Hello Everyone,

this is my first post as i just found this forum earlier today and have basically been using search function all day. I have never climbed a mountain before, but i have marched up to 15 miles with a rucksack in the woods.

I need my first pair of hiking/climbing boots. I plan to climb Mt. Monadnock in NH in about 3 weeks to a month, and then possibly Mt. Washington a few weeks later.

What boot companies/models should i look at for this type climb/hike?

I found these

http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Product ... ilator-Mid

would they suffice or are there better ones out there? I'm not looking for longevity, or to spend a ton of money as i doubt i will go any farther than Washington within the next few years.

Thank you for all of your help in advance

The key thing is that you buy a pair that fits you not which brand. Go to a local store staffed with someone that knows how to fit boots. You can always buy online afterward if cost is a factor.

alright, i will do some research on stores in the Boston area, thank you

EDIT:

just found this and thought it would be good for other people in my situation.

http://www.patc.us/hiking/gear/boots.html

The first ones would suck. Those are a summer dry weather boot.
If you want to climb more mountains, something like this.
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/ ... 0021M.html
Or if you will mostly be hiking something lighter like this.
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/ ... 0079M.html
Find them used/cheap, because most likely they won't be right for what you end up doing a year from now and you'll have to buy new ones anyway.
Check sierratradingpost.com for deals.

I have hiked over 1/2 of the 4,000 footers in NH and lately have found this boot to be great in the snow:

Merrel Thermo 6

There are plenty of 3 season waterproof boots available. Stick to the best brands and just get one that fits you well and has a nice grippy rubber sole (some vibram soles are very slick on wet rock, feel the rubber before you buy a lot of times one can tell if it will work well or not). I would get a gore-tex boot because they are generally the most reliable when it comes to stopping water from getting in which IMHO is essential.

Brands: Scarpa, Asolo, La Sportiva and Vasque primarily.

For winter you will need a more specific boot depending on whether you will climb ice, snow or packed trails.

Monadnock in mid-April and Washington in mid-May will just plain suck. That's pretty much mud/monorail season: lots of mud, snow that you'll just plunge into (snowshoes won't help), etc. (Washington might still be winter conditions and in really a different category.) If you do go for it, a good three-season boot should do the trick. Try the REI in Reading or the EMS on Comm Ave. Play in the Fells or Blue Hills for awhile to make sure the boot works for you.

jniehof wrote:Monadnock in mid-April and Washington in mid-May will just plain suck. That's pretty much mud/monorail season: lots of mud, snow that you'll just plunge into (snowshoes won't help), etc. (Washington might still be winter conditions and in really a different category.)

I cannot agree with you less...Mt Washington MUD? not on the Lions Head or Tuckerman Ravine Trail. May is the best time of year to go there, still plenty of snow but temps warmer, better weather.
Mt Monadnock?- again a big rock pile, not much mud there.
Please refrain from giving misinformation!

If they fit right, I'd go with Asolo or Scarpa before I'd buy something made in China.

I went to REI in Reading and Dicks in Saugus, I tried on probably 10 pairs of Boots.

The ones that fit best that were not Mountaineering Boots were the Merrel Gor-Tex MOAB Mids and were 110 bucks. The second best pair that i liked were the Asolo GTX something or others, they were a full size boot and 260 bucks.

Would the MOABs be good enough for my Washington/Monadnock plans?, because i really liked the fit with them.

MOAB - http://www.rei.com/product/788740

Asolo - http://www.rei.com/product/796769

Thanks Again everyone

DJFLIX2009 wrote:The ones that fit best that were not Mountaineering Boots were the Merrel Gor-Tex MOAB Mids and were 110 bucks. The second best pair that i liked were the Asolo GTX something or others, they were a full size boot and 260 bucks.

Would the MOABs be good enough for my Washington/Monadnock plans?, because i really liked the fit with them.

At that price and a good fit, it may be a good enough idea to get the Merrell's, see how you like them; I don't find 31 oz. boots too light for the higher White Mts., and the membrane waterproofing is important--always plenty of wet trails (I forded at the Tuckerman Crossover late last Oct.). You shouldn't need a GTX or mountaineering boot to start with--the Asolo Ergo GTX is 17 ounces heavier and I'd think more of a boot than you need unless seven-day backpacking is in the near view.

The Moabs should last you a while, and when you discover what you might like better (e.g. how sticky is the sole, how much do you want to do scrambling, what about winter hiking and climbing?) you'll know enough to make an even better choice, or to recognize how good the first choice was.

Good luck.

Thank you very much for weighing in on my topic, i appreciate it.

I'd recommend that you join this group. There are people hiking in the Whites every day who welcome partners and there is something for every level- http://hiking.meetup.com/305/

By mid-April the snow will probably be just about gone from Monadnock. Snow on Washington lasts much longer; the main trails will be heavily packed down but you might prefer to take shortcuts through snowfields near the summit. I'd bring Microspikes for Washington, maybe real crampons if conditions are unusually icy (edit: that's for April. By May you shouldn't need traction unless you're hiking insanely early in the day.). Don't waste time or money worrying about what kind of boot to wear, anything that keeps your feet from getting wet will do.

Monadnock April 11, 2008

Mt Washington April 8, 2006

(and Monadnock in early March 2010 is in my profile photo)

You might want to try Asolo 535's (http://www.rei.com/product/694262). With a coat of snow-seal they will handle water just fine and are $50 less than the other Asolos. They are also not made in China.