I have Nepal Evos and some plastic Koflachs. Obviously the Evos are way lighter and more manuverable, but I'm not sure about how warm they are as I've never had them out in winter. I know the plastics are super warm. what do you guys think? which would you take up winter alpine and snow climbs?

connollyck wrote:what do you guys think? which would you take up winter alpine and snow climbs?

I guess that depends on how cold it will be. I've climbed Mount Washington, NH several times in the middle of winter wearing plastics (the norm) because of the very low temps (-20 to -30 range). However, I've also climbed several of the gullies on this mountain at the same time wearing Nepals and my feet only got cold once when we had to wait for another team. A friend of mine, who is a top Canadian Alpine climber, wears Nepals for everything in Canada except the coldeast climbs.

Plastics everytime. When you know for certain they will do the job, why take a risk on wearing something that may not?

specifically for shasta and palisade climbs...plastics is the general consensus? i thought evos were more preferred around here?

I seriously doubt that I would use plastics in the Palisades or on Shasta unless there was a forecast for record cold temps. I alternate between uninsulated leather boots (for hiking and snow climbing up to about 45 degree slopes) and insulated synthetic boots (technical ice) in Colorado. The ony time I use my plastics anymore is when skiing in to ice climbs as it saves carrying boots.

I've gotten away with a couple of winter climbs in my Hanwag Alaska GTX's since I didn't have anything better. They are OK when weather isn't too bad and when you can keep them dry.

Last year I bought a pair of La Sportiva Baruntse's for climbing Elbrus. No doubt in my mind that I'd ever go winter climbing without them again. The difference is huge and why take the risk? They aren't THAT much more expensive. In hindsight, I should've taken the step a long time back.

so basically how cold will the evos go?

connollyck wrote:so basically how cold will the evos go?

I've worn mine in -20 and have been fine on full day climbs and a couple overnight bivys. It depends on how cold your feet get. I generally have cold feet but when I keep moving (as brad marshal stated) you keep the blood flowing, in mornings I massage my feet and keep my toes moving to get the boots warm then I'm fine after the first half hour to hour of morning movement. The boots are designed for 6000mtr climbing, everything has a variable though

DudeThatMustHurt wrote:

connollyck wrote:so basically how cold will the evos go?

The boots are designed for 6000mtr climbing, everything has a variable though

I've heard this a million times but don't know how they can be. For example wearing them on Elbrus would be folly Cold mountain, prone to storms, if you get caught in a bad patch you could lose your toes no problem without plastics, even in summer. I was talking to a shop assistant a while back who took them on a trip to Bolivia and had to turn back before 6000m because she couldn't feel her feet.

I don't know how high you plan on going but I'd say anything over 4000m in winter, plastics are NOT overkill. They're sensible. You can't mess about with your feet. Is it worth losing toes over, especially when you already have the boots?

I met an American on Elbrus wearing Evo's on a colder (not even a very cold) day. I saw his feet when he got back down, it wasn't a pretty sight.

DudeThatMustHurt wrote:The boots are designed for 6000mtr climbing, everything has a variable though

No they are not. Evos are just a slightly evolved Nepal Extreme, which was designed as, and has always been, an alpine climbing boot, suitable for colder temps - higher alpine peaks (4000-4800m), winter day climbing, ice climbing etc (much like the OP's question). They were never 'designed' for high-altitude climbing at all. When they were designed most people wore plastic boots above 6000m, as most still do (or modern synth variant).

Some modern single boots can be worn by some people in some conditions at some times on 6000+m. The fact that someone tells how they got away with it once or twice does not constitute reality for most - there are more stories of cold feet, frostbite and failed summits because of people pushing the limits of their boots. Aconcagua has been climbed in running shoes. And people have got frostbite on Mera Peak in double plastic expedition boots.

D

honestly i took the evos out once it temps of only 12 and my feet were cold--i wasnt wearing proper smartwool mountaineering socks with a liner though, i had 2 pair of rei light hiking socks on. I'm hoping that was the problem. This is my main concern with these boots. I thought they were designed for cold weather. I'm not going to 6000m anytime soon. I'm talking about Shasta. If anyone has experience with that particular mountain this time of year I would greatly appreciate it!! thanks!!!

shasta next weekend. im taking the plastics

plastics are much more convenient for overnights and scarpa omegas are lighter than nepals. Not saying plastics are the right answer necessarily, but people really seem to ignore the omegas and i can never figure out why.

My take on this is, it depends if your intended climb is mostly rock or mostly snow. Plastics suck on even easy 5th class rock and the new composite boots work extremely well on rock. Plastics in Palisades in winter? Maybe, depends on what you are climbing there. Swiss Arete? maybe. Anything 5.7 or harder and you will be in sorry state with plastics. Shasta and any long snow slogs, only little scrambling or multi day winter summit climbs, plastics rule that even today.