I'm looking for some light mountaineering/backpacking boots. I'm planning a hiking/scrambling trip for June working my way down from the canadian rockies to colorado. I won't be doing any serious climbing and probably only overnight trips with hopefully lots of day hikes/scrambles. I was thinking about the La sportiva Trango S evo gtx boots or the Scarpa Charmonz gtx as a good all around choice. I'd likely be using them for summer mountaineering in New Zealand down the line. I don't have any place locally to try them out so obviously fit will be the final deciding factor once I get my hands on the real things. Are there any suggestions for other boots that I should try?
Thanks

I would recommend either of these boots. The Trangos typically fit narrow, low volume feet better and the Scarpas fit wider, larger volume feet better. I wear 1/2 size larger in both these brands than my street shoes.

I bought the Merrell Outbound GTX and they are a great boot. Been in knee deep snow and I stayed warm and dry. The new models run about $200 and new (last years model) run about $150.
http://www.backcountry.com/merrell-outbound-mid-gtx-hiking-boot-mens

The Trango/Charmoz are great boots but stiffer and more expensive than you need for backpacking. They are true 3-season mountaineering boots and can be used with hybrid or strap in crampons to climb snow and ice, and are sticky and light enough to be used on moderate rock climbs. I use them for backpacking when I'm planning to go off-trail or do some climbing. I use Asolo Fugitives (preceded the Flames, I believe) for on-trail backpacking. The Fugitive/Flame are great, lightweight, comfortable boots, but not really stiff enough for mountaineering. Be aware that while cloth/synthetic boots like the Trangos and Fugitives perform well and are very light, the tradeoff for light weight is durability. If you put in a long season of backpacking and scrambling in the Rockies with them you may well wear them out, so whatever future plans you have for them may be irrelevant. If money isn't a concern then the Trangos or Charmoz are a great choice, but if it is, and you are only backpacking and hiking in them, you can get away with something less expensive like the Flames.

Hi. For rock you really need boots/shoes with sticky rubber. It makes a huge difference in performance and safety when hiking/scrambling on all kinds of rock.

I really like the five-ten camp fours but only for dry weather. If they get wet they take a while to dry. Scarpa makes a really nice hiking/scrambling shoe called the ZEN. I have a pair and they have sticky rubber, hike very well and climb awesome on rock. They dry very quickly and the leather/suade looks like new even after use. Some approach shoes are more for climbing than hiking so choose wisely. As usual fit is most important so whatever you get try it first.

Vasque has some nice hiking boots called the SCREE MID ULTRADRY. They have sticky rubber that should be great on rock. Havent tried them but I own 2 pairs of Vasque boots and they make a quality product.

Most backpacking boots are made for hiking on soft, worn trails and dont do very well on hard, rocky climbs. Some have soles that are downright dangerous on wet rock.

Some mountaineering boots have deep lugged soles that are great on snow, some also have sticky rubber and are decent on rock but a lot are made to be used with crampons. They work well on steep terrain but suck on long approaches unless you are on snow which is very forgiving.

I would look for a mid or low top approach style shoe that has sticky rubber and has good cushioning and flexibility so one can feel the terrain better and hike comfortably but offers enough protection underfoot against sharp rocks. If you want durability choose an all leather/suade shoe but it will be warmer than one with some mesh obviously. I would strongly consider getting one that is waterproof.

Day hikes/scrambles in the Rockies will require a different boot than you'd be using for mountaineering in New Zealand. If you plan to get high up in NZ I'd think the boots you mention might be a little cold whereas they're probably overkill for day hiking.

Save yourself heaps of cash and get a pair of either of these. Got a pair of both myself and alternate em for all my summer Class 4 and below guiding in the Sierra. Including early season trips up Whitney. Either will work perfectly and suite your reqs!!!

Merrell Moab Mid GTX XCR's = $110.00


Asolo Men’s Fugitive GTX's $145-175

I was ambivalent between the Scarpa and the La Sportiva.
Apart from the width that fit me better, I found that the La Sportiva instep locking hook was useless for separating ankle vs toe tension.

sneakyracer wrote: I would strongly consider getting one that is waterproof.

Ditto! One experience with soaking wet boots, especially when temperatures drop well below freezing afterwards, will make waterproof boots a very high priority. For years, I had always mistakenly understood all-leather boots could be adequately waterproofed with the variety of products available, and these products do achieve water resistance, but they are not truly waterproof. In a word: Gortex

peninsula wrote:

sneakyracer wrote: I would strongly consider getting one that is waterproof.

