Hello SP

I have all worn out question (for you) about the boots-boots-boots

And as an amateur I really need your help

So: plans are trekking and mountaineering (but question is about trekking boots mainly), mainly during Summer, Spring and Autumn

Terrain: hell knows what type of, from basic village roads to very very rough terrain, including the base camps, glaciers, mud, cold, dusty, hot, rainy, rocks, rivers and etc. (including runaway episodes from bears and volwes )

I do not really accept advices from online sources, considering the fact that under-the-table money can bring high scores to some specific manufacturers

And my wallet is a bit on diet, so paying for boots must be a clever investment

My current choices are; SCARPA TPS 520s, Asolo Revert, Scarpa Nangpa-La or LaSportiva Thunder III

Would you recommend anything specific? Any boot among those written?

Thank you for advice

No advice or suggestions at all?

My advice is to wear shoes that are comfortable. I don't wear boots at all unless I'm going to encounter snow and ice.

There is no boot on the planet that will work well in all the situations you listed: "hot... cold... rainy... rivers" so what do you expect folks to tell you?

What to get really depends on where you're going.

Here is how you choose a boot, in rough order of importance:
0) FIT If it doesn't fit, it will hurt your feet, and you'll be miserable.
1) crampon compatibility. If you're going ice climbing, you don't want your crampons falling off! But if you don't need crampons, you can choose a softer, lighter, cooler boot.
2) warmth. If you're in Antarctica in the winter, get the most ridiculously warm boots you can find. Village roads in the summer, skip the boots entirely, wear sandals. Anywhere in between, wear an in-between boot.
3) weight. When in doubt, pick the lighter boot.


In any case, pack some lightweight shoes and/or sandals and/or down booties (depending on expected weather) to switch into whenever you can.

nartreb wrote:My advice is to wear shoes that are comfortable. I don't wear boots at all unless I'm going to encounter snow and ice.

There is no boot on the planet that will work well in all the situations you listed: "hot... cold... rainy... rivers" so what do you expect folks to tell you?

What to get really depends on where you're going.

Here is how you choose a boot, in rough order of importance:
0) FIT If it doesn't fit, it will hurt your feet, and you'll be miserable.
1) crampon compatibility. If you're going ice climbing, you don't want your crampons falling off! But if you don't need crampons, you can choose a softer, lighter, cooler boot.
2) warmth. If you're in Antarctica in the winter, get the most ridiculously warm boots you can find. Village roads in the summer, skip the boots entirely, wear sandals. Anywhere in between, wear an in-between boot.
3) weight. When in doubt, pick the lighter boot.


In any case, pack some lightweight shoes and/or sandals and/or down booties (depending on expected weather) to switch into whenever you can.

Good to hear this

Yes, there will be ice on my way, so crampon-compatible boots are of no alternatives

I am all brain-dusty about these "brands" and their products, that is something that makes me dizzy

You go to sports-shops and high-price boots are first to be offered, then you decide not on Scarpa, but on Karrimore or GriSport and "mountain expert" is ready to kill your choice

God knows if he/she had ever seen glacier closer than PC Monitor, but frustration is heavy and has fishy smell

This is the reason I am asking the folks, already experienced in these details, especially Brand vs Not-Brand

for what it is worth, the Vasque Sundowner is the standard boot in the National Park Service, used in a wide variety of environments. I wore a pair for years with great satisfaction, although they were a bit heavy for many situations.

Fit is everything. You will probably have at least two pair, probably three.

Where are you going and what are you planning on doing. That would help with the recommendations to me, trekking boots are essentially and pair of light hiking boots whereas mountaineering boots are an entirely different animal altogether.

fatdad wrote:Where are you going and what are you planning on doing. That would help with the recommendations to me, trekking boots are essentially and pair of light hiking boots whereas mountaineering boots are an entirely different animal altogether.

I will be more detailed then

I live in Georgia, Caucasus, country has several five thousander summits, surrounded by (decreasing order) the glaciers, volcanic stone ridges, highland terrains, forests and etc.

Trekking there varies from village roads, easy to walk even with good sandals, to aforementioned pretty technical and difficult - rough terrain to reach the base camps of summits like Ushba, Tetnuldi, Kazbegi (mkinvartsveri), Shkhara and etc...

While on walk, it may be very hot and dry, than it deteriorates into humid rainy mud conditions, night falls and its damn cold and etc

So, the idea is having a boots compatible for

1) trekking and camping in mountains

2) crossing the glaciers

3) staying in the base camps of summits

4) going to highland trekking in Nepal like countries and reaching the bases of titans

< for mountaineering purposes I consider La Sportiva Makalu or Karakoram (I will not be able to go higher than 6000, just technically easy peaks - I am too old to start Everest/K2 style now)

But before that I need something that will be good for Trekking and Walking purposes >

SO THE QUESTION IS: IS LA SPORTIVA THUNDER-like LIGHT BOOT ENOUGH TO REACH THE BASE CAMPS WITHOUT LEAVING MY FEET ON THE PATH? OR I'D RATHER BUY SOMETHING LIKE SCARPA SL ACTIV/KINESIS ROUGH STUFF INSTEAD?

sometimes I think of buying Sportiva Makalu for all these purposes and thats it

But I want your experienced advice

We have similar conditions where we often start hiking in a hot, dry desert to reach our mountains and finding a boot that works for everything is tough. Gore-tex lined boots can be too hot and heavy for those conditions but as soon as you start crossing creeks or climbing wet snow you need them. My take is to error on the heavier side and get a crampon compatible boot if you are going to encounter glaciers, snow climbing or rough alpine terrain. Crampons on a hiking boot suck once the angle gets steep or the snow gets hard.

As for brands, I have a narrow foot and some boots have too much volume for my feet so I buy the brand that fits my foot best, I've had the best luck with fit from Asolo and La Sportiva but even those vary with model. Make sure you read any reviews you can find because some advise to buy a half-size big or small depending upon the boot. At any rate, a good boot should fit and feel correct right out of the box. There's always some break-in but a good fitting boot should never, ever give you blisters.

Bob

Bob

This answer was cool

Unlike you I have wide - hobbit feet and legs that didn't have normal workouts for more than 12 years (this is what happens when you're fighting Medical-Boards)

hence I will need good ankle support, with good arch support, because along with previously mentioned stuff - nature gifted me with flat-foot condition also

basically reaching the rough terrain is not a problem with me, I have done this kinda trekking even with NewBalance or Adidas light shoes

But after I leave cotton ground... something rough will be asked for

I appreciate your answer, it gave me an additional insight