hiking vs mountaineering boots

[antonr]

my boots are a little leaky, mammut GTX impacts, but they were bought because I found a great price (think it was £60 new) on them so they were never intended to last more than a couple of years. they're actually still pretty useable and I like how light and comfy they are so I will probably stick with them for dry days.

so really, I'm not so much looking to totally replace them as find something to compliment them. I've been wanting to do some winter walking, which I've never done before so have an eye on getting crampons. however been reading that crampons are more for mountaineering boots, which seem to be in a different category to the walking boots I was looking at. I was thinking of getting salomon 4D boots but learning about the crampon compatability seems that scarpa Mantas or something like that is what I should be looking for.

I don't really want to lay out over 200 quid for boots, and then another 150 on crampons and an axe that I can only use in winter. so I suppose my question goes two ways, if I do have to go with mountaineering boots, can I get some use out of them on normal hikes in autumn and spring where it may be wetter and I don't want to use the mammuts, or can I go with a stiffer walking boot and use crampons on that?

(I know it's coming up for summer, usually though if I give myself 5 months to scour ebay I'll find a pretty good deal)

[basscadet]

I think traditionally mountaineering boots are for use with crampons, but these days a lot of crampons are flexable enough to go on practically any boots.. Depends what you are doing, if you are just walking, then any pair of stiffish boots will work with a crampon nae bad, if you are ice climbing or proper mountaineering, then you will need the proper boots and crampons..
I have a pair of Mammut MT trail at the moment.. I used them all winter with crampons, but they are so comfy for me just now, I'll be wearing them all summer too

[Gareth Harper]

Lots of people are using three season crampons with three season boots.

However in winter I use my Scarpa SL boots, which are basic 4 season walking boots. I use em with a Grivel G10 crampon.

Lots of folks in turn will use a boot like the Scarpa SL all year round. But once the snow has gone I switch to my Meindl Borneo 3 season boots. Lots of folks will use a crampon like the G10 with the Borneo but personally I prefer to use a stiffer boot in winter.

I'd say the Scarpa Manta is a basic mountaineering boot ideal for Scottish winters but as I'm not interested in climbing I'm happy with the SL which is more of a walking boot.

Don't forget winter conditions can potentially run from some time in October right through at times into May.

Grivel G10 can be had for 100 quid. A walkers axe 50 -100 quid depending on what you choose. And they should last you many many years.

And you've got plenty of time to hunt for bargains - going into summer might be a good time to buy, there might be some good deals out their right now.

[Gareth Harper]

Lots of people are using three season crampons with three season boots.

That should of course be "are using crampons with three season boots" Sorry.

Don't see an edit button.

[jepsonscotland]

Scarpa Manta are a great winter/allround boot and they are on offer from
£250 RRP to £110 in the sale at Rock and Run!!!
Amazing price, never leak either.
Worth buying to have spare at that price!!
Chris

PS. Salomon are great and VERY comfortable, but at the rate mine are wearing, I'm guessing 2 year life cycle.

[MG1976]

Scarpa Manta are a great winter/allround boot and they are on offer from
£250 RRP to £110 in the sale at Rock and Run!!!
Amazing price, never leak either.
Worth buying to have spare at that price!!
Chris

I just picked a pair of the above, using Go Outdoor's Price Match (plus 10%) offer.
£99 was a proper bargain.

[SecretSquirrel]

Scarpa Manta are a great winter/allround boot and they are on offer from
£250 RRP to £110 in the sale at Rock and Run!!!
Amazing price, never leak either.
Worth buying to have spare at that price!!
Chris

I just picked a pair of the above, using Go Outdoor's Price Match (plus 10%) offer.
£99 was a proper bargain.

I just had GO confirm the price match for my Mrs ... £54 is an absolute bargain. And what's more amazing is our local GO actually has the item in stock ... that's a first for me

[SecretSquirrel]

I just had GO confirm the price match for my Mrs ... £54 is an absolute bargain. And what's more amazing is our local GO actually has the item in stock ... that's a first for me

I really do apologise for hi-jacking the thread and being OT ... but ...

Just back from GoOutdoors ... got the boots, went to the checkout, presented the Price Match email from their head office. And was informed they couldn't discount the boots as the product codes were different?!? The Manager was called and informed me the price match was for the "Old" mantas, and their store had reserved the "New" mantas and they could not give them at such a large discount.

Things were a little heated as I pointed out that nowhere was it ever mentioned that an Old or New version was available. Neither GoOutdoors nor Rock And Roll mention anywhere that there is an old or new version. The manager then took the boots away into the office to check against rock and rolls website to confirm it. Now, this had already been confirmed by GoOutdoors head office via email. Eventually the manager returned, clearly not amused, but said they would honour the discount - despite (to paraphrase) it being clearly wrong.

The upshot is, my Mrs got the Scarpa Mantas ("New") at the matched (less 10%) price of £54. So very happy.

ps ... while in GoOutdoors waiting for the manager to return ... a look at rock n rolls website showed the Womens Mantas reduced further to £49 !!!

[dtaylor5632]

Mantas are great but I use my Scarpa Charmoz for winter in Scotland. Sturdy enough for the conditions but not as heavy. Can take crampons and all in all a slightly cheaper version of mantas but just as good. ( I use both).

[xpfloyd]

Ive been using these since I started doing munros - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/trango-alp-gtx-p164842?gclid=CJCUpcW5v74CFSGWtAod22UAUw - and love them. Into my 4th season now and I havent re-waterproofed them once and they still keep my feet dry on the wettest of hill days, They are a stiff boot though but once they are well broke in they are great and they also take a crampon.

I wear them year round. i also wear them on low level walks, camping trips, when im out doing landscape photography etc etc

[antonr]

the charmoz and the la sportiv ones look great, and I was looking for more a B1 type boot seeing as I didn't plan on doing extensive walking, but those Scarpa Mantas at £99 were too good to miss out on so I've gone for them. given I was planning on spending somewhere in the region of 180-200 I figured why not just get the mantas for wet, rocky and winter conditions and keep my eye out on a good summer boot deal for 80.

[CharlesT]

the charmoz and the la sportiv ones look great, and I was looking for more a B1 type boot seeing as I didn't plan on doing extensive walking, but those Scarpa Mantas at £99 were too good to miss out on so I've gone for them. given I was planning on spending somewhere in the region of 180-200 I figured why not just get the mantas for wet, rocky and winter conditions and keep my eye out on a good summer boot deal for 80.

You got a good deal there. Used Mantas for years (actually have two pairs). As you've saved so much you can now splash out a bit on a good set of crampons - Grivel Newmatic 12's are perfect for the Scarpas and if you can get one at the right price the Petzl Charlet Summit axe is an excellent all-round axe and nice and light. Enjoy the winter.

[StevieC]

I've just ordered the Scarpa Mantas for £99 at Rock + Run. Luckily they still had my size in stock.

I've never really had what you would call "proper" boots before I've used Berghaus GTX for years now and have had no complaints, and they are as comfy as an old pair of slippers, but they are starting to show their age and I thought I'd give these a chance and get out a bit more in the winter...

[Fudgie]

I've had a pair of Mantas for about two years now and I wear them all year round. My feet do start to feel it eventually given the weight of them but I've put them into all sorts of bogs, peat hags and rivers and my feet have always remained dry.

I'm a bit jealous of all of you getting them for a lot less than £200