UKH

What's your most favourite shoe/socks systems for the different altitudes? 

I'm not well experienced and have been brainstorming which shoes/socks work the best for me. I have Meindl Bhutan (B1 with Monte Rosa crampon. Use them all year around) and THF Verto S6k Extreme. Both are 2 sizes up and seem to be the most comfortable for my foot. If I get a size up, I get heel lift and the current size have some limitations - The Bhutan are stiff and can't really fit a thicker sock. The S6k have an extremely low toe box, not much wiggle room and still have some heel lift. I wear them with thin sock and without insoles. The result is-with the Bhutan I feel warmer and are absolutely fine up to 5000m/ -20C but with the S6k I feel cold in similar situations. Now I'm thinking of switching to Scarpa 6k (other boots don't fit me well apart from LaSportiva climbing shoes...go figure...) and maybe just get trail running shoes that I can also use as approach shoes and a pair of 8k boots instead of 6k. In this way I can use the approach shoes +/or Bhutan for up to 5k meters and approach shoes + 8k boots for anything above or colder than -20C.

Also, I can't fit expedition or thicker type socks and I'm still 2 sizes larger than normal shoe. Do you choose your boot size to fit the thickest socks or do you just wear liners? 

I've got a feeling that at some point I'll get hooked up into ice climbing as well and will officially have more shoes than the missus...lol

In the winter I have an insulated slipper with 4 season socks made by Columbia  that I use in the living room. I find that even when stationary I don't get cold feet so for a good 2 hour film I can stay still without the usual sufferfest. Saves a fortune on heating. Our altitude is around 90 metres I think.

Simple...

High altitude: Scarpa 6000 doubles with double socks (1 liner, one mid weight)

Low altitude: Scarpa Phantom ultras with double socks (as above)

Hiking: Scarpa Marmolade Pro with thin single sock (thick for winter)

Job's a good 'un.  Only problem I've had is my feet were too warm...

Edit: all the above are with super feet green to reduce/prevent heel lift

Anything in a double I wear a very thin Primaloft or mesh sock and let the inner do the insulating. Singles I wear one or two pairs of mid weight or thin Primaloft socks. Personally I find wool just traps moisture and a drier, thinner sock is warmer, especially over multiple days.

Singles I wear LS Ice Cubes. Doubles from TNF and Scarpa (6000 & 8000m versions in both) and I swap the inners around depending on the gig (Scarpa 8000 inner with TNF s8k is my ideal). Agree the TNF's have a very low volume toe box, so they come out for anything needing real precision.

Approach shoes are Hoka Mafate's.