I'm wondering how many people find that they can use one boot that works well for both cold weather alpine climbing and water ice. Like most people I assume, I seem to be between sizes and bought my boots a little larger with the intent of using them for alpine climbing (snow & ice), assuming foot swelling at altitude and on long approaches, etc. My boots are comfortable for alpine use, but as I've started to get into water ice and more difficult alpine ice climbing I'm realizing that I might be able to go down a half size, or go to a slimmer style boot, and have greater precision and better locked-in heel at the risk of less comfort on long easy stuff, especially if my feet swell.

Do most people here find that, when they get a really good fit, they can use one boot for both cold weather alpine climbing and for water ice, or do they just accept that a boot is going to be better for one discipline or the other (depending on fit), and buy separate boots for each if they can afford it?

Although I do wear my ice boots when it gets cold enough, I don't like to. I don't like to have stiff soles for general climbing. I occasionally go as far as to carry my ice boots for longer approaches, while wearing something else.

When I'm talking about "alpine" climbing I mean something like a long, moderately difficult route in the Cascades (Mt. Baker North Ridge or Mt. Rainier Liberty Ridge) or a couloir climb in CA. I.e., you may have to kick steps in snow, or use French technique or even front pointing on AI2-3, and therefore want stiff soles, but you're not doing fancy footwork on vertical water ice or mixed stuff.

I have boots specifically for water ice (La Sportiva Trango Extreme) and boots for mountaineering (Scarpa Summit GTX). I find the Scarpas to climb water ice nearly as well as the La Sportivas, but the La Sportivas work for mountaineering poorly due to little ankle support and tight fit. In fact I sold my La Sportivas and use the Scarpa for both waterfall climbing, summer mountaineering, and winter mixed alpine climbing.

On couloir climbs up to about 50 degrees, I try to avoid my ice climbing boots because the approaches are usually longer than the climbing. On anything steeper, or if I'm expecting harder ice, is what I'm talking about when I talk about carrying a change of boots.

If the approach is shorter, or most of the route is climbing (like Rainier), then I wear single climbing boots. Right now, that mean Mad Rock Alpinists. A boot like that works fine for most things, but I still hate long approaches in them. Before I bought the Alpinists, I would use plastic doubles (Koflach Verts) for everything I now use the Alpinists for.

I guess that the answer to your question is that, yes, I use the same boot for ice and alpine. It's just that approaches suck in climbing boots.

I have many partners that use LS Nepals for both and are happy.
I've used LS K4S's that they don't make any more for ice when it's cold, and used on Lib Ridge.

I find it silly that lots of people buy boots that are too big, because of 'foot swelling at altitude'. It's a good marketing ploy to sell people extra boots.

One boot should do everything for the majority of climbers. Nepal Extremes, Scarpa Freney XT, those are good candidates.

I have Nepal Evos now for mountaineering and like them a lot (and also Scarpa Omegas for very cold/multiday climbs) but I've sized both boots on the slightly large size. I also have Trango Evo S for summer, which fit great and are trim and snug fitting, but of course they aren't warm enough for colder climbs or multiple days on the glacier. I could probably go down a half size on the Nepals for WI but am not sure they'd be big enough for mountaineering, especially if my feet swelled. Or I could go with a slimmer fitting boot like the Trango Extreme for WI. Or just crank down the laces and/or accept some heel lift and slight sloppiness when using the Nepals or Omegas on WI.

brandon wrote:I find it silly that lots of people buy boots that are too big, because of 'foot swelling at altitude'. It's a good marketing ploy to sell people extra boots.

One boot should do everything for the majority of climbers. Nepal Extremes, Scarpa Freney XT, those are good candidates.

Your feet don't swell (or flatten out) a bit after a long approach?

I use Scarpa Freney XT for everything in the winter, except for multiday (more than two days) with snow I would still use plastics.

Summer/fall - LS Trango.

JHH60 wrote:

brandon wrote:I find it silly that lots of people buy boots that are too big, because of 'foot swelling at altitude'. It's a good marketing ploy to sell people extra boots.

One boot should do everything for the majority of climbers. Nepal Extremes, Scarpa Freney XT, those are good candidates.

Your feet don't swell (or flatten out) a bit after a long approach?

I've never experienced my feet swelling at altitude (up to 23,000) or after long approaches...well, at least nothing that loosening the boot laces a bit wouldn't rectify. As stated before LS Nepals would cover almost every situation for many climbers except super cold weather. It's nice to have various boots for various situations but it's not necessary.

I'm actually looking for a pair of warm boots, crampon compatible off course, and able to keep me going for next summer. Potential climbs; Mont Blanc, Rainier, Shasta, Whitney and into bigger stuff as I progress. Any recommendations, because from what I hear the La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX is great. Is it overkill? What's the difference between that and the LS Nepal Extreme?

Thanks, been getting really great help on here.