drpw wrote:Low cut approach shoes for everything but snow.

And for that as well (down to maybe 10-15F) with minor additions. For everything over 10 degrees and under 5th class, except dusty cross-country travel in Death Valley, old running shoes have always served me well.

Boots. Always boots. Actually, I only own one or two pairs of shoes. Everything I wear is either hightops or boots...

But I do seem to be partial to talus and scree with a pair of these.



But I have even hiked scree and talus many times in these...




Lets just say that the La Sports are more comfortable on talus than the Scarpa's are.

Has anyone used the LaSportiva Gandalfs? They look pretty sweet, maybe it's just a cool name though

dustyj wrote:Has anyone used the LaSportiva Gandalfs? They look pretty sweet, maybe it's just a cool name though

I notice the soles are just described as "Vibram." I had a recent pair of shoes with the Vibram sticky rubber, and the soles were not that sticky -- far less sticky than stealth rubber shoes. I just got 5-10 genius shoes for $80.

Some approach shoes are made with narrow soles to allow you to edge. That means the shoes can be a lot less stable on scree.

dustyj wrote:Has anyone used the LaSportiva Gandalfs? They look pretty sweet, maybe it's just a cool name though

There was a thread on rc.com not long ago. Go to the second page for some first-hand (first-foot?) experience.

Notice that La Sportiva has changed the name to Ganda, presumably due to trademark problems. A high-top version of the Ganda is not available in the US yet, but is currently sold in Europe under the name Ganda Guide. The sole of the "Guide" is more akin to that of a hiking shoe or light boot than that of the low-top Ganda, which is typical of approach shoes.

From the accounts I've read so far, the Ganda is closer to a climbing shoe than the other approach shoes on the market. I'm not sure it's the best choice for long hikes with scrambling up to Class 4.

I've been considering the purchase of a pair, but I have not tried them yet. I'd probably end up using them for other things as well, but my intended application for the Ganda would be Flatiron link-ups, in which there's a fair amount of walking, but not too much. I'd like to carry one pair of shoes only; the Ganda might be the ticket. My Cirque Pro or my Garmont approach shoes don't feel secure enough for the climbing part.

Speaking of the Cirque Pro, I have a very low opinion of them, both in terms of performance and build quality. At the risk of oversimplifying, I'd recommend against buying any La Sportiva shoes or boots that are not made in Italy.

Finally, the main difference between the Trango and an approach shoe is the stiff sole of the former. That's more important than the weight difference. Of course, it's also the reason why the Trango is a good ice climbing boot. (Not very durable, though, in my experience.)

drpw wrote:Low cut approach shoes for everything but snow.

+1
Approach shoes for just about everything these days. I've been really happy with LaSportiva's Exum Ridge (now Exum Pro). If I can get away with it, when it snows I'll still use a waterproof trail runner with a low gaiter.

brenta wrote: I'm not sure it's the best choice for long hikes with scrambling up to Class 4.

My typical use would be under a 3 mile approach with a days worth of class 3 - Low class 5 scrambling. Technical Colorado/California 13ers and 14ers. When the climbing gets to 5.0 - 5.2 I don't want to have to switch shoes. My short list is Sportiva Gandalf, Patagonia Karakoram or Huckleberry and the Five Ten Camp Four. I'm not having much luck finding good info on approach shoe reviews. So, whatever I try I'll be sure to get some review out there!

Good luck with your search. I look forward to reading your reviews.

dustyj wrote:

brenta wrote: I'm not sure it's the best choice for long hikes with scrambling up to Class 4.

My typical use would be under a 3 mile approach with a days worth of class 3 - Low class 5 scrambling. Technical Colorado/California 13ers and 14ers. When the climbing gets to 5.0 - 5.2 I don't want to have to switch shoes. My short list is Sportiva Gandalf, Patagonia Karakoram or Huckleberry and the Five Ten Camp Four. I'm not having much luck finding good info on approach shoe reviews. So, whatever I try I'll be sure to get some review out there!

Do you want to be able to wear strap-on crampons with them? I have yet to do anything more than strap my crampons onto the shoes (inside thin neoprene overboots), but here is what I found:

La Sportive Exum Pro: painful and sketchy.
5-10 Camp Four: feels solid and reasonably comfortable.

Crampon compatibility isn't a big deal. If I need crampons I'll go with my Trangos