UKH

I'm looking for an allround technical boots good for ice-climbing and via ferrate. Good scrambling (or hiking) ability would be a bonus.

The main use would skandinavian winter climbing (icefalls) with rigid or semirigid crampons. Some Scottish winter-climbing and mountaneering in the Alps in spring or summer.

The crampons in mind would be BD Sabretooth, DMM Gladiator or BD Bionics.

Any suggestions, I was thinking something like Kayland M10, Tecnica Altitude or La Sportiva Eiger.

Ps. adequate rocking would be a BIG bonus.

In reply to HeMa: OK - for Via ferrata - you don't need technical boots. If you're going to the Dolomites then I would take a pair of lightweight boots as it gets really warm in summer. If you're pushing the higher grades then you might want to go for a specialist scrambling boot like the Scarpa Mescalito or whatever its called over here, personally if it get's that difficult I'd rather have my rock shoes!

Mike

In reply to HeMa: Where do you climb in Scandinavia? I live in Finland and climb most weekends in the south. I use La Sportiva Nepal Extremes which are fine down to about -15 to -20, beyond that you need something warmer - even if just out for the day. I also have Scarpa Vegas which I wore in December and January when we were climbing at -17 and they made it much more enjoyable.

I would only go for the boots you mention of something similar if where you climb it doesn't get below -10 or you only do single pitch icefalls (much easier to keep your feet warm when you can easily get back down to the ground and walk around than on multi pitch stuff). When I lived in Scotland we all climbed in plastics, but everyone did back then! Lots of Scottish climbers now use leathers, but I find it is easier to get cold feet there (standing in deep snow on some tiny ledge belay for 2 hours) then it is at -20 here in Finland, so plastic might have an advantage.

A pair of trekking shoes (approach shoes) like Merrels should be ok for via ferratta.

In reply to TobyA: I wouldn't really go for approach shoes on v.f. some of the places you're going to youy really don't want to turn your ankle. A lot of the ridge v.f. are like being on the Cuillin ridge with a wire nearby....I'd prefer to have a decent pair of summer boots on!

In reply to TobyA: I already have decent approach shoes (La Sportiva Hyper), but as I stated I'm looking for shoes that can cope with waterfall climbing, some Scottish (mixed) climbing and have enough camber (in other words the front of the sole is higher than the back) so that I'can hike in them for a couple of miles (say ten) on a day.

As a mentioned a have a decent scrambling shoe and and old pair of Meindl hiking shoes (which will soon depart from this life). So I'm a poor student and haven't got enough money to buy a new pair of hiking and iceclimbing boots.

What about Scarpa Freney, any ideas.

Thanks.

In reply to Hemas: If you've got a decent pair of scrambling shoes then you could just get a pair of winter boots.

The problem you have is mixing a hiking boot with an icefall/mixed climbing boot.

Something like Scarpa Manta or Meindl Mountain Crack would be OK for summer and general winter stuff, but not too good on waterfalls/mixed where you really want something a bit more rigid.

Likewise for summer any fully rigid boot will be nightmare in summer...though some people use Nepal Extremes all year round.

Mike

In reply to MJH: I've hiked in Nepal extremes to get used to them and they were fine but obviously to stiff to be really comfy. I imagine Freneys would be fine for hiking in but I rekon you'd get cold feet in them easily on cold days here (Fin.), my mate won't wear his in Scotland now as he says they are too cold.

In reply to HeMa:

Just give in: climbing boots are like fashion shoes, you need at least 20 pairs for various occasions.