UKH

I am ascending Mt Meru and Kilimanjaro in November and am looking for reconemdations for the best boots to buy. Too much choice available and hard to know which ones would be best. Thank you in advance for your wise words. 

A comfy well broken in pair of 3 or 3/4 season boots will be fine. If you’re used to walking in trainers then most of the trek can be done in them. You’ll want boots for Summit night as it’s pretty chilly and there is often snow on the plateau. I was working on the trip and was expected to wear boots to set a good example so only wore trainers on the first 2 days and the last day, the rest of the trek I wore a pair of 3/4 season boots. Don’t make the same mistake a lot of the clients did and buy a boot specifically for Kili without taking the time to break them in! 

Have a good trip 

Iain 

The night- climb from the highest camp to the summit is exceptionally cold...cold fingers and toes is one of the major causes of failure.

Take good quality leather boots rather than lighter fabric ones - something like the Miendl Bhutan. Approach shoes / trainers will suffice lower down.

More importantly, take the best quality 4 season mountaineering socks you can find, and liners, and keep them aside for the summit climb so they're warm and dry (rather than cold and sweaty).

Take thermal mittens, too.

Thank you for your comments - I was thinking of Saloman Quest 4D 2 GTX boots, light enough for the lower parts and warm and dry enough for the Summit? Would these suffice do you think?

Do they fit ? if they don't fit properly then they won't suffice.

you need a decent to high-quality boot. It's one of the important pieces of gear you need. A bad shoe can induce blisters, let water in, or be too cold. Foot problems can end your trip. Based on the analyses and price for the Karrimor boots, I would choose another.

Those look rather too light-weight to me, go for good quality, leather boots...the kind of boot you'd be happy wearing year-round over here. You can always wear trainers lower down.

I got so tired of frozen fingers and toes by my third ascent that i switched to La Sportiva Nepal boots and ME Fitzroy mittens...and i didn't regret it.

Kilimanjaro is a much denigrated and underestimated mountain, particularly by the 'real mountaineers' among us....who are just as likely to turn around before the summit as us punters! 

In reality it is a very high, remote and tough trek...and your kit (and boots) should be chosen accordingly.

I've climbed Kili in those exact boots 4 or 5 times. No issues, just wore some Smartwool Mountaineer socks (new/ dry as suggested above). They're a great compromise in my experience. 

I've also worn slightly stiffer fabric boots (B1) and also leather (Scarpa SL). Much preferred the fabric for the light weight lower down when I'm not in trainers.

I agree thick socks are the answer.  I wore light ( but well worn) hiking boots.  I did have a light down jacket though and I was glad of it.  It is really cold going up to Gilman's Point.  

Not sure much snow there is there now.

I'd say that a down jacket is a must. I wear a huge one on Kili because I find I'm not going fast enough to actually warm up. 

Good gloves are also essential. It's true that temperatures on Kili are very often underestimated.

wax ear plugs - for snoring tent mates!

I had a Rab down pullover thing (which was also useful for early mornings on the Serengeti) plus a fleece and a shell jacket.  It's a pretty steep yomp in the dark for a few hours on the final morning.  You know that feeling when you set out on a brisk approach and after 10 minutes you need to stop and take three layers off?  Well, that doesn't happen.  What does happen is that your water bottle freezes inside your rucksack...