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Meindl Lhotse
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Price:
£129.95
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Weight:1716 grammes (men's size
43)
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Features: Upper:
Nubuck hydrophobic leather, stitched with anti-wicking
thread, Digafix lacing system, Anatomic design with Air
Active ventilation; Gore-Tex guaranteed waterproof lining;
Meindl double density Vibram outsole, PU and rubber Nylon
midsole; higher rand at toe and heel for added protection;
C1 flexible crampon compatible.
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Class 3/4-season boot
High cut can rub on ankles
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We've been using Meindl's new Lhotse for the past few months now and
we're impressed - the boot offers a great balance between comfort,
weight and performance.
The Lhotse's a 3/4-season item, which in our book means it should
be suitable for year round mountain walking below the snowline and
crampon use when needed. For sustained crampon use - mountaineering
in Scotland for example - you'd be better off with a fully stiffened
boot, but the slightly more flexible sole of the Lhotse and similar
boots make it more comfortable for general walking use.
Comfort And Light
We've found comfort generally excellent, the combination of the
nubuck leather and well-shaped internal padding makes for a
comfortable fit straight out of the box and the Digafix lacing system
holds the forefoot in position well, with no toe-stubbing on
descents. Our only quibble was that the continental-style high-cut
ankle can rub on ankle bones, though loosening or simply ignoring the
top set of eyelets cured the problem instantly and it only happened
on the left test foot, suggesting that it may have been a problem
peculiar to our own gnarled ankles...
On top of this, the Gore-Tex membrane has kept our feet pleasingly
dry so far and with minimal sweatiness, but then it is winter.
The boot's also very light for a crampon-compatible unit. A pair
of size 43 Lhotses weighs in at 1632 grammes compared to 1972 grammes
for a pair of the class benchmark Scarpa SLs and almost exactly the
same as Scarpa's fabric Super Treks. Those extra 340 grammes may not
sound much, but you'll feel it on your feet over the course of a day
in the hills.
The pay-off is that the uppers and sole unit aren't quite as
solid-feeling as the SL's, which makes the Scarpa boot a slightly
better option for regular crampon use. The Scarpas also have a
beefier, but less cushioned sole unit, so potentially more grip on
hard snow, but less comfort when walking on hard ground.
Performance
We've found performance generally good for all-terrain walking
below the snowline. The sole unit is cushioned enough and stiff
enough for stability on rocky ground and it would make a good
mountain-backpacking choice as well. There's also enough lateral
stiffness in the sole unit to edge on reasonably sized holds for
scrambling.
The Vibram Multigriff sole unit (modelled on an ibex hoof no less)
does its usual dependably grippy gig wet or dry and - so far - the
rand has remained determinedly stuck to the leather and protected it
from rocky abrasion.
Brief experimentation with C1-graded crampons - hopefully more to
come this winter - showed up no problems and we'd happily use them
for winter mountain walking south of the border.
Build Quality
Meindl's attention to detail has always been excellent and the
Lhotseis no different with carefully thought out detailing and
quality materials. The company uses anti-wicking thread for example,
to prevent water from seaping through the stitched seams, eyelets are
non-corroding brass items and the insoles supplied feature a neat
shock-absorbing pad under the heel.
The nubuck leather has stood up well so far and the padded ankle
cuff feels soft and luxurious. Nice.
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Verdict: If you're after a
lightweight, leather, crampon-compatible boot for UK
mountain walking, the Lhotse should be on your list of
potential candidates. Comfort is excellent straight out of
the box and performance is good on anything short of
day-long, technical cramponing, when you might be better of
with a fully-stiffened boot. Quite simply an excellent
3/4-season boot that's lighter than virtually anything else
in the class. We like.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time: A
very comfortable, well-made 3/4-season boot that's around
350 grammes per pair lighter than the class benchmark,
Scarpa's SL. Ideal for rough mountain walking or backpacking
with good lateral stiffness and excellent grip plus
luxurious comfort straight from the box and a waterproof
Gore-Tex liner. They also take a C1 flexible crampon for
occasional hard snow outings, though for regular, sustained
crampon use, we'd suggest a fully-stiffened boot.
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