FortMental wrote:It's too easy to think that it takes $500 of new gear to solve this problem. Truly, all it takes is $20.
I think this is spot on. I bought a lot of boots before I found a system that worked, and I really didn't need to spend so much money. But that was pre-interwebs. Here's what I've found. YMMV, obviously.
1. Get something with a removable liner. Put the liner in your sleeping bag at night.
2. Plastic or leather doesn't matter much if leather is waterproofed and you follow 1 above.
3. Plastic boots aren't that comfortable. I wear mine only when the terrain dictates - if ice axe/crampons are REQUIRED, then I pull out my Koflach Verticals.
4. I ALWAYS wear vapor barrier liners in the snow. Smartwool expedition socks next to skin, then plastic bags (bread bags or grocery bags work great), then boot liners. For me, nothing has come close to this system in terms of warmth and comfort. As Rob says though, this system doesn't work for everyone.
I implore you to try the cheap alternatives before you spend a bunch of money on more boots.