I'm finaly saving my pennies and am commited to buying a pair of ice climbing boots for this season (if this damn warm weather ever goes away). Now I've been looking around and have seen about a million differrent tips about what to look for in a boot. Right now it'll all be mostly for ice but there is a strong possibility for mixed climbing in the future. So what I'd like to know is;
What size should I go for? I wear a size 10 1/2-11 street shoe but have heard about going up and down sizes when buying a boot.
Should I go plastic or another type? I've heard that plastic does not wear out so easily but that is only hearsay, what are some advantages and disadvantages of them?
And finally is there a specific boot recomended for a beginner that will turn me into an ice God? Because that would be kinda cool if there was. Then I could tell everyone "Hey! Look at me! I'm an Ice God!" and I'd have a cool name like Cold-tor the Frozen, or Graham of the Glacier, or the Ice Princess.....umm maybe we'll just forget about that last one....
Anyway, any help/advice/charitable donations would be greatly appriciated.
Graham
Questions You've probably answered a million times
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Questions You've probably answered a million times
by Graham » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:36 pm
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Graham - Posts: 151
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by Mountain_Marc » Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:06 pm
Tough question to answer...
First of all, if you hope to get into mixed climbing then a leather boot is what you want.
I, personally, have 2 pairs of boots. My leathers for most of the time and my plastic when it's way too cold. I've done some mixed climbing in my plastic boots (when I didn't have my leathers) and you can notice the extra effort needed into pulling a figure-4 in plastics.
Both have pros and cons:
-Leather are lighter and hike better. I also find I have better frontpointing performance in mine.
-Plastics are warmer, more waterproof and probably last longer.
As for sizing, I cannot stress enough to try on before you buy! An improper fitted ice climbing boots blows! You can have heel slippage, too tight of a boot that will cause your feet to freeze faster, etc.
And i'm still looking for the boot that will turn someone into an ice god
First of all, if you hope to get into mixed climbing then a leather boot is what you want.
I, personally, have 2 pairs of boots. My leathers for most of the time and my plastic when it's way too cold. I've done some mixed climbing in my plastic boots (when I didn't have my leathers) and you can notice the extra effort needed into pulling a figure-4 in plastics.
Both have pros and cons:
-Leather are lighter and hike better. I also find I have better frontpointing performance in mine.
-Plastics are warmer, more waterproof and probably last longer.
As for sizing, I cannot stress enough to try on before you buy! An improper fitted ice climbing boots blows! You can have heel slippage, too tight of a boot that will cause your feet to freeze faster, etc.
And i'm still looking for the boot that will turn someone into an ice god
"You can't practice to be miserable. You're either good at it or you aren't."
"If a wife speaks in the woods, and her husband is not there to hear her...is she still wrong?"
"If a wife speaks in the woods, and her husband is not there to hear her...is she still wrong?"
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Mountain_Marc - Posts: 246
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by mathieu » Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:45 pm
Well Marc covered most if not everything.
It sounds like you need a leather boot, since you seem to want a versatile boot. For sizing, don't look at the size just try them.
I've never own plastic but have a pair of insulated gaiters for when the temperature drop really low (lower than -20 is usually considered cold in my books).
Oh and I suck ice climbing so don't buy Scarpa's then, cause they haven't done much for me.
It sounds like you need a leather boot, since you seem to want a versatile boot. For sizing, don't look at the size just try them.
I've never own plastic but have a pair of insulated gaiters for when the temperature drop really low (lower than -20 is usually considered cold in my books).
Oh and I suck ice climbing so don't buy Scarpa's then, cause they haven't done much for me.
- mathieu
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by Graham » Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:52 am
Awsome, Thanks for the tips. Any body here know anything about Grivel's G14 crampons? I have a pair of Salamon Adventure Pro's with heal clip things and I realized that they would fit the G14's. Not sure if the crampons are any good though.
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Graham - Posts: 151
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by Mountain_Marc » Mon Dec 05, 2005 11:30 am
The crampons will definitely be good enough for ice climbing. I'm not sure which boots you have, but you just have to make that it has welts that are crampon compatible, meaning the 'clip' in the rear and the groove in the front of the boot.
"You can't practice to be miserable. You're either good at it or you aren't."
"If a wife speaks in the woods, and her husband is not there to hear her...is she still wrong?"
"If a wife speaks in the woods, and her husband is not there to hear her...is she still wrong?"
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Mountain_Marc - Posts: 246
- Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 1:28 pm
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by mike » Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:20 am
Vasque Ice 9000's.
You can get em for around $375 at Atlantic Offshore on Windmill Rd in Dartmouth. They are a Redwing dealer (Redwing imports Vasque stuff)- they don't seem to know how much outdoor shops are charging for them. Usually around 6 or 7 hundred.
The boots market themselves as lighter than plastic, warmer than leather. They are made of some carbon fiber composite.
If any boot is gonna make you famous- it could very well be these.
I love em.
Mike
You can get em for around $375 at Atlantic Offshore on Windmill Rd in Dartmouth. They are a Redwing dealer (Redwing imports Vasque stuff)- they don't seem to know how much outdoor shops are charging for them. Usually around 6 or 7 hundred.
The boots market themselves as lighter than plastic, warmer than leather. They are made of some carbon fiber composite.
If any boot is gonna make you famous- it could very well be these.
I love em.
Mike
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mike - Posts: 479
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by martha » Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:55 am
mike wrote: They are a Redwing dealer (Redwing imports Vasque stuff)-
Actually that is sort of false...
RedWing shoes in Redwing Minnesota makes all of the leather boots/shoes in house, including the all leather hikers etc in the 'Vasque' line. (Vasque is the outdoor 'brand' owned and manufactured by Red Wing Shoes). The higher end mountaineering boots that have plastic/kevlar inserts are partially made off shore, and completed in house in RedWing.
....i know this cause the company I work for is also in Red Wing Minnesota and the owners are all friends etc... both are boot/shoe companies except you attach blades/wheels to the bottoms of mine.
The phrase "working mother" is redundant. ~Jane Sellman
If a husband speaks in the woods, and his wife is not there to hear him...is he still wrong?
If a husband speaks in the woods, and his wife is not there to hear him...is he still wrong?
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