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Light mountaineering boot recs
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Looking for a light mountaineering boot. Something between what I already own: Lowa Renegade GTX, and Scarpa Zodiac Tech GTX. Criteria:
Thanks for any suggestions! |
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What's wrong with the Zodiacs? Looks like they are exactly what you're looking for. |
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The Zodiacs are great boots, but just a bit too much for typical mid-late season conditions in the Sierra. Need a boot that is a bit more flexible, yet protective/structured enough for long hiking. I dunno. Maybe such a thing doesn’t exist. |
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Might be slightly beefier than what you are looking for but they’re still very light - Mammut taiss light mid gtx - gotta get the name right - they have many products in the Taiss lineup. I’ve been very happy with mine. |
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Mammut Taiss Light Mid is slightly wider and higher volume than most La Sportiva boots. Toe box is broader than the Zodiac. The issue I have with the Taiss is finding crampon toe baskets that provide a snug fit on the low profile toe of the Taiss. The Taiss has minimal cushioning and isn’t particularly comfortable for long walks on hard packed trails. |
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Both the Lowa Renegade and Scarpa Zodiac seem to be pretty similar, and more in the hiking boot category, right? Most light mountaineering boots are going to feel like a bit of a step up from those, although some of the lighter ones may be what you are looking for: like the Zodiac Tech or the Mammut one mentioned above. The only boot I’m aware of that truly seems to blur the line between approach shoe and light mtn boot is the La Sportiva Aequilibrium Speed, but I know you said you that La Sportiva doesn’t fit you. The rest of the Aequilibrium series is more similar to the Scarpa Ribelle or Zodiac tech, but do fit the category of some of the lightest mountain boots out there.
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Tim N wrote: To add to your recommendation, I've found that the Aequilibrium series a wider than the normal Sportiva fit. Maybe it will work because of this? |
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In fact, the Zod's I own are the Tech GTX's, not the Plus. Apologies for the misstatement. What I'm looking for is a boot that has some flexibility to 'wrap' around features just a little bit, as opposed to boots with a full rigid platform in the sole (the Tech GTX's are relatively rigid). The relative rigidity of the Tech GTX's is a big plus for kicking steps across hard snow, but not so helpful with 'smedging' on featured stone. And typical mid-late season Sierra conditions involve lots of granite, with only occasional snow (if at all). Anyone have experience with the Taiss, Ribelle or Aequilibrium in this regard? (I'd be open to La Sportiva if the narrowness problem is averted with the Aequilibrium.) Edit to Tim N: Yeah, some type of burly approach shoe might be the better option, as long as it has enough foot/ankle support for hiking miles with the weight of a pack. |
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I edited my response after some further contemplation of the OP’s question, but yes, the LS Aequilibrium series does have its own last - different than the Trango or Nepal last that most of LS boots are built off of. They are definitely worth a try on, even for ppl that don’t typically fit LS. Otherwise, if you aren’t actually looking for a mtn boot, even a light one, a mid top approach shoe is probably the next step down, other than some of the real crossover boots that are coming out, like the LS Aequilibrium Speed. It sounds like your mid/late Sierras conditions are pretty much the same as mid/late CO conditions, and I pretty much always use a regular approach shoe in CO. Personally I’m fine hiking, even with heavy loads, in regular approach shoes. TX Guides are my jam, but those are super narrow. Climbing some low 5th on Aguja De L’S in Patagonia in Aequilibrium Tops  |
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That hasn’t been my experience with them, Karl. Nor do I have trouble with crampon toe baskets. They are a boot, though. Slightly stiffer sole than the Trango Tech, I have found. Great for kicking steps, not so great for smearing. Crampons - I mostly use the Blue Ice Harfang which fits pretty well and sometimes an old pair of Cassin C12. |
Graham Johnson wrote: What toe baskets do you use? Here are some photos of the Taiss with the new Petzl Small Fil Flex Toe baskets:   These are the smallest available toe baskets from Petzl and they are still too large for these boots. |
Karl Henize wrote: Idk if you are going to get a much better fit from any semi-automatic crampon and boot - it looks alright to me. None of my boots fully fill the basket of a semi auto crampon, if that’s what you are after. The key is to make sure that the sole of the toe of the boot is well and truly jammed into the basket “posts” as you are flipping the heel lever, and make the heel piece come to the boot, rather than the toe piece pull down from the front of the boot. On super rockered boots, if you can’t achieve this, it may be worth looking into a flexible center bar. Then use the crampon strap to tighten down the toe basket.Yours look pretty ok. I also like to check the crampon fit both unweighted and front pointing. Below is an example. Aequilibrium Tops, Petzl Vasak crampons, regular semi auto toe bail.   |
