Mountaineering boots

Thinking about getting into mountaineering. Looking at boots. As of now, I would not plan on any winter mountaineering but more of spring/summer/fall. Looking at starting out in Washington if that's helpful. I've been looking at the Scarpa Mont Blanc and the Scarpa Charmoz. Is it better to spend more for a warmer and better boot now to have them or is the Charmoz sufficient for what I'm looking to do. 

If you think your future will involve steeper Couloirs and maybe trying ice climbing, buy the MB Pros. You’ll appreciate the extra support. The MB Pros are not a lot warmer than the Charmoz. I have the Charmoz, MBPs and Phantom Techs. Love them all. 

The venerable LS Nepal EVOs or Cubes might be good boots as well for you, but may be warmer than you're intending. 

John Vanek wrote:

If you think your future will involve steeper Couloirs and maybe trying ice climbing, buy the MB Pros. You’ll appreciate the extra support. The MB Pros are not a lot warmer than the Charmoz. I have the Charmoz, MBPs and Phantom Techs. Love them all. 

I tried on the MB Pros and they fit well. Walking in them felt awkward because of how rigid the sole is (I'm assuming all boots in this class feel this way). Is this something you get used to over time with wearing them? Felt like I needed to learn how to walk again in them. 

Chris, yes all boots with a 3/4 or longer shank will feel stiff, but that’s what you want the steeper the climbing becomes. You get used to it, and can make the boot feel stiffer or looser by how tight you lace. But different makes also can feel different. As mentioned above, La Sportiva is the other predominant player, but there are others as well. I wear Scarpa because they have a wider forefoot; Sportivas are too narrow for my foot.

Not knowing your intentions, here are my thoughts. If you plan to do mostly summer routes with little to no frontpointing, the Charmoz are fine. If you think you’ll be climbing slopes above 50 degrees you’ll enjoy the technical advantages of the MBPs. Depending where you live and how cold your winters, if you want to try ice climbing you can get away with the MBPs until the temps drop below 20 degrees. Steep ice and cold temps require more technical boots  (That said, I‘ve seen someone climb WI 3 on top rope wearing Charmoz.) If you are just getting into climbing you’ll soon learn that many of us have more than one pair of boots. If the MBPs fit well, that would be my rec. My MBPs actually feel better on my feet than the Charmoz and they are the same size. MBPs are not “too much boot” for lower grade ascents like Mt. Shasta. I hope this all helps.

I'll share my thoughts. 

My first pair of mountaineering boots were a pair of La Sportiva Nepals, of an old generation. I could get them second-hand for cheap and wanted to give them a try. I did an intro to mountaineering course in them in the Alps because I wanted one boot to rule them all. They were good boots but for getting into general (summer) mountaineering definitely overkill. 

In the subsequent years I bought two other boots, one more lightweight pair of B3 Scarpa Ortles GTX and a pair of B2 Nepal Treks. Both are great boots and you'll find that for not-too-steep summer stuff B2 rated boots (with a heel welt) are plenty good enough. Haven't used the B3's in summer since I bought the B2's.

Now, for winter routes, higher altitude stuff, and ice climbing, all of that changes. If you want a quiver-of-one you'll want to invest in something like the Nepal Cube or the Mont Blanc Pro, but you'll have to accept that hiking is not their strong suit and you'll either have to replace outsoles like crazy when doing a lot of summer approaches in them,  or take an extra pair of shoes/sneakers with you for the approach.

So my advice would be to invest in a comfortable pair of B2 boots that offer some flexibility for the hike in but are stiff enough for climbing and invest in a good B3 boot once you get into winter/ice climbing. Your feet will thank you and B2's are nice for general alpine scrambling/hiking even if you find out that maybe mountaineering is not for you.

Chris, if you live in Washington, are just getting started in mountaineering, and plan on climbing during spring/summer/fall ("3 seasons" in boot parlance), the Charmoz would likely be a much better fit for you than the Mont Blanc.  A Charmoz (or other similar 3-season boots, like the La Sportiva Trango, etc.) will easily cover all of the terrain you'll experience in your first seasons of climbing, and will be easier on both your feet and your wallet.

I live in the region and own similar boots to the two you mention; the winter boots only get used for ice and mixed climbing in cold weather, and occasional use during summer if the route has extended portions of steep technical climbing.  Otherwise, I always reach for the lighter and more comfortable boot.

For what it's worth, an acquaintance of mine regularly climbs WI3+ in the Charmoz (in warm summer conditions of course, not on a cold winter day).

(Also, beware advice from people who aren't familiar with the routes, terrain, and conditions in the specific area you plan on recreating.)

+1 on the MB Pro. Definitely more versatile than the Charmoz since it has the ability to climb steep WI.