Lightweight mountaineering boot with a wide toe box?

[Ian Rae]

I’m in the market for a 3 season mountaineering boot with a wide toe box. Perhaps I‘ve gotten too used to wearing Altra runners, and I really wish that they made a mountaineering boot!

I do genuinely have pretty wide toes, and a pretty normal/narrow mid foot and heel shape.

Ideally, they’d be light, waterproof and hybrid crampon compatible, but I’m willing g to compromise some of those qualities for a wide toe box.

Any suggestions?

[Alex F]

I had a very similar situation to yours in wanting a lighter weight boot, that is waterproof with a wider toe box and still fairly stiff. I tried out quite a few of them and ended up with the La Sportiva TXS GTX, they’re a mix of an approach shoe in a mid style. I really like how they feel, the heel is very cushy compared to others and the full rubber rand is a nice feature for scrambling and hiking in rocky terrain.

Also, have a look at the Salomon X Ultra 3 mid GTX’s (boy that’s a mouthful!).

[Ian Rae]

Thanks, Alex!  I should add that I’m specifically after a mountaineering boot with a stiff sole/steel shank for kicking steps in snow. I find that most hiking boots don’t excel at this.

[jscott]

Keen makes the widest toe box that I know. they make gore tex boots. Maybe check out their models.

[Sean P]

Salomon x-alp is a B1 mountaineering range that comes in shoe to hightop boot versions.

I have the x-alp mid ltr gtx which i have used with grivel c1 crampons and I have kicked steps in the snow with them without issues.

They are lighter than their backpacking boot (the quest 4d), which was a nice surprise, but I wouldn’t describe them as having a wide toebox (i have never seen a B1 boot with a wide toebox). I went up half a size from 11.5 to 12 and they were perfect.

They flex in the toe but cannot be twisted, which is why they have rated them as B1.

[S Long]

I like Scarpa. I have the Phantom 6000 and the Rebel Pro GTX. I have wide feet and they fit better than most other brands (La Sportiva is too narrow for me). I also hear that Mammut makes some good models for wider feet (the Nordwand Light Mid GTX).

[Mike M]

I have a pair of the La Sportiva TRK’s and not the roomiest toe box ever. I bought them to replace a similar leather boot, the Omega, which did have a roomy toebox- did, as in discontinued :(

I’m now looking at Crispi boots, several models and everything I’ve read is roomy toebox across their model line.

[Chris R]

Scarpa used to make a wide version of the SL but it doesn’t look like they sell that version now though they do have other models in wide. I used to wear those SLs with crampons in UK winter conditions. Unfortunately my feet have outgrown my 44s so they are sitting on the shelf gathering dust right now, as are my crampons for that matter, no mountains in Manitoba!

[Adam G]

I spent a lot of time trying to find the same thing. I tried the Asolo TPS 520 but wasn’t super happy with its performance on more technical terrain. Ultimately, I gave up and switched to a hunting boot. Kenetrek and Meindl make wide boots and can be bought directly from their website. Unfortunately, there are a lot more Meindl mountaineering boots only available in Europe. The Meindl boots are marketed as hunting boots in the USA but clearly are mountaineering boots because some are compatible with semi-automatic crampons. The Vakuum Hunters say they’re compatible with soft crampons, but I’m not sure about that because it looks like they have a rear welt for semi-automatic crampons. They definitely are not lightweight but perform quite well and are quite comfortable.

[Mike M]

I’ve tried several of the wide sized boots (Kenetrek, others) and while the toe box is opened up, they are too wide in the heel and midfoot.

Im thinking I might have feet similar to the OP, need roomy toebox, but want my heel and midfoot locked in- my feet really aren’t wide- I just need room for my toes

[Pierre Descoteaux]

Scarpa is considered to be wider than Laspo. Lowa have treated me very well (ice climbing). Wide comfy and high quality. My next boots… Zamberlan.  Apparently wide fit as well. Nothing like trying in store! Good luck. 

[Johnny Mikes]

Apologies for a bit of topic drift, but the search function here isn’t great and this thread is both current and somewhat relevant…

Does anyone have a suggestion for a model of a light(-ish) leather boot   WITHOUT a Goretex-y liner that has more torsional rigidity than a typical hiking running shoe?

I am looking for something that (compared to my mountaineering boots) doesn’t weigh a ton, doesn’t cook your feet when its hot, and yet will give a bit better ability to kick steps in firm summer snow and dig in the edge of the sole when side-hilling on steep scree, meadows etc.  In other words the appropriate footwear for those trips where my go-to quick-drying (non-Goretex) hiking runners don’t quite cut it but true mountaineering boots are overkill.

 

 

[Brad W]

@zutalors Have you looked the Merrell Moab Ventilator 2 mid? These breath decently yet have more of a boot feel. They have great Vibram soles that last a long time as well.

[Mike M]

Salomon makes an Ultra Mid that is non gore tex; not sure how stiff

Ive owned Merrell Moab’s in the past and unless they’ve changed them up, they have no stiffness (high top trail runner)

[Bruce Tolley]

@ Johny

The Salomon Ultra Mid non goretex has a synthetic mesh upper.  Its midsole is relatively stiff.

You might check out the new Danner Leather Light 800.

[Rachel R]

Take a look at Salewa. They have several models. My husband and I both have worn Altra’s for years (as well as wide toe-box shoes for casual everyday use as well), and went through the same issue when looking for mountaineering boots in 2018. We both ended up with the Salewa Rapace, which works well with hybrid crampons.  The Salewa Raven and Crow models seem to be more popular than the Rapace, but I can’t speak to how they fit.

