Mountaineering boots/Goat Hunt advice

[Mark]

Prepping for a fall goat hunt in BC quite a ways out (but the excitement is killing me) I wanted to get some feedback about mountaineering boots and what some of you have used and liked while on a goat or sheep hunt.

I currently have the following boots in my possession and am reviewing all of them. I'm not limited to these and am curious what others have used.

Scarpa Charmoz Pro GTX (super light but also seem adequately stout)
Zamberlan 4039 Expert IBEX GTX RR (incredibly sturdy but heavy and stiff)
Asolo Aconcagua GV (like the Zambs also built like a tank and slightly less heavy almost as stiff)
Aslolo Ascneder GV (light like the Scarpa's but seem to have the best blend of stiffness and flex)

There are +/- for all of the above.

My main concern is how stiff or technical does the boot need to be? Some of the above don't seem like they would be comfortable (relatively) all day and others seem like they'd be too light. My pack will be around 40-45# going in and hopefully much heavier heading out!

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[tttoadman]

I walk slow and steady with a short stride, so the stiff boots really work well for me. Mine:
1. Lowa hunter extremes that are regular Lowa stiffness, and they are nicely insulated. I used those in ID In Nov at 8000ft...temps around 15-25. This was all good.

2. My heavy duty boots are La Sportiva EVO Nepals. These are considerably stiffer than the Lowas which i didn't think could be possible. I wore these hunting OR in cold November, and they worked great. They are made to move in, so I noticed a bit of cold when standing or sitting for long periods at 10-30deg. I wasn't "cold", but I can tell that the Lowas are a bit warmer. I love how tall these are for the wet and sloppy OR hunting. That was the one thing that steared me away from the 4039 boots. I think these are incredibly waterproof. I love that they have the removable tongue so I can take thinner or thicker socks, and still get a snug fit.

 

[Mark]

I walk slow and steady with a short stride, so the stiff boots really work well for me. Mine:
1. Lowa hunter extremes that are regular Lowa stiffness, and they are nicely insulated. I used those in ID In Nov at 8000ft...temps around 15-25. This was all good.

2. My heavy duty boots are La Sportiva EVO Nepals. These are considerably stiffer than the Lowas which i didn't think could be possible. I wore these hunting OR in cold November, and they worked great. They are made to move in, so I noticed a bit of cold when standing or sitting for long periods at 10-30deg. I wasn't "cold", but I can tell that the Lowas are a bit warmer. I love how tall these are for the wet and sloppy OR hunting. That was the one thing that steared me away from the 4039 boots. I think these are incredibly waterproof. I love that they have the removable tongue so I can take thinner or thicker socks, and still get a snug fit.

Thanks tttoadman! I have a pair of the Lowa Tibet GTX high but I don't think they aren't going to cut it for the steeps. The Asolo Aconcagua looks similar to the La Sportiva Nepal. You found you had enough flex to wear them all day and not be uncomfortable?

 

[Wapiti_Hunter]

I am a huge fan of Asolo, I have used them for 10+ years hunting and mountaineering. I have used them mixed ice alpine climbing, in rain, heat, freezing blizzards, you name it, and they have performed well. Lowa, La Sportiva, and many other brands will also perform well. Mountaineering companies are pretty good at what they do and most of the products will do well. I think the most important point would be to buy the boot that fits YOUR foot, spend as much time as you need to find the boot for your foot, because it's not the same as my foot. After that add some custom soles and you should be good to go. My Asolo boots are pretty stiff and are pretty versatile, from crampons to day hikes they are great products.

 

[tttoadman]

Thanks tttoadman! I have a pair of the Lowa Tibet GTX high but I don't think they aren't going to cut it for the steeps. The Asolo Aconcagua looks similar to the La Sportiva Nepal. You found you had enough flex to wear them all day and not be uncomfortable?

I had a tape strip on the back of my heel as a preventative. I had a couple days of about 6 or 8 miles. Not any issues out of the ordinary. If I stride out at all, I start getting a hot spot on my heels. I just trudge along at 1-2 MPH depending on the terrain and the load.

 

[Mark]

One of the things I'm wrestling with is how heavy or stiff a boot does one need? For example if you look at these 2 Scarpa boots they are both "Mountaineering boots" but drastically different in weight, size and stiffness. If ether of these boots are "acceptable" how do you decide?

https://www.scarpa.com/charmoz

https://www.scarpa.com/grand-dru

To me thats like saying "bring a rifle" and then giving examples of a .22 and a .300 Win Mag.

 

[6mm Remington]

Lots of good boots listed. I used Danner Trophy boots with 400 gram thinsulate insulation and they worked well for me. I think every person has to just see what works for them. One thing I would suggest for certain is shown below. These things are unbelievable when there is a half inch or two feet of snow on the ground. Well worth their money for hunting any terrain. I love them and cannot believe how much they improve your confidence getting around, and a lot less fatiguing too doing the one step forward and slide two steps back thing!

http://hillsound.com/hillsound-product/trail-crampon-ultra/

http://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/

I use them for any hunting now where it slick and snowy!