My trusty KSB's seem to have worn and got into a habit of shredding my ankles, so its time to invest in a new pair of boots. Having tried both the scarpa ranger GTX and the nepals, I'm having trouble deciding between the two. Just wondering if anyone could share their experience of the above boots.

I've read that some people have had trouble with the rangers sole parting company from the boot?

Are the nepals proving watertight, even though they are unlined?

Please don't say 'buy whichever fits' - they both do!!

Ben,

I've no direct experience of either but there's no need to have a membrane to keep your feet dry, remember that there's even a Ranger without gore-tex. As long as you take care of them and reproof as required (ideally with HS12) they should be fine. Think of an unlined Nubuck boot as being like Paramo for your feet.

The Nepals are all together a tougher, stiffer, heavier boot so it really depends what you want to use it for. I'd say that if you spend a lot of time on rock or generally off paths then the Nepal may be a better option. In the end it's going to come down to personal choice about how much support you want from a boot.

Whichever boot I go for will be used mainly in the dark peak, spending most of its time bashing through heather and bogs. Thats why i'm slightly worried about the unlined nepal leaking? Having said that, I've never had my Manta's leak.

An awful lot of the Nepal upper is actually rubber rand - it surely won't leak, but neither will it breathe.

I have the Nepals and think they are fantastic, ive used them in really wet conditions, bog and snow and havent got wet.

The rubber rand is great as it stops the front of the boots scuffing etc.

The soles are nice and grippy too.

cheers
Andy
PS for what its worth they came 1st in the latest trail test.

My old KSB's eventually died too. I had the same dillema and saw the Ranger GTX on special offer in Gaynors so went for them.

However one thing I loved about my old Karrimors was the rubber rand. I would go for the Nepal if I'd though about it. My Scarpa Ranger GTX are only a few months old now and already the leather is really badly scuffed on the toe area, I reckon with a rand it would be much better, so I'd say don't make the same mistake I did!

The Ranger GTX are great boots and really comfy, but if you plan on rocky ascents then I'd say go for the rand!

Thanks guys, this is just the kind of feedback I was after. Someone with long term use of boots is much more useful than magazine reviews! The nice big rand is one of the things which I think is great about the nepals too.

Just for the record ive had my boots since the begining of march 2006 so they are now a year old...almost to the day.

cheers
Andy

Used Nepals for a month in Nepal and a couple of weeks in UK before going out. If you are looking to keep feet dry Nepals are not for you. They work well in dry conditions and even in short period in the snow. but when used on my second outing inthe Brecon Beacons a pair of Tevas would have got me home dryer

I've been using Nepal's for winter walking & wet weather walking for about four years now without problem - no leaks at all
keep them well waxed/dubbind

I have a pair of Rangers which I have been abusing for the last few years. They have pretty much been retired as they are cracking at the edge of the toe box, due to lack of care I suspect.

Good boots and comfy out of the box for me. Light, waterproof and very breathable (I have the non-Goretex version).

However I find them far too flexy on any kind of uneven ground and the sole isn't as grippy as I would like... damp Dartmoor granite being particularly lethal. They have also scuffed up pretty badly.

I like the Rangers but have taken to wearing my Trango's for just about everything. More wax and less drying on radiators would definately have increased their lifespan, but they have still served me well.

I have a pair of Meindl boots that are unlined leather and I can say thet if you take some carer of leather boots and wax them then there is no need for goretex.

My feet have got wet but never before other people wearing gore-tex lined boots and infact normaly stay dry for longer!