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Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:49 pm
by JHH60
Has anyone used this boot? How warm is it? Is the last similar to the Lowa Mountain Expert? REI has them onsale very cheap right now. I tried a Mountain Expert on the other day and liked the design and the way it fit. I don't really need a new pair of leather boots but at that price...

PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:52 pm
by wma204
I haven't tried to Silberhorn but looking at them they look very similar to the Mountain Expert. I currently own the mountain experts and they're great boots. I have never once had a blister in them and after very long days in crampons my achilles tendon doesn't hurt which seems quite the feat. Lowa seems to make really solid, comfortable, durable boots.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:32 pm
by rhyang
Lowa has had the mountain expert in its lineup for a while, at least since 2005. Since that time the next step up in single boots has been the cristallo expert (discontinued), cristallo x pro (discontinued), and now the silberhorn.

I have a pair of cristallo experts, and mostly use them for sierra winter stuff, but have also done a bunch of routes on Shasta in them and also Rainier. They are decently insulated with primaloft. My guess is that the silberhorn's are probably similar, but being leather they sound heavier (the cristallo's were mostly synthetic).

The mountain experts and cristallo experts seem to fit my feet well, but I use a heel lock knot with them to eliminate heel lift. I also like the mountain experts, though they are lighter boots with a lower cuff, so I've tended to use them for spring mountaineering and fall alpine ice.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:31 pm
by DukeJH
I picked up a pair of these this weekend. I haven't worn them in the wild yet but wore them around the house for six hours or so. They're warm, but not so warm that my socks got soaked.

I got the Silberhorn over the Mountain Expert expecting the Silberhorn to be a touch warmer than the Mountain Expert (i.e. a 4 season vs 3 season boot in the lower 48 states). My intended use is fall/winter/spring snow and ice in the Sierra and Southern California mountains.

I'll try to remember to check back I when I get them into the wild.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:42 pm
by deathstar9
How do you guys think the silberhorn would work (in season) in the cordillera blanca? Could add a super gaiter/k2 40 below overboot in cold conditions?

Seems like a good winter boot through out the lower 48 and in Western Europe.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn? - Personal Review

PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:24 pm
by DukeJH
I took mine out for the first time this weekend. Conditions were reasonably warm (approx 32 F at the start) with no wind. Snow conditions were 2-3" crust with powder underneath: read postholing from mid-calf to crotch deep. Sock combination was Fox River X-Static liners (inside out) with Smartwool Mountaineers. I used my Superfeet green footbeds. The boot is rigid with some rocker to the sole which makes fitting it to my Grivel G12 New Classic crampons interesting. I am considering purchasing an automatic crampon since the boot is crampon compatible.

The lacing system is very effective and utilizing various locks you can really fine tune the fit of the boot. Be careful that you don't overtighten the foot box which is easy to do.

My overall impression is that the Silberhorn is a capable warm boot. I have cold sensitive feet and I had no sensation of cold with this boot. After two miles of canyon walking, before the real ascent began, I noticed some slippage in the lacing resulting in some heel movement so I stopped and adjusted the lacing. After almost 7 hours of postholing, the boot remained dry inside, no water intruded through the leather or GoreTex membrane. The boot actually looked dry from the outside. Ankle support is ridiculous. If laced well you can almost eliminate any flexibility in your ankle. Since the boot is leather, it is more flexible and I did not experience any shin bang.

I ended the day with a small blister on my right heel. I also apparently had the foot box too tight as I have some bruising on the outside of each foot. Interestingly, when I really crank the lacing down in most boots, I get pressure across the top of the foot but with the Silberhorn, the pressure comes from the side of the boot.

I bought the Lowa Silberhorn as a 4-season mountaineering boot to be a boot between my Koflach Arctis Expe and my Asolo TPS 520 GTX. My goal for use of this boot is winter in California and spring/summer in the Cascades.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:37 pm
by deathstar9
DukeJH, do you have any experience with the Nepal Evo, if so can you compare this boot with regard to fit, warmth/insallation, and technical ability?

Thanks,

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:02 pm
by DukeJH
I can't wear the La Sportiva line because of my wide feet. I made a trip to Seattle a couple years ago and tried on boots from Scarpa, La Sportiva, and Asolo since I couldn't find them in Texas.

Based on my understanding from speaking with folks that own the La Sportiva Nepal Evo, the boots are comparable with respect to technical ability. The Lowa is a wider boot than the La Sportiva, especially in the ball/midfoot. I can't comment as to the insulation of the La Sprtiva as I can't get my feet into them.

