by HalfManHalfTitanium » Tue Nov 27, 2018 11:05 am
I bought new boots recently - these Scarpas were among my "to try out" list.
I was looking for something mid-way between my light summer fabric boots and my big winter boots, which are a bit over the top for most UK hill walking.
So I wanted something suitable for eg a spring day in Scotland - comfortable on a typical munro-length walk, and not too heavy, but you can pop crampons on if you come across an icy patch.
I ended up with the Altberg Nordkapp, which look very similar to the Scarpa Khumbu. But after trying the Nordkapps, they fitted so well that I thought it pointless to keep on looking.
A great advantage of the Nordkapps, for me, was that it has a slightly bent sole, which makes walking along a track or road more comfortable but is still rigid enough to hold lightweight strap-on crampons if needed.
It was also very good to have a knowledgeable and experienced member of the shop staff to help me try out the various options. I tried a few, the other ones I can remember were the Meindl - I think the Bhutan but not 100% sure. They were very good, but not as comfy for me as the Nordkapps, and a slightly less rigid sole, I would be less confident about using them on a narrow icy ridge with crampons...
Tim