I just recently picked up my very first pair of hiking boots that fit properly (Asolo Fugitive GTX), and have fallen in love with the way my feet feel in them. This got me thinking about the Sorel Conquests I've snowshoed in since 2005 - they're definitely up to the task, but are a little sloppy on my feet. Even when I tie a friction knot at the last D-ring before the notch to really push my heel into the heel cup and tighten the Achilles straps, my heel raises some on uphills. I'm thinking that a pair of leather mountaineering boots that fit my feet the way my Asolos do seems like it'd be so much more comfortable, not to mention safer with the superior support. The ones I've been looking at are the Scarpa Mont Blanc, Lowa Mountain Expert GTX EVO, and La Sportiva Trango Prime. This is just internet research right now, my local sporting goods store (Eastern Mountain Sports) doesn't have its winter boots in stock yet and I figure there's no sense in talking to them if I can't try them on.

I do go out in all temperatures, and haven't been able to find "comfort ratings" for any of the above boots. My feet have never been cold in my Sorels, and that includes a winter working as a skilift mechanic and my current job as a mechanic at an airport which has me out getting diesels running and replacing starters & batteries in wind chills of -30 to -40F. One of my fellow lift mechanics wore a pair of Koflach plastic boots, but more for the durability than anything else...though my Sorels didn't wear out every season like his did.

Anyway, has anyone done this, and if so, do you think it was a good idea? If not, what do you recommend? Keeping the Sorels is no problem, I may just have to find a more secure way of lacing them. Maybe my paracord laces stretch a little too much, too, and allow them to loosen up. I do plan on snowshoeing at least one mountain this winter - Mt Monadnock, Mt Kearsarge, or Mt Chocorua (all in NH) - plus whatever I get into when snowshoeing with a friend in Jackman ME, so it's not just a matter of my thinking some brightly colored boots would be so cool. Thanks in advance.

Honestly, I would find a pair of leather Asolo boots. I've seen them, granted I don't know if they were backpacking, hiking, alpine or glacier boots. I only wear Asolo's.

Snow shoes are good for approach in deep uncut trails.  If you choose to do winter hiking in the white mountains (you may not need the snow shoes depending on if the trail is well used) i would consider a insulated boot that you can put crampons on (two different styles of crampons out there).  Leather mountaineering and plastic mountaineering boots are going to have rigid soles (strong rigid foot bed for vert ice) which will give you the "franken foot" feel.  Plastic boots maybe hard on your ankles and shins on decent.  Ice is nothing to mess around with in the whites.  A walking axe and trekking poles are also a good idea and a good back pack to strap all that shit to.  Good Luck

Thanks to both of you for the advice. I currently use my Sorel Conquests, I'm not sure if actual crampons can be used with them but I have used Microspikes. All 3 of the mountains I mentioned are under 4000', so there won't be much time spent above the treeline, no technical mountaineering or anything like that. The main reasons I was thinking of leather mountaineering boots (not double boots) is for the better fit I can get with them. I'd really be surprised if they were as warm as my Conquests. My other option is to get some insulated hiking boots, which may not be warm in temps as cold as my Sorels are good for, but just how low they'll keep my feet warm is anyone's guess. I know my Sorels do at wind chills of -40, even if I'm doing very little walking.

I've been snowshoeing like crazy for the past few years but want to try something different than woods, open terrain, and snowmobile trails this year. Smaller mountains just seemed like the next logical step. I bought my MSR Lightning Ascent 30s last year in anticipation of doing just that, and I have no doubt my Tubbs Mountaineer 36s will work as well, but they may be just a tad bit too long. The MSRs have better traction, anyway.

Another vote for Asolos...I've used the GTX520's for snowshoeing before in mild winter temperatures (20's to 30s)...my pair just died on me after about 8 years...I just switched to Danners though.


Also, FWIW, I've been up in the adirondacs in march in my Asolos.  If i were to go again I'd probably want a boot that had better insulation.

Absolutely, I'm getting insulated boots regardless of the type I end up getting. Late in the season I wear uninsulated GTX boots, and keeping the feet dry & sweat-free does allow you to use uninsulated boots at lower temps, but I wouldn't wear them in temps much below 20F.

I've found that 200 gm of insulation isn't a whole lot but it's usually up to the task of highly aerobic activities w/o sweating your feet off.  Find something comparable, that fits your heels and call it good.  Be aware that most snowshoe strap systems can squeeze the hell out of a less rigid boot and due to constriction to the periphery, make people's feet colder faster.

For comparison, I have a wide foot with a narrow heel.  Most of my boot use centers around CO winter mountaineering and 4 season search and rescue.

Asolo have always fit my feet pretty well - the leather hikers at least.  I don't know if the Fugitive last is comperable to the rest of their line.  I've never worn anything heavier than the 520 boots.

Midweight Kayland boots fit me well and their function and durability is way up there.

