OK, so I know there are a LOT of people on here in love with the Nepal's.

I'm trying to decide on a boot. I'm considering the Nepal's, Lowa Mountain Expert GTX, and the Trango S EVO GTX.

They all felt like they fit my feet ok when sized correctly. The Nepal seemed beefier, but definitely of the three seemed like it would be the least comfortable for moderate to long approaches. Would I just need to get used to it?

I want these for the Sierras, and I want something that will cut it in snow and ice. Near future would be things like Shasta and Whitney in late season/early season conditions, but eventually I'd like to tackle them (and others) in Winter. I'd also love to do the u/v notches at some point, but again, no ice climbing skills yet. I felt like the Trango would be easier than the Nepal for approaches, but might not cut it for the snow. Would I regret that choice on something like shasta in late april/early may conditions?

I'd really like to avoid another expensive mountaineering boot until I get to the point I need double plastics, and that is not planned for the near future. For the summers, I have guide tennies that I feel great with for anything up to 3rd/4th, and would get the job done on easy glaciers with strap on cramps.

I'd say you should go for the Mountain Expert or Trango. Why? Because you don't expect to do any serious ice climbing but rather some more general mountaineering with long approaches. I haven't used either of the boots, but my boots also have the Vibram Mulaz sole and it provides the perfect mixture of stability and just enough flexibility to walk in it for long distances. They stick great on rock, cut into hard snow very well and on ice you'll have crampons that do the job. The Nepals are great boots, I've tried them on many many times (I work in a store for climbing equipment) but I can't imagine that I'd walk as comfy in them as I do in my Scarpa Triolet. Obviously, that's only my opinion.

Oh, also, the Lowa boots have Primaloft insulation, the Trangos don't (only the Trango Extreme). Would be nice to have in late/early season.

Trangos are really popular on GearTrade, I'm fittin to pick up a pair for around $150. Most of the ones listed have only been tried on.

http://www.geartrade.com/search/?cmd=Si ... erm=trango

I've had good experiences with the lowa mountain expert and wrote a gear review on it here -

http://www.spgear.org/reviews/1332/Moun ... t-GTX.html

They seemed to do decently for sierra alpine ice and rock scrambling. As usual though, Lowa is changing them this year .. my guess is not very much though

They are insulated, but not a whole lot. I tend to think of them as spring / fall boots.

I've never had good fit with sportiva boots (love their rock shoes though, go figure), but a friend led the v-notch last september in ice conditions wearing trango S's.

Hmm, that sounds like a vote for the Lowa's.

I guess my biggest concern is: if I got the Lowa's or the Trango's: with gaiters, would they not be warm enough for: something like the mountaineer's route in March, or shasta in april/may? Neither are technical, ice climbing. But there's a lot of time in the snow.

Years skiing have taught me I don't have the greatest circ in the world (i'm very prone to cold hands for instance.) Since mr, shasta, and hopefully the lyell glacier as soon as tioga pass opens, are all near on the horizon for me, I just don't want to get a boot that will not be warm enough for that kind of snow travel.

I have both the Nepals and the Trangos. The Trangos are a good summer mountaineering boot that is good for long approaches and I've worn them several times on the 42KM trek in to Aconcagua base camp. First time wearing the Nepals was on Rainier and the second Mt. Robson here in Canada. Robson also has a long approach (24 KM) and in the summer these boots felt great. If I had to chose one of these two it would be the Nepal as it's a better all-round boot and warmer.

I would not take the Trangos up the MR in March. I did that once and was not happy. It's a glorified rock shoe. If you like that last/sole then I wold get the Extremes instead. Advice? Get used to stiff boots. Nepals are the ideal boot all year in the Sierra.

Good replies, thanks. It's between the mountain expert and the nepals. The mountain expert at least is insulated, so I think it may cut it. I kind of suspected the trango's would be a bad idea when snow is involved, but wanted to hear it from someone else.

Try on boots by Kayland, Scarpa, Asolo and Mammut. It's all about the fit, and there are enough choices out there you shouldn't compromise.

Autoxfil wrote:Try on boots by Kayland, Scarpa, Asolo and Mammut. It's all about the fit, and there are enough choices out there you shouldn't compromise.

Haha, yeah I love when I see that advice. It must be nice in fantasyland where stores ever have a selection that good, AND in your size. If I lived in golden and could just hope over to bent gate I'd definitely do that.

I live way out in the boonies - we don't have any shoe stores at all in my town, and the nearest gear store is Rock and Snow, 2 hours away. So, I hit the gear stores and try on boots when I travel to climb, and for brands they don't carry I order online and return them if they don't work.

It's not easy or convenient, but it's worth it. For my last pair I tried on boots at the three coolest east coast gear stores and none had anything that really worked, so I ordered online with plans to return - but got lucky on the first pair.

seanh wrote:

Autoxfil wrote:Try on boots by Kayland, Scarpa, Asolo and Mammut. It's all about the fit, and there are enough choices out there you shouldn't compromise.

Haha, yeah I love when I see that advice. It must be nice in fantasyland where stores ever have a selection that good, AND in your size. If I lived in golden and could just hope over to bent gate I'd definitely do that.

Take some initiative, if you can't find what you want in the Bay Area then drive a bit. Tahoe, maybe further like the 5th Season or Mammoth Mountaineering. Don't get cranky when someone asks you to try on a suite of brands, especially when you live in a location that actually permits that option with a bit of effort. Would be different if you lived in the middle of nowhere without a gear store in sight with only online ordering as an option.

rhyang wrote:I've had good experiences with the lowa mountain expert and wrote a gear review on it here -

http://www.spgear.org/reviews/1332/Moun ... t-GTX.html

+1 no break-in, fine fit, very adaptable, stiff enough (good with my G-12s) but fine for long approaches/hikes/climbs. Rhyang and comments to his review got it right.

I have the lowas and have used them for several years now. They are plenty warm for the MR route in March as well as Shasta in the spring. They are a great year round boot for the typical weather experienced in CA.

seanh wrote:OK, so I know there are a LOT of people on here in love with the Nepal's.

I'm trying to decide on a boot. I'm considering the Nepal's, Lowa Mountain Expert GTX, and the Trango S EVO GTX.

They all felt like they fit my feet ok when sized correctly. The Nepal seemed beefier, but definitely of the three seemed like it would be the least comfortable for moderate to long approaches. Would I just need to get used to it?

I want these for the Sierras, and I want something that will cut it in snow and ice. Near future would be things like Shasta and Whitney in late season/early season conditions, but eventually I'd like to tackle them (and others) in Winter. I'd also love to do the u/v notches at some point, but again, no ice climbing skills yet. I felt like the Trango would be easier than the Nepal for approaches, but might not cut it for the snow. Would I regret that choice on something like shasta in late april/early may conditions?

I'd really like to avoid another expensive mountaineering boot until I get to the point I need double plastics, and that is not planned for the near future. For the summers, I have guide tennies that I feel great with for anything up to 3rd/4th, and would get the job done on easy glaciers with strap on cramps.

Have you looked at the Scarpa Summit GTX? They're in the same class as the Nepal EVO.

I got mine on sale ($279 vs $400).