[Philip Tschersich]

I use the Salomon X Ultra Mid 3 Aero as my ‘wet shoe’ platform for packrafting trips. The sole is excellent for steep grass and tundra alpine. The sole is a little stiffer than comparable light hikers, but not mountaineering boot rigid. The main downside is the mesh is actually so open that it lets through a lot of sand and dust. I would prefer a tighter weave, but otherwise I like them better than other similar boots.

As real mountaineering boots go I also have Salewa Rapaces. They are quite comfortable and do have a wide forefoot. They are not light though so I didn’t suggest them earlier. The Salomon X Alp Mtn was a great boot. Light, reasonably supportive, mid-width in the forefoot, and I went through a few pair before Salomon stopped making them. Bummer.

[Johnny Mikes]

Thanks for all the suggestions folks.

Brad W: I may check out the Merrell Moab Ventilator 2 mid if anyone around here stocks them but I’m generally not wild about footwear that combines leather and “mesh” for backcountry use. (Kinda contradictory in my mind: part quick dry, part not..)

Mike M: Not seeing any non-GTX Ultra Mid on the Salomon website but they have a X Ultra 3 (non-GTX) that I’ll take a look at – maybe it’s the low cut of he same shoe. (The shoes I am currently using are Salomon XA Pro 3D’s and I find them to be a pretty serviceable shoe so I’ll be curious to give the X Ultra 3 a twist and compare.)

Bruce: Not sure if Danner has the same model you mention amid the zillion models on their website, but there’s one outfit in the nearest city that carries Danner so I’ll see if they have something similar to what you mentioned.

Rachel: Thanks but the Salewas have Goretex (not for me) and they are mountaineering boots (ie heavier than this quest has in mind).

Phillip: I’ll see if anyone locally carries the Salomon X Ultra Mid 3 Aero and give it a twist as well to compare it to Salomon XA Pro 3D I am using. I do/have used the predecessor models of the XA Pro 3D (XA 3D Ultra or some such) for packrafting as well. I suppose perhaps the mesh could be a bit tighter – or perhaps I have simply just gotten used to pretty gritty socks over the years!

Thanks again everyone! Sounds like some of us may be in a pretty specific niche wrt an interest in quick-drying, light yet cool and stiff footwear.

[Johnny Mikes]

PS – I live in BC so not all the same models mentioned may be available in Canada. And I won’t be crossing the border for any shopping anytime soon!

[Mike M]

https://www.rei.com/product/122168/salomon-x-ultra-3-mid-aero-hiking-boots-mens

[jscott]

“an interest in quick-drying, light yet cool and stiff footwear.”

That’s a lot of wishes to pack into a boot. Is it possible? You may need to compromise on at least one of your requirements.

edit: although Mike’s link is pretty damn close! I wonder how stiff those boots are…stiff enough maybe.

[Edward John M]

Mountaineering implies crampons and therefore a stiff boot all around and not just the sole, it also implies cold and snow and ice where foot safety means a warm boot; perhaps broaden the search to a heavy hiking/hill walking boot but there isn’t much around, I too have been looking since my Raichle Himalaya boots died 30 years ago

[Nick Gatel]

re: Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid Aero . . .

I have been wearing a pair this year for deserts hikes. Mostly to protect my ankle area from desert cactus spines and other pointy stuff.

Over the past 12 years I have worn out several pairs of Salomon XA Pro 3D trail runners, which have been the best overall shoe I have used during that time. So in comparison —

The Ultra 3 Mids are more breathable than the XA Pro 3D, which is actually a bit of a problem. I get so much fine dust through the mesh material I have started wearing silk liner socks under my wool socks. Actually, GTX shoes keep fine dust out, but are warmer to wear, based on the one pair of GTX shoes I have owned.

For a mid “boot” they are pretty light.

I think the XA Pro 3D might have a stiffer sole. At least they seem to me to be.

Traction is good on most kinds of terrain.

So far I like them. How long they will last is still an unknown. Hopefully at least as long as my XA Pro 3D last. Both shoes look somewhat similar in design. The Ultra 3 Mid is certainly not close to being a “mountaineering” boot.

 

[Stephen Seeber]

I just started using these: https://www.topoathletic.com/mens-trailventure-wp?color=107

So far, they seem to meet all my requirements:  Wide toe box, ample foot protection, light weight, excellent traction.  They are WP, which should improve versatility for winter use.  There is also a non-WP version available.

[Johnny Mikes]

jscott: One shouldn’t have to compromise to find the footwear I am looking for. If the manufacturers offered more models without a Goretex/Goretex-ish material, I think the challenge to find a cooler and slightly torsionally stiffer “shoe” would likely be met.  As mentioned back on July 12 when I threw in a topic drift on this thread, I’m not looking for a  super stiff HD boot or something that is suited for crampons, just a sole that is a somewhat torsionally stiffer than say a XA Pro 3D (which, for me is a generally great shoe) to sidehill better and maybe occasionally help kick steps better in firm summer snow. When I pull something off the wall at a store that looks like it might do the trick it always seems to have some damn Goretex/Goretex-ish material which I find sucks in summer in terms of hot feet. I do own a pair of Goretex Salomons that I use for trail running a very few weeks in early winter when it’s sleeting, slushy, or there’s just a few cm of snow – they’re great when I DO want warm feet. When there’s enough snow for XC or backcountry skiing, they get put away for another year. Those shoes have lasted for a few years and will last more as, for me at least, the utility of a Goretex running shoe is limited to a very narrow window annually.

Nick: I appreciate your take on the Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid Aero and comparison to the XA Pro 3D. It aligns with Phillip’s comment. I don’t think the additional openness of the weave would be for me.

Stephen S: Thanks for the tip re the Topo’s as I’ve never heard of them. There’s a dealer in the next town so I’ll see if they carry the right model and give the sole a twist/torq. and see if it might fit the bill.

 

 

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