The Danner last fits my feet like a glove and I wear one of two Danner boot styles every day at work.  I have a pair of insulated Rainforests, w 200 gm insulation that are surprisingly great for light winter use.  

The lighter weight La Sportiva boots (Trango EVOS for example) on the other hand have never fit well no matter how many times I've tried.  Unfortunate since I've always gotten a good hook-up on their gear.  The midweight stuff in the Trango family are hit or miss.  My older Trango Extremes (updated, I think as the the Prime's) are my go to boots for short approaches to ice climbs or strapping on to snowshoes for a short trip with the fam but for anything more involved, my heels will turn to hamburger.  Beware since they have a completely rigid sole, there will be always be some degree of heel movement.  

I've found that heavier winter boots are a little more forgiving w regard to heel fit.  If I need more insulation (and rigid stability for steeper snow, ice climbing or ski and snowshoe touring)  I'll bust out either some leather double mountaineering boots or even, for tooling around locally I'll slip on the old plastic Asolo mountaineering boots.  Uncle Sugar bought me some $700  La Sportiva Spantics but I think they'd be waaaay overkill for your uses.  They're about as high tech as you could ever need.

Try some different laces as well.  Paracord and nylon will stretch when wet.  Polyester won't.  Some of the La Sportiva boots come w kevlar laces.

Hope that helps.






cheers,

Thank you very much for all the information, I'm in somewhat the same boat as you with wide feet and narrow heels. My right foot is wider due to bone-on-bone contact and the resultant bone spur in the big toe, though now that I've finally found both work boots and hiking boots that fit properly the daily pain level has gone from about 5-6 to 0.

With my Conquests I can do a pretty good job of keeping my heels from lifting, between the way I lace them and using the Achilles strap. I may try going down 1/2 size in them and putting in a pair of high-arch Superfeet insoles, which is exactly what I did with my size 11 Asolos and they feel great. But they are a roomy boot, and there's only so much you can do to tighten things up.

So I think what I'm going to do is find myself a pair of 200g boots like you and others have mentioned, and also pick up a pair of warmer leather mountaineering boots to road test, as it were. EMS has a very good return policy, they know you can't wear boots around the house to see if  they'll fit properly so as long as any wear is "reasonable" they'll exchange or give a refund/store credit. If the mountaineering boots don't work out, I'll still have my Sorels for colder weather.

I'll definitely look for Kevlar or polyester laces, too. I should have known that paracord stretches, seeing as I wrapped the steering wheel on my Jeep with it as tightly as possible while it was wet so that it'd shrink even tighter once it dried.

Good luck w all that.

We'll be waiting for the "awesome ME snowshoe trip" thread!



cheers,


Edit:  Once you find a size/brand that works, try used.  With ice climbing and related activities getting more and more popular with beginners/novices/bored rich people, you can find insane deals on  eBay and Craigslist (Boulder, Denver, SLC, NH, etc).  Also, check guide services and outfitters in those locations as well as Ouray and Cody since they usually off-load their rentals every couple years.  

.  

Well, last night I was browsing Sierra Trading Post and ended up picking up 2 pairs of Garmonts - a Momentum IceLock Gore-Tex and a Momentum Snow Gore-Tex - for 66% off list. They're supposedly sized differently, the IceLock specs say to size up 1/2 size, so at least 1 should fit. Maybe both will. They're comfort rated to -35F, compared with my Conquest's -40F rating, and considering that it's extremely unlikely to get that cold anywhere I go I don't think those 5 degrees will hurt me. Hopefully they fit!

There's a mountaineering store in N. Conway NH called International Mountaineering Equipment, maybe one day I'll drive the hour it takes to get there and pick their brains, see what's on consignment, etc.

I spend my winters on nordic skiis and snowshoes in remote country.  For boots, try Kenetreks.

Asolo makes a wonderful boot...except most of the soles they use suck.  VERY slippery with very poor tread.  I had a pair for years and wore them out but they stayed waterproof the whole time but I had to take my anglegrinder to the sole to "sipe" it and cut extra tread as they were simply dangerous to use on slopes.

Well, I should see the Garmonts tomorrow and assuming I like them they'll probably be my "normal winter weather" boots. I'm going to keep the Sorels for more severe weather and use, though, because I managed to tighten up the fit very nicely. I bought a pair of green Superfeet Carbon footbeds and a pair of Superfeet Merino wool footbeds, trimmed and inserted the Carbons, and trimmed the Merinos. Then I separated the plastic support from the Merinos and tossed it, and inserted the remaining part of the footbed on top of the Carbons for insulation and cushioning. I still have plenty of room in the toes, but the nice deep heel cup in the Carbons does a much better job of keeping my heel in place, when I tighten the Achilles strap as well. Plus they're more comfortable than they ever were before. It ended up costing me $95 for the 2 pairs of footbeds.