UKH

Considering going much lighter for alpine footwear; currently using Asolo B2 boots and G14 crampons but setup seems pretty heavy, especially when carrying both in the pack.

I'm sure for some routes the fully rigid soles are worth the weight but for routes with minimal front pointing and a lot of hiking (ie approach) they seem to be the wrong tool for the job.

1. is having a non-rigid sole and B1 crampons feasible?
2. is something like this too light; http://www.salewa.com/product/hike+approach/ms-alp-trainer-mid-gtx

I appreciate there is not a binary answer but interested in perspectives before I attempt a Killian up Mt Blanc in my plimsoles...

In reply to featuresforfeet:

I don't know exactly how stiff these boots are, only you can if you can get your hands on them! Personally if it was me I wouldn't, but obviously it's up to you.

If you like Salewa boots and you know they fit you then my suggestion would be one of these two:-

http://www.salewa.com/product/alpine+approach/ms-mtn-trainer-mid-gtx-1

http://www.salewa.com/product/mountaineering/ms-rapace-gtx

They're a little bit heavier but they'd be much more secure with crampons and much better at scrambling due to being stiffer.

Plus Salewa say the Rapace is "THE LIGHTEST AND MOST AGILE CRAMPON-COMPATIBLE MOUNTAINEERING BOOT AVAILABLE" so if its lightness you want with crampon compatibility that seems a good choice... if they fit...

hopes this helps a bit

In reply to featuresforfeet: I assume you mean C1 crampons! something like a grivel G10 will strap on anything, I have even seen someone using them in approach shoes. if all you are doing is walking across a glacier and then climbing a rock route in rock shoes then I see no reason why you couldn't wear a pair of running shoes with G10's if you wanted to go really light weight and extreme! of course nobody will recommend that officially and personally I wouldn't set foot in the mountains without a pair of sturdy boots of some kind. personally I would recommend a pair of walking boots similar to what you have suggested with a pair of G10's, I have climbed plenty of Scottish grade 1 in simple walking boots so it even works for front pointing up neve.

In reply to featuresforfeet:

I've used G10 Newclassic crampons with the Salewa Mountain trainer for early season approaches to rock climbs in the Cairngorms and Aig Rouge. While they work on softish snow, I wouldn't recommend it for hard icy snow. The higher cut boot version would work better with C1 crampons (shoe is easily levered off on steep hard snow!) than a shoe but heavier and more bulky to carry. Have you thought about the Scarpa Rebel Light very comfy on walking trails and for scrambling and will take a crampon for easish glacier approaches?