Ditto! One experience with soaking wet boots, especially when temperatures drop well below freezing afterwards, will make waterproof boots a very high priority. For years, I had always mistakenly understood all-leather boots could be adequately waterproofed with the variety of products available, and these products do achieve water resistance, but they are not truly waterproof. In a word: Gortex

Really? I have had a couple of pairs of Gore-Tex lined boots and I don't think they keep my feet any drier than regular leather ones. I find even with Gore-Tex I have to diligently wax my boots to maintain water resistance. I've always thought of Gore-Tex in boots to be purely a marketing gimmik.

Gore-Tex is a liner that will get destroyed in a couple years, whatever you do...

You have to soak and rinse out your boots to maintain the Liner (removing salt from the pores/inside) this applies to G-Tex and leather boots.

the most waterproof boots I've had are my old Salomon's Super Mountain Guides, They're silicone impregnated leather with minimal seams.

ExcitableBoy wrote:

peninsula wrote:

sneakyracer wrote: I would strongly consider getting one that is waterproof.

Ditto! One experience with soaking wet boots, especially when temperatures drop well below freezing afterwards, will make waterproof boots a very high priority. For years, I had always mistakenly understood all-leather boots could be adequately waterproofed with the variety of products available, and these products do achieve water resistance, but they are not truly waterproof. In a word: Gortex

Really? I have had a couple of pairs of Gore-Tex lined boots and I don't think they keep my feet any drier than regular leather ones. I find even with Gore-Tex I have to diligently wax my boots to maintain water resistance. I've always thought of Gore-Tex in boots to be purely a marketing gimmik.

You may well be correct, but based on the reviews I have read, Gore-Tex lined boots did work. I have only just purchased my first pair and have not had the opportunity to put them to the test. All-leather boots have failed me on both occasions when conditions were extremely wet, as in melting snow. The boots I ended up purchasing this year do have leather on the outside, and I will treat the leather with Nikwax to extend the life of the leather and aid in water resistance. But my understanding is the Gore-Tex will keep my feet dry.

Gore-Tex is a liner that will get destroyed in a couple years, whatever you do...
You have to soak and rinse out your boots to maintain the Liner (removing salt from the pores/inside) this applies to G-Tex and leather boots.
the most waterproof boots I've had are my old Salomon's Super Mountain Guides, They're silicone impregnated leather with minimal seams.

As to the life of Gore-Tex, I have no doubt it is limited, and it does make for a significant additional expense. I am interested in others as to their opinion of Gore-Tex lined boots being a marketing gimmick.

My understanding of leather is that silicone is not a good product, that it clogs the pores and by not allowing the leather to breath, will accelerate its deterioration.

If anyone has a pair of boots old enough and still usable that the GTX no longer functions, they aren't out there enough to give any advice on this thread.

The soles will wear out long before the GTX liner will.... that is if you are actually utilizing them to any extent.

Many of the recent & newer model moderately priced GTX boots are unfortunately non-resoleable. Not worth it actually.

Luc wrote:Gore-Tex is a liner that will get destroyed in a couple years, whatever you do...

You have to soak and rinse out your boots to maintain the Liner (removing salt from the pores/inside) this applies to G-Tex and leather boots.

the most waterproof boots I've had are my old Salomon's Super Mountain Guides, They're silicone impregnated leather with minimal seams.

I miss the old leather lined boots as well, especially my old Scarpa mountain boots that lasted through several resoles and almost 30 years of use. That said, the trade off for durability was weight. The boots the OP is talking about (Sportiva Trangos, Scarpa Charmoz) are fabric boots, which though much lighter than old fashioned leather boots, will wear out in a few years anyway, so the life of the liner is basically irrelevant.

In re-reading my post I realize I was not clear. Gore-Tex liners in fabric boots may improve the weater resistance significantly. I don't know because I have not used them. I have worn full grain leather mountaineering boots since before Mt St Helens erupted. The boots I have had with Gore-Tex liners (La Sportiva Trango Exteme Evo GTX and the Scarpa Summit GTX) were leather or synthetic leather boots. In my experience, Gore-Tex in these applications did not functionally improve the dryness of my feet. Keeping the boots waxed seemed to have a larger effect on the water resistance than the addition of Gore-Tex.

too miss the old 'waffle stompers' as my brother and I used to call them, but I don't miss the break in period at all. I threw away a pair after 28 seasons of alpine, ice climbing, and mountaineering finally broke the steel shanks loose from the soles. The soles were worn nearly smooth, but the leather upper was still in great shape. Took darn near two years to break them in perfectly.