Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Snow and leather vs plastic boots

Ok, so I'm a bit off season with this question, but I have been reading TR from people up on Denali and Rainer and the thought popped in my head

During late winter and spring trips to places like Whitney MR and the Palisades what sort of boots to people like to wear when there is plenty of snow cover? I know that on Denali and Rainer that plastic seems to be the norm, but the weather seems somewhat milder in the Sierra's. Would a pair of La Sportiva Makalu's or other leather mountaineering boots be warm enough?

What do you wear on your feet in the winter/spring snowy trips in the Sierra's?

Hi Patrick,

During the winter/spring in the Sierra I usually wear a double plastic boot. They are warmer and easier to put on when waking up in the wee hours for a summit attempt.

On day trips I can get by with a good insulated leather boot because my feet stay warm all day. I treat the leather with a waterproofing even though most leather boots come factory treated. I also treat all seams with seam grip. Also make sure you wear a gaiter and that it has a good fit (not too tight and not too loose) around your boot.

Another instance I'll use leather versus plastic is when I'm doing any kind of technical climbing. I like the performance I get from a leather boot on alpine rock, steep snow, and ice terrain. If they are overnight trips you can sleep with the boots in your bag (don't wear them!!!!) to keep them warm. They never seem to be as warm as a plastic boot is though.

It looks like you're in the LA area. I know A16 in West LA sells both Lowa (leather and plastic) and La Sportiva (leather) boots.

The Makalu is not an insulated boot; chances are very good your feet will get very cold, particularly if you are doing any post-holing. If you're particular towards leather, try an insulated boot like the La Sportiva Nepal EVO.

Hey Kurt,

Just the voice I was hoping to hear from. Thank you for the input. As ExPro, and others have given good reviews of the La Sportiva Nepal EVO if you want to go leather. What boots do you all prefer in double plastic?

Scarpa Omega
Scarpa Invervo
Koflach Degree
Lowa Civetta
Asolo ??
Any others?

Thanks

Hi Patrick,

All the boots you mention are great quality. Each company fits a bit differently so if one doesn't fit try another. Lowa is a great company that has been around a long time. They are also easy to modify and add other liners to later. I'd start with those.

FYI, the reason boot companies fit differently is they make them on their own "last". A "last" is wood shaped like a foot that they build the boots around. All companies use their own last.

Let me know if you have more questions.

All the best,

Kurt

I haven't yet found a Lowa boot that didn't feel "right" on my feet.

Comments from a bit of an oddball:

* In winter, I find that it's cold enough that an insulated leather boot will not get wet due to snowmelt, so that's what I usually wear.

* In spring, I find that if I'm doing multi-day climbs, it is nearly impossible to keep the leather boots dry, so I'll usually wear doubles. I have a tendency to avoid multi-day climbs in spring due to the fact that I DON'T want to wear double-boots on Whitney.

I can't speak to plastic boots, but I have been using a pair of Lowa Mountain Expert GTX for the past 2 years and I have nothing but good things to say about them. They have been very comfortably (after you get rid of the original insole) and didn't require any real break-in time. I have used them in the Sierras and Whitney many times in the winter and done 3-4th class rock with ease.

Like Richard mentions, after a long day in spring conditions they will tend to be quite wet, which can be an issue on multi-day trips. Like any leather boot, you must clean and condition them regularly to keep them as waterproof as possible. After using mine on at least 40 trips of winter/spring hiking and climbing, they have held up really well. I definitely recommend Lowa boots to anyone and they work with the majority of crampon bindings.

Scott

Now I'm beginning to see why winter mountaineering is such an exclusive club. Not only is it dangerous and very cold, it's damn expensive.

It seems in a perfect world you will want 2 winter boots. One insulated leather for day trips and technical work, and the double plastics for overnighters. We're looking at about 6-7 hundred beans for footwear. Time to get that 2nd job.

Yeah not so cheap. I suggest looking at what you will be doing most and buy your first pair based on that. If you will be climbing in the lower 48 most of the time, you can definitely get by with leather boots and be comfortable and safe. Leather boots are very versatile and with all the new materials and technology they are pretty warm, waterproof and lightweight. I would suggest leather as a good all around boot. If you plan to climb in Alaska, the Cascades, or White mountains frequently maybe plastic is a better choice, but I think the majority of people in the Sierra's prefer leather. Often in the early winter and spring, there is only snow up higher leaving long approaches on rock and scree which is miserable in plastic boots from what I've heard. If you plan to spend at least $200 on the boots, make sure you get something you really like and that's is good quality, even if it runs you closer to $300. There is nothing worse than spending a lot of money and trying to save an extra 40 bucks and getting something inferior that you will never use or replace after a year. Hope this helps.

Yup... there are many gear items you can get a hold of by begging or borrowing but boots aren't one of them it is advisable to do that with. An "old school" practice mountaineer's did was to actually buy a second pair. It was sometimes difficult to find a pair that was durable, performed well, and fit one's feet. When you found that you bought a second pair because you never knew when you'd find one again when you needed it. I've modified that practice now by having multiple pairs of boots that have "cross over" use.

Like pvault says take a look at what you think you'll be doing over the next couple of years and buy a boot accordingly. If you stay in this sport long enough you'll end up with multiple pairs of boots.

Here are a couple Lowa models you might want to take a look at. One is insulated more than the other: Cristallo X Pro GTX, and the Cevedale GTX. You can find them at www.lowa.com and click under the mountaineering section.

Pvault and Kurt, thank you.

It looks like I'm set, I'll look into some good Lowa leathers and start off with day trips this winter. If I love it, I'll look into double plastics for longer trips and the Pacific NW mountains. Then I can invest in the rest of the winter gear, MH EV tent, 0 degree bag, ouch $$$... Kurt, I'm sure I'll be getting in touch with you this winter for a course or seminar. I wouldn't want to get out there this winter and do it wrong. There's no room for wrong.

Alright, my Winter is all set, now I just need to plan my August and September.

Watch out for used boots if you have to walk a great deal. Back in the early 80's I bought some used Koflack Ultras from International Mt Equip in North Conway NH. They used to sell their rental equipment in the spring. These boots had been worn on Aconcagua and who knows where else. I was young, 18 or 20 at the time and the price was a great deal versus buying new. My purpose for buying them was for technical ice climbing which they are great for. If I was just out for the day to winter hike such as Mt Washington or anywhere else, I would hike in my LL Bean insulated boots with vibram soles. This was because the Bean boots were much lighter and more comfortable and they also fit a snowshoe and crampon well. The Bean boots could not be used for steep ice, but in the White Mt.s of Maine and NH it isn't unusual to have a lot of ice on trails from a mid-winter rain and crampons are necessary. I carried my plastic boots on a trip to Assiniboine and in retrospect, I would have been fine with my Limmers and crampons.

I do realize that in the past 25 years plastic boot technology has improved drastically. Boots are such an individualistic item that you need to use what is best for you.