apogee wrote: I use the Ribelle Tech a lot and really enjoy them for what you are talking about. I am still surprised how nice they are for long/heavy approaches and for rock climbing. They leave some to be desired with snow travel, so when there is consequential snow, I put crampons on. From looking at the boot, I think this is due to the flex and the slightly curved heel. My wife uses the Aequilibrium Speed, which is actually a low top under the gaiter. She likes them a lot. She uses them for what I use the Ribelle Techs for. |
Tim N wrote: IMO, kicking into hard ice or doing moderate mixed climbing feels terrible in the Fil-Flex toe baskets on Taiss Light boots. Even when the sole is jammed tightly into the basket posts, the toe of the boot still moves up and down and rotates within the basket. The stock toe baskets that come on most crampons seem to be optimized for larger 4 season boots, like the Nepal. Something like the Grivel Transformer Bail (Size Small) seems like it would offer a much better fit on the Taiss Light than any stock toe baskets that come with crampons. However, it seems like Liberty Mountain might be the only distributor in the US that actually carries them. I have never actually seen or heard of seen anyone using them. https://us.grivel.com/collections/crampons/products/transformer-bail https://libertymountain.com/ntn22642-grivel-transformer-crampon-bail.html |
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Hey guys, I was going to post something similar but saw this thread. Some added questions: 1. Anyone have experience with the durability of the aequilibriums, either the ST or LT? I would also consider the top or speed if they have merits 2. How similar are they to the trango tech? I love my trangos but they wear out so fast that they aren’t worth it. I guide in Alaska so they get pretty beat up. Thanks! |
Ry Allwright wrote: I have the Top and recently got a pair of Speeds to compliment (but only have a couple days on the Speeds). I've had my pair of Top for a couple seasons and they are holding up well. I haven't been super hard on them but they have seen sharp shale and talus, and plenty of miles. No real signs of wear. The gaiters seem to be holding up great which I would guess is a bigger liability than the construction of the ST or LT but could be incorrect on that. I haven't had a pair of Trangos since the Trango Tech came out in like 2007 or so. Hard for me to compare. |
Ry Allwright wrote: I don't have long term durability results for my Aequilibrium Tops, although I was impressed by how little wear they show after several days in sharp and unstable talus. Still, there are components on the Tops that definitely have potential for failure: i.e. the gaiter zipper and Boa system. The Top version will be a bit more waterproof, and a bit warmer, the ST/LT versions are a bit simpler and lighter. The leather version look like it might be the most durable? Still, the sole on these boots seem to be made of soft, sticky rubber, and the boot in general is designed for high performance and light weight, which rarely corresponds to bombproof durability. Overall, just from the look and feel and performance to date, I would probably give these boots an average grade in terms of durability. Depending on what you are doing in Alaska, you might look at some of the heavier, burlier boots if durability is your primary concern. I use the LS Karakorum for elk hunting and it is pretty bomber, although I do wish the GTX version was available in the States (seems to be available Europe). |
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I’m starting to think a burly approach shoe might be the better solution to my mid/late season Sierra needs. I do want more support than a typical approach shoe, so a ‘Mid’ version of something is attractive. Sportiva’s TX4 comes in a Mid version, but I’m dubious about Sportiva’s notorious narrow fit- I’d have to try on a pair. Scarpa’s Mescalito comes in a Mid (and Scarpa tends to have more room), but near as I can tell, it’s only available in Europe, so sizing/returns would be complicated. Perspectives on either of these shoes? Or something similar? |
apogee wrote: TX4 Mid works fine for me. They are adequate for crossing short snowfields. As long as you aren’t front pointing or trying to cut steps in firm snow with them, they work. TX4s fit wider than most offerings from La Sportiva. I don’t know anyone that considers them to be too narrow. La Sportiva also makes a TX Hike, which is reportedly even wider and roomier than the TX4. |
apogee wrote: Another thing to think on if it's not sheer vertical rock but more blocky is the mutant mid. My wife hikes in those in the whites in NH in most conditions barring cold winter and rates them the top of her hiking quiver in terms of grip on rock (a lot of NH hiking is climbing up steep rockslides) |
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Crap. Can't find TX4 Mid GTX anywhere...it looks like they were discontinued some time ago. Back to the drawing board... |
