I'm going to be climbing Mt. Iztaccihuatl, and I need to choose boots and crampons. I have a pair of Vasque Wasatch GTX backpacking boots, but someone at REI told me they're not stiff enough to support crampons. These boots don't have a full-length shank. Vasque doesn't make my boots any more, but they're very similar to this:
http://www.vasque.com/USD/product/mens- ... elug-07160
REI recommended that I not use the Vasque boots and instead buy the Asolo TPS 520 GV hiking boots and fit them with C.A.M.P USA Stalker universal crampons.
http://www.rei.com/product/693828/asolo ... boots-mens
http://www.rei.com/product/798361/camp- ... l-crampons
I'd like to avoid buying new boots if possible. If I do buy boots, I's prefer to buy something that can also be used for general backpacking instead of something that's exclusively for alpine mountaineering because I live in Texas. I am willing to sacrifice some performance for versatility as long as it isn't downright dangerous.
Anyone have experience with using crampons on leather backpacking boots? If so, what do you think about the Vasque or Asolo boots that I'm considering using? What boots would you use instead? At what gradient does snowy / glacial terrain become too steep for heavy backpacking boots with crampons?