Here's one for Chris and should also be in the gear thread as well. My wife and I want to extend our walking up mountains into the winter (ie snow and ice etc), our current boots are coming to the end of their life, and not being winners of last weekends lottery don't have the cash to buy multiple boots for different activities. So we are wondering which boots to get that a) can take crampons b) used for scrambling c) worn all year round d) and ideally light
The first thing to say is that the fit of boots is more important than anything else, including weight and my recommendations! All the big name boot companies make suitable models. I'd suggest finding a store with a good selection of boots and staff trained in boot fitting and spending a few hours trying different models.
Year round hill boots come into the 3 or 3-4 season category and are a little stiffer with firmer uppers than 2-3 season boots. Weights tend to be in the 1500-1800kg range for a men's size 9. Lighter weight boots are suitable for scrambling and can be worn all year round, even with crampons on easy terrain for short periods. If you plan on wearing crampons on more difficult and steep terrain then heavier, stiffer boots are better. Any boot will be a compromise between comfort and coolness for summer walking and stiffness, warmth and waterproofness for winter use, especially on snow and ice.
In the medium weight category the Scarpa SL is an excellent boot that comes in two width fittings, unlike most boots. They don't have a waterproof membrane lining, which I find too hot in summer. Last winter I tried and liked the Berghaus GR20 (1686 grams), which comes with or without a membrane, though it's a little narrow for my feet.
I also like the new Brasher Trailmasters (1524 grams), though these do have a membrane. Overall my own choice for a year round boot would be the Scarpa SL in the wide fit. However I don't wear boots (except for testing) between May and the first snows of winter, preferring trail shoes or sandals (I've just crossed the Scottish Highlands on the TGO Challenge in a pair of Brasher Rapid shoes and last summer I walked the Southern Upland Way in sandals). I find any boots too warm in the summer. The coolest I've tried are leather ones without waterproof linings like the SLs.
So can some 3 season boots take crampons? I was under the impression that 3-4 season and 4 season boots were only able to take crampons. Or is this a basic mistake or misunderstanding?
Darren, try La Sportiva Makalu...they're brilliant. They're perfect for scrambling (as you already know from Clogwyn Y Person) and will take any crampon. The GoreTex lining really works and using them with Bridgedale CoolMax liners and AT boot I don't find them too hot even on days like Saturday. But like Chris said the fit is the most important aspect.
You can in theory fit crampons to any boot and even to trail shoes. Black Diamond say their Contact Crampons will “accommodate any boot from an approach shoe to a snowboard boot”. I don't recommend this however! I have worn crampons with Brasher Mountainmaster and Trailmaster boots, which are generally regarded as 3 season boots.
The key is to fit the crampons to the boots and then the combination to the terrain. For fairly flexible three season boots you need flexible crampons with a bendy bar linking the front and rear sections. This combination is suitable for walking but not technical climbing. You can't front point in bendy boots.
Darren - I think you'd be pushing your luck to find footwear that is useful all year round on all terrain and conditions - you're going to end up compromising somewhere, if not in all departments!
You could end up with boots that are too heavy for summer, too bendy for winter, not waterproof enough for the wet and not breathable enough for the sun! That's not to say you can't do it, just that it's less comfortable that way.
A pair of light trail (more fashionably described as "x-terrain") shoes and a pair of more substantial boots a la Scarpa SL or equivalent should see you through most conditions though.
