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Best ski boots for climbing ice?

Original Post
Pat Marrinan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2019 · Points: 25

I have decided to get a ski setup next season for approaching ice climbs, and the convenience of not cross country skiing and having to haul my ice boots in. Yes, I am aware of silverettas but I have had ACL surgery before and with them not having DIN/release function I am a little hesitant to go that route. 

With that being said, any recommendation for a ski boot that climbs exceptionally well? I do not care about skiing and will not be going touring, so climbing function is far more important than ski function. They appear to have been taken off the website, but for example the Arc'teryx Procline Carbon (if I recall) said something like "for climbers who ski their decent" 

Let me know if you have any recommendation for a ski boot that you love climbing ice in!

Jason Todd · · Cody, WY · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 1,114

Dynafit TLT have been a good "compromise" boot.  The newer versions don't have the removable tongue, so may not be as "agile" as the older versions. I have a pair of the older TLT5s and they aren't an impediment to my climbing in any way.
They don't climb or walk as well as modern boots, but are better in every aspect when compared to plastic Lowas or Koflachs. Hard shit was climbed in those.

Zach L · · Northern Vermont · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 10

i have a pair of the Arc Procline boots that climb WI4 just fine. I am not a hard charging skier so guessing the freeride types would probably think they are too soft, but my ski mountaineering type set up - Proclines, Dynafit Speedturn bindings mounted to Voile Objectives - does just fine. I even used this set up at the resort the other day skiing groomers and had a great time. 

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 416

If you're not too concerned about downhill performance then skimo race boots like the Scarpa Alien or Atomic Backland Ultimate provide excellent fore-and-aft ankle articulation, and they weigh about the same as mountaineering double boots. Stock liners for skimo boots can be quite thin, but you could upsize the shell and get an thicker replacement liner from Intuition or Palau.

Unfortunately many of the newer lightweight Dynafit boots like the PDG or TLT7/8 don't have a toe welt for crampons. Dynafit sells an crampon adapter that clips into the tech inserts, but reviews have been mixed.

The Acrteryx Procline had a unique cuff mechanism that provided side-to-side ankle articulation when unlocked. Unfortunately my experience was that the boots weren't very durable. They came with an integrated gaiter that eventually tore away from the shells, and I've seen reports of the cuffs breaking. Also, the last was too narrow for many people.

Dallin Carey · · Missoula · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 222

Ive had good experiences with the Fischer Travers the last few years.

Kai Larson · · Sandy, UT · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 441

I have both the Arcteryx Procline and the Fischer Traverse Carbon boots.  

The Procline is a good climbing boot, and is one of the few ski boots with any amount of lateral flex (when in walk mode.)   It has a pretty incredible range of motion for a ski boot.  However, that range of motion means that you pretty much need to lock them down into ski mode if you're going to do any significant front pointing.  The Procline "support" liner is too stiff for good climbing, and  you'll want to replace it with a flexy Ski-Mo racing liner (Palau makes a good one.)   I get more heel lift with the Procline when I am in walk mode than I would like.  This goes away when I switch to ski mode.  The ski mode not only makes the boot stiffer, but it also locks my leg down in the boot more.  It would be nice if I felt that my heels were locked in just as tight in walk mode.    

The Fischer is a bit lighter than the Procline.  Range of motion is a bit less than the Procline, and there is less lateral flex in walk mode.  The slightly stiffer range of motion can be a good thing, however, when climbing, because you have front-pointing support even without the ski/walk lever in ski mode.  (For long front pointing bouts, you will still want to engage ski mode.)  The Fischer ski mode has a bit more forward lean than the Procline, so climbing in them is not quite as natural feeling.  The stock liner in the Fischer is very flexy, so there's no need to swap out to an aftermarket liner.  

Either of these boots is a good boot for climbing.  I think the Procline has been discontinued, so unless you can find one on clearance somewhere, the Fischer may be your best choice between these two.  

If I had to pick just one, I'd probably pick the Fisher.  It's almost as good as the Procline for climbing, and I feel it skis a little bit better.  (and it's lighter.)  

I just got a new pair of skis to use with these boots for climbing approaches.  

These:

https://elanskis.com/us_en/ibex-tactix-carbon-ion-12

Only used them one day, but so far, I quite like them.  

I really hate carrying long skis on climbs, and these skis solve that problem very well.  

Hoping their long term performance will be good.  

Doug Hutchinson · · Seattle and Eastrevy · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 346

Wow, those skis look amazing! So niche but this type of innovation deserves my money, anyone got at least $1000 to loan me? Really looking forward to your long-term review on these, please post up after you have a few more days on them.

Do they come with bindings? it's hard to figure out how that plate and the bindings work together from the website.

Back to the question at hand, I owned Proclines and replaced with Travers after I broke the warranty-replaced Proclines. I like the Travers better in every way.

Mark Pilate · · MN · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 25

Add another thumbs up for the Fischer Travers series boots (I have the CS)

Edit: Those Elan’s are intriguing.  Don’t like the price tag though!   Would love a wide Fisher S Bound ski with crown pattern and easy skins with that technology.  

Kai Larson · · Sandy, UT · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 441

The Elan skis can be had with and without bindings.  If you get them with bindings, they come with the G3 Ion 12.

They will fit the G3 Ion and the G3 Zed bindings.   I got mine without bindings and put on the G3 Zed 9 bindings.  

Here is a video that shows how the folding mechanism works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gSRjdtdsGc

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Ice Climbing
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