The boot fitter suggested I try the boots without the Superfeet using the stock foot bed. This makes sense as the stock footbed has slightly lower volume. After the bruising on the side of my left foot heals, I'll give this a shot.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:01 pm
by peninsula
JHH60 wrote:Has anyone used this boot? How warm is it? Is the last similar to the Lowa Mountain Expert? REI has them onsale very cheap right now. I tried a Mountain Expert on the other day and liked the design and the way it fit. I don't really need a new pair of leather boots but at that price...


When getting a new pair of boots, I try all the brands and two or three different sizes, checking width as well as boot length. I find a wider boot can be much more comfortable and unless I ask for the next wider size to try on, I am never offered the option (I'll special order the extra width if necessary before making the purchase).

One tip on taking care of your feet regarding mountaineering, definitely get something other than the insoles that come with the boot. I used Superfeet for years, but as I got older, my feet began to change and I went to a podiatrist for custom insoles. My feet responded favorably to the adjustment (a case of metatarsalgia), but when getting a new pair of running shoes last year, I gave Roadrunner Sport's custom insoles a try, something they call "Shoe Dog". These insoles are fitted to your feet in the store and takes only 10 to 15 minutes, and they work!! Since fitting my latest pair of boots with these custom insoles, I have the most comfort I have ever experienced in hiking boots. My podiatrist no longer makes custom insoles as he tells me programs like Shoe Dog work very well and he cannot compete with the price (around 75 dollars a pair here in San Diego).

Regardless of the brand choice, I HIGHLY recommend going with Gortex instead of leather alone. If hiking/mountaineering in wet conditions, leather alone might not suffice. I don't know why I took so long getting a decent pair of Gortex hiking/mountaineering boots. Contending with wet/frozen boots in the morning is something I never want to experience again! Of the three Gortex mountaineering boots I tried (LA Sportiva, Scarpa, and Lowa), I found the Lowa Mountain Expert GTX to be my best choice. They conform to my foot really well and I love the way they lace up! The extra stiffness in the full shank is not too stiff for my comfort and will provide extra traction when negotiating steeper terrain.

http://www.rei.com/product/780836

They are pricey, but I'd say the money spent on a good pair of boots is one of the most important investments one can make in mountaineering gear.

Best of luck!

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:02 am
by peninsula
peninsula wrote:
JHH60 wrote:Has anyone used this boot? How warm is it? Is the last similar to the Lowa Mountain Expert? REI has them onsale very cheap right now. I tried a Mountain Expert on the other day and liked the design and the way it fit. I don't really need a new pair of leather boots but at that price...


When getting a new pair of boots, I try all the brands and two or three different sizes, checking width as well as boot length. I find a wider boot can be much more comfortable and unless I ask for the next wider size to try on, I am never offered the option (I'll special order the extra width if necessary before making the purchase).

One tip on taking care of your feet regarding mountaineering, definitely get something other than the insoles that come with the boot. I used Superfeet for years, but as I got older, my feet began to change and I went to a podiatrist for custom insoles. My feet responded favorably to the adjustment (a case of metatarsalgia), but when getting a new pair of running shoes last year, I gave Roadrunner Sport's custom insoles a try, something they call "Shoe Dog". These insoles are fitted to your feet in the store and takes only 10 to 15 minutes, and they work!! Since fitting my latest pair of boots with these custom insoles, I have the most comfort I have ever experienced in hiking boots. My podiatrist no longer makes custom insoles as he tells me programs like Shoe Dog work very well and he cannot compete with the price (around 75 dollars a pair here in San Diego).

Regardless of the brand choice, I HIGHLY recommend going with Gortex instead of leather alone. If hiking/mountaineering in wet conditions, leather alone might not suffice. I don't know why I took so long getting a decent pair of Gortex hiking/mountaineering boots. Contending with wet/frozen boots in the morning is something I never want to experience again! Of the three Gortex mountaineering boots I tried (LA Sportiva, Scarpa, and Lowa), I found the Lowa Mountain Expert GTX to be my best choice. They conform to my foot really well and I love the way they lace up! The extra stiffness in the full shank is not too stiff for my comfort and will provide extra traction when negotiating steeper terrain.

http://www.rei.com/product/780836

They are pricey, but I'd say the money spent on a good pair of boots is one of the most important investments one can make in mountaineering gear.

Best of luck!


Am I too pedantic :?: Kind of sounds that way when reading it over. Got to laugh at myself.

Re: Lowa Silberhorn?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:52 pm
by DukeJH
peninsula wrote:
Am I too pedantic :?: Kind of sounds that way when reading it over. Got to laugh at myself.


Maybe just a touch. :wink: