in the cascades doesn't need more than Nepals. In fact anything more than Nepals and you'll be kicking yourself...with sweaty feet. So I wouldn't take cascade summer climbing into consideration when looking at G2s

Hell if it's north cascades the nepals are still too warm for me in the summer. I have to do produce bags over my liner socks to keep from filling "colder" scarpa rebel pros with sweat.

If cascades means a glacial slog at the guided group pace on Rainier though Nepals would be perfect.

True. Nepals are even overkill for most cascade climbing. I mostly use my trango s evo. I wouldn't want to do something like Liberty Ridge in anything less than Nepals. But I do have cold feet. Did rainier a few times last year in my trangos and couldn't feel my toes for 3 months afterwards.

OGE in Vermont has them in stock as well.

The G2 in a lot of ways is a lighter version of the Spantik from what I can tell. Holding them in person the difference in weight between the two is pretty impressive for sure. The advantage of the G2 is indeed on longer trips where the weight savings means less fatigue and the removable inner boot means no cold feet in the morning.

I think for type of climbing you like to do they will be plenty warm. Other things to consider: warmer socks that fit well is a huge help, and the red hot superfeet insoles help with heat loss through the bottom of the boot when standing around on cold ground. Always remember keeping your core warm keeps the extremities warm as well.

Got the G2s they are pretty perfect, seem to run 1/2 larger i think though so dont add a size like some of the general boot fit principles on the Sportiva site states, and there isnt a removable footbed/sock liner, but there is a fixed foamy thingy in the bed so if you wear an insert it will have to stack it on top of the fixed liner.

I climbed in the second gen Baturas (42) for years. My toes would also get cold (and bashed recently). I tried the G2SMs on at Bengate. I have a narrow, low volume foot and I felt like my foot was swimming in the G2SMs. I actually thought the Scarpa 6000s fit me better. I ended up going with the Batura 2.0s (42.5) for the fit and so far they feel warmer than the older Baturas. I also think a 6000m boot is probably more than I need. Good luck.

Thanks for the info everyone.

Chris I have been to IME a bunch of times but since im a size 48 -49 its hard to find them in stock anywhere. I called the other day and they had just gotten a shipment of G2 but weren't sure of all sizes yet. May run there this weekend.

Thatcher, I wanted to get nepals but when I tried on 48 Nepal cubs they were too small and they don't go any bigger than 48. Bummer.

Ill see if they are in this weekend and then hopefully try them on. I guess Id rather have warmer feet than colder cuz I can always do the plastic bag barrier if needed for sweat.

Cheers everyone and happy climbing
(wishing there was more snow and ice in NH right now ):

I think La Sportiva makes the Nepal Extreme for the euro market and it comes in bigger sizes than 48, maybe 49 and 50? Just another option to keep in mind.

so another question for all you who own the G2SM

how do you feel they run for sizing? a little big, a little small, or true to size? if im gonna have to special order a pair I want to make sure they fit so I don't have to send them back for another size.

Brandonian says they run a half size large but the guys at IME in Conway said they run a half size small... Sooo what do you think
THanks everyone

I've been climbing in NH in Baruntses this year and they are warm enough to for any day in the Whites. Many days I wish for a less warm boot. They should get you just about anywhere you want to go and are much cheaper than the G2 and climb perfectly fine.

Drew,

I'd say the G2SM run 1/2 size too big. I have three other la sportiva boots that fit perfectly, ordered the G2SM in the same size and I have a lot of extra room at my toes.