Best lightweight boot

[jjd]

Tried on both the salomon x/lab s alp carbon 2 and the Scarpa Zodiac plus today. I was really impressed with the Scarpa’s. Light, wide toe box, not too much heel lift, and the perfect amount of stiffness. Liked the salomon as well, but for more money, no ankle support, and the reputation some of their boots have for not lasting and leaking going with the Scarpa’s.


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[jjd]

Also tried on the La Sportiva Trango trek. Lightweight and comfortable too, narrower in the toes and a taller heel than I like.

Try on as many different boots as you can. I’ve been on the search for 2 years now and finally think I found the one. If anyone is in the Portland area Oregon mountaineering community has a good selection of boots.


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[GotDraw?]

@RonB Seriously? Man, I gotta say, I have been a member of Rokslide for years and have never felt a need to call someone out but you and your tribe really push my buttons...

You are THAT guy

You know the guy. The guy and all his buddies that buy boots and gear from REI, then wears and uses those boots/that gear for the ENTIRE summer and then only after those boots or gear have virtually zero value, then you and your tribe FINALLY decide they "haven't worked out for you" and THEN you return them to REI.

You, my friend, are the EXACT reason that REI now limits their returns to one year.

Thank you to you and all your tribe for that mentality.

Some people...

Jeesuz...

JL

4d’s are very bulky. Consider the salewa crow. Or the scarpa zodiac plus. I’m gonna pick up the zodiacs this spring with my REI dividend. No more buying boots online. I can wear these all summer and if they don’t work out, just return them for something different.


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[Trial153]

Yea abuse and thievery like that is ruining a lot of policy’s from good retailers. For example ll bean just changed their warranty policy.

 

[Ronb]

Didn’t mean it quite like that. Right now I have a two year old pair of scarpa kinesis that leak like a faucet, that scarpa won’t warranty. Same with my brother. I’m just saying, with REI you can count on an easy return if there’s any failure. Unlike the manufacturers who put the shipping on you and you might not get a new pair for weeks. Also, sometimes a boot feels awesome in the store, but fail you when you put 75lbs in your pack. Most manufacturers aren’t going to be there for you after you’ve worn them outdoors. REI absolutely expects you to bring a boot back that doesn’t preform. Not saying to abuse it. Also, don’t forget REI is not an inexpensive store. One of the reasons they can charge so much for their clothes and boots is because of the warranty they offer. We’re paying for that warranty.


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[Ronb]

I didn’t write the warranty. And no one should feel bad for using it. As it says, if your not satisfied with your purchase within a year, bring it back! I stand by my original post to buy your boots at REI, why would you not?


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[jjd]

Didn’t mean it quite like that. Right now I have a two year old pair of scarpa kinesis that leak like a faucet, that scarpa won’t warranty. Same with my brother. I’m just saying, with REI you can count on an easy return if there’s any failure. Unlike the manufacturers who put the shipping on you and you might not get a new pair for weeks. Also, sometimes a boot feels awesome in the store, but fail you when you put 75lbs in your pack. Most manufacturers aren’t going to be there for you after you’ve worn them outdoors. REI absolutely expects you to bring a boot back that doesn’t preform. Not saying to abuse it. Also, don’t forget REI is not an inexpensive store. One of the reasons they can charge so much for their clothes and boots is because of the warranty they offer. We’re paying for that warranty.


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Don’t know if gore is any better with warranty, but you might check with them since Scarpa wouldn’t replace them.


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[GotDraw?]

@RonB- There's no need to plaster REI's return policy in bold font to defend yourself, we all know what their policy is.

The point I was making is that some folks use a warranty as it is intended (and I agree with you RE your Scarpa boots leaking); however, there are folks find ways to creatively abuse a warranty for their own self interests. I'm just tired of reading on various forum about people whose ethics allow them to take serious advantage of return policies in order to trade up to a new model or effectively "rent" gear for free or similarly use it for a long term trial period.

