Re: want light stiff-soled boots WITHOUT goretex
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:37 am
As a fellow foot sweater, I hear you concerning Goretex in boots. Not to mention many boot manufacturers think that if they throw Goretex in their boots they can then do poor shoddy boot construction meaning that when the Goretex wears out after 100 miles of walking due to rubbing against it, that the boot now leaks.
I wear plastic bags when on snow/ice. Sock/Bag/Sock. Works like a charm. Wear the socks that literally "glue" to your feet from Columbia. Titanium brand??? Even with trail runners though not all that great on soft snow. For that reason have searched out "hikers" that have stiffer soles and go with goretex gaiters. Liberally smeared with beeswax/oils you name it.
As for your crampon problem, your problem resides in the rigid crampon. From what you have described there is NO reason to have a rigid crampon on your foot. If you really want the rigid crampon option, as others have said get a crampon with a flexible bar one can take out for a rigid one for anything OTHER THAN 50 degree plus ice. There is no real reason for a rigid crampon under 50 degree ice. Add in such sections even of 60 degrees are VERY short and the "need" for rigid in the alpine environment except in extreme situations never dictates rigid crampons to begin with. Unless you are purposefully searching out bullet hard ice col's. =)
I wear plastic bags when on snow/ice. Sock/Bag/Sock. Works like a charm. Wear the socks that literally "glue" to your feet from Columbia. Titanium brand??? Even with trail runners though not all that great on soft snow. For that reason have searched out "hikers" that have stiffer soles and go with goretex gaiters. Liberally smeared with beeswax/oils you name it.
As for your crampon problem, your problem resides in the rigid crampon. From what you have described there is NO reason to have a rigid crampon on your foot. If you really want the rigid crampon option, as others have said get a crampon with a flexible bar one can take out for a rigid one for anything OTHER THAN 50 degree plus ice. There is no real reason for a rigid crampon under 50 degree ice. Add in such sections even of 60 degrees are VERY short and the "need" for rigid in the alpine environment except in extreme situations never dictates rigid crampons to begin with. Unless you are purposefully searching out bullet hard ice col's. =)