Perhaps I somehow read your original post wrong, and if I did then I truly apologize. But if I my interpretation was correct, then I stand my ground. But the way you wrote your original post, it sure seemed to lean quite proudly toward the latter and that's what precipitated my post.

Of course REI charges more than smoke and mirror online discounters, REI buys and holds inventory in each store, it maintains and pays for a vast amount of retail floor space and staff. And every time someone's ethics allow them to buy an item and creatively return it after they have depleted its value, then stores like REI have to sell 5x or more the $ amount of the return to cover the cost of that loss- just to break even. If a product doesn't work or fit, then definitely take it back... but taking an entire summer Feb- August (6 months) to decide if a pair of boots fit, well, in my world that starts smelling an awful lot an old pair boots and like taking advantage.

You ask why I wouldn't take a piece of gear back after year? Well, maybe it's ethics. Maybe it's that I trust my ability sufficiently to figure out if a pair of boots fit after a hike or two and not after 6-7 months of use on the trail. At some point I realize that I have used that piece of gear enough and gotten sufficient value out of it to the point that I'd actually be ashamed to bring it back. If a piece of gear breaks? Sure, bring it back. But using a pair of boots for 6-7 months from February to August, then deciding they don't "fit". Those, sir, are not my ethics but ymmv and the same with others. If they are yours, then by all means, go for it. And I have couple pair of very fine used Lowa boots I'll sell you that are a half size off because I chose to own them after a couple months.

Profound apologies again if I misinterpreted the intent and direction of your original post.

JL

I didn’t write the warranty. And no one should feel bad for using it. As it says, if your not satisfied with your purchase within a year, bring it back! I stand by my original post to buy your boots at REI, why would you not?


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[Ronb]

I had always bought asolos from REI and one time used the warranty over a leak. 3 years ago I bought the kinesis gtx. Ordered 3 different boots off Amazon and I liked the scarpas best. Wore them all summer and the first winter they started to barely leak in one boot. I probably would have exchanged them that fall if I had bought them from REI. Not so easy with an online retailer. That was the point I was making. Not renting gear. Learned my lesson with boots. I will buy from REI and pay a higher cost. Because sometimes, what you think you have walking the stairs in your house, is not what you end up with after a few hikes.


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[Gatorgrizz27]

Living in an area where mountain boots are non-existent in retail stores, having to order them online and then determine if they fit will is tough. Waddling around the house for 5 minutes isn’t going to tell you if they will have hot spots after a couple miles of elevation. A lot of retailers also won’t take something back that has any evidence of wear, regardless of their return policy.

I suppose the most ethical thing to do would be order a dozen different boots, try them out for 5-10 miles each, then keep the best one and sell the rest on here. Unfortunately, you’d be looking at a $3,000 outlay and likely lose $500 on the whole process.

I doubt that Rokslide is big enough and has enough demand to develop a “boot library”, where guys would donate boots that have started leaking, don’t fit them great or suit their hunting style, or they received for testing. I’d gladly pay $50-100 for membership access to the “library” and $20 for each pair to cover the cost of shipping to be able to try them in real conditions for a few days without worry of screwing someone over or being stuck with them.

Also agreed about people abusing return policies, it’s the reason companies are going away from lifetime warranties. I understand it when a lot of boots have a 1 year warranty, you wear them half a dozen times, put them in the closet until the next season, then pull them out and they leak, sorry you’re past warranty. But people wearing stuff out and returning it or “renting” it for trips sucks. Same with buying it used or at goodwill then swapping it for new.

 

[Akicita]

For lightweight boots that I currently own in order of preference and use:

1. Scarpa Zodiac Tech GTX (For anything near or in the steeps when carrying a light load)

2. Asolo Drifter GTX (For approach and hiking in rolling easy terrain while carrying a light to moderate load)

3. Lowa Zephyr GTX Mid and Hi ( For moving fast and light with a light load, or no load in any terrain)

The first two may be replaced by the Scarpa Ribelle Tech OD when released.